Horse Paddock Care - Yearly Planner
By having a regular maintenance plan for your paddock pastures, it will help to keep a dense and nutritious sward whilst also keeping weeds to a minimum.
Spring
If you have sufficient land, work out a rotation plan or divide the paddock into sections. See Basic Maintenance.
- Harrowing- To pull out the dead grass and aerate the soil.
- Fertiliser- Use fertiliser to help promote grass growth- Refer to manufactures recommendations for rest periods afterwards.
- Rolling- Level off rough areas. Make sure the soil is moist before rolling.
- Weed Control: Take out any weeds, especially any that are toxic to horses. This will help grass production.
Summer
- Regular Harrowing- To keep the soil aerated and remove any dead grass.
- Control Grazing- Review rotation or strip grazing plan, dependant on weather conditions and grass growth to reduce the effects of over- grazing.
- Topping- Keep on top of the rough grass areas with regular topping and if necessary take a hay cut off the areas that have been rested.
Autumn
- Control Grazing- Consider the rate of grass growth and review and adjust rotation or strip grazing plan accordingly.
- Consider feeding supplements- Dependant on the weather there could be a decline in the nutrient state of the grass so consider putting out extra feed.
- Fertiliser- Apply if required, but only on areas that aren't being grazed upon. Refer to manufactures recommendations for rest periods afterwards.
Winter
- Drainage- Make sure the paddock is kept well drained and try to prevent any areas becoming water logged. This will help to keep the sward well established and dense.
- Fencing- Review the paddock area and check that the fencing is adequate.
- Stocking Densities- Keep the stocking of horses on each paddock to a minimum to prevent damage to the sward and help keep over- grazing to a minimum.
- Fertiliser- Review whether you will need to make plans to order any fertiliser, or grass seed in preparation for the spring.