A horse pasture is exposed to various influences that affect the pasture grass. This is how bald spots appear, especially after hot, dry summers. They must be planted again - in good time and correctly!

Spring is a good time for overseeding

Why closing the gap is important

A patchy horse pasture not only looks ugly and offers horses less food, it also poses dangers. In nature, no gap remains bare for long. So-called weeds react the fastest. Above all, the spread of clover prevents high-quality pasture suitable for horses. But plants that are poisonous to horses can also settle in vacant spaces.

Ideal time for reseeding

Reseeding a horse pasture is time-consuming and costly. In addition, the use of the pasture is then not possible for a long time. Their care must therefore not be neglected. Overseeding is a good alternative here. Small areas can even be reseeded by hand without expensive machines. But even after that, the pasture needs a period of protection. For this reason, too, it is advisable to act in this regard in spring or autumn.

Seed mix with plants suitable for horses

Tread resistance and weather resistance are not the selection criteria that are important for a horse pasture. Because such grasses are rich in protein and sugar and less suitable for horses. Use mainly so-called low-fructan (low-sugar) types of grass. However, since these germinate more slowly, you should mix in about 10% fast-growing ryegrass, meadow grass or timothy grass. They prevent unwanted plants from spreading in the meantime.

Herbs such as bedstraw, burnet, fennel, parsley, plantain, chicory, marigold or yarrow are also suitable for a horse pasture.

tips

Special seed mixtures for horse pastures are available from specialist retailers. If you want to mix it yourself, you should use at least five, preferably ten types of grass.

Amount of seed required

For your calculation you can assume the following quantities for manual sowing:

  • on average 50-60 grams of seeds per 10 square meters
  • heavily used areas also significantly more
  • mechanical sowing gets by with a little less seed

This is how the reseeding takes place

It makes sense to have a precise soil analysis carried out in the spring. So you know exactly whether you need to fertilize and, if necessary, lime the horse pasture before reseeding.

Mix the seeds generously with sand or soil. In this way, the individual grains do not stick together and can be sown more evenly. You are then also better protected from unfavorable weather and pecking birds.

Sow the seeds generously over the entire pasture area. Highly stressed areas are sown more densely. For optimal germination, the soil should be moist and the temperature should be at least 10 °C.

Category:

Garden design