Topped Fields

Tempi

Tempi

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My fields have just been topped, and obviously as its been p*ssing down with rain i cant turn my horses out on them due to the cuttings.

Is it safe to turn them out on it once the cuttings have dried tho? (if it ever stops raining).....

Poor Archie hasnt been turned out since sunday as his field was topped monday and as it was really long its just covered in cuttings. Luckily my other field that was topped only had tufty bits in it, which ive cleared off so Archie can go out in that tomoro and friday.

The annoying thing is that the grass in the second field is fab, but i cant use it because of the cuttings. There is no way i can clear it myself as i took me an hr to clear part of my other field that was just tufty last night.......

Or any other suggestions are welcome!
 
We have the same problem - ended up with me and OH raking up great piles of the stuff and throwing it over the fence line so it could rot down out of harms way. Technically it should burn off and then it would be fine to turn out, but with this weird weather it is simply not going to happen antytime soon.
 
i basically have a 2 acre field that is split into two, archie has one half and blossy has the other - Blossys half was well grazed anyways (As shes a pig!) Archie's half is the long half. I can use the first half of the field (blossys bit) which im going to start using tomoro, however Archie's half is just going to take FOREVER to clear. It took an hr last night to do the tinest amount as it is................
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I know i probably only have the option of raking it myself tbh.......

How well does it have to be raked? does it matter if a few bits are left as long as the majority is cleared?
 
Do you know any one with a baler who could bale it for you? then u can burn it when it diry, we had to do that with a ten acre field lol, it killed us picking up the toppings from a 1 acre paddock
 
Unless the cuttings are like lawn mower ones and could ball in their throats, you should find the horses cope ok.
We turn ours out on topped fileds, also on newly cut hay fields, they sometimes eat the left overs to no ill effect!
If they are short cuttings there is no alternative but to rake them up I'm afraid...
 
they are quite long cuttings, definately not like lawn mower ones - they are sort of whispy, basically like cut hay.

I think il rake as much as i can and then just leave the rest - hopefully the weather will improve a bit
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The only problem i have seen with topped fields being left in these conditions, is that the remains can go a bit mouldy and give off spores so if you have a horse that is sensative to such things i would be a little cautious.
 
good point, i hadnt thought about that.

I think im just going to have to bite the bullet and rack it sometime - god knows when tho as i just dont have time at the moment
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ours go out on freshly topped fields, as HH said aslong as its not short grass cutting they should be fine.

(we never turned out on cut hay fields as the farmer wouldnt let us but the horses got out and spent a night in one that had just been cut and baled - bales still in field - and they all survived!! farmer got MAD though!)
 
Sorry to be thick, but why shouldnt they go out on the topped fields....... i have always had the fields topped with the horses actually in them (all good with tractors) and not bothered to wait for any length of time before grazing.

I know not to feed lawnmower clippings as they ferment, but am confused about the fields????
 
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