When to put horses back on over-seeded fields

[Pony_Fixer]

Question is just that. I only have a very small sacrifice area for 2 horses–and I have 2 fields that were just over-seeded with fescue and oat. Normally I rotate fields every 3-4 weeks depending on how fast they are grazing it down.

I asked the farmer how long I needed to leave the fields empty, but he was of little help. I know with freshly established fields you want to wait 4-5 months, but these are 2 decent fields with maybe 15% weeds and less than 5% bare areas. I just wanted to re-inject them with some vigor and reduce the weeds without herbicides. In the summer and winter (less wet times of year) they can be out 24/7. In the fall and spring they spend a few days here and there as needed in the paddock–however it’s small and I’d prefer they have more freedom as soon as possible.

If the answer is “probably a long time”, would you sacrifice one field over the other for a longer time (say 2 months), and then next fall when over-seeding, do the opposite? Or is there another option I have not thought of.

Thanks in advance!

[Guilherme]

I’d ask your local Extension Agent. Fescue is a cool season grass and I don’t know how it performs in your specific area. I’d think you’d want 4-6 weeks of solid growth at a minimum, with that growth within the most productive temperature range and with appropriate rainfall and Sun. On this side of the mountains you’d be looking at late April/early May. Perhaps you can do better on your side.

Good luck with your project.

G.

[freshman]

I think you’re going to have to sacrifice one of the two fields for most of the next year if you want to reap any real benefit (in terms of pasture quality and time+cost) of seeding them at all. The bottom line is that all new grass is fragile and takes time and protection to grow and establish itself in any meaningful way. And horses are the most satanic pasture killers of all beasts, just by nature of being horses, so don’t let them anywhere near a field that you’ve invested in improving before a solid year, IMO, unless it is a sacrificial offering to to a new and better area that it worth it. Two years is really best, as in soooooo much better, as I had the luxury of doing once.

Ultimately you have to decide what you can do in real life and what is “worth it” to your horse and land life on a larger scale. And I understand that real life is not perfect, lolWhatever your decision, do make an extra effort to keep the fields maintained over next year via extra regular mowing/mulching. If the grass grows too long, gets cut down, then just lays there…that kills any pasture. New grass is particularly vulnerable to such insult.

In any case, the good news is that it sounds like your pastures aren’t already totally abused and trashed. That is awesome! Lots of posters here have lots more experience than I do. I’m sure you’ll get some really good advice.

[S1969]

I can’t imagine 4-5 months of newly seeded fields is enough to establish grazing growth. That makes me wonder about your source.

I think it depends on how big your pastures are. I used to overseed regularly at the beginning of winter and not allow them back on until early summer. I’m not sure how useful that really was or if it just made me feel better. I would at least give them the winter off.

[AKB]

I would wait until the grass looks mature. Then, turn them out for 30 minutes and see if the horses are pulling up clumps of grass. We seeded a pasture July 3. It rained daily in July and August. The grass was thick and a foot high by the end of August. I mowed, then turned them out. That pasture is doing well despite having horses on it 8 weeks after seededing. I plan to oversees another pasture. If it doesn’t rain well, it may be 6 months before it can be used.

[Guilherme]

@S1969

I can’t imagine 4-5 months of newly seeded fields is enough to establish grazing growth. That makes me wonder about your source.

I think it depends on how big your pastures are. I used to overseed regularly at the beginning of winter and not allow them back on until early summer. I’m not sure how useful that really was or if it just made me feel better. I would at least give them the winter off.

A 4-5 month time frame would be sufficient for overseeding if it includes two, full growing cycles. For example, if you fall seed in October you’ll get a cycle in that fall and another in the following spring and when that spring cycle is complete it’s probably graze ready (assuming you’ve had normal rain and Sun). If you haven’t then you’d be better off to wait until after that next growth cycle.

We do what you did and it works pretty well. But I don’t try for pastures that would fatten an Angus steer! That would just kill a horse. I’m looking for production that will support equine condition and that means I accept a thinner thatch and probably a more weeds that some would want. If a horse has decent forage they won’t touch weeds. And I WANT the horse to have to walk around to find forage.

I always recommend and Extension visit for folks getting started on a project as they can be very helpful and are not trying to sell you anything. They KNOW about the specific ground and climate of the project and can give very specific instructions. Soil Conservation can do this, too, but Extension considers animal use while Soil Conservation may not.

