Managing Grass for Horses

Description

Horses need grass. It plays a vital part in their nutrition, health and well-being, and good grassland management results in a cost-effective way of feeding them. However, all too often horses at grass are either poorly managed or managed according to normal agricultural practice, which does not provide good pasture for them. This informative book explains everything which needs to be considered when managing grasslands to benefit the horse, the vegetation and the environment. The book examines the horse's grazing habits and its requirements when at grass, and goes on to present an overview of the range and types of grasslands found in Britain and their suitability for the horse. Details are given of how to assess a pasture and identify significant plants, and the methods and outcomes of various management practices are discussed. The role of horse owner as land manager is set in the wider context of stewardship of the countryside, with considerations for preventing pollution and protecting wildlife. Of particular assistance to the reader will be the appendix, which gathers together information on the suitability of grassland plants for horses, and the many instructive illustrations. For horse owners and managers and everyone with an interest in managing grassland or conservation grazing, Managing Grass for Horses is essential reading.

The author has kept horses for forty years in a range of circumstances: the one-horse owner on rented paddocks; the shared DIY livery; and the running of a small stud on her own land. She has experienced most aspects of grassland management over this period and holds a degree in grassland ecology. An editor for J.A. Allen, she is currently a farm conservation adviser with the Farming & Advisory Group, and is helping to develop their Horsewise project. She lives near Cambridge with her husband, and in addition to keeping horses and sheep runs a small arable farm.