Unusable paddock - farmery type advice

[Auslander]

I have a field I can't use - which is exceptionally disappointing as its the biggest one I have. The property is on heavy clay, and the muppet who was there before me kept ponies out on it all winter - how they didn't break leg, I do not know. It is exceptionally poached - full of leg shaped holes up to 2ft deep, which aren't going, even with the heavy rain we've had - I'd hoped it would dissolve into a relatively flat morass, but it hasn't. I can't go more than 10 ft into it without falling down one, so there's no way my horses can go on it. The grass is fantastic, and it's a crying shame that its ruined.

Any tips for restoring it - it's too far gone for rolling.

 

[nikicb]

I think you need to start chatting up a farmer.

 

[lhotse]

Sounds like it needs ploughing and re-seeding. Probably the only way to get rid of the holes.

 

[nic85]

OH has said rip it up, level it re-drill it. What a nightmare!

 

[Auslander]

I am fairly sure that ploughing and reseeding is the only way - its just a real shame, as its proper old pasture with a great mix of grasses. I'm a bit loathe to go too mad, as the place may be going on the market next year. Might have to just pretend it is't there!

Niki - I have been trying to hook a farmer for years!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Sounds like a plough, scuffle and re seed job.

 

[Auslander]

I think its going to be way too expensive, bearing in mind that I may not be here in a years time. It needs re-fencing as well, so probably a write off.

 

[buddy's mummy]

plough. harrow and reseed!

 

[Goldenstar]

Do have access to roller and harrows it may be repairable with a lot of harrowing and those toothed rollers used repeatly every time it is the right consistency .

 

[AdorableAlice]

I really hope 'the turn it out regardless brigade' read this thread. So many horse owners are totally ignorant regarding land management and are very quick to berate land owners/yard managers when turnout problems arise.

 

[JFTDWS]

Is it worse than mine? I just get mine harrowed in spring and it recovers fine...

 

[AdorableAlice]

Is it worse than mine? I just get mine harrowed in spring and it recovers fine...

O.p saying 2' holes punched in it. Those conditions dried out = broken limbs

 

[JFTDWS]

O.p saying 2' holes punched in it. Those conditions dried out = broken limbs

I read the OP, thanks.

 

[honetpot]

Its too wet to do anything now but don't worry. I would not plough it will take nearly 18months before you can put anything on it again. You need a farmer who does grassland , depending on how bad it is he can harrow or put a power harrow on it, also use a slitter which will aerate the roots. The good thing about clay is because it lumps it protects the grass roots unlike sandy soil so once its harrowed and perhaps rolled the grass will still be there. Another idea is sheep, to eat the grass of now and pack it down a bit, I had sheep on my fields for a few months, the farmer looked after them so I had nothing to do.

 

[Fools Motto]

Does sound like a plough and re-seed job. BUT, maybe with the biggest rollers and at THE right time, you may be able to improve it, doubt it would be a complete cure, but an improvement. And repeated over time??

And sheep, they are brilliant at getting it more level - may be a help?

 

[Auslander]

It is pretty horrific - the holes are just ridiculous. I can't believe that anyone was stupid enough to keep horses on a field that waterlogged for an entire winter. The whole place was pretty rutted and poached - but I put the horses on the flattest bit while it was dry in the summer, then moved them onto the other field once it had softened up a bit - and they've squished it to a relatively flat surface now. In term of machinery, I have access to a tractor, a huge old Cambridge roller, and a rather pathetic little chain harrow/chocolate fireguard.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sheep are great for levelling poached ground, but I think that 2' deep holes would be beyond even their magic paddock rescuing skills.

I can't see that harrowing and rolling will be enough to make this land safe. Indeed, it may falsely cover some of the holes which would give way when a horse stepped on them.

I'm afraid that a plough and reseed is the only option, but the OP doesn't have the land long term so it wouldn't be worth it for her. What a shame.

(We use a mix of borrowed sheep, harrowing and rolling, but we are on loam, so the holes are nowhere near as deep).

 

[*hic*]

Get some pigs on it! If they don't do as good a job as hoped at least the profit will help pay for the remedial work.

