This message is from: Cherrie Nolden <prairieparad...@yahoo.com> It can be laid back if you arrange things for the farm system to mostly care for itself. Balance the number of horses with the amount of forage produced by the land, keep multiple paddocks to ensure proper rest for the grass between grazings so the stand thrives for years, keep the horses on pasture where they harvest their own feed and spread their own manure, follow with a flock of chickens or ducks to debug the manure and reduce parasite load, plant lawn to a low-growing prairie mix that you only mow a couple times per year (or get a sheep on a leash), etc, etc.
There are always things to fix, but getting the horses into a more natural group setting on pasture really reduces the daily chores common to boarding stables and confinement housing. This type of system allows me and my husband to work full time to pay for the land, and spend our weekends on repairs and/or relaxation. The horses are also healthy and happy, without boredom issues, with plenty of space to roam and with a natural horse social life. Although we are probably spending the same amount of money as we would if we had a house in town and boarded the horses nearby, we MUCH prefer to be spending the money on land payments that allow for this type of lifestyle for us and for the horses. Cherrie 1dr Fjords Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
