Quality of information on grazing and grass

[Grassman]

Hi.
I've been trawling through websites and forums in my spare time for a nearly a month now trying to find honest and reliable information on equine grazing and the most suitable types of grass species or varieties that match the specific needs of a horse or pony. I am amazed to find this subject a little sketchy to say the least. The general census appears to be that modern forage grasses are bred soley for the production of milk or meat ruminants and the requirement of the grazing horse is 100 per cent over looked by the seed breeders. Yet most seed suppliers formulate their horse paddock mixtures based on the latest agricultural strains of highly productive grasses. Am I missing something here ???? or is there an immediate need to correct this by formulating grazing pasture seed mixtures using older species and/or less common (ie lower production) varieties. After all, ryegrass is mostly a modern phenomena utilised for its ability to yield extremely well for conservation purposes.
I'd very much like to know what you think your animals requirements are in the way of fresh herbage in the field.
Thank you

 

[Donkeymad]

I agree 100% with what you have said, and we do need grazing which contains more grasses such as Timothy and cocksfoot, plus some of the hetb-type plants that would have been found in pasture land some twenty or mre years ago.

 

[Grassman]

Am I right in saying that much of the available grazing is not necessarily suitable for horses. What stops you from introducing more appropiate species into the sward, lack of equipment or the seemingly unavailable information on how to go about doing this really quite`simple practise?
I'm sorry if this is a little heavy going for my first posts but I would really like to understand the issues with grazing modern grass varieties in pastures which in my humble opinion are too simple..

 

[jrp204]

have a look at some of the permenant pasture leys, they should be more adequate, just make sure they have no clover in as it will make it easier for weed control in the future.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Have you tried this forum.....may give you some answers:-

http://westward-web.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1