Pastures for horses

Pastures reduces

• Feed costs

• Digestive upsets

• Boredom

• Weaving

• Cribbing

  • Chewing on unusual things

• Eating of unusual things

  • Pica

Pastures increa

With adequate pasture you can maintain most horses with

Very little hay and grain

Two acres of well-fertilized pasture needed per mature horse

• 5 acres needed if pasture is not fertilized

  • 1 acre = 4046.86 sq m

Healthy pastures

• Apply fertilizer

  • Only if there is deficiency

•   Apply lime

• Renovate every 6 years so the sod does not get root bound

• Provide adequate moisture

Applying lime

• To adjust pH levels

• 6 – 7 pH = always fertilizing will make soil acidic

• Top soil gets hard

• Grass will not grow

• Add alkaline to neutralize

Avoid grazing until plants have reached an average height of

6 to 8 inches

Remove horses and rest pasture when plants have been grazed down to

3 to 4 inches

Rotational grazing

• Dividing pasture into cells

• Allow access to one cell at a time

  When forage is grazed down to 3 – 4 inches, horses can be rotated into the next cell

Why rotate?

• Eliminates selective grazing

• Rest periods allow grass to recover allowing plants to be more competitive with weeds

• Amount and quality of forage growing in pasture increases

• A greater number of horses can be supported by the same acreage

Soil testing

• Conduct a soil test to identify nutrient deficiencies and pH levels

• Soil tests should be performed every 3 years to monitor pasture health

• Take samples in a W pattern across the pasture, avoiding areas like gates and latrines

• Sample at least 20 areas per 2 – 4 ha

Conduct a soil test to identify

Nutrient deficiencies and pH levels

Soil tests should be performed every __ to monitor pasture health

3 years

Take samples in a __ across the pasture, avoiding areas like gates and latrines

W pattern

Sample at least __ areas per 2 – 4 ha

20

Lime application (if needed)

• If the soil pH is below the optimal range (6 – 7 for grasses), apply lime to increase it

• Lime helps make nutrients more available to the plants

If the soil pH is __, apply lime to increase it

Below the optimal range (6 – 7 for grasses)

Lime helps make __ more available to the plants

Nutrients

Fertilizer application

Choose fertilizers based on soil test results

Nitrogen (N)

• Critical for forage quality and growth

• Split applications are recommended

Phosphorus (P)

Important for root development and nutrient absorption

Potassium (K)

Supports the plant’s ability to withstand stress

Granular fertilizer

Typically spread using a broadcast spreader

Timing

Apply fertilizer just before a light rain to aid dissolution

Mowing

Removes unused forage and promotes new growth

Weed control

Mowing and targeted herbicide use can help control weeds

Rotational grazing

Divide pastures into paddocks and rotate horses to allow for pasture recovery

Manure management

• Spread manure piles to distribute nutrients,  but be mindful of parasite risks

• Consider composting manure and applying it to the pasture

Horse exclusion

Keep horses off the pasture until the fertilizer is no longer visible

Pasture management practices

• Mowing

• Weed control

• Rotational grazing

• Manure management

• Horse exclusion

Important considerations

• Soil pH

• Nutrient balance

• Legumes

• Environmental factors

Soil pH

Maintain the correct soil pH for optimal nutrient availability

Nutrient balance

Ensure a balanced supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for healthy pasture growth

Legumes

Consider incorporating legumes like clover into the pasture, as they fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and can reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer

Environmental factors

Consider the impact of fertilizer application on water quality and avoid applying near water sources

Raising pH of soil

• You want a pH of 5.5 to 6

• 1 ton will increase pH by 1 degree

• If you have a pH of 4 you would want to apply 1.5 tons of dolomite per acre to obtain a pH of 5.5

• It may take 6 to 12 months to change soil pH

1 ton will increase pH by

1 degree

If you have a pH of 4 you would want to apply __ to obtain a pH of 5.5

1.5 tons of dolomite per acre

It may take 6 to 12 months to change soil pH

6 to 12 months

Planting new pastures

• Get soil analysis

• Apply lime if needed

• Disk ground and get rid of all grass and weeds, let ground sit and repeat disking

• Broadcast seed and fertilizer then cover ½ inch

New pasture

• Apply 100lbs of nitrogen

• At planting, apply 30 lbs nitrogen and all of phosphorus and ½ of potassium

• 30 to 30 days later apply remaining 70 lbs of nitrogen and other ½ potassium

• Do not plant seed until rainy season starts

When planting new pasture

Apply 100 lbs of nitrogen

At planting new pasture, apply

30 lbs nitrogen and all of phosphorus and ½ of potassium

30 days later apply

Remaining 70 lbs of nitrogen and other ½ potassium

Composting

Best way to manage manure