Controlling Clover in Horse Pastures
White clover is the most widely found pasture legume in the United States. | Photo: iStock
Q. I enjoyed your recent blog post about pasture weed management. I, however, struggle with clover in my fields. It grows so low that I’m unable to mow it, and now it’s spreading and outcompeting the grass. Do you have any management suggestions to control clover that don’t involve herbicides?

—Laura, via email

A. Laura, there are several reasons why an excessive amount of clover may be growing well in your fields—most of them come back to management techniques. Good for you for looking at the root of the cause instead of wanting to go to the quick fix: chemicals. We do need to be careful about the chemical choices we make in our daily lives as those impacts all add up.

The clovers themselves are not known to be toxic to horses; it is thought that the problems associated are a result of the different types of molds that grow on clovers. Clovers are not typically a problem in dry hay, although a high percentage of clover in hay can prolong drying time and increase the chances of moldy hay. Some horses do not find dried clover palatable

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