A grazed horse pasture should be "ready for use" again year after year through new growth. Since the nutrients in the soil are used up over time, it must be fertilized regularly. The most important thing is to reach for a really suitable fertilizer at the right time.

Horse pastures should only be fertilized with special fertilizer

Determine the actual situation with soil analysis

Horses prefer grasses and herbs that grow on poor soil. That's why you shouldn't overdo it with fertilizing. Instead of estimating nutrient requirements, rely on an accurate soil analysis. This is done about every three years in the spring.

However, you should not blindly follow the fertilizer recommendations. In the analysis, intensive use of pasture by many cattle is usually assumed. If only a few horses graze on it, much smaller amounts must be used as fertilizer.

Choosing a suitable fertilizer

Organic fertilizers are less suitable because horses have a sensitive nose and are bothered by it. Special fertilizers for horse pastures are commercially available. So you are on the safe side. However, calcium cyanamide is used most frequently because it also counteracts soil acidification, kills parasites and fights weeds.

tips

If the soil has a very low pH, adding calcium cyanamide may not be enough. In this case, you should lime the soil early in the year. For example with carbonate of lime, which can also be applied in frost and snow.

time for fertilization

The ideal time is in the spring from mid-March when the grasses start growing again. If you fertilize earlier, the nutrients cannot yet be absorbed by the roots, instead they are flushed into the groundwater. This is both ecologically undesirable and expensive in the long run.

The floor temperature should be at least 8 °C. Pay attention to the current weather forecast, because subsequent rain is favorable, while sunshine can cause burns.

Preliminary work before fertilizing

To ensure that the fertilizer can be optimally absorbed by the soil and then by the plants, you should do some preparatory work beforehand.

  • Collect and remove horse droppings
  • tow the floor
  • If necessary, roll if there are any bumps

Regular reseeding in the spring is part of maintaining a horse meadow and should close bare gaps before weeds can colonize them. However, this step should only be carried out after fertilization.

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Care tips