How lovely to find the horses relaxed and snoozing on the track this morning! You know you’ve got it right when they’re dozing contentedly on a cold winter’s morning rather than crowding the gate, waiting for a feed. By keeping a constant supply of hay on the track, we can stay flexible with feeding times, so our horses don’t learn a routine that just leads to stress or anxiety. They’re happier, healthier, and far more chilled—and that’s exactly what we love to see. 🤎💛🧡🖤🤍
#friendsforagefreedom #paddockparadise #herdlife #barefoothorse #horsesbeinghorses
After a few frosty days, someone was pleased for some time out! 🐎
What a lovely afternoon 🌞 It's nice to find the girls sleeping in the sunshine and the boys still filling their bellies with hay. This hay is what's left from what was put out last night, and there's about twice the same again, elsewhere on the track. They also have loose hay around the woods whilst the weather is particularly cold.
#friendsforagefreedom #paddockparadise #barefoothorses #herdlife #sunshine
Friends, Forage, and Freedom: nature’s way of keeping horses warm and healthy 🐴
Horses are social animals, and companionship within a herd works wonders in colder weather. By staying close together, they share body heat—often using each other as shelter—and encourage one another to move, which further boosts warmth. Plus, access to forage keeps them cosy from the inside out, thanks to the fermentation process in their hindgut creating its own source of heat. Even when temperatures drop, these natural behaviours help horses stay comfortable and content.
Our herd is enjoying some time out foraging to help keep warm today. They also have loose hay around the woods as well as their usual haynets around the track. They have access to two field shelters and the woods if they choose to use them.
#friendsforagefreedom #herdlife #NatureKnowsBest #paddockparadise
Wishing everyone a healthy and peaceful New year 🥂
We have a little sunshine 🌞
#paddockparadise #friendsforagefreedom #motionislotion #barefoothorse
Its that time of year again 🐎💨
#naturalenrichment #friendsforagefreedom #paddockparadise #motionislotion #winterturnout #herdlife #barefoothorse
Nature provides the best natural enrichment 💦
#paddockparadise #barefoothorse #friendsforagefreedom #naturalenrichment
Hills make the best natural gym for horses! From tiny Thimble, who needs lots of movement to help keep her in good metabolic shape, to wise old Beaky, who needs to stay strong and supple. Every step up that hill is building strength and health 🐴💪
#hillwalking #tracksystem #paddockparadise #movementismedicine #motionislotion #useitorloseit #metabolichealth
Well, that was a wet and windy few days!! 🌧We have had relentless rain here, and you can literally hear how wet we are! 💦 Thankfully, the mud mats have done a great job of providing somewhere dry and mud free for the horses, so that whilst they are eating hay their hooves will get a chance to dry out, which is vital when we are trying to maintain hoof integrity in wetter weather.
#paddockparadise #tracksystem #barefoothorses #naturalhoofcare #mudmats
Thimble was in a bit of a hurry 🧡🤍💨 This was just before the heavens opened, it all sounds a bit more splashy out there now! 💦
#paddockparadise #movementismedicine #barefoothorse #naturalenrichment
Getting their steps in 🐎💪
#barefoothorse #friendsforagefreedom #naturalenrichment #naturalhoofcare #motionislotion #movementmatters