Field Management

[no_no_nanette]

As always, looking for wise advice from everyone! My mare is currently turned out in a field of about 1 1/4 acres. She is in foal, (due beginning of May), and I want to manage the field so that its in the best possible condition by the time she and the foal are turned out in it. And that's not easy! We are at a livery which all our horses love, but its a farm, and the farmer is completely uninterested in doing anything to his fields - just likes to collect his money! I think he will do something if I ask him, though. The field is largely Wealden clay, and is now quite poached with the rain that we have had.
I've been thinking that I should fence off some of it to rest it until after the mare has foaled ... and should it be harrowed/rolled/fertilised in the spring? Advice please! (And then the next challenge will be persuading the farmer to do what I want him to!)

 

[Tia]

If I was you, I would make a "sacrifice" paddock within the paddock you already have. Your paddock is very small so if you were to leave it open for her then I would think that it will become totally ruined if you have lots of rain.

If it needs seeding then April/May is the best time generally to put the seed down, but then ideally you want to leave the field to rest for at least 6-8 weeks before grazing on it.

The field should really have been harrowed and rolled in the Autumn before it was rested, however am I right in thinking it hasn't beeen rested? Generally they are rolled again in the early Spring and ready to graze within a month or so. Then you want to harrow, using a power harrow is best and then you can aerate the ground and get rid of all the rubbishy weeds/moss etc.

I personally wouldn't fertilise in a field which will have youngstock grazing in it - just my opinion, I'm sure others don't have a problem with it.

Field maintenance means lots of work and lots of money

, but the rewards are nice

. It shouldn't be too bad for you though as the size of field you have is pretty tiny so you should be able to do it all by hand which will save you a load of money.