Bare paddocks

[Ceejay81]

Please help! I am new to keeping ponies ( not new to riding though). How do you all cope with your paddocks once the grass has gone and everywhere is covered in mud?! I am supplementing with hay but will the grass ever grow back? Any advice would be so appreciated.

 

[boats]

how big are the paddocks? unless you can rotate and rest parts, they won't ever be usable as normal paddocks if you don't have enough land. I rent a field, but at my house I have small turnout paddocks. they grow a bit of grass during the summer that the horses pick at, but I hay all year.

the only way to protect the land you have is to create a hardstanding area that you put them into when ground is wet. if you keep them off any grass areas it will protect them. otherwise you jkust end up with mud and even less grass! it's annoying to build, but a hardstanding area is essential if you don't have big fields.

 

[Ceejay81]

I have one paddock which is 0.7 acres and two lots which are slightly smaller. Even though all have been rotated they ( two cobs) have stripped them bare! Should I mow leave two of them until spring? Thank you for taking the time to reply.

 

[boats]

My set up is similar at home, and there really is no way to keep an area that small as proper paddocks with grass. I keep my bigger paddock as a turnout with hay and then I rest the small ones as much as I can but they really only grow enough to give them a small bit of grass every now and then. they will run a large amount of the area by pooing and weeing on it too, so you need to poopick all the time as well.

once the paddocks are grazed bare it would take a long time to regrow it. You would probably need to reseed and fertilise too. I decided it wasn't worth the hassle doing that for the amount of grass I would get anyway, so I really just use them as turnouts and feed hay.

Because you have cobs that are probably good doers, the chances are your set up will work well for you, as it will help keep their weight down.

The most essential thing you need is a hard standing area though. So either a hardcore base or else something like the mud control panels.

 

[Ceejay81]

Thank you again. That’s makes sense- I think I will have to feed hay as roughage and leave the smaller paddocks to rest as much as possible in the hope they have some grass for the spring. I think I need to get my head around then being turn out paddocks only.

 

[eggs]

The grass will grow back but it will take them longer to recover if they are trashed now. I would be tempted to sacrifice one of the smaller paddocks and use that as the winter field rather than using your larger field in winter. If your fields are already muddy it won't last the winter and I don't see the point of keeping horses out stood hock deep in mud. Putting down some hard standing and feeding hay on that area will probably be the way to go.

 

[Ceejay81]

Yes a few people have suggested that. I will certainly give it some thought. Thank you

 

[meleeka]

I’m always amazed at how the grass grows back. Every year I think it’s trashed for good, then we get a bit of sun and rain and it’s all good again. I try and rest the middle of my fields for a few months, but the outsides never get a rest (track in growing season).

I think if you have limited acreage, you can’t really expect to have grass all year as a food source. I hay all year, just in varying amounts, depending on what else there is. If I had loads of grass I wouldn’t be able to use it until winter anyway (good doers, laminitis risk), so I just manage it as best I can.

Echo the hard standing though. It saves a lot of damage to fields, even if they only come in for part of the time.

 

[Ceejay81]

Thank you for replying. I think I have now realised (and accepted) I was expecting too much! I am happy to hay feed as and when needed. And I look forward to my first spring and summer to believe it actually grows back!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It will grow back mine have looked completely bare in winter then by April they are green again, I wouldn't 're seed and fertilise especially if you have good doers.