 

[Auslander]

I can't see that harrowing and rolling will be enough to make this land safe. Indeed, it may falsely cover some of the holes which would give way when a horse stepped on them.

That's exactly why I didn't roll it - Figured that it would just squish the top of the holes and make it even more dangerous.

 

[Jesstickle]

how does a horse even make a 2' deep hole in the ground. We're on clay and it has been bucketing down and I still only have two inches of cut up mess. What the hell were they grazing? Elephants?!

Sorry Aus, no help at all. I am just amazed someone could even get horses to do that!

 

[dafthoss]

Leave it for now and cut it for hay in the summer? Not ideal but possibly the least costly option as its not your land.

 

[honetpot]

Believe me it will recover, my land is clay and last year the gate way was 2 feet deep in mud and around it was a slightly less deep mess. I lost count of the times I lost my wellies and ended up sat on my bum soaked through to my knickers. I have native types so they just ploughed through it, it was better when it was wet as it was more like soup. By May it was dry and flattened out.
If you can not get out with a normal harrow at the right time a power harrow cuts through the lumps. I invested in drainage and hardcore so now we can get through the gate but its not a solution on rented land as its so expensive.

 

[nikicb]

Just a thought and it might be a silly one, but can you fill some of the holes rather than try and squash them out. Sand or something? Just trying to think laterally here, have no idea whether it would work but I'm sure someone will tell me.

 

[Patterdale]

Get some pigs on it! If they don't do as good a job as hoped at least the profit will help pay for the remedial work.

Aaaah beat me to it!

Ps DON'T put sheep on it....if you could even find someone willing. Wet ground + sheep doth not a healthy animal make!

 

[windand rain]

lime, sand and a good roller when it is wet but not sodden will fix it other wise wait until it is wet enough but not too wet and keep driving the tractor over the wet bits it will be heavy enough to fill the holes if the ground is wet enough

 

[Auslander]

how does a horse even make a 2' deep hole in the ground. We're on clay and it has been bucketing down and I still only have two inches of cut up mess. What the hell were they grazing? Elephants?!

Sorry Aus, no help at all. I am just amazed someone could even get horses to do that!

God knows - they aren't all that deep - but there are several that I have left a leg in, and when I investigate, I can get my whole arm down them - I found a very small shoe at the bottom of one! The majority are mid calf deep - which is more than enough to put me off turning horses out on!

Its been empty for three years, and they've had BIG tractors in to flail twice each year, so you'd think it would have recovered if it was going to. It's about three acres, virtually al gone to holes, so not really possible to fill the holes.

Shame when it looks like this from a distance!

 

[Turks]

I wouldn't stick pigs on it. They will make it worse! We have heavy clay - and had pigs and horses for years. I didn't winter the pigs out. Best just fence the worst off or don't use and catch it at just the right time with the roller and harrows. It comes back amazingly well and I wouldn't want to lose your old grasses. They're tough. Its all in the timing so be prepared to jump when the day is right - just dry enough. That has worked wonders for us when to look at it at its worst you'd wonder what it was ever going to be useful for! Be careful about making hay/haylage on v. uneven ground as you could get soil in it and the inherent risk of botulism etc that goes with that. Good luck

 

[LD&S]

I'd be tempted to try and fill the holes in, have you got any topsoil you can use? As soon as they're filled you can start using it but be prepared that if the ground was draining so poorly before it's likely to be the same again so it may not be suitable to use after a lot of rain.

 

[windand rain]

the art is in the timing it has to be soft and wet enough to crush under the roller but dry enough to support the tractor without it bouncing on dry ruts or sinking into wheel ruts lime it well before you roll as that will help break up the clumps

 

[Slightly Foxed]

the art is in the timing it has to be soft and wet enough to crush under the roller but dry enough to support the tractor without it bouncing on dry ruts or sinking into wheel ruts lime it well before you roll as that will help break up the clumps

This.

Could it be rabbits causing the holes? In which case some guns might be handy before you start your harrowing.

I had some huge holes caused by rabbits on some unused land of mine.