September 2002

Manage Your Fall Pastures

While we all maximize pasture and minimize hay, overgrazing is dangerous not only to pasture health but possibly to your horse as well.

It may be cheaper to supplement hay than to ûrisk overgrazing your field.

If the height of your pasture grasses is less than three inches, that pasture is overgrazed and needs immediate attention for both your horse’s and your pasture’s sakes.

The plant stores most of the sugars it uses during times of heat, cold or drought stress in its bottom three inches. Once the horses have grazed the plants down below that, the plants are less resistant to stress and may die. You’re better off beginning to supplement hay earlier in the fall than to risk damaging and/or losing the pasture grasses. …