Cat Creek Rd Properties Sheridan (Buffalo: how much, gated, live in)

[sheridanbound]

Hello

We are looking at property on Cat Creek Rd in Sheridan. We have not visited the property yet.

Would love to hear from any one who lives in the area about a few things.

How is the water for drinking?

The land would not be irrigated. How many horses would a 35 acre lot support? We would have 5 or less.

Any other info would be welcome.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by sheridanbound

Hello

We are looking at property on Cat Creek Rd in Sheridan. We have not visited the property yet.

Would love to hear from any one who lives in the area about a few things.

How is the water for drinking?

The land would not be irrigated. How many horses would a 35 acre lot support? We would have 5 or less.

Any other info would be welcome.

Not sure exactly where your talking about but my daughter and SIL have 3 horses on 38 acres. They feed almost year round. They have good water though so don't have to haul any. Unless it's down in a creek bottom, grass is pretty thin in these parts.

[wyoman]

Originally Posted by sheridanbound

Hello

We are looking at property on Cat Creek Rd in Sheridan. We have not visited the property yet.

Would love to hear from any one who lives in the area about a few things.

How is the water for drinking?

The land would not be irrigated. How many horses would a 35 acre lot support? We would have 5 or less.

Any other info would be welcome.

Thats a huge question-with a lot info you need to check out-as the elk mentioned-water is everything in the area-shelter from the sun etc. ticks are real bad-burrs tangle in the tails and manes-would not be my choice if I WERE A HORSE. Boarded 2 great horses on cat creek on a fairly large place with 1000's of acres to ride. You will have to day to day -fly spray- check for ticks-give shots -an doctor your horses-confined to such a small acreage, they will become violent to each other-I WOULD NOT PUT YOUR HORSES-OR YOURSELF WHEN YOU RATTLE THE FEED CAN IN THAT SMALL OF AN AREA IN JEPORADY AND A UNHEALTY ENVIROMENT. Thats the best advice I can give sorry if it don"t ring true

[sheridanbound]

Originally Posted by wyoman

Thats a huge question-with a lot info you need to check out-as the elk mentioned-water is everything in the area-shelter from the sun etc. ticks are real bad-burrs tangle in the tails and manes-would not be my choice if I WERE A HORSE. Boarded 2 great horses on cat creek on a fairly large place with 1000's of acres to ride. You will have to day to day -fly spray- check for ticks-give shots -an doctor your horses-confined to such a small acreage, they will become violent to each other-I WOULD NOT PUT YOUR HORSES-OR YOURSELF WHEN YOU RATTLE THE FEED CAN IN THAT SMALL OF AN AREA IN JEPORADY AND A UNHEALTY ENVIROMENT. Thats the best advice I can give sorry if it don"t ring true

Huh?

I have 3 Horses on 5 acres right now, I don't see what is unhealthy about small acreages? My horses are fine in a 1/4 acre paddaock all winter, they don't become violent?
Burrs and tangles? Part of the life of having a horse.
Sorry I just don't get what you are saying?

[ElkHunter]

Maybe we could better describe it if we knew more about where you are coming from. Not necessarily the town but the terrain and conditions.

Like I mentioned, my daughter has 3 horses on 38 acres. Grass is thin in that area and there is a need to feed all year.

The terrain is rough enough that you have to give the animals room to maneuver in the storms. They'll wander prior to a storm, they'll huddle in wind breaks and such. They simply need room to move about.

Now, if your going to build a barn or quarters for the horses, then we're talking a whole different lifestyle for them. How much time and effort to you want to spend tending to them?

If you want the horses to get their excersize and be comfortable year round, your going to need some space.

[sheridanbound]

Same terrain, a bit more trees but not more moisture. I do

I would think that 35 acres would be more than enough room, especially for horses that now live on far less and have no problems with agression. We have a friend in Buffalo that has two horses on less than 2 acres. Shelter from wind and sun would be provided of course. From the looks of the pictures this is rolling hills and not rough terrain.

[sunsprit]

I don't see a behaviorial problem with 5 horses on 35 acres in that area, as long as you understand that you will be bringing in feed and hay all year around, best done on a daily feeding schedule so the horses know they've got food every day.

Given the climate and soils in the area, with a typical thin stand of native grasses, I'd give 5 horses about a month or two to level the place to bare barren dirt for most of the year. Once they've overgrazed the cool and warm season native grasses ... especially easy for them to do in a "dry" year such as we've been having lately ... the next years stands will be even less. Within a year or two you'll likely see what remains of the topsoil blown away.

