# Best Pasture Seed for Horses?



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Clover often causes horses to drool. I scratch the soil with a single set of harrows and top seed with timothy. I've also laid a few flakes of timothy on a bare patch, enough to cover it, covered it with a plastic tarp and rocks. The seeds fall thro, the hay protects it and the tarp keeps the horses from eating the hay. After about a month the tarp and rocks can be removed. As the hay breaks down it adds to the soil.


----------



## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

What you need to reseed with is 100% dependent upon where you are, your soil type, annual rainfall and how you plan on using it. Without that information, our "suggestions" are just that. Putting down the wrong seed if a huge waste of $$ and time. What varieties are in your field that do well? If you don't know what they are, pick some and take it in to your extension office and let them guide you. They will also make fertilization and management recommendations for your situation.


----------



## Luvs Horses (Jan 9, 2014)

I am getting all the scrub and small trees off my back acre this weekend.. Yippee! So, I am also interested in OP's question on the best type of grass seed for horses. 

I see seed for Bermuda. Have not seen any Timothy seed but can look for it. I live just north of Houston, Tx. We have super hot summers, mild winters, and very short spring n fall. Our area is humid most of the time. Tropical plants grow well here. 

Anyone around my area have good recommendations?

Fertilizer is no problem, I have 4 goats and a small flock of chickens.


----------



## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Luvs Horses said:


> I see seed for Bermuda. Have not seen any Timothy seed but can look for it. I live just north of Houston, Tx. We have super hot summers, mild winters, and very short spring n fall. Our area is humid most of the time.


You will never see timothy in Texas because it is a cool season grass that can't handle the heat and humidity. You would never be able to get it established in the first place. You see Bermuda (also called coastal or coastal bermuda) because that is the best adapted grass for that area. It is a warm season grass (meaning it grows best when temps are above 75 and is not winter hardy), makes a great hay, tolerates grazing, tolerates drought, it's a perennial and it's moderately long lived. There are different varieties that are going to be better suited for different soil types, use and amount of water available. Bermuda does require a lot of fertilizer but the amount of forage it can produce is off the chart. Not uncommon to get over 8T per acre.


----------



## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

poundinghooves said:


> Our pasture is coming back fairly well after a long, yucky winter and is really greening up, but there are still some bare spots and my dad plans to spread some seed on those spots to help replenish the grass. What types of pasture seed would be best for this? He mentioned some clover and another type I can't remember the name of at the moment. Also, we may possibly take a cutting of hay off of it at some point, if possible. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!


As already stated it will depend on where you are since location will determine what grasses do best in your area.
If you live east of west Texas and south of the Mason Dixon (i.e. the Southeast) and you want a grass that will keep coming back (year after year after year....until 50 years into the next ice age, because it's tough to get rid of) you can plant Bahia grass. It's a very resilient grass, grows like gang buster, good for grazing and makes a decent hay (raised horses, cattle and goats on it for years....as far back as I can remember). If you ever want to get rid of it though you'll have to keep it cut so it never goes to seed (it get's a lot of seed per stem), plow it under and plant something almost as aggressive over it (and follow up by pulling out, by the root...might want to dig it out...and clumps that have refused to give up just yet). Took my father over 5 years to finally clear all of it out of his yard (those little seeds are determined and it grows fast so it requires a lot of cutting....not what most people would want in their lawn unless they just love cutting the grass a lot).


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When I mentioned timothy it's because it grows well in our area. You'll need to overseed what grows best in your area and it sounds like Bermuda which doesn't grow here at all. Call your district agricultural agent who will best advise you on what to do.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I am in area that is Hot and dry. I must irrigate to have a pasture. I have clay soil. 
Does this sound like your area ? I planted giant bermuda . It does great, reseeds and spreads by roots. The root system gets deep into the soil so it would be hard to get rid of. Great for summer grass that last up till Oct - Dec , depends on how soon it gets cold. 
Figure out which garden zone you are, your soil type and go to a local AG extension they may be able to advise you, mine was not so helpful. be careful with the type of clover if you use it, some are worse than others for the drooling and photosensitive reactions in white faced horses.


----------



## Luvs Horses (Jan 9, 2014)

Left Hand Percherons said:


> You will never see timothy in Texas because it is a cool season grass that can't handle the heat and humidity. You would never be able to get it established in the first place. You see Bermuda (also called coastal or coastal bermuda) because that is the best adapted grass for that area. It is a warm season grass (meaning it grows best when temps are above 75 and is not winter hardy), makes a great hay, tolerates grazing, tolerates drought, it's a perennial and it's moderately long lived. There are different varieties that are going to be better suited for different soil types, use and amount of water available. Bermuda does require a lot of fertilizer but the amount of forage it can produce is off the chart. Not uncommon to get over 8T per acre.


cool thanks that is good to know. :thumbsup:


----------



## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

We ended up planting fescue. Thanks for the info!


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Left Hand.. I dont have to use a lot of Fertilizer on my Bermuda, I only fertilize once a year. 
and my pastures get thick in the summer months. sure saves on the Hay !


----------



## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

stevenson said:


> Left Hand.. I dont have to use a lot of Fertilizer on my Bermuda, I only fertilize once a year.
> and my pastures get thick in the summer months. sure saves on the Hay !


 But you probably don't have water and you aren't harvesting the hay off of it. On average you need 50# available N for each T of bermuda hay. If you get 6 T per acre that's 300# N per year. Bermuda hay is typically harvested in 24-28 day intervals through the growing season and fertilizer is applied after every cutting. If you are using straight urea, that's 650# per acre. That's a chunk of change even when you can sell it for $200/T but it's more like $100/T in TX.

Fescue is a cool season grass.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

LEft Hand perch... lol.. I must irrigate as we dont get rain. i dont Hay the pasture, my pasture is for grazing.


----------

