topping fields question ????

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cellie

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Land owner wants to top paddock as he has so much grass and then let my horse go back on.Is this ok ?dont know too much about topping or making hay etc. I know you shouldnt feed hand fed grass cuttings but bit confused with it being longer.Thoughts please.?
 
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the problem is, just how long is the grass. My farmer "topped" an area of our field last year and I ended up spending a day picking up the fallen grass - it was like hay !
 
Bump as I want to know the same as my paddock has just had the same done to it and I wondered if it was ok given you shouldn't feed grass cuttings or new hay, how is topping it ok?!
 
Mine would make hay but he isnt collecting it for hay its definitely long enough.If I cant use it will try and find out if someone can bale for me and ill pay them.
 
Shame not to collect it for hay but if it gets rained on as it is now it will ferment and you will end up with a colicky horse.So no you should not let your horse back on it. (It may ferment even if it doesnt rain).
 
Had this in my paddock: YO topped the field and left the cut grass - horse didn't eat it but the cut grass was creating a slimy mat preventing new grass coming through so I raked it all up.
 
if its long enough to make hay then i would not turn back out on it.

if you wanted someone to bale it for hay you need at least 3 days good sunshine on it and it turned at least once daily before you bale it.

you cant just cut and bale (unless you throw it away):(
 
If the grass has been topped by a proper mower - as in the type used for cutting hay it will be fine.

If cut and mulched like a garden lawn mower then it's not a good idea to put horses out until its dried well.

Topping actually helps keep some grasses growing as they don't get to throw up a seed head. We used to top all our paddocks to stop the rye grass from putting up a seed head as once it did that it stopped growing.
 
We topped our resting paddock a month before we planned on moving them over just so it tidied it up and levelled it out. After 3 weeks we ended up raking 3 acres of cuttings up as they hadn't dried due to the rain:rolleyes: Unless they have dried, grass cuttings aren't safe as they ferment.
 
Thanks everone just phoned and hes going to pick up and bale ill help pay and have some of the hay good result all round:D
 
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