Advice for managing paddock with long brown grass which is lying flat

[emilykerr747]

Hello!

I’m looking for some advice on how to manage a paddock which has long brown grass which has now started to fold over in the wet weather/ wind.

We’ve recently been moved into a paddock at our livery which has been left for a long time and the grass has got very long and started folding over as the horses move over it. Although there are some patches of good green grazing but not really enough for the size of the paddock. I’m looking for tips on how to manage the paddock to encourage good grazing. It’s a large paddock so we can section it off into seperate areas.

Ideally looking to encourage better growth for spring/ summer but right now the long grass seems to be collapsing and suffocating any new growth underneath.

We don’t have access to a tractor and cutter but we can strim and mow areas.

Thank you!

 

[MissTyc]

Standing hay or foggage is actually a great thing. It protected the ground, protected the new grass shoots (which you won't see until May - it's much too cold at the moment) and may horses will pick at it. I tend to sprinkle hay/haylage over mine once they're bored to encourage continued grazing. The grass ALWAYS grows back even once the foggage is trodden to mush. You can add seeds of your own preferred grass species any time from now onwards and let them be trodden in as well.
I much prefer it to the alternative which is pure mud often at this time of year!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sheep and the ponies have been on this sort of grass all winter with no added hay. Ponies get a tiny feed and the sheep have feed blocks. All looking extremely well and the land is holding up well too. 33 sheep and 2 ponies on 14 acres of heavy clay.

 

[lamlyn2012]

Check for ergot before grazing.

 

[SEL]

Mine got fat on that kind of grass! They'll pick the nicest bits first but the long grass protects the ground so I'd just leave them to get on with it.

 

[Mrs. Glittery Jingle Balls]

Mine use to graze every winter on this type of forage and did extremely well on it. Always came into spring mildly overweight but fit and healthy. I did feed hay on snow covered or frozen days and they always had a mineral lick next to the water trough, but otherwise they were forced to eat what was there. It may take them a few days to get going on it if they are not used to that type of grazing, but don't feel sorry for them and give in, they will survive.

Second lamlyn2012 do check for ergot fungi, we never had it at all and I am in damp and relatively mild climate so a typical breeding ground for the dreadful stuff but I think we were just lucky.

 

[emilykerr747]

Thank you everyone! I’ll check for Ergot but if all is good I’ll leave them to get on with it!

 

[Carrottom]

The downside is that poo picking is more difficult. Finding the droppings and then separating them from the long grass. I find it easier to start with a small section and increase it daily, then most of the droppings are on the eaten and trodden down grass.

 

[tda]

I would want to strip graze it really

 

[Carrottom]

The other advantage of strip grazing is that you can check what is under the grass as you move the fence line. Eg. Rabbit holes or bits of rubbish.

 

[Melandmary]

I have mine on this all winter ( field rested from April to October) and then strip grazed over winter. They would obviously prefer a field of shorter grass but they are fatties with ems so this is the best option for them

 

[[154267]]

Sorry! I'm resurrecting this rather than starting a new thread to ask if anyone's paddocks are still like this now? I think my pony is picking out the new growth and leaving the brown stuff. Am I OK to leave her on there to hopefully eat the brown bits too or will she hate me? With the lack of rain new growth is very very slow, and this is the first year I'm managing my own grazing so I'm feeling a bit clueless!