Looking after a horses field – field management
A horse’s field must be kept in good condition.
Rotational grazing
Fields will deteriorate if over grazed, encouraging weeds and unpalatable grasses and increase worm infestation.
If possible a field should be grazed in rotation by horses, sheep and cattle. This is one way to stop worm eggs developing, because the worms can only live in horse’s digestive systems.
If you intend to fertilize a grazing field for horses, use farm yard manure as this is a complete fertiliser that will sweeten those parts of the field that have been made sour.
Farmyard manure must be stored for a minimum of 6 weeks before spreading. The field should not be grazed for another six weeks after spreading to eliminate infection.
Topping a field
A field needs topping at least once a year. This is just like mowing a lawn.
The machine behind the tractor cuts down weeds, nettles, thistles and long coarse grasses.
This prevents the seeds from settling and helps to stunt the weeds growth.
Topping also encourages new grass shoots to grow, which provide more palatable grazing.
Rubbish and stones
As part of good pasture management, you should check a field daily and remove any litter you find including stones.
Plastic bags, cans, glass bottles and string are all dangerous.
Remove as many stones as you can from the field. Stones can cause a horse to stumble, sprain tendons or even fall when galloping a field.
Removal of droppings
Droppings in a field damage the grass and encourage worm infestation.
In a large field it might not be practical to remove the droppings by hand so the area should be harrowed instead.
Harrowing will break up and scatter the dropping; the sun will dry the droppings and kill of any worm eggs.
Field management >> Home
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