stubble fields

[Linz29]

Does anyone keep their horses on stuble fields over winter? ( and feed hay) my field is getting poached big time and was thinking about putting them out on a big stubble field with as much hay as they like and in at night.

 

[Shysmum]

won't that stubble field become even muddier

 

[Linz29]

It's huge 10 acres

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't see why it would not work it would certainly save your field.
And you always go back to using the field if it did not work.

 

[Sportyspots]

I tryed it about 5 years ago with horses in at night and during really bad weather. It was brilliant - no mucking out as muck carted to any stubble fields anyway, loads of room for them to gallop about without panicking about churning it up plus it saved the grass in their own fields. The problem was my family who farm it complained that they compressed the land too much and even now moan that the horses ruined that field.
If you're allowed to I'd go for it.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

I've done this before over winter! Kept my boys on a farm, and the farmer suggested it one year. I thought it was a stupid suggestion until I was forced into trying it!
They were turned out during the day on it and were happy as Larry! Huge space, no mud, and lots of lush new grass shooting up! Tbh, it was a bit of a mission to persuade them to come back in again at night!

 

[Sparkles]

I would!

Stubble only will get ploughed or sub soiled at a later date anyway, so muddying that up isn't the end of the world as much as poaching their grazing field would be