What is a Paddock paradise track system?

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Paddock Paradise is a natural horse livery concept based on Jaime Jackson's research into how horses live in the wild. It is "The key to having physically and mentally healthier horses", Jaime Jackson.

 

Jaime is a former farrier who, between 1982 and 1986, undertook studies of feral horses interacting in their natural environment. These studies revealed that feral horses rarely suffered from hoof problems such as laminitis or navicular which commonly affect our domestic horses.

So, based on what he saw in the wild, he started experimenting with trimming parameters for domestic horses that reflected the natural hoof and which would allow them to remain barefoot.
In 1990 he stopped using shoes on horses and started promoting the wild horse trim.

He published his first book in 1992, The Natural Horse: Lessons from the Wild which documented his wild horse studies and offered insights as to how we could better meet the biological needs of our domestic horses.
In 1999 he went on to write the Horse Owners Guide to Natural Hoof Care which went into more detail regarding his trim methods. Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding was published in 2007.

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Who can benefit from track systems?

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All horses can benefit, but especially horses with grass sensitivity (e.g. PPID sufferers, horses with laminitis or EMS), arthritis, those transitioning to barefoot or with poor hoof health, overweight horses or good doers.

 

What are some of the benefits? 

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Improvements in mental health and well being from living in a natural, stable heard environment.

Improvements in hoof health from living and moving on varied surfaces and terrains, encouraging strong and healthy hoof development.

Control over nutrition and diet, closer to what they should and would eat in the wild.

Weight loss due to increasing movement, low calorie, high fibre diet and increased foraging behaviours (studies have shown horses kept 24/7 on track systems walk twice as far per day as 24/7 field kept horses).

Reductions in vices, especially stable vices and those associated with stomach acid and ulcers.

Improvements in some allergies, especially where vets have recommended 24/7 turn out.

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What are the features of our track?

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A 18 x 36 run in - run out field shelter.

20 x 20 sand pit.

Dirt mound.

Natural water hole.

Automatic water station.

Stone surfaced winter loop.

Stone and dirt surfaced summer loop.

Plentiful hedgerow, willow screen and newly planted future hedgerow and trees for foraging 

More than 12 feeding stations, including lose hay, ground feeders, hay nets at various heights and hay bags, both indoor and outdoors.

New for 2019.... CCTV Track viewing for liveries!

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