G.

[ElementFarm]

sorry to hijack, but no one waits 5+ months before putting horses on newly planted winter-rye. It’s an annual and only grazed on for a month or two on either side of true winter. So how is it okay to put horses directly back out on winter rye, but not a regular field that’s been overseeded? I agree that if the OP was talking about fresh-cleared land, the grass would need a year+ to establish. But it sounds like she used overseeding in a few bare/thin areas, and there’s already established grass in the space. I would think that would significantly change the calculus.

However, to be safe, OP, maybe ‘sacrifice’ one field this winter, and then let that one get reseeded/R&R next summer when you move the horses over to the other?
We do put round bales out all winter, and that significantly reduces the damage to our fields, which we keep in use all year (rotated, and we do seed with winter rye which the horses are put back on immediately afterwards)

[gumtree]

As I have said in other threads on this topic. The strength, quality of newly planted grass comes down average soil temps needed for the type of grass planted. Fescue and Oat grass germinate and grow best when soil temps are at least in the 50s. If the soil temps are in the staying in the 60s it will grow faster and hardier. Cool season grasses still grow below 50 but very slowly and not nearly as hardy. Seeds generally will not germinate below 50. The can if the seed bed is in a very sunny location even with ambient air temps in the 40s. The dark soil will heat up from solar gain. But any grass that does germinate and starts to grow will struggle with cold night temps. There will be a lot of die off.

From what you wrote I assume you are over seeding into a decent amount of existing grass? If soil temps have been in the high 50s, low 60s since seeding and and you can see good growth and that grass has developed well beyond the young and tender stages. Soil temps remain in the 50s-60s two months or less should give you hardy enough grass to put horses on. Problematic if it gets muddy. The new grasses will not have developed deep enough roots.

Drilling the seed is far better than broadcasting for a quicker turn around. Esp if you are up against dropping soil temps.

[JB]

Late November overseeding, where your are, is pretty late, and I wouldn’t expect much growth of the fescue this Fall before it gets too cold. The oats will grow more quickly.

Putting horses out sooner on pasture like you describe is very different from too soon on land that had sparse forage to begin with. Overseeding, vs re/new seeding.

I overseed every year and the horses never come off. But I do it in late-ish Sept, when grass (mostly fescue) is still tall enough that baby grass doesn’t get touched too much, then I mow to add some layer of “mulch”, so has more time to grow a bit better root system before the existing grass starts getting short enough for them to get into the baby grass. By then I’m putting hay out, or close to it.

Yes, that does reduce the amount of new grass that survives the Winter. But I have no sacrifice area, so it’s all or nothing for me. It works, and I also heavily overseed to make up for some loss.

Going forward, if your pastures are big enough, you could certainly alternate yearly which one the horses are allowed onto after seeding, so each pasture has almost the whole Fall, Winter, and Spring to grow without being disturbed. I would also overseed a lot sooner

[Pony_Fixer]

Thanks for everyone for your replies. I have decided to temporary fence off a small section of one of the fields attached to the small sacrifice paddock and put a round bale in that for now. That area will likely get a bit trashed, but then the remainder of the field and other field should get some benefit. If I can keep them off the one field until Feb I can probably keep them off the other field until April or May and then start my usual rotation. They will stay up completely if it’s raining/soggy.

JB, heck yes I am really late. You would not believe how hard it has been to find someone to do my fields, since I only have 3 acres in pasture. I had someone who does golf courses bail on me, and most farmers wouldn’t take the job. FINALLY found a guy who is a gem, doesn’t care if it’s small acreage, and was super easy to deal with. He doesn’t spray for weeds, but will also do fertilizer and lime for me. He recommended adding the oat specifically because we were so late, since that will come up faster and the horses will hopefully eat that without disturbing whatever new fescue growth I get. He also HEAVILY overseeded in hopes that more of it takes. It will happen in September/October next year. I hope I don’t have to overseed every year, but expect since I started late that I will need to do so again next year easily. He did say he wouldn’t be surprised if good fertilizing alone really boosted my fields, though.

One of my horses needed to wear a muzzle this year (even with my stressed fields), the other is a hard keeper. Go figure it’s never easy!

[JB]

For 3 acres - what sort of mower do you have? Is there a pull-behind spreader you can use to DIY?