Tractorbeam
Silver Member
I have, new to me, 16 acres to play in, divided up into 3 fenced pastures. Two are for hay, and the back field is a paddock area for horses.
Over the winter, seven horses had run of all three fields. The two hay fields were well fertilized by the horses, but in relative good shape otherwise. The paddock field was all torn up, especially in the areas where their hay ring was located. Well the horses are gone, thankfully. There were too many!
So first job for me was to drag the fields. The chain drag pictured below made fairly quick work. I had to be careful not to get myself boxed in... the harrow was 10 or 12 feet wide I believe (didn't measure it). Managed to find some old insulated electric fence wire and NUMEROUS sticks. Quite a job to clean up the tangled mess from the chains!
The back field needed more care. After dragging it, I hand broadcasted 50 pounds of Southern States Horse Pasture Hay Seed Mix in the bare areas and then re-dragged. Now all we need is some rain. Scant snow and rain here in the top of Virginia. This year is starting off as the last half of '08 was... DRY!
Previous owner is going to hay the fields. I'll help and get to learn as I go. We'll split the hay.
After the back field recovers, I plan to get my own horses. Another first for me. I enjoyed the boarders so much I now miss them. Seven were too many though. Three tops, maybe 2 of my own, and a renter would be nice.
Poo-infested field.
Twelve foot(?) chain harrow, spikes up.
Crushing defeat of the poos.
Flawless victory!!!
Over the winter, seven horses had run of all three fields. The two hay fields were well fertilized by the horses, but in relative good shape otherwise. The paddock field was all torn up, especially in the areas where their hay ring was located. Well the horses are gone, thankfully. There were too many!
So first job for me was to drag the fields. The chain drag pictured below made fairly quick work. I had to be careful not to get myself boxed in... the harrow was 10 or 12 feet wide I believe (didn't measure it). Managed to find some old insulated electric fence wire and NUMEROUS sticks. Quite a job to clean up the tangled mess from the chains!
The back field needed more care. After dragging it, I hand broadcasted 50 pounds of Southern States Horse Pasture Hay Seed Mix in the bare areas and then re-dragged. Now all we need is some rain. Scant snow and rain here in the top of Virginia. This year is starting off as the last half of '08 was... DRY!
Previous owner is going to hay the fields. I'll help and get to learn as I go. We'll split the hay.
After the back field recovers, I plan to get my own horses. Another first for me. I enjoyed the boarders so much I now miss them. Seven were too many though. Three tops, maybe 2 of my own, and a renter would be nice.
Poo-infested field.
Twelve foot(?) chain harrow, spikes up.
Crushing defeat of the poos.
Flawless victory!!!