Now is the time to make improvements to your pastures in order to have the best and most nutritious grazing for your horses next spring. A well-maintained pasture also offers a practical and economic break for you, as well. Through pasturing, your feed and supplement costs are likely to be reduced, particularly if you have a mature, idle horse, or a mare in the early stages of gestation. Plus, bedding and stall maintenance will be much less for horses kept mostly at pasture, and many of the problems associated with confinement–such as weaving, cribbing, and heaves–might no longer be issues.

As Clyde Johnson, VMD, in Spofford, N.H., says, “Many equine diseases are management diseases, which can be easily remedied with an understanding of the equine temperament. In essence, produce a setting in which your horse is safe to roam, and you will have created an environment that reflects its fundamental nature.” Picturesque surroundings are an added bonus.

Soil Test

Start the process of improving pastures by having the soil tested. Soil that has been properly prepared provides a healthy environment for your plants’ root systems. Your local county extension agent (listed in the phone book), or a regional agricultural extension specialist at a nearby university, will be able to determine the soil quality and make necessary recommendations