How to Pasture Board a Horse
When your horse lives in a paddock or pasture, rather than in a stall in the barn, he is considered "pasture boarded." While this is a perfectly respectable way to maintain your horse, it is important that you take precautions against the hazards inherent in living outdoors. The weather, food supply, water supply and insects can all impact his quality of life.
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Instructions
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Ensure your horse has plenty of grass to graze on by rotating pastures every three to six months. This allows new grass to grow, and keeps your horse supplied with constant nutrition.
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Latch the gate of your horse's pasture with a sturdy clip he cannot work loose with his mouth. Some horses are escape artists, and this becomes a bigger issue when you pasture board.
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Provide your horse with a large water trough that is refilled daily. The trough can be either metal or plastic, but it needs to be scrubbed clean at least once every two weeks to prevent algae growth.
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Build a small shelter under which your horse can stand during inclement weather. This only needs to consist of a partial roof that doesn't leak. Place your horse's water and feed underneath it.
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Attach a sturdy feed bucket to the fence railing when you pasture board. This is where your horse will receive his grain, and it shouldn't be in a place where it might get wet during a rainy season.
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Scatter three or four flakes of hay in the pasture once or twice a day. Even though your horse can graze, hay provides him with essential nutrients that aren't found in grass.
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Make arrangements with your stable owner to provide your horse with a stall during severe weather. Pasture boarding is fine for thunderstorms and light snow, but a hurricane, tornado, blizzard or other significant event will require a stall.
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Spray your horse with insect repellent at least twice a day, particularly during the summer. You can find insect repellent made specifically for horses at your local feed store. It will prevent most bites and ward off irritating flies.
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Tips & Warnings
Evaluate your horse's condition on a regular basis. Some horses don't do well in pasture-board situtations, particularly if they have soft hooves.
