Questions about topping a field

[sandi_84]

My mum and I are planning on moving our horses to a relatively small field soon (bit of a long story), it may just be a stop gap field but we'd like to move them soon.
The only problem is that the estate that owns the field says the ground needs topped. As far as I know it's just grass and non-poisonous weeds that has been growing in there so the question is:

Does the field need topped?
If it does do we have to leave it for a while before putting the horses on it and if so how long do we have to leave it for?

Thank you for any advice you can give.

 

[4x4]

Well if the weather up there is anything like down here you wouldn't get a vehicle in there with the wet and it would rip the field to bits. Check out the plants - if its not growing voraciously and they insist on you topping it as long as there's nothing poisonous in there I'd top it longish then stick the nags straight on. Otherwise you'll have to leave it ages as it'd be like giving them grass clippings - really though your best bet would be to put them on straight away and then top in the spring. Good luck.

 

[Milkmaid]

I wouldn`t top at this time of year, round here you would need a hovercraft topper atm anyway!! The long grass would just rot making one big, yucky mess.

I would feed the grass as standing hay, strip grazing and moving the fence a little each day unless it is really wet then I would just let them have the lot!!

Have put mine onto fields that have not been grazed for a few years many times without topping first with no problems. The only thing I would check carefully for is any dead standing ragwort as it is rife now. But the docks, thistles and nettles they will scoff with relish!!

 

[mandwhy]

Just put them straight on it if you can, I think they will be put off topping it when they think about the mud and impracticality of it! My field probably would have been topped but its been eaten down gradually just with bits of untidy dead grass about (she's eaten all the nettles with delight!) I prefer to be able to see the ragwort etc so you can get rid of it and so they can avoid it.

 

[Tnavas]

Being the middle of winter all you will do is make a terrible mess of the grazing as the cut grass will just rot.

I remember as a child our paddock had long grass coming into winter and the farmer always referred to it as 'Hay on the Stalk' - The ponies ate it down fine and it also reduced the hay required.

If there are a lot of dead weeds then the paddock will look a bit messy - try and find any that are poisonous and pull them up - otherwise Id definately not be topping.

I top my paddocks as soon as the grass throws up seed heads as some species of grass stop producing leaf at this point and die back - by removing the seed head it forces the grass to get growing again.

 

[indie999]

Wrong weather time of year to be topping etc as stated already. I would put them on and also they will pick out any weeds. The will eat it down and the grass is growing round my way anyway. So waste time topping. Trouble is some people want it looking manacured etc

Also a vehicle will mush the ground too.

 

[sandi_84]

Thanks guys this seems to be the general line of advice I've been given so far by the various horsey types I know
Turns out they didn't suggest topping it in the first place it was my mum ha ha!
Gonna give them a call on monday and see about shifting the ponio's asap.
I've had a good walk round the field and I can't see any sign of poisonous nastys (surprisingly not a stem of ragwort in there!) so I think we're good to go as long as the estate manager is happy with it.

I'm a little worried about us going it alone but with the great support network we've got and the always welcome advice from HHO I'm sure we'll be just fine!

Thanks guys, Merry Christmas to everyone, hope Santa's good to you all!