Extension > Agriculture > Livestock > Horse > Pasture management
Pasture management
Pasture management
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Frost seeding forages into established pastures
Frost seeding can be an effective, low-cost method to introduce new forage species into an existing sod.
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Fertilizing horse pastures and hayfields
Proper soil fertility is one of the key factors in maximizing forage production in both pastures and hay fields.
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Boost pasture productivity
Divide your pasture into several small paddocks to make it more productive.
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Can diseased horses graze?
Some horses may have problems with the sugars in fresh grass.
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Common Minnesota horse pasture grass and legume species
Perennial, cool-season pasture species (916 K PDF)
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Cool-season perennial grasses for horse pastures
Planting proper forages to maximize horse preference (530 K PDF)
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Drought and frost concerns
These conditions affect the composition of plants.
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Fall pasture to-do list
Give your pasture a boost for next year.
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Fertilizing your pasture
Test the soils and be careful with timing.
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Managing established horse pastures
How to manage pasture throughout the grazing season
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Pasture site planning
Planning ahead is key.
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Spring pasture to-do list
7 steps to a great looking pasture
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Taking a pasture soil sample
Soil testing should be done every 3 years.
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Transitioning horses to spring pasture
Wait until grasses reach 6 to 8” in height.
Weeds
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Black walnut
Black walnut shavings should not be used in horse bedding.
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Chokecherry
Chokecherry contains deadly cyanide.
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Endophyte-infected tall fescue
Toxic, though endophyte-free fescue is fine.
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Field horsetail and brakenfern
Both contain thiaminase activity.
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Grass pasture weed control
The first step is correct identification.
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Hoary alyssum
Hay containing 20% or more hoary alyssum should not be fed to horses.
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Maple
Keep branches out of reach of horses.
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Mouth blisters
Can be caused by foxtail, sandbur, and ticklegrass
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Oak
Buds and green acorn hulls are especially toxic.
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Plants commonly found in established Minnesota horse pastures
See a sample of this publication and purchase it in the Extension store.
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Plants that cause death
Foxglove, rhododendron, oleander, Japanese yew
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Poison hemlock and waterhemlock
While horses do not find these plants particularly palatable, they are dangerous when accidentally ingested.
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Poisonous plants
Proper identification and avoidance of these plants
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Tall and smallflower buttercup
Toxic when eaten fresh in pasture.
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Weed identification and control
Identifying and controlling annuals, biennials, and perennials
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Weed seeds
Common in "bin run", unblown, or unscreened oats.
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White snakeroot
Toxic when eaten fresh and when dried.
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Wild parsnip
Seeds, fresh plant, and dried plant are all toxic.




