Productive, well-managed pasture can provide most of the nutritional requirements for horses during the growing season. But horse owners with small acreage often face challenges in managing their pastures to maintain desirable grass and legume species and maximize forage output. Without good management, small acreage horse pastures may become overgrazed and under-fertilized, leading to loss of the desirable forage species and the pasture being largely bare soil and weeds.

Before you begin a pasture seeding or reseeding program, there is some very basic information that you need. Good pasture management practices are based upon knowledge of soil characteristics and productive capability, how plants grow and where on the plant growing points are located in different plant species, the soil and climatic requirements of various pasture grasses and legumes, and how plants respond to grazing.

Obtaining thick, vigorous new stands is dependent upon proper seeding practices and favorable seedbed and environmental conditions. Proper soil pH and fertility, seedbed preparation, high quality seed of appropriate species and varieties of grasses and legumes, seeding at the right time, good seeding techniques with equipment correctly adjusted for appropriate seeding rate and depth, and adequate control of weeds and insects are among the key factors necessary to obtain thick, vigorous stands. In this article, we will provide lots of information you can use to develop lush, nutritious and productive pastures. For expert individualized advice and assistance, contact your local Soil Conservation District: https://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/technical_assistance.aspx

Planning for New Seedings – Start Early!
Ideally, preparations for seeding should begin as much as 2 years prior to the actual planting of seed, especially for no-till seedings where lime and fertilizer cannot be incorporated and mixed into the soil, but must be surface applied and allowed to sink in. Most old pastures and existing grasslands needing reseeding will require lime, fertilizer, and weed control. These materials should be applied six to 24 months prior to seeding.

Do not plan to reseed the entire pasture acreage at one time. Horses will need to be removed from the seeded areas until the plants become adequately established to withstand grazing. Seedings made in late summer will usually be ready for grazing the following May. Seedings made in late winter/early spring will usually be ready for grazing three to four months later.

Control Existing Perennial Broadleaf Weeds
Perennial broadleaf weeds are usually present in older horse pastures, especially those that have been poorly managed, and may be present on cropland to be seeded for hay or pasture. Successful establishment of mixed grass and legume forage stands is dependent upon elimination of these weeds prior to seeding, either through tillage, herbicide application, or both. For best results, the weed control program should begin six months to a year before seeding.

The type of herbicide to be used will depend upon the composition of the existing vegetation and the seeding technique (tillage vs. no-tillage). Early fall (two to four weeks prior to the average killing frost date) is the most effective time for application of herbicides to deep-rooted, hard-to-kill perennials such as dandelions, curly dock, milkweed, dogbane, and Canada thistle.

Many herbicides must be applied by licensed pesticide applicators, and most commercial application equipment is designed for large fields and not suitable for use on small acreages. Also, many commercial applicators give priority to larger farm operations. So begin making contacts and arrangements for your needs at least two to three months prior to the target application time.

Liming and Fertilization
For best results, soil samples should be taken before liming. For tilled seedbeds seedings, soil samples should be taken to the depth of the plow layer (the depth to which the soil is plowed, commonly defined as 6 2/3 inches). For no-till seedings, two sets of samples should be taken – one from the 0 to 2 inch depth to determine surface pH and fertility and the other to the normal plow depth.

Lime should ideally be applied six to 12 months prior to seeding and thoroughly incorporated into the plow layer to neutralize soil acidity. With no-till seedings, surface applications should be made 1 to 2 years ahead of seeding to allow for movement into the soil profile.

Phosphorus (P) level is especially critical during establishment of pastures. A readily available supply of P within reach of the roots of young seedlings is essential for normal root development and seedling establishment. By contrast, the demand for potassium (K) by young seedlings is relatively low. It is much more important once stands are established, when high levels are essential for maintaining productive, long-lived stands.

Matching Plants to Soil and Site Characteristics
Many factors need to be considered when selecting suitable grass and legume species. For example, not every horse pasture is suitable for orchard grass and bluegrass. Each plant species has its own particular characteristics, making it more or less suitable for a particular site, soil characteristics and the type of grazing management to be applied. Many pasture plantings fail or perform poorly simply because the species chosen for planting is not well adapted to the site use.

Soil type, drainage, moisture holding capacity, fertility, pH, and winter hardiness all have an effect on plant species adaptation. It is important that horse owners, farm supply personnel, farm advisors and consultants refrain from selecting or recommending species based on personal experiences or industry preferences without considering soil and site characteristics. Only species such as tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and white clover will withstand the close grazing practices used on many small acreage horse farms, and even those species can be stressed by over grazing.

To maximize chances for success in establishing a healthy pasture, it helps to conduct a thorough and complete inventory of all aspects of the intended pasture and grazing program. Among the questions to be addressed in the process of selecting appropriate grass and legume species are:

1) What are the soil limitations of each field in the grazing system? Shallow soils are droughty and they will stress plants during hot, dry weather.

2) Is drainage a limiting factor any place on the farm? Species differ in their ability to persist on poorly drained soils.

3) Are fertility and pH levels limiting factors? It is important to know not only what the fertility and pH limitations are, but also to know where they are (which fields). Soil pH and fertility are correctable limitations but keep in mind that it may take 2 to 3 years or more for surface applications of lime and fertilizer to effectively change levels in the root zone.

