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Many horse owners rely on pasture grasses to nourish their horses and ponies for many months of the year. Among other benefits, pasture provides an economical way to keep horses healthy and in optimal body condition. To keep pasture in peak production during the entire growing season, consider three primary management points: plant species, fertilization, and weed control.

Plant species. Horses are rough on pasture, as they are heavy animals prone to roaming and running. Because of this, plant species that are especially tolerant of traffic and heavy grazing are ideal for horses.

Choosing the right forage often starts with the locale, as environmental factors should factor prominently in plant selection. Important considerations include soil characteristics, weather patterns, drainage potential, and local pests, including plant diseases and insects. Once a horse owner understands his environment, then appropriate forages can be selected. Plant selection can be daunting, but experts in pasture establishment and management are available, and some of the best are part of the Cooperative Extension Service or state university system.

If you’re establishing new pastures, it would be an opportune time to use species that are best for the specific horses that will graze those spaces. Take tall fescue, for instance. Tall fescue is well known for its tolerance of the weather spectrum; from hot, humid, and dry to cool and wet, tall fescue grows well and withstands trampling and heavy grazing. For a mixed group of riding horses, it might be the perfect forage. For a group of broodmares, however, it should be avoided, as it can cause reproductive problems.

Pasture forage is often composed of more than one type of plant. This diversity ensures that forage is available even when the weather might not be conducive for optimal growth by all forages represented in the mix. If white clover, for example, is sown with fescue, the fescue will continue to grow during a moderate drought long after the clover waves the white flag. Strategic mixing of forage types can prolong a growing season, too. A pasture specialist will help you navigate the many choices available to you and your horses.

Fertilization. Applying fertilizer to pastures can revitalize tired forage stands, often boosting both the quality and quantity of forage produced.

When considering fertilizer application, be sure to get a soil analysis first, as this test will help determine the proper fertilizer to use. Again, the local Extension Service has all of the information you will need to collect soil samples, and may even have prepackaged kits for your use. Analysis is inexpensive, if not free, and will yield important information about what nutrients your pastures need for improvement.

Common pasture applications include nitrogen, phosphorus, lime (calcium oxide), and potash (potassium carbonate). Depending on grazing intensity, pastures may need to be fertilized once, generally about two or three months prior to the growing season, though some forage stands may do better with an additional midsummer or fall application.

Weed control. Though some homeowners can keep their yards entirely free of weeds, such a goal for pastures is probably unachievable, considering the amount of land often allotted to horses. Several methods of weed control can be implemented to keep many weeds from invading and potentially overtaking a pasture.

Preventing overgrazing is one of the best methods of weed control. When pasture forages are well established and not overgrazed, they keep weeds at bay. Overgrazing reduces desirable plants and allows weeds, which often thrive in impoverished or barren soil, to flourish.

Regular mowing is another weed-control measure. Keeping plants at an appropriate grazing height—this varies between species—will ensure that there is sufficient forage for horses to consume without giving them the chance to become overmature and less nutritious. Periodic mowing keeps weeds from self-seeding and thereby multiplying in a pasture.

Herbicides can be sprayed onto pastures to help with weed control. A pasture specialist can walk your fields, identify key problem plants, and formulate a strategy to rid a pasture of unwanted plant life.

Nutritional Needs of Pastured Horses

Good-quality pasture provides nutrition for all classes of horses. Because many horses can maintain their weight easily on pasture, owners frequently feel their horses are receiving all of the nutrients required for optimal health. Maintenance of weight is primarily a function of energy consumption and does not indicate whether a horse is eating a nutritionally balanced diet.

A vitamin and mineral supplement should be fed to round out a forage-only diet. Micro-Max is a low-intake concentrated source of vitamins and minerals for mature horses and is appropriate for horses on pasture. In Australia, horse owners should look to Gold Pellet, Perform, or Nutrequin.

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