Summer Pasture Management Tips by Maryland Department of Agriculture Office of Resource Conservation (first published in the May 2025 Equiery)

Tips from UMD’s Horse Outreach Working Group on keeping your pastures healthy this summer.

JUNE

  • Reserve or rest one or more pasture fields starting in early to mid-June to be used for late summer grazing (i.e., summer stockpile).
  • Adjust grazing system to manage for slower seasonal pasture growth by providing longer recovery times for pastures between grazing.
  • Continue to mow recently grazed pastures to no lower than 4 inches to maintain vegetative growth and control weeds before they go to seed.
  • Cut thistles after the “Strawberry Moon” or the June full moon.
  • Allow horses to graze any pasture fields rested since March.
  • Identify summer weeds and initiate control methods with the help of your local University of Maryland Extension office.
  • Submit soil samples to a certified soil testing laboratory every three years to receive annual lime and fertilizer recommendations.

JULY

  • Close off and rest all pastures while feeding hay to horses in sacrifice/loafing lot if drought conditions exist.
  • Irrigate pastures if possible.
  • Continue to manage grazing horses by moving them from pasture grazed to 4 inches to a pasture rested to 6 inches of height or more.
  • Evaluate pastures to identify those with less than 50% desirable grasses so that they can be scheduled for reseeding in the fall.
  • Pre-order certified seed to ensure seed availability and an August delivery date if a late summer pasture reseeding is necessary.
  • Establish contracts with agricultural service providers that can apply lime and/or fertilizer if recommended by Nutrient Management Plan.

AUGUST

  • Plant certified pasture seed optimal for grazing horses and soil conditions of pastures between August 10 and September 10. Early planting is critical to provide adequate fall growth to ensure robust spring stands. Do not graze reseeded pasture for a minimum of six months.
  • Begin resting tall fescue pastures to stockpile for winter grazing.
  • Close off pastures and feed hay to horses housed in sacrifice/loafing lot if drought conditions and slow grass growth exist.
  • Start your soil erosion plans so that all projects are completed before the rainy season.