Any field managment tips?

[louise4208]

I've just moved my horse from a livery yard to my own field, and gained two shetland ponies as companions!
Got 7 acres split into 3 paddocks. They are all on restricted grazing as all are prone to laminitis, and the paddocks which are resting are starting to get over grown and full of weeds. I've taken a brushcutter to the worst bits to top it, but not sure how to tackle the weeds (docks, nettles, thistles.. thankfully no ragwort!).
also, has anyone heard of or used a worm program called Intelligent worming? picked up a leaflet of theirs and thought it sounded good.
Having kept my horses on livery for the past 15 years, I feel a little lost on my own

 

[henryhorn]

You need to talk to a local contractor about having the weeds sprayed, and arrange a specific time when the spray is most effective (husband knows but he is fast asleep!).
We had some of our fields sprayed and the difference is astonishing, much more grass and no weeds where he'd done.
Even if you have too much grass it's better than docks etc, but it is expensive stuff, I seem to think the spray is around thirty pounds a can and then you have the spraying costs on top.
You have to rest that area for several weeks and definitely until it's been rained on a few times.
Another way is to allow someone to put their sheep on and graze it right down, then rest and put the horses back on, but you won't remove the weeds that way, more control them.
I would tackle 2/3 and then the final third which will still allow you to graze safely.
I would start by having worm counts done on all the horses, then at least you know what you're tackling.
After the results talk with your vet and worm accordingly , if you are sensible and don't allow anywhere to get overgrazed and poo ridden you should be able to worm much less than when on your livery yard. The danger is now, despite worming your horses have been with lots of others on possibly overgrazed fields so may have more worms than you think, and if your field is clean you could be dropping worms on it..

 

[stencilface]

I would either graze with sheep or get the grass topped to stop the weeds flowering. If yours are all prone to lami it won't do them any good (imo) to be on a pasture that is just grass. If they have a more varied diet of the natural meadow type (ie with thistles etc - some do eat them) they should be able to get more nutrients from their grazing (hence less supplements) and be more naturally fed horses.

I know docks and thistles aren't pleasant esp if they are over-running the field but would def go for getting some sheep in (if you leave them there long enough - they will eat everything!!!) We used to have a farmer's sheep in our field to eat the grass that the fat horses really didn't need, and in exchange got a certain amount of free hay/straw in the winter - so everyones a winner!

 

[kerilli]

if you have docks in it now, and they're about to seed (as mine are/were), the best thing is to get a good strong short knife, a pair of rubber gloves and a big plastic feed bag, and go around slicing them off at ground level and sticking the whole thing including seeds in the bag. they'll come back up again in a few weeks but at least you won't have 40x as many next year... best time to spray them is spring, when they start coming through, i think.
pull nettles out and leave to wilt, horses will eat them then. easiest to dig out thistles with a gardening fork, and chuck them over the fence to rot, imho!
it is worth using a slow-release fertiliser in spring, local farmer is the best person to advise, he'll know the soil type etc.
hope that helps a bit.