Copyright © by OutFoxed Designs | The following designs, layout, information, locations and characters are all the author's imagination.
All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced.
Photo Images are credited to their original source and are used for fictional storytelling.
The Paddock Paradise was created by Jamie Jackson and backed by the AANHCP
The Backyard Barn with Track System
An interpretation of the private barn and utilizing a track system
This backyard barn project tackled a couple challenges and layout opportunities.
One was to have a small barn with limited number of stalls and horses on the property. The barn is set up with four stalls and four utility rooms. Each 14'x14' stall has an attached 28' paddock. Adjoining 32'x29' paddocks are lined up - with gates to two runs leading into a single paddock. Two more paddocks are accessed from the drive as well as gates leading through the other paddocks. All four small paddocks lead into the same 150'x150' pasture which shares a fence line and gate to a 161'x150' pasture with a gate to the drive. Each turn out space includes a shade or shelter.
The utilities rooms are set up with a man-door or left without a door on the aisleway and garage door out the back.
Tack room with storage, seating, a sink, hot plate, and refrigerator
Crosstie grooming stall with storage
Shavings storage
Hay Storage
A covered 15'x20' area is set up to be an outdoor crosstie area and wash rack for bathing.
The manure is set in a designated 21'x26' area that can be easily accessed to the Track by a gate.
The property includes a 200'x150' outdoor riding arena, a 60' round pen and 300'x300' grass pasture.
The Track System is set around the arena and pasture with free roaming opportunities. It features two wooded areas with trees and logs on deciduous and coniferous terrain. A pond with wetland plants and terrain are always available as a water source. The round pen, arena, and pasture are fenced but may be left open for exploring. The horses have an unfenced section of pasture for unscheduled grazing. Two sections of fenced area line the track and may be used as optional grazing spaces but are typically unkept.
There are two shelter spaces are set out on the track should the horses seek a shaded and protected area. The barn can be opened to the track system for the horses to utilize (through the grooming stall or moveable fence on the north side.
The track system can be easily altered by closing or opening the gates to the Pasture, Arena and Round Pen for different experiences. All of the gates can be opened as the entire property around the barn and track are fenced to allow the horses to roam from the looped driveway to the back pasture. There are many opportunities to change the style and layout of where the horses may go to provide unique enrichment.
Areas on the track have varied terrain for the horses to walk across or maneuver around. Terrain found on the track include: Decidious Forest, Coniferious Forest, Wetland, Sand, Gravel, Rocks & Uneven ground, Logs and/or Brush, Water, Grass, Dirt and Mud. The track follows the natural slope of the land - although the arena, round pen and barn on on leveled ground.
Polytape temporary electric fencing can be easily set up to create lanes within the accessible pastures to help encourage movement.
The Paddock Paradise system was created by Jamie Jackson - Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding book is a great resource to understand the creation of the track system, the benefits, and how to start.
Track Systems are set up to mimic natural life for horses in a domestic lifestyle. With horses being designed to be on the move for the majority of the day as they would in the wild, most domesticated horses suffer or experience illnesses and diseases brought on by an unnatural way of keeping horses; this includes ulcers and laminitis. The track system solves these issues by encouraging the horse to walk along the track to get to specific areas that will meet their needs. If a horse is hungry when in a stall, they eat the provided hay or wait until hay is provided; on the track system they walk to one of the grazing stations (a natural grass strip, a hay net, or available edible brush). If the stalled horse becomes thirsty - they take a couple of steps and take a drink from the water bucket, while a horse on a track will have to walk upwards of several hundred feet to get to a water station (water bucket, trough, pond). A stalled horse who wants to sleep or roll lays down in the provided bedding - the horse on the track actively seeks a resting or rolling spot (grass, sand, gravel, barn stall). For the horse on the track system, each of their needs and wants are provided for them in enriching ways but also more than a couple feet away. A horse in a stall may be given hay and then be occupied with eating for the next couple of hours while the horse on a track that has access to the same amount of hay may take several hours longer due to having to walk to different feed stations.
The benefits of the track system are numerous but the biggest gain is the horse's overall health. The increase in daily movement means the horse is active throughout the day and can lead to weight loss and muscle gain. Walking over varied terrain can harden feet and help hooves wear naturally. Due to being exposed to natural elements and making choices, horses can gain confidence and increased bodily awareness.
Track systems can be implemented on small properties such as within a turnout. Cost is low due to flexible fencing (use a temporary polytape type fence) to set up and move tracks and lanes to various areas to preserve land and offer new experiences to your horses. Tracks are flexible to be set up - no need for a clear cut piece of land, set a track lane meandering through a copse of trees or through a creek. Move the track lanes to prevent over-grazing of a pasture or strip of grass - utilizing a pasture for a longer period of time before needing to let it fully rest.