Can anyone help me with some field management?

[Starbucks]

Thinking of renting a house with a 3 acre paddock so Badger can come and live with us, for the summer at least. (yay!).

There are 2 horses in it at the mo and it's in a bit of a state.. lots and lots of poos and a boggy mess in places.

My dad said if I got a farmer to come and chain arrow it (not sure if that's how you spell it??) and then rested it for a bit it should come ok?? Is that true and how long would I have to rest it?

Also, would I be better splitting it in two and moving him from one to the other or would he be ok on the whole thing?

I'm a bit clueless about this kind of thing.

 

[Cliqmo]

I'm afraid chain harrowing isn't ideal! It isn't the best solution in horse paddocks because it can cause worm problems (you are only spreading the poo about and so the eggs in the poo get released back in to the soil) but it also means the paddocks wouldn't be ready for the summer as the system relies on the poo breaking down and absorbing back in to the ground
... Then there are issues relating to accidentally spreading ragwort (or other nastys) about the field, and also the damage that driving a tractor over boggy ground can do...

I'm afraid to say the 'proper' way is to pick the poos up, dig out any ragwort etc and then split the field into two, or maybe even three parts (depending on water supply etc) so you get maximum rotation on the ground and can leave each section a good month or so before it gets grazed again

 

[Starbucks]

Thanks. It didn't have any ragwort in it.. luckily!

TBH I think the people who have it now should sort it out a when they leave! Maybe they will?

Looks like we may have lots of poo picking ahead then!

 

[Orangehorse]

3 acres is quite a lot for one horse. You will probably have to divide it up to stop your horse getting too fat. Choose the best part of the field to section off and try to improve the rest. Some people do chain harrow the poos in dry weather. So long as you are careful with worming your horse it shouldn't matter too much to start with and you can gradually improve the pasture by poo picking and spot treating weedy areas.

Once you get the previous horses off and the spring comes the grass will start to grow quickly. Unless the field is totally trashed grass has amazing powers of recovery. What would benefit it most would be to graze with cattle or sheep for a bit.

 

[china]

if it were me, i would pooh pick it and get up any docks thistle etc, top it if it needs it, section it off then fertelise it and leave for 6-8 weeks for nice good fresh grass for summer. im no expert so could be completely wrong for this time of year, i stand to be corrected.

 

[H's mum]

Good luck! I hope you go for it!

If it were mine I'd poo pick, roll it and rest it - you'd be surprised at how quickly land bounces back!

Kate x

 

[Starbucks]

Thank you! The field is actually really cheep I think - 300 a year?? But the house is a bit more than we'd like but and OH is being slightly snobby about the area but I think it's a goer!!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

if you get it chain it thoroughly then roll and fertilise. leave for about 3 weeks then section up into 3. spot spray on 2 rested sections as docks etc pop up. it will be fine. grass land is very resiliant. Alison27 obviously doesnt turn out in winter and make her fields a bog! 3 acres for one horse will make him very fat!!!!