Pasture rotation and feeding the soil. What have we learned so far?
1. Pastures need at least 4 weeks rest between a week of grazing. This is why pasture rotation is important. The rest period allows the pasture to rest and regrow and you can slash weeds, mow and mulch and harrow, add compost, spot spray the ragwort and aerate the soil.
2. March would be a good time to further divide your summer pasture up into sections you can treat.
3. Remember the importance of balance between the minerals in the soil and the micro-organisms and other animals that live in the soil and the roots which grow the grass ..... when soil is not looked after and fed, the environment where your horse eats becomes sick. Basically, you can't take off the land without putting back on, we need to feed the huge community of organisms living there which help us grow the grass.
4. Each soil in each field will be different due to geography and past care. This is why we need a soil test so we know what minerals may need to be added or what we may have in excess.
5. Healthy soil supports the right micro-organisms to support the right growth of healthy grass. Unhealthy grass means unhealthy horses who will not get the right amount of minerals, not get the right amount of quality protein and be exposed to stressed grass high in sugar and starch.
6. Horses and heavy machinery compact ground, and thus rainwater is unable to penetrate and grass roots cannot open up the soil, adding to compaction. There are strategies we can use for remediation of this.
7. With effort, we can actively hydrate the land, build soil, and regenerate horse pastures.
8. Not all weeds are bad, some have lovely big taproots that aerate the soil.
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