To put this in perspective, it takes well over 100 acres per cow/calf unit to support them for a few months in this area, if there's a long fallow period with lots of moisture. The only way you'll sustain native grass growth in 35 acres will be to cross fence and divide the area into pastures and rotate the horses through on a weekly schedule ... even then, you will be needing to bring in hay and feed to meet your horse's nutritional requirements. As it's unlikely that you have irrigation water for this acreage, you'll not be able to supplement the native grass growth.

Folks who are seeing a lot of non-native grasses (cheatgrass, no nutrition value), burrs, weeds, poisonous plants, and other undesirable vegetation on their land have proof of having seriously overgrazed land. That's because these non-nutritive plants are hardy in the overgrazed pastures when the better adapted native grasses are stressed out or removed by overgrazing .. which would have "choked out" the non-native stuff. We see a lot of this condition throughout the state, especially in years of tumbleweed (russian thistle) stacking up on fences. It can take many years of fallow non-use to allow native grasses to re-establish in an area, if at all. The weeds are best removed by burning, not mowing or poisoning them out.

Also, keep in mind that you cannot "work" or "till" this pasture and re-seed it with native grass blends. You don't have the water to get those established, and you'll be in for a rude shock when you see the cost per lb and quantity of seed needed to plant 35 acres. That's in addition to the soil destruction you'll create by "working" the soil. The best you can do is to "drill seed" in without disturbing the soil any more than is needed. But then you'll still have the seed cost and the water deficit issues to contend with ... and you'll not be able to put your horses on the pasture for a couple of years while the grasses try to get established. Keep in mind, too, that most of the native grasses are "clump" grasses, not widespread coverage grasses over a large area.

If you're coming from an area with a lot of natural moisture, good topsoil depths, and naturally growing dense grasses to support your horses ... you can simply forget everything you "know" about keeping horses here. It's a whole different game ....

[sheridanbound]

Thanks Sunsprit. that explanation tells me exactly what I wanted to know.

We cross fence and rotate on our small property now and would expect to do that on what ever property we end up on.

[wyoman]

Originally Posted by sheridanbound

Huh?

I have 3 Horses on 5 acres right now, I don't see what is unhealthy about small acreages? My horses are fine in a 1/4 acre paddaock all winter, they don't become violent?
Burrs and tangles? Part of the life of having a horse.
Sorry I just don't get what you are saying?

I'm saying thats my advice and one of the opinions you asked for They are your animals" do as you best see when you view the area they will live in Good luck and welcome to old wyo

[wyoman]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

i don't see a behaviorial problem with 5 horses on 35 acres in that area, as long as you understand that you will be bringing in feed and hay all year around, best done on a daily feeding schedule so the horses know they've got food every day.

Given the climate and soils in the area, with a typical thin stand of native grasses, i'd give 5 horses about a month or two to level the place to bare barren dirt for most of the year. Once they've overgrazed the cool and warm season native grasses ... Especially easy for them to do in a "dry" year such as we've been having lately ... The next years stands will be even less. Within a year or two you'll likely see what remains of the topsoil blown away.

To put this in perspective, it takes well over 100 acres per cow/calf unit to support them for a few months in this area, if there's a long fallow period with lots of moisture. The only way you'll sustain native grass growth in 35 acres will be to cross fence and divide the area into pastures and rotate the horses through on a weekly schedule ... Even then, you will be needing to bring in hay and feed to meet your horse's nutritional requirements. As it's unlikely that you have irrigation water for this acreage, you'll not be able to supplement the native grass growth.

Folks who are seeing a lot of non-native grasses (cheatgrass, no nutrition value), burrs, weeds, poisonous plants, and other undesirable vegetation on their land have proof of having seriously overgrazed land. That's because these non-nutritive plants are hardy in the overgrazed pastures when the better adapted native grasses are stressed out or removed by overgrazing .. Which would have "choked out" the non-native stuff. We see a lot of this condition throughout the state, especially in years of tumbleweed (russian thistle) stacking up on fences. It can take many years of fallow non-use to allow native grasses to re-establish in an area, if at all. The weeds are best removed by burning, not mowing or poisoning them out.

Also, keep in mind that you cannot "work" or "till" this pasture and re-seed it with native grass blends. You don't have the water to get those established, and you'll be in for a rude shock when you see the cost per lb and quantity of seed needed to plant 35 acres. That's in addition to the soil destruction you'll create by "working" the soil. The best you can do is to "drill seed" in without disturbing the soil any more than is needed. But then you'll still have the seed cost and the water deficit issues to contend with ... And you'll not be able to put your horses on the pasture for a couple of years while the grasses try to get established. Keep in mind, too, that most of the native grasses are "clump" grasses, not widespread coverage grasses over a large area.

If you're coming from an area with a lot of natural moisture, good topsoil depths, and naturally growing dense grasses to support your horses ... You can simply forget everything you "know" about keeping horses here. It's a whole different game ....

a-men