# prepping pasture for spring?



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Hoping those with experience rotating pastures can guide me a little here. I have two pastures, one is about 2 acres, and one about 1.5 acres. I have two small horses - no metabolic issues last time we tested (a year ago) so they are on 24/7 turnout right now. When I opened the new pasture (2 acres) in early August, it was really overgrown with timothy so the horses have had tons to eat. There is still standing (dried up) timothy and enough grass to sustain them. This new pasture has made a huge difference! 

My question is about my 1.5 acre pasture. Even though the back pasture had taller timothy, they often went in the 1.5 acre pasture because they prefer the short grass. So to avoid overgrazing, I roped it off. It's come back nicely now, at about 4" of grass. My question is whether, at this time of year (mid-october), I should let them in there to eat some green grass for a few hours a day, or should I just leave the pasture alone for winter? We WILL get cold weather soon (it has been unseasonably warm), and we WILL get several feet of snow. I'm thinking maybe the grass should have a chance to establish deep roots again by spring. I don't NEED to let them in there, they appear to be sustaining themselves with the back pasture for now. I will have to close the whole thing off once the snow flies anyway, and start feeding hay, which will undoubtedly happen in the next month or so. But if the grass just dies over the winter anyway, maybe I should let them eat some greenery while it's still available. The cost of supplementing with hay is not an issue btw. I just like letting them out in a big pasture because they move around a lot more and it's good for Harley's lungs and general fitness. Kodak is happy no matter what. Thoughts?

Thanks for your advice!


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

I'd give them a flake or two of hay twice daily to take the edge off, and let them continue to graze while they can. Pull them if the grass gets eaten below 3" and before any bare patches show up - you still want to protect established roots underneath the dead looking stuff that's above ground.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

We have already cut off 2 of our 3 pastures for the winter. For the reason you mentioned above - we want to fertilize and let the grass get a good hardy root before we get a hard freeze. We rotate pastures monthly and by the end of Oct our growing season is usually to its end so pasture time is severely limited and usually only when there is snow cover. We have had great success with fall fertilizing and in some cases over seeding and our pastures look great in the spring. We try to mow and or drag the pastures ( to break up manure) before they are put to bed for the winter. We move very high - just enough to take care of any really high tough spots.

Hope this helps.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks all. 

Yes, we plan on letting them eat out of the back pasture until the snow comes. We don't fertilize or seed (yet) because there is lots naturally growing back there and I don't want the pasture to be too rich. We'll cut down any tall weeds with the bush hog and spread around the manure before the snow gets deep. 

My question was about the other pasture that is greening up nicely and is about 4" tall. I want to let them eat some of that nice grass, but given that the temperatures could change anytime now, I worry that I will do too much damage. 

I guess that to play it safe, and since they still have lots to eat in the back pasture even though it's pretty dried up, I should keep them off the green pasture so it looks good by spring. It's the first pasture they go on, which allows the back pasture to grow up tall by late July or so, when we rotate. We just never had a growing season like this before! Last year, they were off all pastures by the end of August. Also, adding another 2 acres made a huge difference of course, but I'm not sure how much I can let them eat this time of year risking damage to the roots.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

We also have restricted the pasture use now, we're preparing to mow, winter feed and seed and close down till spring...we do let a section of pasture get junk and then till the ground, reseed and establish strong grass when spring grass starts to get going...
As we don't get snow here, instead this fall we are ground raking deeply and seeding, then pasture dragging with a covering of composted manure we have to save the seed from the birds having such a easy feast :icon_rolleyes:
So we always have something "under-construction" it seems...
My paddock area is going to take the hit this winter for sure but that is fine...in the spring it will be turned under and new seed and establishing of it as the weeds are just terrible in it this fall.
Our grass is done growing. 
I think most places are really already done or severely slowed down where "cold" of winter and freezing soon to arrive...
Hay, I've been feeding for several weeks already as the pasture was sparse and the horses started to look like they were losing weight...they can still nibble, but now that growth is really done the nutrients are finished too...it is busy food but not nutritious.
Keep a close eye, a critical eye on appearances...

If it were me....
Close down and keep them off that fresh pasture.
Reseed, yes again and put down winter fertilizers so the roots get the winter to strengthen.
If you do mow, cut high...
I would prepare for the winter snows that are so good for pastures to establish under so springtime emerging grass is healthy and you are ahead of, not behind trying to play catch-up with the root system.
I miss the snows and the good it can do for lawns and pasture to recuperate from heat, humidity, drought, forget hooves and teeth on it... Dormant to the eye, but underneath where it matters it continues to mature, grow strong and resilient..what you want and need.
:runninghorse2:.....
_jmo..._


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks horselovinguy. Yes, I agree that it's best to get ahead of establishing roots. 

However, in terms of growth, this fall has been truly exceptional here since our temperatures have remained unseasonably warm. The horses are a little on the pudgy side if anything, which is why I'm not giving much hay yet. The back pasture is still pretty full of standing timothy which is dry of course, but if you push it aside, you'll see plenty of green grass growing at the base, which is what they're really after. The pasture that is closed off? It's growing like crazy! Since they haven't been on it for about two months, it is really quite lush - surprisingly so for October! Thus my dilemma. But after reading the replies, I do think I'll keep it closed off and just let them continue to nibble away at the back pasture. As for nutrition, they are already on all their winter supplements, which I've gradually phased in about a month ago. They are basically eating standing hay with some greenery underneath, but have what they need to make sure their diet is nutritionally complete. But they sure would LOVE to get into that lush green pasture!


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