Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

MossflowerWoods · Jun 21, 2012

Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

Folks,

I can't recall where I heard of this but I like the idea. Right now I am thinking about building a "Night Pasture" basically a 32' x 32' to 40' x 40' fenced area with a run-in shed, areas for feeding, and haying, etc. I would bring the horses in every night, feed them, and let them out every morning after feeding them.

I also plan multiple gates so I can end up with separate pastures I can let them out into, thereby facilitating pasture rotation.

I'd love to hear good & bad about this idea.

Thanks in advance,
David

ustmd · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

Can I ask why you not let back out to the main pastures at night? Are you trying to control their access to grass?

MossflowerWoods · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

ustmd said:
Can I ask why you not let back out to the main pastures at night? Are you trying to control their access to grass?

Somewhat... I am only planning one run-in shed, and multiple fields or pastures.

The effect is like a barn "lite". Typically if you have a stable or barn, there is a small field at the barn, and gate/gates to larger pastures.

I can rest the fields easier, I can keep half the manure in an easy to clean area, etc. I am really looking to simplify care keep costs down.

David

Mousefield · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

We have a smaller pasture in front of the house that I built a simple calf shed in. There is a gate at the back to a much larger pasture for my two calves. At first I closed the gate at night with the 2 calves in the smaller pasture. Main reason is we do have lots of black bears and cougars in our area. Just feel better having them close to the house. Now the calves always come on there own into the small pasture at night. In pic #1 you can see the gate on the left side.

edlegault · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

When I was a kid we still had "open range" in our rural western Washington state area. The cattle usually came home by themselves late in the day into their large fenced night pen next to the barn. The horses we had to go find and bring them home. So to us a "night pasture" was just the places we penned up the cattle and horses at night. They usually got a little bit of extra hay or feed for coming back in on time. And of course there was water and a salt-lick. And we had to go out and close the gates at night and open them up in the early morning. As the oldest child you can guess whose job it was to open the gates at 6am.

Jimbrown · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

I think it is pretty standard practice around here. I have a mare motel (a fancy run in) with 4 12x12 stalls and a 12 x 24 run connected to each stall. The horses come every afternoon and go right to their own stall I feed them and lock them in for the night. Feed and open stalls in the morning.

lockhaven · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

When i had horses years ago we always brought them in at night. The reason was peoples pet dogs would pack up at night and cause much problems with the horses. also we knew that they were secure, so if someone called that horses were out we knew that they were not ours. The other thing is a little grain each day keeps them in contact with you and much easy to spot any medical problems by touching them each day.

phiferpharm · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

I guess that's what I'm doing for my new mini "Trouble" without knowing it had a proper designation. I have a 40X40 area he is in with cover until his "barn" gets in (it was supposed to be here yesterday). There is a 300X100 fenced area for him to go in, and then we are putting in a 150X50 area that can be divided as we need with a set of portable gates we can zig-zag across the 50 foot section to have him in one end or the other. His stall - a 10X12 foot mini-barn will be in the 150X50 foot fencing. Grammie wants to put him to bed like she does with all the other critters. Only thing I have to do to the mini-barn is make the doors into the right height dutch doors, put in stall mats, and put plywood walls inside.

We got the portable fence so we can set it up as a training ring. His mom pulled a very small wagon and the lady I purchased Trouble from gave it to me. The wagon essentials - wheels, axles, etc, are not too bad, but the wooden part of the wagon will have to be rebuilt - oh well, another fun project for my Grand Daughter and I to do. It also helps that one of my neighbors introduced me to a lady who trains horses. She needs some Grapple work and I just happen to know someone who has one (me).

bucktaker · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

I have kinda of what you are referring to. From my barn which has run in stalls I have access to all my fields depending on which gate I open . Shelter and water is in this lot which i refer to as the dirt lot. I bring em in most nights give a small amount of grain for coming when called and close the open gate for the evening.
Going to make changes and put a 20x39 open lean to on the back of the barn and close off the stalls access from the outside.

300UGUY · Jun 21, 2012

Re: Anyone use a "Night Pasture"? Thinking about putting one in with a run-in shed...

When we had horses, I built a "paddock", that was approximately 250 x 75. Most of the time, I'd leave the gate to the main pasture, but at night, I would close them up in the barn. They got real fond of their barn, any other animal tried to get in would be stomped. Some sweet feed every evening brought them running into the barn. I had to provide 2 feed stations, otherwise the boss mare would run the gelding off the feed.