Clearing for a Horse Pasture (help)
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sidecarist
Silver Member
I think I'll be OK in the short term and buy myself time to improve it further. The existing pasture is divided into two paddocks. The new pasture will alas have two paddocksthis should give me room to rotate the horses. I'll have more time and heavier equipment to use to expand further.
I have shelter in both areas for the horses, and storage for hay, etc. Water is readily available too, but I may have I pump it to fill the tanks
All of your help and advice has been helpful. I really appreciate it.
I have shelter in both areas for the horses, and storage for hay, etc. Water is readily available too, but I may have I pump it to fill the tanks
All of your help and advice has been helpful. I really appreciate it.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I'm fairly new to horses, so all I can offer is what I've learned over the last year and a half of having them. First, no matter what you do, 3 acres isn't going to produce enough grass to keep them fed. You will have to buy hay and feed. We give ours a scoop of sweet feed every evening, which is also where we add our wormer and other medicines or supplements as needed.
Fencing is more important then clearing every tree. Remove all the small saplings, but leave the bigger trees. In my experience here in the south, the grass grows better where it gets some shade during the day. The more sun it gets, the dryer the soil becomes. The thickest grass that I have gets half a day of shade.
Horses are also picky on what grass they eat. I have some that is eaten down to the ground so all you can see is the color of the grass. They really like that grass. But ten yards over, what looks like the exact same grass is two inches tall.
To help keep the brush under control, I'm up to four goats now. I started with two and they did such a great job on blackberries, and other unwanted plants, that we're increasing our goat numbers.
When it rains, they all run to the barn. I was told that horses didn't mind the rain, but I've found that if they can get out of it, they will in a hurry. I have a pond and I have a water tank that is filled with city water. They love the city water a lot more then the pond.
I have two rows of electric white tape on T posts every 20 feet. They have all been zapped at least once, and never challenge it. They touch it with their nose, and you can see their tracks dig in and spin where it happens. I've only seen one get zapped, and she went straight up, spun around and took off running. Lesson learned. Nothing is cheaper then a hot wire fence, but you have to make sure it's kept clean from debris and weeds. I like the white ribbon because it's very easy to see.
Find a vet and farrier before you need them. You'll learn that everyone knows who the good ones are, and you'll also learn that there are a lot that others have used and wont use again.
Good luck.
Fencing is more important then clearing every tree. Remove all the small saplings, but leave the bigger trees. In my experience here in the south, the grass grows better where it gets some shade during the day. The more sun it gets, the dryer the soil becomes. The thickest grass that I have gets half a day of shade.
Horses are also picky on what grass they eat. I have some that is eaten down to the ground so all you can see is the color of the grass. They really like that grass. But ten yards over, what looks like the exact same grass is two inches tall.
To help keep the brush under control, I'm up to four goats now. I started with two and they did such a great job on blackberries, and other unwanted plants, that we're increasing our goat numbers.
When it rains, they all run to the barn. I was told that horses didn't mind the rain, but I've found that if they can get out of it, they will in a hurry. I have a pond and I have a water tank that is filled with city water. They love the city water a lot more then the pond.
I have two rows of electric white tape on T posts every 20 feet. They have all been zapped at least once, and never challenge it. They touch it with their nose, and you can see their tracks dig in and spin where it happens. I've only seen one get zapped, and she went straight up, spun around and took off running. Lesson learned. Nothing is cheaper then a hot wire fence, but you have to make sure it's kept clean from debris and weeds. I like the white ribbon because it's very easy to see.
Find a vet and farrier before you need them. You'll learn that everyone knows who the good ones are, and you'll also learn that there are a lot that others have used and wont use again.
Good luck.
PatrickS2222
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Unless your ground is extremely fertile, I reckon Eddie's right.
I remember someone once saying one horse eats the same amount of fodder as four full-grown cattle.
This might be where the phrase "Eats like a horse" comes from! Hey Wagtail, was that saying there in that book? :laughing:
I remember someone once saying one horse eats the same amount of fodder as four full-grown cattle.
This might be where the phrase "Eats like a horse" comes from! Hey Wagtail, was that saying there in that book? :laughing:
OP
sidecarist
Silver Member
They already have 3-4 acres available of established pasture. I'm trying o increase it so we have to buy less feed. Also the existing pasture grasses aren't all getting utilized. They're a bit picky...
I'm having luck partly digging some of the larger stumps and cutting them 3in below the surface. In the end I should have a solid 6 acres for them and it will cut down on the feed bill a fair bit. After I get a better handle on what they like I'll renovate the old pasture to new forage for them.
I'm having luck partly digging some of the larger stumps and cutting them 3in below the surface. In the end I should have a solid 6 acres for them and it will cut down on the feed bill a fair bit. After I get a better handle on what they like I'll renovate the old pasture to new forage for them.
jeff9366
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When Harry Ferguson, inventor of the Three Point Hitch, introduced his English tractors after WWI, 99.9% of British farmers were using horses to farm, especially plowing, usually two draft horse teams. One of Ferguson's sales points was that a two draft horse team needed five acres equivalent of forage per year, tractor zero.
Research pasture seed carefully. The latest pasture seeds are twice as productive as old, WITH WATER AND FERTILIZER APPLIED.
Research pasture seed carefully. The latest pasture seeds are twice as productive as old, WITH WATER AND FERTILIZER APPLIED.
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OP
sidecarist
Silver Member
I should be right on track the 2 horses on 6ish acres, and maybe ahead with good seed.
jeff9366
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Draft (very large) horses, working six days per week, probably consumed three times the forage per capita of your rescues, lazing about.
holeycow
Gold Member
Horses eat about the same as a pregnant cow per day. Bored horses will stand and around and eat all day if allowed. Cows; not so much.
We have long winters here and plan on a 220 day winter feed program (hay). I have always budgeted on 40lbs/day/head of decent quality hay whether horses or cows. Hard working horses need way more. There are very few hard working horses anymore. JFTR, we fed over 30 horses for many winters, so a good average hay consumption/horse could be used. Every individual animal is a little different...
New grasses are generally inferior to old grasses in my opinion.
I have many 30-60 acre pastures and hayfields. They were all seeded in succession over the years with many different varieties. Getting a good "catch" is vital to ultimate success. The best fields I have are the ones with the oldest varieties. I have some 80 year old smooth brome and 60 year old alfalfa varieties. Those two grasses are my best. They hang in there thru thick and thin. Newer varieties are generally aimed at the seed producer, so they are inferior to old varieties that were bred (not engineered) for fodder.
We have long winters here and plan on a 220 day winter feed program (hay). I have always budgeted on 40lbs/day/head of decent quality hay whether horses or cows. Hard working horses need way more. There are very few hard working horses anymore. JFTR, we fed over 30 horses for many winters, so a good average hay consumption/horse could be used. Every individual animal is a little different...
New grasses are generally inferior to old grasses in my opinion.
I have many 30-60 acre pastures and hayfields. They were all seeded in succession over the years with many different varieties. Getting a good "catch" is vital to ultimate success. The best fields I have are the ones with the oldest varieties. I have some 80 year old smooth brome and 60 year old alfalfa varieties. Those two grasses are my best. They hang in there thru thick and thin. Newer varieties are generally aimed at the seed producer, so they are inferior to old varieties that were bred (not engineered) for fodder.
holeycow
Gold Member
The capitalized statement is dead-on. Older varieties grow a little slower and therefore draw less from the soil. I have learned to distrust any new variety. The old farmers and breeders knew what they were doing....
Slow growing grass is more nutritious/pound than faster growers. The cell structure is generally tighter in the slower grower.