Perfect Paddocks and Maintenance

Every horse owner would like to see their horses and ponies grazing in picturesque paddocks, ringed by immaculate fencing and free from any poisonous plants. However, the demands of everyday life, and sometimes a lack of knowledge and management skills, often means equestrian paddocks bring a war field to mind rather than a pleasant grazing meadow.

Pasture plays a major part in equine husbandry and welfare, and owners should realise that by managing it efficiently they can lower production costs, improve aesthetics, promote a healthier environment and provide substantial feed and recreation for their horses. Just one acre per horse can provide much of its maintenance for most of the year if managed correctly.

Fencing first

First and foremost, it’s important that horses remain within the boundaries of their paddocks. We’ve all heard stories of horses escaping from their pasture and wreaking havoc or, worse still, causing serious injuries to themselves and humans; most of which could have been avoided by secure fencing and surroundings. There are a number of fencing materials available to use but, most importantly they should be robust, hardwearing and durable. As a guide the British Horse Society suggests fencing should be at least 1.08 to 1.38 meters in height, with fencing for stallions slightly higher at 1.25 to 2 meters. For many, the choice of material is constrained by the budget available.

Wooden post and rail fencing is attractive and ideal for horses, but, in opposition, can be expensive and often requires a substantial amount of maintenance.

Plastic fencing is relatively new on the market. It is reasonably cheap and relatively maintenance free as it does not rot; however, it can become brittle over time and needs to be regularly checked for weaknesses.

Electric fencing is widely used in the equestrian industry and is moderately priced. It can be used as a permanent or temporary source of fencing on its own or in conjunction with another type of boundary; for example, it could be used with post and rail to keep horses from touching the fence. The cost is moderate and regular safety checks are imperative. Visibility is an issue with this choice of fencing; thus, white electric tape is a good option as it can be clearly viewed by horses.

Wire is not an ideal alternative and barbed, plain and ordinary stock wire are all potentially dangerous. It can, however, be cost effective and if you do decide to use it then special small-meshed horse wire is the best option and can be very effective if erected in the correct way; the mesh must be small enough so horses, ponies or foals cannot get their feet through the holes and the wire must be tightly strained.

Gates can be expensive but are clearly necessary. Wooden or metal materials are both desirable, although wooden gates do require more maintenance. However, they should be designed so that horses cannot get their feet trapped, and with a bolt that can be drawn back so horses do not catch themselves as they pass through.

Water supply

The second factor that warrants consideration is water. As the most important nutrient in a horse’s diet, a constant supply of fresh clean water is crucial. Troughs should be heavy-duty and long lasting and self-filling troughs are most convenient, although they can be expensive. The alternatives for smaller budgets are large buckets and watertight containers that can be filled by hand or hose, and also have the added benefit of mobility, especially useful where rotational grazing is concerned. Containers must be large enough to hold sufficient water and sturdy enough not be tipped over and broken. For one horse at pasture, a large bucket holding at least 20 litres may be sufficient. Filling troughs and buckets can be tricky, so make use of extra long hoses or one of the ingenious water carrying devices on the market at the moment. Troughs should be regularly cleaned out to prevent the build up of algae and in winter should be checked twice a day in case it has frozen over.

Escaping the elements

Next in line is shelter from the elements. Every horse needs shelter regardless of its type, breed or condition. Protection from the sun during heat stricken days is just as important as refuge during the cold, wet and windy depths of winter. A shelter must be designed to provide sufficient headroom. It should be sturdy, durable and ideally situated on hard standing in a free-draining site. Shelter does not necessarily have to mean a wooden structure, in some cases a large sturdy tree or well grown hedges will provide adequate shelter. However, be aware that the horse may need shelter from all angles if the wind direction changes. Certain types of field shelters require planning permission and further advice can be sought from your local planning officer.

Killer weeds

It’s crucial that you don’t think of everything except grass as being a weed. Other plants found in grazing land should really be classified as herbs, many of which are not only extremely palatable to horses, but also have a number of nutritional benefits.

In contrast, weeds such as ragwort or bracken are obviously poisonous and must be removed. Ragwort, especially, is a major problem in the horse world and is commonly known as the ‘Killer Weed’. The Ragwort Control Act 2003 came into force in 2004; it amends the Weeds Act 1959 and provides specifically for a more effective management of ragwort. The safe disposal of ragwort is an important part of its control: it should be removed using a special fork to ensure the root of the problem is reached, and gloves and a facemask should be worn for safety.

A spray treatment for ragwort is also available to non-professional spray operatives for established paddocks. Other existing products are only licensed for use by professional spray operatives and there are laws governing their storage, use of protective clothing and disposal of empty containers.

It is important to remember that ragwort is still highly palatable even when dead, so it must be removed a good distance form the paddock and preferably burned.

Management of manure

Following the disposal of poisonous weeds comes the management of manure. The regular removal of droppings from a horse’s paddock is a major step towards eliminating any worm burden. Whether you use gloves, a fork, a muck raking tool or even a motorised ‘poo hoover’ you need to make sure it is done regularly – in the summer worm larvae can spread from the droppings to the grass in the paddock in only a couple of days.

Rolling, harrowing and topping

Grassland cultivations, such as rolling, harrowing and mowing should only be carried out when the soil conditions are right. Harrowing is carried out to pull all the dead grass from the healthy grass so that air water and nutrients can get to the soil more efficiently. This is advisable in early spring before strong grass growth gets underway. Rolling repairs any damage to pasture from hooves over the winter and should preferably be carried out before the middle of March. Topping or cutting a grazed pasture is essential, especially if horses are the only species grazing the land. The land should be topped regularly throughout the growing season or at the very least once a year, particularly before unwanted weeds grow.

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