Re: RC: Pasture boarding and shoes?

["Beth Glace" <lb@nismat.org>]

Hi Judy,
I live in the northeast where it is also rocky.  Our horses are turned 
out together, 2-4 horses per 2-10 acre paddocks or fields.  We all 
keep our horses shod and I've never heard of a barn manangement 
that did not allow hind feet to be shod.  The trick is to make 
appropriate selections as to who goes out with who.  If there is a 
very alpha horse, or one who kicks, that horse ends up with less 
turnout and is always turned out alone.  Horses that get along well 
together share the larger pastures.  This may take quite a bit of 
switching around as horses come/leave the barn, but generally once 
compatible pasture mates are found it works out quite well. 
Good luck,
Beth 
New Paltz, NY

> How do you put your horses in pasture and compete regularly since they
> need shoes?  I've wondered this for a long time.  How do you guys do
> it?  I can't find a place with pasture anywhere near me that will let
> a horse with back shoes in (and probably rightfully so), and can't
> afford to lease an acre or so of land for 1 horse. I know people with
> your own places can fence off nice large paddocks for each horse, do
> you also put horses together if they have shoes?  It's so rocky here,
> I need shoes for conditioning and the rides.  If anyone has an answer
> to this I'd love to hear it.  
> 
>