To plough or not to plough - HELP!

[Overgrown Pony]

Hey guys

We've been in our new property for 6 weeks now. It has a 2 acre paddock which is a disaster. We've found out if was sectioned off from the large field behind it when it was stubble. That was about 8 years ago and it has basically never been touched. It's just done its own thing and is full of weeds and ruts. The drainage isn't very good in one area as there are rashes and it's boggy.

Had an agri contractor out and he's suggested sorting out the drainage, followed by ploughing, leveling and seeding.

I understand that this guy knows what he's on about. His company does all the work for the arable farmers in the area. I'm just really worried as everyone is saying DON'T PLOUGH cause it takes so long before you can get a horse on it. Our field never had grass sown in it. I have photos of the weeds and wee bit of grass that has grown natually if anyone can offer advice.

Cheers

 

[BuzyLizzie]

We ploughed & reseeded 4 acres two years ago last autumn, it is light land and i have got the ponies out during the day this winter on it. It has been regularly topped, grazed by sheep and had haylage taken from it, so it has had time to settle, tiller and has had little feet pad it down

If it was previously wheat/barley and never re-seeded then i think i would be inclined to follow your contractors advice but be aware that you will need to avoid grazing it until next spring and top or cut for hay this summer to encourage it to tiller. I think you are unlikely to get away with broad casting and harrowing if the wheat/barley crop is very well established.

Sorry not what you wanted to hear i know! I set up a little corral 20 x 20m for the first few winters and the ponies did 1/2 days in pairs in there, and we have another rented field for the spring, summer, autumn months.

 

[be positive]

Usually it is considered better to improve what you have rather than plough and start again but possibly your field, if it has never been grassland, is the exception., it may be difficult to do everything without ploughing.
The other option is to attend to the drains, spray the weeds off and drill with seed, this would probably give a stronger top to the field which is the problem after ploughing it just leaves the land so loose the horses trash it in no time.
Whatever you do it will take time to become well established grazing for horses, grazing sheep first and taking hay off it is a good idea whatever you do.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

Plough, harrow, seed, fert, roll twice!

 

[Overgrown Pony]

Guys

Thank you all so much for your advice. I thought it right enough that it needs ploughed but just needed some horsey folk to confirm it in my head. I've done a fair bit of research and understand that it'll not withstand horses on it until next year at best. I'll take your advise and get some sheep on it to improve it once it's pretty established and we're also planning on getting the ride on mower onto it to keep it topped.

Cheers

 

[PeterNatt]

If the field has never been down to grass then it would be best to first take a soil sample and see if it needs any mag lime or anything, then plough it up, then cultivate it, put in the drainage and any water pipes for water troughs and then apply any mag lime or whatever the soil test results suggest and then seed it for grass. Be carefull to choose the correct type of grass for your requirements and make sure that it is permanent grass. You should ideally keep horses off the grass for at least two years and in that period initially cut and collect the grass about three times in the first season to get it to bulk up and then in the second season roll it in March and again cut and collect it three times in the season to get it to bulk up. This way you will get a good pasture.

 

[Overgrown Pony]

Cheers for that PeterNatt. I'm taking notes on all this