Pasture Planning: How to Create the Perfect Habitat for Your Horse

In preparation for our Spring 2023 planning, I thought we would discuss some things you need to consider when planning an equine pasture. We will discuss the horse’s natural tendencies, things every pasture needs, fencing types, and some extra considerations.

**Please note that much of what we discuss are ideals. We understand that not everyone has the land/money to accomplish these ideals. We hope to give you many other takeaways that can help you improve your horse’s living arrangements.**

Horse Grazing Basics

In the wild, it is estimated that horses graze for 13 to 18 hours per day. Although there can be some variation in this estimate, that’s a lot of grass! Unfortunately, horses are fairly destructive to their grazing areas.

Horses are ‘top grazers’, meaning they only eat the highly preferred area of grass. They are also ‘spot grazers’, meaning they avoid areas with manure (and if you have horses, you know that they poop A LOT).

When grazing, horses eat very close to the root system of the plant. This damage to the plant is further compounded by trampling by the horses large feet and heavy frame.

In summary, horses are intensive and extensive grazers. Proper pasture management is necessary to help prevent too much damage.

Ideal Pasture Management

Now that we have established the horse’s typical grazing habits, let’s discuss some ideal pasture management practices.

In a perfect world, the equine stocking rate for pasture should be 2 acres/horse. This rate is only a factor if supplemental hay is not provided and you depend solely on grazing for your horse’s dietary needs.

****Keep in mind that 2 acres would be a pen/pasture that is 295 feet by 295 feet or 90 meters by 90 meters.****

Rotational grazing is a recommended practice that can help your pastures last longer. According to Rodale Institute:

“Rotational grazing is the practice of containing and moving animals through pasture to improve soil, plant, and animal health.

Only one portion of pasture is grazed at a time while the remainder of the pasture “rests.” To accomplish this, pastures are subdivided into smaller areas, referred to as paddocks, and livestock are moved from one paddock to another.

Resting grazed paddocks allows forage plants to recover and deepen their root systems.”

Pastures need to be free of poisonous plants and hazards and be mowed on a schedule to help control weeds. Also, test and fertilize your soil every 2 to 3 years to ensure quality growing conditions for your pastures.

To control parasites, drag your pastures on a schedule. When the weather is hot and dry, dragging is recommended to break up manure piles. This exposes parasites to the hot sun, killing them.

Finally (and maybe most obviously), your pasture needs adequate fencing, shelter, and fresh water supply.

Typical Pasture Problems

Here are some typical problems that people often encounter when managing pasture. Later on in this post, we will give you the information you need to avoid these problems.

• Overstocking/overgrazing
• Soil health/nutrient depletion
• Excess manure
• Poor fencing management
• Drainage/runoff
• Shelters (too small/poorly placed)

Pasture: Pros and Cons

Components of the Ideal Pasture

Dry Lot

Dry lots are small, fenced areas that have no grass. These lots are key for rotational grazing systems. The role of the dry lot is to provide rest for grazing pastures.

There are multiple reasons why you would want to keep horses off pasture:

• Wet conditions – help prevent horses from ripping up the ground further
• Winter – horses should be kept off pastures in the winter to protect the dormant grass from damage
• Rotational grazing – allowing pastures time to regrow without equine interference
• Injury – smaller dry lots are great for injured horses to try and prevent further injury
• Metabolic horses – horses that are especially at risk of laminitis (ponies, overweight horses, etc.) and insulin resistant horses should have limited access to grass to maintain their health
• Quarantine – new horses should be separated from the herd until they are deemed healthy enough to join
• Pregnant mares – if your pastures have tall fescue, pregnant mares should not be allowed to graze as this grass can cause abortions in pregnant horses

Now, proper space and footing is crucial for dry lots. The recommended spacing for dry lots is at least 400 square feet per horse. As for the footing, your goal is to limit mud. If possible, have your dry lot on the highest possible ground to improve drainage.

It is also an extremely good idea to install high-traffic pads in frequently walked areas. A high-traffic pad is made using geotextile fabric, crushed stone, and lime/densely graded aggregate. Construction requires excavation and can cost upwards of $1.30 per square foot (depending on your location).

The University of Minnesota has an amazing video all about high-traffic pads and how to construct them.

Shelter

Shelters are necessary for pastures to protect your horses from the elements. There are just a few factors to consider when constructing a shelter. You need to determine which direction it should face to protect your horses from wind and sun. A shelter is pretty useless if the cold wind blows right in.

