BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S HORSE OUTREACH WORKGROUP
first published in the April 2026 issue of The Equiery
It might be safe to say spring is here! With all the snow and ice we had this winter, now is a good time to take note of how well your farm fared and if there are actions you can take now to improve your pastures and reduce mud and erosion:
- Get those soil samples done! Take soil samples and identify how much lime and fertilizer you will need to maximize your forage growth. Your soil pH should be between 6 and 7 for pasture grasses and they will need to be fertilized to maximize growth for grazing.
- Watch out for weeds. Spring weeds are starting to come to life. Now is a good time to see if you can identify them and make a plan to control them so they don’t take over. Weeds often have an advantage on overgrazed pastures with low soil pH and fertility levels.
- Did any pasture get a winter break? Give some thought to implementing or improving a rotational grazing system to allow pastures to rest and forage to regrow to appropriate heights (6+ inches) to withstand grazing. Maintaining proper grazing heights and ground cover can reduce erosion and muddy areas.
- Time for fence patrol. Check if fencing needs to be fixed or replaced. Could you add some temporary fencing to divide a big pasture for better rotational grazing?
- Deal with the manure. Spread any composted manure you have. Drag your pastures regularly to break up manure, this helps it decompose faster and prevents “burn” spots in your pastures. Is your manure storage working well? Do you need better storage or have you thought about composting?
- Tackle the mud. Where are your worst muddy spots? You might need to do some spot seeding, redirect water coming off roofs, or install Heavy Use Areas around gates and watering troughs.
Don’t forget the pros! You can find Horse Outreach Workgroup documents and connect with your local Soil Conservation District for assistance by clicking here.
