"Standing hay"

[Liz Wingrove]

I am keeping one of my horse's paddocks for the winter, and am hopeful that if I just let it grow and turn to hay it might be able to better withstand another wet winter (I realise it will need harrowing in the spring). My question is when would it be safe to put her in there - maybe October? I don't really want to strip graze it, I would rather simply put her in it (it would only be during the day).

Thanks

 

[Berpisc]

I have a field that is regularly grazed like this, the horses tend to go in around the end of October. The older ones will be fed accordingly, the ones prone to being overweight watched very carefully. Later in the winter, early spring we supplement with hay if necessary. This field is then rested over summer. It has worked well for us, horses happy, environmental stewardship scheme happy and lots of flowers and insects etc. None of mine are doing anything strenuous. They pretty much graze the grass down before they are taken off in the spring.

 

[Liz Wingrove]

Thank you - that is just what I had hoped! My mare is worked, although not a great deal as she's 28 (going on 6!). She is a very good doer but will be fed according to work and given hay if necessary. I just really hope that leaving the grass long may mean that the field doesn't turn into quite such a quagmore this winter!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Just a word of caution after you posted how old she is. Standing hay is quite stemmy, so if her teeth are worn she might find it a bit difficult to chew properly.

Otherwise, standing hay is great.

 

[L&M]

We have this system with our 2 horses - we rest 4 acres all spring and summer to make foggage/standing hay. As the field is well draining, with plenty of natural shelter, this enables them to stay out 24/7 unless horrendous weather.

We put ours in the foggage when the clocks change - I have tried strip grazing, but more hassle than it is worth. The grass seems to fill them nicely, but not cause massive weight gain, so just leave them to it.

Very ocassionally we put hay out towards the end of winter, but more often than not, the spring fields are grassed up before the winter one runs out completely.

Once the horses are off it we harrow, then top around May time if we get the chance, as takes any old grass down and lets the fresher stuff through.

 

[tallyho!]

Ideal.

 

[tatty_v]

I’ve been trying this - father in law just phoned to say “your top paddock needs topping”! I like it though, definitely helps withstand the wet. We’ve got quite poor grass though so it doesn’t get very lush.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Mine don't go in the foggage till early December, usually means I have no need to hay out till end Feb at earliest unless weather is particularly vile.
Usually I'd split paddock for a few days with tape, just so it didnt get all flattened at once.

 

[ester]

we take hay off our winter field (it is currently tracked) but we always try and get back up to foggage for winter (our other small paddock was cut in may this year so definitely will be). We are on somerset levels clay and found this works best for ground protection.
Ours would go on it end of October, we are surrounded by houses so they have to come in a night by fireworks anyway.
We don't tend to harrow, depends how easily we can get someone to do it but it usually gets rolled.

 

[Polos Mum]

Standing hay saves me carrying hay out to the field in the worst of the weather. I ususally put them on at Christmas - much later than you've suggested. Then they don't need hay until March when the light and weather is much better.