The recent drought has affected crop production severely, and many horse farm managers and horse owners have noticed that pastures have suffered as well. Here are some practical steps that can be taken on cool season grass pastures to help them recover for fall and spring grazing.

Maintain fertility Now is a great time to sample your pasture soil. Contact your local county extension agent to borrow a soil probe and learn how to soil sample. Apply phosphorus and potassium as recommended by the soil test laboratory. For more information, see "Soil Sampling and Nutrient Management in Horse Pastures."

Fall Nitrogen Applying nitrogen in the fall will help desirable cool season grasses produce new shoots and thicken up your pastures come spring. Ideally, apply nitrogen twice in the fall: 30-40 pounds of actual nitrogen around mid-September and again around late October.

Overseeding If pastures are noticeably thin after a drought, consider overseeding to help fill in bare areas. Mow close before seeding, use a no-till drill, and seed in two directions. For more information, see "Establishing Horse Pastures