Pasture Use: Grazing, Exercise, Sport

Siting Pasture Flat land but not low Level to slight slope Disadvantages of signicant hills? Fence shifting Erosion Low spots Avoid sandy soil Sand colic Bad for shallow-rooted plants Good for alfalfa Pasture as Nutrient Source vs. Exercise Area More pasture needed for nutrient source Acreage per horse or pony depends on: Type of animals Management of animals Soil type Pasture management capabilities of owners How much supplementary feed you will supply Acres per Horse (1 acre = 0.405 hectare; 1 hectare = 2.47 acres) < 0.25 acres/horse = exercise paddock 0.5-1 acre for small ponies, if pasture is weedless and fertilized 1.5-4 acres/horse, in 3 or 4 paddocks (rotation), for general riding horses or ponies Hectares per Horse If pasture fertility is high, 1 hectare for 3-4 horses (totally 1200-1600 kg) Average grassland suports 2 horses/hectare Unmanaged, unfertilized pasture supports 1 horse/hectare How big is 1 acre? 200' x 217.8' = 43560 square feet 208.7 ft x 208.7 ft How big is 1 hectare? 100 m x 100 m = 10,000 share meters 328 x 328 ft

Stocking Rate for Stud Farms Generous allowance: 10 acres/pasture/mare, plus 1 acre for hay and 1 acre for grain Modest allowance: 3-5 acres/pasture/mare Some Recommendations Split total area into smaller areas with electric fencing and water in each section Graze fat and thin animals separately, or according to nutritional needs Ideally sow early season grasses in one paddock If using pastures, hay, and grain from the same land, discover and correct trace element deciencies or imbalances Historical Importance European military campaigns, before mechanized vehicles, waited until the spring pasture ush in May Mainly Exercise Horses between periods of hard work Barren or early pregnant mares Growing stock - 1-3 years old Above do not need high nutrient content, can graze at high rates on relatively infertile pastures Stocking Rate vs. Stocking Density Stocking Rate: # of horses per acre for a whole grazing season Stocking Density: # of horses per acre at one point in time high Imagine 10 horses and 5 paddocks of 2 acres each A. Graze continuously, 2 horses/paddock Stocking rate: 10 horses over 10 acres Stocking density: 10 horses over 10 acres B.Graze rotationally, all 10 in 1 paddock at a time for 5-6 days Stocking rate: 10 horses over 10 acres Stocking density: 10 horses over 2 acres Exercise Paddocks High stocking density Less concern for forage quality and quantity Other siting considerations are important Safety, convenience, water, shelter Pasture (Turf) for Horse Sports Racing, polo, dressage, cross-country, show jumping, etc. Durability, uniformity, appearance

Plant species composition? Kentucky bluegrass Creeping red fescue Bentgrass Expertise? Increasing opportunities Woodbine Raceway E.P. Taylor Turf Course 1.5 miles with a 1.8 mile chute Homestretch 100 feet wide Backstretch 120 feet wide 4% banking on turns Turf track raises 3 feet from start of rst turn to start of backstretch Just how the land was Distance from nal turn to nish line: 1,400 feet Turf: Kentucky Bluegrass 12" sandy growing medium 4" drainage layer Alternatives for Racing Races often scheduled to run on the grass, only to have it switched to dirt track because of rain Watch the animals run on grass, it seems to natural and less stressful than pounding a long on a hard dirt surface, but when the grass gets too wet and slippery, the races are shifted to a dirty track which may be muddy, unless it's a synthetic surface.