# Horse Safe Grass Killer for Arena



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

There are none that I know of that would allow immediate grazing. If you want to kill only weeds, 2-4-D is pasture safe, but it won't kill the grass. If you want to kill everything, you need to use RoundUp, but you'll have to keep the animals away for a week or more (look it up for the exact amount of time).
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## Jetson (Apr 12, 2012)

Thank You! Question - keep them away as, they cant even walk on it or keep them away as in dont let them graze near it? Sorry, I know this is probably a dumb question but again, I have never used any chemicals around my horses.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

You are pretty much limited to the Roundup. Just about all the other herbicides are selective broadleaf meaning they are formulated to kill only certain plant products but not grasses. Roundup kills everything it comes in contact with. The general rule is to spray the grass you want killed. Let the product dry on it. Do not allow horses out on it for 2 weeks or until you get a good rain. If you get rain before 24 hours, you won't get much of a die off.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Jetson said:


> Thank You! Question - keep them away as, they cant even walk on it or keep them away as in dont let them graze near it? Sorry, I know this is probably a dumb question but again, I have never used any chemicals around my horses.


As LHP said, off means don't let them walk on or graze on. On the other side of a fence is fine. The farmer who grows corn around our pastures sprays Round Up before planting, and it doesn't bother our pasture grass 3' away.
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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

What about electric fencing? You could strip graze it down in no time.


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## Jetson (Apr 12, 2012)

Well I guess I might either use round up and not put them in there for a while, or maybe rent a rototiller and just rototill the parts I want dirt/sand. There is or was sand under there at one time. 
I do put my horses in there but I think they would have to be in there for days to graze it down. Its approx 100 x 100 and for all places for the grass to root itself so deep. I did not plant that grass in there, go figure, it comes up hearty and strong where I dont want it!!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Jetson said:


> I did not plant that grass in there, go figure, it comes up hearty and strong where I dont want it!!


Keep in mind that whatever you do, that grass will be back. Maybe not this year, but probably next.
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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

If you really want to go chemical free you can use vinegar with 10% acidity. Household has 5%. Or you can use a garden weed torch.

Horticultural Vinegar Acidifying Agent 1 Gallon | A.M. Leonard, Inc.

or

Sievert Gardener Weed Torch | A.M. Leonard, Inc.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Or you could always just blade it up


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## Jetson (Apr 12, 2012)

Thanks for all the great options!! Now if the snow would melt I could try something...spring come soon please!!!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

My preference is Roundup. I called our ag. office and was told it's inert when it touches the ground, that it's a hormone that speeds up the life cycle of whatever it touches. I use a garden sprayer so there is no drift. Give it about a week and you should start seeing some die off. You don't have to soak the grass, just a light mist. Once the die off starts I harrow within a few days. The harrows pull up so many roots I have to stop and remove them. I lay out a small tarp for this then toss these in the incinerator. Wait a few days and harrow again.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Round up is rendered, inert when it hits the soil, that is what I would use.
It also can get be rained on in an hour.

Round up's active ingredient is Glyphosate 41%, Now that Round up doesn't have the patent anymore there are lots of other products available with the same active ingredient for a fraction of the price.

I buy *"Gly 4"*, go to a farm store and you can buy it in 2.5 gallons of concentrate for about $40. Don't buy the stuff you get at the garden store or Walmart it will make you go broke.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

You could burn it then harrow it. As long as you keep up with dragging it and riding on it should stay pretty grass free.
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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

I won't use chemicals as I have too many loose animals (goats, dog and chickens). We took a box scraper with the teeth lowered as far as they would go and dragged my new arena (was a grass pasture) about 4 times going in different directions and cleaning off the teeth, every few passes. I then dragged with with a small drag behind a 4wheeler about 6 times, cleaning out the drag after every 2 passes or so.

As long as I keep it dragged, nothing grows. I drag it weekly unless it's covered in snow/ice.


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