Fresh cut grass - Advice please

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Newbie84

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My father in law is very kindly allowing me to move my horse on to one of his 2 acre paddocks. Two thirds of the field is perfect for grazing, one third of it was getting rather long, so I asked him to 'top it' for me (basically cut it to a sensible length). When he topped it, the tractor didn't collect the cuttings, so I now have half an acre of land with chopped grass on it. I know I now can't put the horses on it as they shouldn't eat chopped grass but I wondered roughly how long it will take for the grass to disappear, and will this be ok for the horses to go on once it's disappeared?

Thanks in advance :)
 
If it was topped with a hay cutter the cut grass won't ferment and so it will be safe and they can eat the cut stuff.

If it was done with a lawn tractor it could take weeks before you can turn out on it. once the cuttings disappear the horses can go on it.
 
Thank you for that - I will find out what it was cut with (I have no idea!!!).

I have the rest of the 2 acres to use for the next month or so, so presume by this time the cut grass will have disappeared?

Thanks
 
Can you put up a temporary electric fence to keep your horses in the uncut part of the field? One acre isn't too huge, could you collect the cuttings up? You should only need to collect the ones that are piled up, and that are sparsely spread out could be left as I don't believe they would be harmful, it's eating large quantities that could be dangerous for them.
 
Yes I will electric fence the cut grass off!

I did go out there with a rake the other day to start raking it up and my husband had a good old laugh at me attempting to rake the whole lot up!!

x
 
Tell your hubby he's a wuss! I've cleared far bigger fields than that, my old YO knew nothing about horses or field management and would cut our fields like this midweek with the horses still in them leaving us fuming until we could clear them at the weekend and put the horses back out! It doesn't take long once you get stuck in... :-)
 
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