Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding

I had read about this concept on the Internet which lead me to spend the $s on this book thinking I would find hard core HowTo information. But instead, I found it to be a lot of concepts and long explanations of what "research " he had done to formulate them, and very little information on how to actually build the track and the components to the system. Measurements? Rock size ? What kind of herbs? I was very disappointed. I kept thinking there would be drawings or example pictures and the few there were didn't do much. Stay on the Internet. Look at the websites and blogs of people actually using the system. Don't waste your $s on this book.I gave the book 2 stars being generous because he did explain his vision but I expected much more.

Absolutely eye opening! I will be starting a natural horse boarding facility and bought this book to gain insight into proper application of the paradise paddock model on a the new property I will be purchasing soon. Jaime knows his stuff and communicates his wisdom beautifully, so that future and current horse owners can do what is best for our equine companions.

Very helpful for anyone who wonders even slightly about paddock paradise.People who want to know why paddock paradise is good for our horses and also for people who already decided on paddock paradise and just want to know how to start. But also for people who have never heard of it and bump in to the book, or as a present for someone with a horse or more.Doesn't matter how much acre you have, 1 or 100, as long as you love your horses and want the healthiest lifestyle for them. Competition horses,trail horses or just meadow buddies.This book explains how Jamie Jackson got the idea for a revolutionary way of horse keeping, one that is not only easier to maintain, but most important healthier for your horse! Better hoofs (barefoot), much less risk for founder,and fitter horses just because they want to keep moving like wild horses. No more cribbing and weaving because the horses are simply never bored. All in easy to follow guidelines in this book.

Good book, but is lacking in diagrams and how to's. More of those and this would be an invaluable book. Still informative, but after you've read a few Jamie Jackson books, you notice he repeats some of the same information throughout his different books. I would still recommend to someone interested in learning more about this way of horse keeping.

Completely worth buying, reading, and sharing this book and it's amazing and beautiful knowledge within. Easy and quick read, while being interesting and packed full of invaluable information, ideas, and sound judgement and perceptions from his 4 years of studying and following the mustangs, along with the practical advice on how to achieve and enhance your horse's physical well-being along with mental well-being by implementing some of these suggestions. Absolutely amazing info and book! Highly, highly recommend to anyone and everyone who wishes to or already owns a horse or horses!!!! Very grateful to have found this info, thankful for Jaime's effort to share his knowledge and findings with us, and know my horses will be too. Our horses deserve this!

This book is so informative. We are now using this information to make a Paddock Paradise at our small horse farm. This is truly a wonderful book that helps you to understand the natural nature of the horse. Well written. Would recommend this book to all horse people those that would like to learn.

This is a perfect extension of the natural horsemanship movement. Very clear and informative, observations from wild horse behavior and health is applied to this system of keeping horses. True health for a horse, from the mind down to the hooves, requires movement, and the Paddock Paradise design keeps horses moving and stimulated in a way that mimics the movement of wild horses. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who believes a big square pasture of lush green grass is the ideal situation for a horse. (It's not!)

Thank you Jaime for all you've done for horses and helping owners learn what horses need. The importance of your work cannot be overstated. Carla in Fresno, CA

I bought this book while on a fact finding mission about track systems. Now, I have 5 horses on a pretty perfect set up where they live out 24/7 but two are little fatties and need their grazing restricted. I have owned horses my whole life and I’m by no means ignorant to the plight of horses who are kept stabled 24/7.However this book really ****** me off. As do the die hard track folk you find on the Fbook pages. They are the extremists. They are the ‘all natural mothers’ of the horsey world. Phrases alone the lines of ‘horses kept in cages/prisons’ and making anyone who dares to consider alternatives out to be evil and selfish horse owners.So in short, you can find most of the information contained in this book on the web by searching “horse track systems” and you will find it more impartial too.There is a huge benefit to going on a track if you’re on limited grazing, have a horse with laminitis/EMS etc. But beware if your wanting an impartial view from this book... you won’t get one!

