Grazing help please.

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Evie91

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Horse came home to retire in May 2014 ( along with companion pony) so I'm quite new to managing my own grazing.

Think I have about two and a half acres - with small area of that hardstanding.

I divided biggest paddock up in August ( after advice on here re: winter grazing).

I have sycamores. So horses had an area from August until now, away from most of the sycamore. Some of this has been trashed ( to be expected) and grass pretty much gone.

I'm on heavy clay on a slope.

I've used hard standing area to feed hay. Recently after advise from the vets I opened up the smaller paddock which has huge sycamores - no grass in here as it's been mowed weekly through autumn to pick up leaves and seedlings. This was going to be winter trash paddock and it's pretty much trashed. Not much grass grows anyway as it's pretty much woodland but good as lots of trees, shelter and better draining ground.

Anyway the dilemma I have is that the bit I saved for winter grazing ( also has sycamores but smaller amount leaves were cleared but not a thoroughly as only mowed directly under tress otherwise I'd have no grass left). Currently looks pristine and plenty of grass but I'm loathe to let the horses on it incase it gets trashed too and then don't know where I'll be in spring/summer.

Next year I'm going to section off the same small bit again but leave them in the bigger bit until November ish and then use the small bit in winter and the trash paddock.


Just don't know what to do with the grass on the bit I'm saving now?

Sorry for long and complicated post! Any advice appreciated!
 
When Spring hits the grass will come back quickly. I have a similar situation and mine are on the good grass now, my theory being I either have to feed lots of hay now or feed hay as the new grass is coming through in the Spring when they'll probably eat less as they'll prefer the new shoots.
The fields don't look pretty, but I know it's fixable!
 
I can see your quandary and I think that I would be having exactly the same dilemma if it was my land. Is there any hope of being able to rent a paddock/some grazing in the spring to let your land rest? If you will be able to do that, then I'd probably open up the whole thing for them now. If no rented land can be found then I would keep the saved patch. Is fencing off the hard standing and keeping them on there when it's really boggy possible?
 
A farmer friend once taught me that the land will always (or usually) recover easily. This time of year is awful and any land will be poached. 2 choices - dont turn out until it dries, or just throw caution to the wind and carry on with turn out knowing the land will be poached. Then at the right time, just get it rolled and harrowed and it will most probably come back fine.
 
We have 2 separate fields, one holds water so is rested from Sep/Oct to April, the other is used as the winter field, with occasional grazing in summer. The winter field gets totally trashed every winter, looks awful and would defy any chance of re growth, come about May it will be grass again! Has 4 pet sheep on all year round so is never totally rested but comes back year after year. Yes it does look awful, we feed large rounds in the field, and bring in at night.
 
A tricky one, but my solution is always make the field bigger. I think you should try using all of the field or as much as possible in the winter because this will spread out the damage to the land and save a concentrated area getting so wrecked it would be hard to recover. A few months or so before the good weather, split the field up so that you have one smallee field and one large field. Use the smaller one and let the big one rest and grow. Then once the big field has grown enough, move the horses into it and make the division into a half so that you have two equal sized fields to rotate between in the summer. Have you thought of topping the sycamore trees? Hope this helps at least a bit!
 
Some fab suggestions thank you. Lots to mull over.
No additional grazing to rent locally. A friend thinks I have more than enough for two - pony was fat ( wouldn't keep muzzle on)in the summer and tb just right really ( previously turned out with a muzzle).

My friend has suggested opening the whole lot, so save smaller bits getting trashed - I just keep looking at the lovely part of the field then putting it off as can't bear to see it all churned up! They were on the whole area until around mid August and it all looked lovely - even with all the rain we had early on.

If I do it will leave it to next weekend now as want to keep an eye on them when they first go out incase they stuff themselves! Aargh - the things you take for granted whilst on livery!!

I am hope to have some of the sycamores trimmed - can't get rid as they are huge - two biggest I've been quoted 2-3k to take down! Some of the smaller ones will be loosing branches, being topped off.
 
Won't keep them in - tb retired and pony a companion, so they wouldn't get ridden excercise.
My hard standing is a bit too small - should have gone bigger but didn't want too lose too much grazing. With two quiet ones it would be fine but pony bosses the tb, often moving her off the nets - like the tb to have chance to get right away if necessary.

They get hay daily - it costs me a fortune as they refuse to eat it once it's fallen on the floor from a net! Both looking good which is the main thing though :)
 
In winter the bigger the area the better. less constant pounding on one small area and generally speaking horses move less when less confined. So personally I would open it all up pick up as much of the sycamore as possible and provide unlimited access to forage then on April I would used a track system around the edge and provide hay at one end water at the other and let the middle bit rest by the end of May you will have more grass than you know what to do with a slim and fit ponies
Oh and please don't destroy the trees they are a natural heritage there for us to protect not vandalize
 
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Makes sense - guess I'll just have to be brave and open the whole thing up and see what happens.
If it starts to look poor I can shut the whole of that paddock off and leave them with the hard standing and smaller paddock.
Don't worry I have no plans to take down the sycamore - I can't afford to, my husband wouldn't let me even if we could afford to and in summer they do provide fab shade, plus home for various birds. They are a nightmare though as cause me so much worry and extra work - husband has been amazing at mowing seeds up ( he thought having horses at home would mean less mowing not more!).
 
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