It helps me to write it all down, and maybe you guys can help me see the wood for the trees.
Jess needs no grass, no hay, doesn't stable well and it would probably set off her breathing anyway.
Dan needs no grass, no haylage.
Hank no restrictions and could do with some extra calories in winter/a rest from playing with Niko
Niko really needs to be on grass at least part time.
This is the current set up, Green is hay stations, blue is water (which can't be moved really and I have to lug water from there if they can't walk there), Brown is the shelters, orange is gates. Jess and Dan have been on the right half of the track with haylage, Hank and Niko on the left, with hay and access to the paddocks on rotation.
I can change stuff, shelters could be converted to stables (yup, I'm actually considering it!) or maybe just put in night pens but Ideally I want to keep the square by the shelters on the right clear to start lunging Niko/to back him, but this is also the driest area and ideal for pens which could be attached to shelters.
I'm trying to come up with options;
Separate all at night into stables/pens - Niko on grass in the day, Jess on track/haylage, little boys on track/hay together
As above but Hank could rotate between everyone (not sure this wouldn't cause angst tho)
Leave Jess, Niko and Dan separate on track full time and Hank could rotate between everyone (not sure this wouldn't cause angst tho)
Leave Hank and Niko together and Jess and Dan separate (but Dan won't move much)
Leave Hank and Niko together and put Dan with them at night when off the grass (so Dan runs around a bit more)
In addition to working out what suits who, I also need to be a bit mindful of very limited grass (about 1.5 acres) and about 0.75 acre of track that is going to get muddy fast if it gets wetter (normally they are onto the grass full time about now but with Niko and Hank on it most of the summer/autumn there isn't enough to support them all full time this winter). I am going to try and do a deal to use neighbours field part time or something to rest it better next year but he won't have horses on full time and may not consider part time even, I could send them back to where they went this spring but it was exhausting having them in 2 places. Also Niko is a grot, will lay in the mud in front of the barn on the track if shut off grass at night (not a problem in summer).
Jess needs no grass, no hay, doesn't stable well and it would probably set off her breathing anyway.
Dan needs no grass, no haylage.
Hank no restrictions and could do with some extra calories in winter/a rest from playing with Niko
Niko really needs to be on grass at least part time.
This is the current set up, Green is hay stations, blue is water (which can't be moved really and I have to lug water from there if they can't walk there), Brown is the shelters, orange is gates. Jess and Dan have been on the right half of the track with haylage, Hank and Niko on the left, with hay and access to the paddocks on rotation.
I can change stuff, shelters could be converted to stables (yup, I'm actually considering it!) or maybe just put in night pens but Ideally I want to keep the square by the shelters on the right clear to start lunging Niko/to back him, but this is also the driest area and ideal for pens which could be attached to shelters.
I'm trying to come up with options;
Separate all at night into stables/pens - Niko on grass in the day, Jess on track/haylage, little boys on track/hay together
As above but Hank could rotate between everyone (not sure this wouldn't cause angst tho)
Leave Jess, Niko and Dan separate on track full time and Hank could rotate between everyone (not sure this wouldn't cause angst tho)
Leave Hank and Niko together and Jess and Dan separate (but Dan won't move much)
Leave Hank and Niko together and put Dan with them at night when off the grass (so Dan runs around a bit more)
In addition to working out what suits who, I also need to be a bit mindful of very limited grass (about 1.5 acres) and about 0.75 acre of track that is going to get muddy fast if it gets wetter (normally they are onto the grass full time about now but with Niko and Hank on it most of the summer/autumn there isn't enough to support them all full time this winter). I am going to try and do a deal to use neighbours field part time or something to rest it better next year but he won't have horses on full time and may not consider part time even, I could send them back to where they went this spring but it was exhausting having them in 2 places. Also Niko is a grot, will lay in the mud in front of the barn on the track if shut off grass at night (not a problem in summer).