Some good advise being given. But IMO and experience more based on book experience than hands on. Starting with the “book” and learning under actual field conditions.
I can only give general advised based on things I have encountered, done on my farm. A visual field inspection yields much better, sounder advise. Pretty much the same as giving conformation advise, criticism based on one posted picture.
I am assuming this paddock has had horses on it for a long time? Your’s or the previous owners. IMO and experience the number one contributing factor to a crappy paddock is soil compaction. Horses have a tremendous compacting ability lot of weight being put on 4 very small tapping bars. Grasses struggle in compacted soil, stunts its growth and spreading abilities. But most weeds grow well in it. Especially because the grasses are weak and unable to compete with the weeds, crowd, shade new growth out. Weeds suck the moisture out of the ground and don’t need as much as grasses. So during hot summer dry spells the grasses struggle even more.
Deep aerating from time to time produces a big bank for the effort. “Twist” aerators work the best.But they are not easy to find/rent in some areas. Because of their size and weight you need a pretty good size tractor to operate safely. The tractor needs to have really good breaking strength/distance. Especially going down hilly sections. Ask me how I know,lol.
Resting a paddock for around 2 months during rainy season loosens things up pretty good. Over freezing winter conditions even more because of the freeze, thaw cycles.
As others have said getting the soil tested is a good thing. But is not a absolute necessity to get things going, all things being equal. I have tested more than 50 acres around my farm from time to time. I don’t practice what I preach as much as I would like. Because it is expensive to go by the “book”. If the market forces of the horse business allowed I would. But the majority of people don’t want to pay for it. But they expect anyway. People who do horses for a living aren’t expected to make a decent return on investment. Because after all it is supposed to be a “labor of love”, Yea right…
I have only completely fertilized and limed a few times over the 14 years I have had this farm due to the expense. What I have found when doing soil testing from time to time is the fact the numbers do not change that much. But I am located in Ag area with great soil. That’s why it is one of the best crop growing areas in the country.
The soil testing report will give pretty exacting numbers. It will give the PH and other “nutritional qualities” what is lacking and what is not. It will give specific amounts needed per acre. Generally lime be the most. PH of 7 is ideal for grass. But it generally grows just fine when the number is 6.5–. As other have said Lime takes months to work into the ground, bind with the soil and change the PH. So it can be applied anytime of the year. Most farms lime in the fall. It is best not to lime when periods of heavy rains are expected. Especially on hilly ground. The rains will wash much of it way and pool it in low areas. Best to is lime when light rains are expected. After a field, paddock is limed with will look like it just snowed depending on how heavy it was applied. Some test will show a lot of lime is needed. If so best to split into several applications. Horses can graze on a limed paddock.
If there is a good amount of grasses growing in a paddock full of weeds. The best bang for the buck is getting rid of the broad leaf weeds. Especially the very “broad leaf” colonial imported variety of plantains. They put out a prolific amount of seeds, grow well in compacted soil. They are spread easily by horses because the seeds can collect on their feet and deposited around the field/paddock. Native American’s referred to them as “white man’s foot print”. The domestic variety has much narrower leaves, long stalk which contain a much smaller seed head that is easier to control by mowing. The imported seems to be smarter when mowed. It adapts, the seed spike grows much lower and is difficult to mow off without getting really close to the ground.
The broad leaves shade out grasses and inhibits spreading. Suck up moisture also. Plantains are easily taken care of kept at bay with 2-4-D. They are an annual so residual seeds will continue to produce new plants. But once under control they don’t require repeated herbicide use.
Buttercups are pretty easy to get rid of with 2-4-D. Yes it is best to address before they go to seed. There a number of varieties, some are annuals and some perennial. It is easy to tell what stage of seed development the plant is in by looking at it.At least with the ones we have around here. Obviously if all or most of the yellow flowers are gone seeds are being produced. When you look at the plant you will see small roundish seed pods mixed with the remaining flowers. If these pods are still young, green and soft, easily crushed good chance if hit with 2-4-D quickly it will kill the plant before the seeds harden and become viable for next season.
Regardless the plant itself does not die after going to seed. It can and does have lots of leaves and can have lots of deep roots sucking up surrounding moisture. So it will and does stunt, make it difficult for the desired grasses to spread. So IMO and experience it is best to get rid of them regardless of the “timing”. Mowing will not get it done. At least not in my neck of the woods.
If one does nothing else but getting rid of the board leave weeds in their paddocks they will be surprised how much grass will grow back with nothing else down. Even more so if they can aerate. Small acreage is difficult to keep decent grass with horses on it constantly. IMO dividing a 3 acre paddock in half with step in electric fence is worth the effort. Two weeks on two weeks off, there abouts. Depends on the area and growing conditions, rain fall. Dragging as soon as the horses are moved to the other side to scatter and dry out the manure.
A lot of horses on small acreage, more than 1 per acre makes it pretty much impossible to keep decent grass. Be thankful for what you have.
When it come to fertilizing you can wing it with small acreage like most people do with their lawns without a soil test. Or buy a DIY tester. Pull soil plugs from a number of places around the property mix together in a bag and test it. Or just buy bags of broad spectrum lawn fertilizer and spread the amount recommended on the bags. 3 acres wont take that long using a push spreader.
Too late to plant, over seed grasses for most areas. Depends on one’s typical summer climate and seed. Around here I have gotten excellent results seeding in late March early April. Typically around here when spending a lot time and money on seed August is the best month. The grasses will get hardy enough to get through the winter months and really go to work, spread come spring.
There are a number of way to seed. If starting from scratch, killing off what’s there and preparing the seed bed most rental yards have PTO driven landscaping machines that can dig up the soil,mulch, drill the seeds in and roll,pack the soil all at the same time. Most are 6 feet wide that I have seen. Aggressive dragging that can dig up the top layer of bare soil works. Broad cast the seed, by hand or push broad caster. Rent a 3 point hitch pto driven broadcaster that holds a couple hundred pounds of seed. Light drag after. But the important step that I have said a number of times is the need to roll the bare ground/dirt tight. Getting good soil/seed contact yields the highest germination results. Do not seed too thick. Grass that is seed to think is subject to die off from crowed conditions that can cause “moisture molds” to develop. Ask me how I know.
So that’s the long of it and I am sure I have left out some stuff. At this time of the year but not having the benefit of a personal field inspection. The cheapest and mostly likely biggest bang for your money and effort is getting rid of the weeds. specifically the board leaf. So the grasses won’t have to compete with them. Might be, should be pleasantly surprised what your paddocks will look like a month or so from now. But you are a little late to the table. Still IMO well worth the money and effort to see some cards.
Pasture Pro is basically made up of 2-4-D. If you look at the label it is 50% 2-4-D (2 slightly different types) and 50%water. You are paying a lot of money for water and a pretty label with horses on it. Brand X, generic 2-4-D in 2.5 gallon is usually around 80% strength. For about $20 more than a gallon of Pasture Pro.
2-4-D is not very effective on thistle, mature, maturing. Does an OK job when it first starts growing in early spring. It does very little on ivy, poison ivy, milk weed, “woody” stemmed stuff. So-so when used on very young plants. Much more effect on this stuff when mixed with Clarity or Crossbow.
All of the above is based on my experience in my neck of the wood dealing with the weeds and other junk found around here. Feel free to ask any questions. I have found once I got most of the weeds under control I do not have to use herbicides on a regular bases. From time to time every other year, spot spraying etc.
If you buy a 3 point hitch or tow behind sprayer and there are other small horse farms in the area good chance you can make your money back by renting it out. They are not difficult to operate, not a lot of wear and tear, basic parts are generally inexpensive, easy to replace and or repair
