Pasture & Paddocks

Horse grazing in a fenced field with a sunset sky in the background.

Watch the 2021 DIY VIDEO on Youtube!  All- Weather Paddocks - Start to Finish 

A brown horse stands in a wooden-fenced paddock with a metal gate, surrounded by trees.

Horses are different and unique. Just ask any horse owner! When it comes to pastures and paddocks, horses can be much harder on the land than other types of livestock. Pastures and Paddocks are typically continually disturbed areas; under constant physical stress from horses hooves. Horses are also fine tuned eating machines, having top and bottom teeth, capable of nipping forages close to the soil. For these reasons, it is extremely important to properly manage what land you have to the best of your ability.

Best Management Practices include all-weather paddocks, or sacrifice areas, and rotational grazing or turn-outs. For some excellent resources, see the pdf's or website links below. 

Horse Paddocks: Designed & Managed to Protect Water Quality - by Council of Bay Area RCD's - 2 pagesMaintaining Healthy Horse Pastures - by C.D. Teutsch, VT & S.R. Smith U of K- I pagePollution Prevention Brochure by Geauga SWCDAll Weather Horse Paddocks Brochure by Geauga SWCD Geotextile Fabric: Another Ally in the Fight against Mud - article by Jessica LaLande & Jessica Page - HFCWInformational Sheet on Geotextile Fabric - local SWCD's & resource sheet

Guide to Fence Costs, Types, Styles & Options (web link) online - fenceguides.com

Sand, Gravel & Limestone Calculator to Estimate Tons Required: (web link) - online calculator from Lestersmaterial.com

Pasture Perfect Mixes and Blends - a 2 page brochure - CISCO seeds 

Horse Pasture Management by Dave Robison - Ampac Seeds - 2 pagesPasture Perfect Mixes and Blends - a 2 page brochure - CISCO seeds Managing MUD and HHorsePastureManagementbyDaveR.pdfFrequently Asked Questions about Fertilizing & Horse Pastures - 2 pages - answers by  Rutgers Co-op Ext.Pasture Best Management Practices by Forage First - 3 pagesA Horse Owner's Guide to Protecting Natural Resources Appendix 4- by Mass. Dept of Nat. Resources - 32 pgsPastures for Horses A3680 by University of Wisconsin.Co-op Ext. - 8 pages

Check out our Soil Information Page for soil testing guides and facilities.

Please feel free to contact us for help in advice or  designing, maintaining or improving your equine facility!