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  Discussion on Rotating pasture with a small peice of land
Author Message
Member:
Prakashb

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2006 - 1:23 pm:

Hey everyone, i'm trying to decide if I can set up a rotational grazing system for 2 horses on a piece of land about 1 1/2 acres.

I'm in Florida, we have the bahia set up during the warm months, and rye for the winter months - and sprinklers set up. We also will be able to mow the pastures very often and spread the manure. One acre is already fenced in, I was thinking of dividing it into 2 pastures with electrobraid fencing. It would be divided into two areas about 160x220 ft.

I was also thinking of fencing in an area of 100x140 ft for a third pasture. This would give me three peices of land to rotate on - I was thinking two weeks on, four weeks off each.

Do you think these areas are too small for two horses to roam? I don't want to the horses to be stressed because the area is too small, and i'm not sure how much rooms is needed for adequate excercise. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 13, 2006 - 6:56 pm:

NCSU did research that suggested on good soil with a healthy stand of fescue this is possible but they had a smaller sacrifice area where the horses could be placed when the pastures did not return to good grazing in time. Time on and off is determined not by a set schedule but the response of the pasture to grazing. Your areas are plenty big for exercise.
DrO
Member:
Prakashb

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006 - 5:11 pm:

Thank you very much!
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006 - 10:01 pm:

I am rotating a pasture of about 150'x300' with 3 horses on it. It is fenced in a rectangular shape with a 500 gallon water trough in the middle of one long side. On the other long side, we tapped into the electric fence at 100'intervals and ran two temporary electric fences ( with step-in stakes )on an angle toward the water trough. The angled temporary fencing stops about 20' before the trough, where there are free ends of the fencing with spring handles that can, in turn, hook into the main fence by the trough or into each other. On the other side of the water trough fence is their woodlot pasture ( that actually is attached to the barn corral the stalls empty into ). With this system, we can close them in the woodlot ( that shares the water trough with the grass pasture ), or open the gate and give them access to whichever of the three pastures we are using at the time - while closing the "resting areas" off. What I'm saying is: The 2 resting areas can be closed off leaving the grazing area open to the water trough. The horses spend about 2 weeks on each pasture section. Grazing is, at the most, about 2 - 4 hrs a day. The rest of the day they have hay in their barn paddock and access to the woodlot to run around in. At turn out time, I just open the woodlot gate by the water trough and grass pasture is added to their space. This way, for three grazing areas and a large woodlot turnout, I need only 1 water trough. I rotate the grass pasture as needed, but in decent weather, it works out to about 2 weeks on each. This gives each section 4 weeks to rest, during which time, I mow, aerate ( clay soil ), feed lightly, and water the resting grass areas every other day with a traveling sprinkler. Because the areas are small, it makes seemingly intensive care quite easy. Remember, though, I'm in Jersey, and that means there is not much grazing in winter, and we keep them off in spring when we seed and allow the grass to establish itself.
The reason I'm writing is to say that in my own experience, we did much better with 3 areas, than 2. We moved them less often with 2,giving them the chance to really stress their favorite areas and ignore the areas they didn't like that much. Their grazing is more even on the smaller size areas and the smaller size is much easier to care for and water. We've also been able to treat the sections for ticks and chiggers when necessary, by just extending the time on the other two rotations while waiting for enough time and irrigation on the treated section to pass to make it safe. Now that we've switched from 2 to 3 sections, I have to say that the pasture is in much better shape.
Member:
Prakashb

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 15, 2006 - 6:21 pm:

Well i've redesigned my plan and have incorporated a sacrifice pasture in the middle which connects all three pastures. It is larger so that two horses can be in it together. I'm thinking about leaving it and one of the rotation pastures open at a time. Feeding and haying can be done in the sacrifice area, and the horse has freedom also to go into the grassy area. I was thinking if the grass growth is slow, or if they are eating it up faster than expected, I can just limit the time they are out grazing, and leave them in the sacrifice area the other time. What do you guys think?

Also, is it better to turn them out on grass at night or during the day? When does the grass grow - I would assume it grows during the day, so I would assume turn them out at night, but help me out if you have any ideas. Thanks!
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 - 2:44 am:

I think you've got the idea! I usually like to turn out when the grass is dry ( after the dew is gone ). Years ago, when I boarded, they were turned out at night, because there weren't as many bugs (in summer). The bugs aren't bad where I am now, so their turn out on pasture is fine during the day. Also, my pasture is shaded.
I gear my turnout time to pasture condition. If we're having a DrOught, the horses remain in their woodlot while I pamper my grass. The grass comes first!!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 - 6:32 am:

Sounds like a great plan to me and Lee has it absolutely right: you put the horses first by putting the grass first. I like out during the day during the winter and out during the night during the summer, and so do the horses.
DrO
Member:
Prakashb

Posted on Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 - 7:32 am:

Thank you guys so much. There isn't going be a stall in my sacrifice area, but i'm looking into shelters. Here's one I like so far, what do you guys think?

https://www.portablegaragedepot.com/index.cfm?sku=51331&catid=70

It offers both shade, rain, and a little wind protection.

Also, I was reading to keep the horses off of the pature when it is wet to prevent further damage to the pasture. Would the dew that forms at night constitute the pasture being wet? Or would that be safe. I would like to make turnout as much as possible when I can.

Also, is there anything I should worry about if they go from grass one day, to sand the next so abrubtly? Should i readjust them to the grass slowly after periods of stay in the sacrifice area?

Thank you!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - 8:04 am:

Prakash, you will have to judge the dew situation as it will depend on how heavy the dew is, your ground composition, the quality of the stand of grass (sod). If they tear it up with their feet when they go out it is too wet. And yes the horse will need slow introduction if off the pasture for more than several weeks.

Concerning the building, I do have one concern that it might attract lightning, if you live in an prone to it.
DrO
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Friday, Nov 17, 2006 - 11:07 pm:

I've seen two people in my area put up similar shelters. The horses used them, but within 2 years, they ( the shelters ) were gone. One place put up a nice, maybe six stall barn, so the shelter might have been intentionally temporary. The other one didn't hold up that well....but it might have been a different make. It looked pretty good for awhile, but the covering got torn up after a while.
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