The pastures & herds

Lelymare has ten hectares of meadows, where two herds walk about both in winter and in summer. Unlimited movement, all the year round, is very important for young horses. The Flevoland soil makes it possible that the horses can be out in the fields during all seasons.

The meadows have a natural lay-out. There are various groves and the mares’ pasture has a natural pool where horses can play and swim. The horses have ample room for walking, running, jumping and playing.

The herds consist of horses of different ages. In this way the horses educate one another and thus a natural order arises. From experience and examination it appeared that this has a positive outcome on the horse’s character.

In the mares’ pasture we let breeding-mares and foals walk along with one- and two-year-old mares. The colt-foals go to the colt-pasture, when they are about one year old. In the colt-pasture we have the young stallions and geldings together with an older gelding, who is the leader of the group.

The colt herd consists of an average of 15 horses and the mare herd, including foals, consists of an average of 25 horses. Peace in the herd is very important to us. From November until March, the herd is closed and no new horses are placed in the herds. Foals can come in at the end of October at the latest and another possibility is that they will come in the summer together with their mother. The mare will then go home as soon as the foal is old enough and ready to wean.