Construct your shelter with 3 sides and provide good drainage. Nobody wants to lay down in a wet and muddy shelter! As for sizing, there should be a minimum of 50 square feet per horse. Ideally, plan for around 100 square feet per horse when possible.

Waterers

When planning for waterers, you should first and foremost decide on a location. The waterer (whether it be automatic or traditional) should be easy to access for filling and cleaning. Provide good, natural drainage (a slope works great) to prevent a big mud puddle around it.

The water provided should always be clean and available, and in the winter, keep it ice-free with a tank heater.

Fencing

There are numerous types of fencing available to you as a horseperson. I’m going to break down some of the common types you may see.

Posts

To make a fence, first, you need to select posts. Posts typically come in wood or steel. Wood posts offer a traditional look, but are more expensive. You should always buy pressure-treated posts, as they last 4 times as long as untreated posts. When burying your wood posts, be sure to add gravel at the bottom of the hole to provide good drainage.

Steel posts are another option that are typically fairly affordable. They can be skinnier and weaker than a large 4×4 post but are also easier to remove. Make sure you always use a plastic/vinyl cap on the top to prevent your horses from injuring themselves.

Spacing

Now that you have decided on posts, you need to decide on spacing! You should make your field fences 54″ – 60″ tall and space your posts at 8′, 10′, and 12′. The space between boards should be less than 12″ to discourage any heads from slipping out. Many recommend your bottom rail be 8″ to 12″ from the ground to allow space for a lawnmower.

Types of Fence

• Barbed wire $
  • Single or dual strand of wire with sharp barbs every 4″-5″
  • NEVER USE WITH HORSES
• Twisted Barbless Wire $
  • Single or dual strand of wire that offers electric protection at a low cost
  • Not easily visible but easy to install and maintain
  • NOTE: WE PERSONALLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS WIRE. MANY TYPES ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND IF YOUR HORSE GETS TANGLED IN IT, THEY WILL BREAK BEFORE THE WIRE DOES.
• Electrical fence $$
  • Polyfibers woven with metal strands that conduct electricity
  • Tape – wide strips of fencing that comes in a variety of widths
    • Improved visibility but can be damaged by winds
    • Posts may need to be closer together for stability
  • Braids – round cord less than 1″ in diameter
    • Durable and easy to handle
    • Not damaged by winds
    • More visible than traditional wire
    • Low breaking strength – horses can free themselves
• Wooden Rail $$$
  • Wooden boards nailed into wooden fence posts
  • Traditional look and strong fencing
  • Always attach boards on the horse side of the fence – boards will break easier and safer if your horse goes through it
• Vinyl Rail $$$
  • PVC fence consisting of hollow rails that snap into vinyl posts
  • Durable and maintenance free

***When calculating how much fencing you need, remember that one acre = 43,560 sq. ft. = 209 ft. x 209 ft. or 4046.86 sq. m = 63.6 m x 63.6 m***

Gates

Pasture gates should be easily accessible and avoid high traffic areas (away from corners). They should be placed in an area with high ground and/or good drainage.

When determining size, you need to figure out what you will be driving through it.

• 4′ = 1 horse can pass through
• 8′ = riding lawn mower/ATV
• 12′ = 3/4 ton truck, trailers, small tractors
• 16′ = allow the largest trailers/trucks

Additional Pasture Considerations

Topography/Geography

Individual pastures should not include steeply sloping hillsides or variable soil types. Rocky soils can lead to injuries.

Environmental Concerns

To protect surface and groundwater from pollutants, limit your horse’s access to streams and riparian areas.

Proper drainage should also be used to divert clean rainwater away from animal areas. A vegetative filter strip is also a great idea to protect water from contamination.

Create soil stabilization by maintaining vegetation and using high traffic pads in frequently travelled areas of your dry lot/pasture.

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Thank you so much for reading about how to create the perfect habitat for your horse. In the future, we would love to discuss how to establish and maintain your pastures for optimum use. Let me know if any of the information in this post surprised you! I’d love to hear from you.

We post new content every week!

References and bonus resources

• Rodale Institute – Rotational Grazing
• Penn State Extension – Feeding Horses
• University of Minnesota Extension – Horse dry lots and shelters
• Stable Management – Avoid Mud on Horse Farms with These Surfaces for High-Traffic Areas
• University of Minnesota – How to Construct a High Traffic Pad