How do i sort out my grazing?

[blossom_kisses]

Hi guys, i have just moved house and now have 3 acres of grazing for my two horses. I am planning to move them from livery in a month but the problem is the middle of the field is covered in the weed plantain. I have heard that it is not dangerous to horses but it is taking over the grass. does anybody know how to get rid of it without causing any danage to the horses when they are moved? any help would great!

[holiday]

Id be tempted to have a local farmer come and spray the field for weeds before you move the horses, if you could spray a couple of weeks before they come it should be ok, check first though!!!! Or split your paddock in half put them in one side and spray the other, leave for long enough then swop sides so the whole field is sprayed!!!!

Other than that i cant help!!!!!!

[gl1]

Excellent advice.

As an equine professional, it's the only real answer.

[Pink's lady]

Spraying is expensive and often doesn't work if the weeds are rampant docks or nettles. Plus you kill of absolutly evrything if you spray and then you have to harrow and resow unless you want another weed patch regrowing pretty soon.

A cheaper and quicker method which workse just as well is to get the field cut. You could either do it with a strimmer yourself (rather hard work though!) or ask a farmer to come in a top it for you. Should only take half a hour. Rake up the chopped bit and scatter some grass seed down. Remow it yourself in a couple of weeks and them occasionally and you should stay on top.

Our field has some terrible weed patches:rolleyes: and topping is the only thing that works. I sprayed it and it last a whole 2 weeks :rolleyes:

[KateWooten]

The pasture weedkiller 2-4-D kills broadleaf plants and leaves the grass intact. It's standard procedure for pasture management. Although I have strong organic leanings, I have used this and it is highly effective at the right dosage. Well worth hiring decent spray protection gear, and then it is fairly simple to spray several acres in a few hours by hand, with a hand-pump pressure sprayer. No big deal at all. For 3 acres, I'd not be bothering to hire someone. It's important to spray while they're actively growing, so if you want to mow first - again, I just use a domestic petrol engine strimmer for steep slopes and the lawnmower for flat/ gentle sloped - cut them back first if it's tall stuff ... but then leave it to get growing well again before spraying. I like to leave horses off for more than a month after any spraying - and longer if it's a low rain month (I doubt you'd have that problem !!). The guildeline for cattle is 30 days - I'm inclined to leave it longer cos I care about my horses more... but on the other hand they never, ever eat the broadleaf plants anyway - which, if you think about it, is why they're always such a problem in horse pasture !

If you want to go totally for an organic solution, simply mow.. and mow, and mow, and mow ... It does work, eventually ... but it's more of a long-term plan.

ETA - about costs - I think I paid about $20 for my bottle of weedkiller, and I've had it through 2 sprayings, of my 9 acres of pasture so really, it's not a biggie if you can find the right agrcultural spray in your area.

[Wally]

Sprays like Magneto and Doxtar are specific weed killers and will target the weeds leaving the grass to take its place.
I LOVE Doxstar as it kills only dockens.

Magneto kills ragwort and buttercups and plantain etc and will leave all your grass to thrive.

Personally Pinks Lady, I am not prepared to strim 300 acres! Lots of broad leaved herbs are good for the horses, we spot spray for docken and ragwort and buttercups and leave the rest.

[Bexster]

Spray with compotox or and agricultural weed killer, the land can be grazed again in 2 weeks, buy a book on pasture land management, I have my own land and my book always comes in handy.