4) Does topography restrict performing management practices? Steep slopes limit access and operation of equipment for liming, fertilizing, clipping, etc., a criterion to consider with species requiring high pH and fertility.

5) What will be the frequency of grazing and length of rest periods?

6) Is the primary intended purpose of the pasture to supply nutrition or to be an exercise lot?

Answering these questions will help a great deal in selecting which seeds to plant. Prepackaged “shotgun” mixtures of numerous grasses and legumes usually have no advantage over simpler mixtures of one or two grasses and one or two legumes carefully selected to match specific species to your soil and site characteristics and grazing system goals.
Use only certified seed of known varieties. Certified seed carries a label certifying that it is seed of the particular variety listed on the label and that the seed meets minimum standards of quality in purity and germination and has low weed seed content (usually less than 0.25%).

Armed with all this information and preparation of the seedbeds, you are ready to seed.

Seeding New Stands
Tilled Seedbed Seedings: Tilled seedbed seedings are sometimes referred to as conventional tillage practices, when plowing, disking, harrowing, etc. are used to prepare the seedbed. The purposes of tillage are to loosen the soil, eliminate existing vegetation, turn under surface weed seeds, incorporate lime and fertilizer into the soil, and provide a smooth surface.

No-till Seedings: No-till seeding allows seeding without plowing or disking, thus reducing soil erosion and conserving soil moisture for germination and seedling growth. Herbicides such as paraquat and glyphosate enable suppression of existing vegetation without tillage. For late summer seedings, it is important that all existing vegetation be eliminated four to six weeks prior to seeding. The use of paraquat or glyphosate and the application rate are determined by the type of vegetation present. The applicator hired to do the spraying should be able to help you determine the rate necessary, or contact your local county Extension office. This application will be followed by an application of paraquat at the time of seeding for control of weeds that germinated after the first application.

When To Seed
The primary seeding times for cool-season species are late winter/spring (late February to mid-May, depending on location) and late summer (August to early to mid-September).

Late winter/spring seedings are not common. Soil moisture and rainfall are generally good, evaporation is less, and soil moisture is retained longer during the establishment period than with late summer seedings. However, seeding too early in cold, wet soils can result in poor germination, seedling loss due to fungal diseases, and weak stands. On the other hand, seeding too late in the spring may cause seedlings to fail due to stress from high temperature and lack of moisture. Also, annual weeds are more of a problem with late spring seedings.

Advantages of late summer seedings include less competition from weeds, and damping-off (fungal) diseases are not usually a problem. Late summer seedlings need sufficient time and heat unit accumulation for adequate growth before killing frost. These seedings should be made early enough to allow at least 6 weeks for growth after germination and emergence (Note: six weeks after emergence – not six weeks after seeding). Seedlings should be at least three to four inches tall before the killing frost. Seedings made after September 1 for the mountainous region of western Maryland, and after September 10 for the rest of the state, are more subject to winter injury and possible winter killings since the plants do not have much time to develop and become established.

Seeding Depth
Seeding depth varies with soil type (sandy, clay or loam), soil moisture availability, time of seeding, and firmness of the seedbed. Seeds placed too deep are not likely to emerge. Seeds placed on the surface, at a very shallow depth, or in loose or cloddy seedbed often do not have adequate seed-soil contact. In these cases, dry soil conditions following seeding usually result in desiccation and death of the seedlings. Thus a firm seedbed is essential for proper seed placement, good seed-soil contact and successful establishment.

Seed should be covered with enough soil to provide moist conditions for germination. Under humid conditions, best results are obtained when placement is between ¼ and ½ inch deep. Under more arid conditions, such as sandy soils or to reach moist soil, the seed must be sown deeper. However, seed placed deeper than 1 inch may not emerge or be so weakened that survival is reduced. Generally, the optimum seeding depths are ¼ to ½ inch on clay and loam soils and ½ to 1 inch on sandy soils. Shallower depths within these ranges are better for species with smaller seed sizes and for early spring seedings. Deeper depths are recommended for species with larger seed sizes and for late summer seedings when moisture conditions are less favorable.

Seeding Rates
Pasture seeding rates are higher than hay seeding rates to provide denser sod for grazing. This is especially true for horse pastures.

Management During Establishment
New seedings should not be grazed until the plants have developed sufficient root systems to prevent uprooting when grazed. One approach is to allow new plants to grow to 10-12 inches, mow to a height of 3-4 inches, allow to regrow to 10-12 inches and mow to 3-4 inches a second time. After the second mowing, let the plants again grow to 10-12 inches. By this time, the plants should be ready for horses to graze them down to 3-4 inches. Most forage grasses and legumes regrow from the crown buds and are usually not seriously damaged by cutting. However, clipping too frequently can reduce seedling development as well as forage yields the following year.

Summary
There are no shortcuts or substitutes for good management practices and procedures for establishing and maintaining pastures. Poor management before and after seeding can result in wasted effort and expense. After seeding it is necessary to follow up with good forage management, i.e., avoiding overgrazing and inadequate fertilization, to realize continuing benefits from a new seeding.

For more information on horse pasture management and other soil conservation and water quality practices, contact your local Soil Conservation District. Addresses and phone numbers can be found through mda.maryland.gov/HOW. The Horse Outreach Workgroup (HOW) provides information to horse owners on pasture and manure management. HOW consists of representatives from local Soil Conservation Districts, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, University of Maryland Extension, and the Maryland Horse Industry Board.