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For: Week of August 12, 2002

By: John D. Atkins

Extension Agronomy/Livestock Agent

Santa Rosa County Extension Service

Managing Horses On A Few Acres - Part I

Determining what are adequate physical facilities for maintaining a horse is often an overlooked concept of horse ownership. The horse is an athlete and should be treated as such. The horse is also a non ruminant herbivore and a grazing animal. Therefore, the horse requires a minimum level of forage in the diet to maintain normal gastrointestinal function, as well as, normal behavior. There has been little research done on the space requirements of horses. One and one-half to two acres of open land per horse is the recommended starting point to supply adequate acreage for a pasture forage program. The one and one half to two acres is actual pasture area and does not include land for any type of buildings, barns, arenas, etc. One acre of land is 43,560 square feet or approximately 210 feet x 210 feet. Obviously many people keep horses on smaller amounts of land and do not depend on the land to provide any forage. The optimum land amounts per horse then is two acres for pasture and then whatever is desired for barn space, hay and equipment storage and riding area. The next question then is what is the minimum area needed for a horse for a turnout (exercise) paddock. In other words, the horse will be maintained solely on harvested forage (hay) and no pasture land will be provided. Again, little research has been done to determine the minimum area needed for a turnout (exercise) paddock. The Guide For the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching recommends a minimum area of 0.1 (one-tenth) of an acre of open land per horse. This is approximately 4500 square feet. In most cases horse owners fall somewhere between the optimum and minimum open land levels for maintaining horses. Therefore, we will discuss “managing horses on a few acres” with one acre of pasture per horse. To make the discussion easier, one horse will be used as an example. The horse will be a mature horse being ridden three to four times a week at a light level of work. For “Part I” we will discuss the establishment and care of the one acre pasture. In “Part II” recommendations will be made relative to facility requirements and planning a year round feeding schedule, including recommendations for hay and feed. “Part III” will address tying parts I and II together and incorporating a monthly calendar of management practices to be done for an entire year.

Establishing a pasture on one acre can be done in certain situations by no-till planting of forages into existing sods. Ideally, pasture establishment should be done on well-prepared, clean tilled, seedbeds. With the exception of hybrid Bermuda grasses and perennial peanuts, most forages are established from seed. If possible purchase certified seed. Before pasture preparation for seeding is done, soil pH and fertility should be determined. Soil tests should be done several months before planting to determine the quantity of lime and fertilizers needed. Your local County Agent can advise you regarding proper soil sampling techniques, where to send the soil samples and how to interpret recommendations on soil test results. If limestone is required it should be applied two to three months in advance of planting and incorporated with tillage into the top six inches of soil. Phosphorus and potassium should also be incorporated before planting. Grass seed will need 30-60 pounds of nitrogen at seeding or soon after seedling emergence.

For forage varieties which can be used in horse management system contact the Santa Rosa County extension Office.

Source: UGA, Livestock Newsletter. July 2002

John Atkins is Agronomy/Livestock Agent for Santa Rosa County.

Extension Service programs are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.