A horse pasture is exposed to various influences that affect the pasture grass. Bald spots appear, especially after hot, dry summers. They need to be greened again – in good time and correctly!
How should a horse pasture be reseeded?
Reseeding a horse pasture should ideally be done in spring or autumn. A seed mixture of low-fructan grasses and herbs should be used. For hand sowing, around 50-60 grams of seeds per 10 square meters are recommended. We recommend a soil analysis before reseeding.
Why closing gaps is important
A patchy horse pasture not only looks unsightly and offers horses less food, it also poses dangers. This means that no gap in nature remains naked for long. The so-called weeds react the fastest. Above all, the spread of clover prevents high-quality pasture that is suitable for horses. But plants that are poisonous to horses can also settle in vacant areas.
Ideal time for reseeding
Reseeding a horse pasture is time-consuming and costly. In addition, it is not possible to use the pasture for a longer period of time afterwards. Therefore, their care should not be neglected. Reseeding 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 recommended to act in spring or autumn.
Seed mixture with plants suitable for horses
Skid 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 are less suitable for horses. Use mainly so-called low-fructan (low-sugar) types of grass. However, since these germinate more slowly, you should add about 10% of fast-growing ryegrass, meadow panicle or timothy grass. They prevent unwanted plants from spreading in the meantime.
Herbs such as bedstraw, small meadow button, fennel, parsley, ribwort plantain, chicory, marigold or yarrow are also suitable for a horse pasture.
Tip
Special seed mixtures for horse pastures are available from specialist retailers. If you want to mix it yourself, you should use at least five, and even better ten, types of grass.
Amount of seeds required
For your calculation you can assume the following quantities for hand sowing:
- on average 50-60 grams of seeds per 10 square meters
- heavily used areas also significantly more
- mechanical sowing requires slightly less seed
This is how reseeding is done
It makes sense to have a detailed soil analysis carried out in spring. This way you know exactly whether you need to fertilize the horse pasture before reseeding and, if necessary, lime it.
Mix the seeds generously with sand or soil. This means that the individual grains do not stick together and can be sown more evenly. You are then 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.
