Pick up droppings regularly, rest and rotate fields, control weeds and poisonous plants, avoid overgrazing, manage rich grass for good doers, and keep fencing and water safe. Healthy pasture means healthier horses.
Poo-pick regularly
Removing droppings from paddocks at least twice a week is the single most effective way to control worms and stop pasture becoming horse-sick. It reduces the need for wormers and keeps more of the field as clean grazing rather than soured, ungrazed patches.
Rest and rotate
Grazing the same field constantly exhausts it and builds up worms. Where you can, split grazing and rotate horses off sections to rest, or cross-graze with sheep or cattle, which break the horse worm cycle and even out grazing.
Manage the grass for the horse
Lush, rich grass causes weight gain and laminitis in good doers. Use strip grazing, a track system or a grazing muzzle to control intake, and top or graze down long grass. In winter, bare paddocks mean you must provide forage, ideally in a slow feeder.
Weeds and poisonous plants
Walk fields regularly and remove ragwort, and fence horses away from yew, oak, sycamore and other toxic plants. Control weeds like docks and nettles that crowd out good grass, and never leave pulled or cut plants where horses can eat them.
Safe fencing and water
Check fencing for gaps, protruding wire and weak posts, and keep water troughs clean and flowing. Good boundaries and clean water are basic safety, and a well-kept field prevents many injuries and health problems before they start.
