I found it interesting in my last post, that there were opinions on whether the space I keep Apache is called a paddock or a pasture.
And since someone said that maybe I was confused about the terms, I figured I’d better do some research and make sure.
The reason I call my areas, paddocks are because they have no grass for grazing. For me, I think of a pasture as a place used for grazing, while a paddock is more of a dry lot which has nothing at all to do with size. And a pen, sometimes attached to a stall, is a smaller space to keep livestock or domestic animals.
The definitions I found in Merriam Webster seem to pretty much agree with that assessment, too.
***Definition of PADDOCK:
1: a usually enclosed area used especially for pasturing or exercising animals.
***Definition of PASTURE
1: plants (as grass) grown for the feeding especially of grazing animals
2: land or a plot of land used for grazing
***Definition of Pen
I guess it’s kind of like the way different people pronounce tomato.
So, there ya go. At least I know I’m not confused and I can feel confident calling the areas that I keep my animals in, paddocks. Maybe one day if I can get grass to grow, I’ll be able to call them true pastures. hah!
16 comments :
I have nothing to add to this poarticular post .I just keep meaning to tell you ,I really like the new header! looks great
I think you can call it whatever you want to call it. We sometimes refer to our back as "paddock," "back lot," "dry lot," - whatever's on my mind at the time.
I agree a pasture should have grass growing.
Dan
I always asumed a paddock was a small pasture, with pasture being many acres and paddocks an acre or less, hmm thanks for the definitions.
I think the definition that paddocks are for pasturing animals is really no help at all :)
how about a plot of land with a fence around it? People can't argue that with you!
Stef.....lol! So true!
~Lisa
Thanks FV :)
Good times.
~Lisa
Everyone has their own way of calling things....I call my horses areas "pastures" even though there is no grass. They are just big open spaces with run in sheds. And we even call the run in sheds "barns" even though we don't have an actual barn.
I think you should call them whatever you want!
I also love your new header, it is beautiful!
Like calling every pinto a paint...
I like how you cleared this up, paddock in not in my vocabulary so it is either a pasture or a dry lot to me...the difference being grass.
Your blog is always great!!
I can't get used to saying paddock or pen so even our sacrifice area is called "the dirt pasture"!
I love your new header! It's beautiful!
I think that, as in a lot of situations, people use words differently in different areas.
For me a pasture should be more than 1 acre and have grass, although a 'sacrifice pasture' may not have much grass lol
I don't use the term paddock myself, I use corral or pen.
I think their pretty interchangeable terms...paddock or pasture, they mean the same to me...LOL Like you said, the tomato/ potato thing...
Horse enclosure! LOL
I call my paddock a corral! LOL!
Thanks for the lesson. I always thought paddock at a word people back East use. We call ours a horse pen. Might have to reconsider my use of words.
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