Lots and lots of photos, could have done with smaller pics and a lot more writing and updating, feels like a missed opportunity. I say this because Jaime has been gathering info from up and running track systems all over the world and says a lot of this info is on his website, but this was a an updated copy and surely could have included many samples and more ideas, especially as the back cover says that the book includes hundreds of ideas and lots of sample paddocks. Also would like to say that so many reviews here say that it's not possible in the UK but that's simply not true as there are now many many track systems in the UK, many only on a couple of acres. and the ones that accept liveries almost always have waiting lists. It's doable everywhere and such a great step forward for equine care.

Sound idea, I'm completely on board and think it's what we owe to animals in our care. However I have a problem with the book: on the back cover it claims "sample paddocks created by practitioners" and "hundreds of ideas" and yet throughout it, in the sidebars of a number of pages are the words "# PP Template"... is this a mistake? Aren't there meant to be examples of various users paddocks with the system in place where these words are? Where are these sample paddocks? I feel cheated.

Fantastic, having owned Jaime Jackson's 'Barefoot Trimming' ( the horse not the hoof trimmer!) I knew this would be good value for money.Full of info. on organising paddocks to cater for unshod horses, sadly I think on the whole, Britain has become too wet to implement this method, unless you own a bank, it's prohibitively costly and large acreage is needed to be effective. I know of people in US, New Zealand and drier parts of the world who are happy with it. Property developers in Britain have increased land prices so much here........

I read this book within 24 hours of getting it. It will also serve as a fantastic reference resource for years to come. Many of the ideas in it will strike the reader as 'lightbulb moments' where you suddenly have a label for a thought that has been at the back of your mind for years. The best part of the concept is that the author is not prescriptive or precious about the concept, but instead, asks for feedback on the reader's own experiences once their Paradise is up and running in order to further research the system. It's not a cheap book, but will serve as an invaluable resource for any open-minded horsekeeper who has the best interest of their equine friends at heart.

Wonderful! Thank you so much for compiling this, JJ. Although a little idealistic - we don't all have "several acres" to play with, it is very detailed and easy to read, so that you finish with a clear view of the way a horse would like to live. I keep it on my coffee table and, although I have read it cover to cover, I find myself dipping back into it on a regular basis, to check on things. A "must have" for anyone considering trying to keep their horses in the most natural way possible without setting them free!

At last something to read about horse care and management that is based on how the the 'natural horse' should live alongside their human partners. Jaime, originally a traditional farrier, offers his extensive experience of living in the wild with horses in nature and learning the lessons of their diet and movement patterns. He then suggests how we might match those lessons with better keeping of our domestic equines that allows 'the natural horse' to emerge. Movement and diet seriously affect the health of the hoof therefore the well-being of the horse- a fact that we ignore at our peril! A quiet revolution has started with this book that is helping owners to design, using his guidelines, and create a more natural way for their equines to live..

Very good reference book. I have a barefoot pony for the first time and have learned so much from this well written book.

Brilliant book, just wish it had even MORE information as I just want to learn more about it. If I ever have my own piece of land, this is definitively what I will do!

Some sound principles but somewhat aspirational I feel. Totally impossible unless you own lots of your own land despite his assertion that it can be done in 2 acres.

Very interesting book, guaranteed to give the caring horse owner food for thought. My horses are currently enjoying their paddock paradise and I have lots more ideas to try out.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns horses. If you're interested in how to make horse boarding more natural, this is the book for you. I just read it in one sitting, and will probably read it over and over again.

Really helpful, albeit a bit pie in the sky for my personal circumstances

I had heard and found out about this concept (wild horse model for domestic horses) before ordering this book, but after reading it everything made such sense. This is a book everyone being around horses should read at first. A lot of information of herd behaviour and about horse itself. Wonderful book. Our horses live now in two Paddock Paradise tracks in their herds and they are happier and good looking and working as ever.

Great value and certainly ticks my boxes for content and advice. Although I dont have the acreage some of these guys have it still gives you ideas on how to manage your grazing.