The Pastures

Pasture Layout and Pictures


The pastures are all sturdily fenced with wood, aside from the metal gates that lead into them. A few large, leafy trees stand in each one to provide shade, of various types including elm, maple and aspen, while the mare pasture has several trees, plus the far end runs parallel the forest. Our pastures are all composed of natural grasses and plants. For most of the spring and summer, the horses are left outside all day and night, but as the weather cools they are brought inside for the night, warming the barn, and are fed their rations of hay. During very hot days, the horses are brought in during the day. Our basic pasture (#6) holds most of the horses, while the smaller pens are largely for stallions, and most operate on a rotational basis -- most studs spend half the day in their stall and half outside in order to fit them into the limited spaces.
Immediately to the left of the barn is a small pasture (#1) next to a schooling ring. This is alternately used as a pen for newly weaned foals or for young stud colts. Thunder Quest uses it half the day; Where Never Eagle Flew gets it the second half.
#2, next to the barns, is the smallest of the stud pens. Currently it is home to Clipped Cadet.
#3 holds Fantasy on the Dargason and Snowfallen Quest half the day, Naabesim and Golden Sovereign the other half.
Pasture #4 is home to Shaman's Quest.
Pasture #5 is a small, quiet, out-of-the-way nursery paddock. Pregnant mares are kept here for the last two months of their pregnancy as well as the first few weeks of the foal’s life. It borders the main pasture so that they can touch noses over the fence, but mother and baby can retreat on their own, and bigger horses don't jostle the baby until it can push back.
Pasture #6 is the huge main pasture, 40 square acres in area, where the mares, geldings, young horses and donkeys can roam free with plenty of space and grass. Here is where the horses truly exhibit herd behavior. The oldest mare is generally the boss, having lived in the pasture the longest, and currently this duty falls to Indigo Gold, with Night Song as second-in-command. Kachina ranks just below them, followed by Tambien Malo, Heaven's Breath, Starfire, Warrior Princess, Jacqui O and Dakota Song. Past the middle are Wanderbird, Isis, Ghostly Echo, Wild Winged Dove, Windchaser, Yaninka, and Frozen Fire. Lower down are Anishinaabe, Freedom’s Light, Harlem Nocturne, Cherokee Fire, Dance Across the Sea, and Firefly. The youngest horses are always at the bottom; currently Prairie Flower, Dancer By Day, Nightbird, Reverence and Mystery of the Sea.
Pasture #7 houses the “Bachelor Herd.” All eight were raised together and get along fairly well, comprised of Little Crow, Night Orison, Copper Storm, Dreamer’s Requiem, Echoes of the Sea, Sovereign Spirit, and Briar Patch.
#8 is split between Lucky Summer and Midnight Fox
#9 is home to Summer Tradition half the day and Amik the other half.
#10 is split in half and holds Thunderstorm on one side, Beyond the Sea on the other for half the day – Rafik Khassim and Cattail Moon for the other part.
Finally, pasture #11 houses Seeker of Visions and Cheyenne Wolf (split into two sections).

To the right of the main mare pasture, a dirt path leads out into the forest, where there are many trails to take in the lush Minnesota woods…
A few close-up pictures of our pastures:

The side pasture, alternately used by mares and foals/Justa Catt.
Path leading to our pastures.

Eagle Spirit in the pasture.
Winter Storm Warrior in his paddock.

The main pasture.
The west view of the mare pasture.

Thunder Lady, Last Princess, and Das Marchen in the main pasture.
The north view of the main pasture.
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