Pasture Management
Pasture management is not just about providing a space for our horses’ to graze; it’s a critical aspect of responsible horse ownership that directly impacts both our environment and our horses’ health. Proper pasture management not only ensures a sustainable and healthy ecosystem but also contributes to the well-being of our equine companions.
A well-managed pasture can help sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing our carbon hoofprint and help to combat climate change. It also promotes soil health, enhances biodiversity, and prevents soil erosion, benefiting local ecosystems and water quality.
Moreover, the quality of the pasture directly affects our horses’ nutrition. By managing pasture growth, monitoring forage quality, and understanding the grazing habits of our equine friends, we can provide them with a balanced and nutritious diet, improving their overall health and vitality.
Fortunately, there are numerous valuable resources available to guide us on our pasture management journey. From expert guides to insightful research papers, we have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips to help us make informed decisions and implement sustainable practices.
Recommended Resources
Read on to learn about, and connect with our top recommended resources for information on Pasture Management – that can empower us to create healthier pastures, a more sustainable environment, and happier, healthier horses:
Canter for Climate
We all want our horses to be happy and healthy, and I’m sure we would all like to reduce feed costs . This can be achieved in a way that also helps the environment.
Canter for Climate has produced a 5 part series of Factsheets giving you some information with hints and suggestions on horse and pasture management that could help you, your horses and our landscape.
Resource Consulting Services (RCS)
RCS is a training and consultancy service, helping to build businesses that will be profitable and regenerative.
Inside outside Management
Offers training in Holistic Management, the fundamental process behind regenerative agriculture.
Mulloon Institute
The Mulloon Institute is a not for profit, that demonstrates innovative land management approaches that create healthier landscapes with more resilience to climatic extremes.
The Mulloon Institute delivers and achieves real change through strategic collaborative partnerships and strong educational resources that build capacity.
Maia Grazing
Maia Grazing is an online grazing tool to better manage your grass and livestock.
Soils For Life
Soils For Life is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting Australian farmers in soil regeneration for resilient communities and landscapes. Founded by Major General The Honourable Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC, it envisions a world where healthy soils and landscapes foster profitable food businesses, thriving communities, and abundant, nutritious produce. The organisation’s mission revolves around aiding Australian farmers in soil regeneration for resilient communities and businesses.
Soil forms the bedrock of natural systems, crucial for plant growth, habitat provision, clean water production, and climate regulation. Soils across Australia have suffered degradation, prompting Soils For Life to advocate for regenerative agriculture – a practice that rebuilds soil and landscape diversity through agricultural principles.
The organisation’s work, including over 50 case studies. Contributions to Soils For Life support a committed team of soil scientists, ecologists, researchers, and specialists working towards a more sustainable future.
Soil Land Food
Soil Land Food is an independent consultancy specialising in capacity building, training, consulting and extension for farmers, graziers and rural communities. They cover soils, regenerative and organic farming systems, composting, rural landscapes, food systems and rural change.
They deliver courses both face to face and online.
Australian Holistic Management Co-operative
Members of the AHMC are part of a global network committed to farming practices that measurably regenerate the land.
They provide members with training, support, mentoring and ecological verification of their produce. They work closely with the Savory Institute, whose mission is the large-scale regeneration of the world’s degraded grasslands through Holistic Management.
On Pasture
The On Pasture website is an online resource and community catering to farmers and livestock owners. It offers a wide range of articles, guides, and expert advice on sustainable pasture management, including topics like grazing practices, rotational grazing, and soil health.
Book - Managing Horses on Small Properties
Author: Jane Myers
This book offers a comprehensive guide to the management of horses and land for owners of small properties.
A dream shared by many is to run a few horses on a small property on the fringes of a city or town. This book shows how to combine sustainable land management practices with a style of horse keeping that will protect the health and well-being of your horses, as well as the land and its wildlife.
Good property management does not need to be an expensive undertaking. Improved pasture means less feed bills, reduced mud or dust improves a horse’s health and reduces vet bills, better manure management turns a liability into an asset.
The reader is first introduced to the horse’s natural behaviour as expressed in body language, intelligence, ability to learn, grazing, herd instincts and social behaviour. The book then goes on to cover all the basics of safe handling, routine care and common health problems.
Property selection, property design, water supply, pasture management, horse facilities, fencing, trees and plants, manure management and equipment and tools are comprehensively dealt with in separate chapters.
This is a practical book written with a minimum of jargon especially for those who are new to horse ownership and small properties. It will deliver real benefits to the landholder, including reduced horse keeping costs, better welfare of horses, increased productivity, and improved land management practices.
Book - Paddock Paradise a Guide to Natural Horse Boarding
Author: Jamie Jackson
Paddock Paradise is a revolutionary model and guide for safe, natural horsekeeping, hoof care, and the healing and rehabilitation of lame horses.
The premise of “Paddock Paradise” is to stimulate horses to behave and move naturally according to their instincts. This unique and unprecedented model is adaptable to virtually all size horse properties, regardless of climate, and fits all equine breeds regardless of how they are used.
The book encourages you to consider some of the following benefits for creating a Paddock Paradise for your horses:
- Encourages more natural movement within a tracking system.
- More natural movement means more naturally shaped, healthy hooves.
- Protects horses from dangerous laminitis prone pastures.
- Minimizes the need for warm-up exercise time before riding.
- Facilitates natural socialization between horses.
- Provides an effective means for diet and weight management.
- Plus many other benefits.
The importance of pasture management
In conclusion, pasture management is a crucial aspect of horse ownership with far-reaching implications. By adopting responsible practices, we can combat climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide and reducing our carbon dioxide hoofprint. Additionally, well-managed pastures ensure our horses’ health and nutrition, promoting their overall well-being. With the abundance of resources available, we can continuously improve our sustainable pasture practices. Let’s come together in our commitment to sustainable horse ownership and create a better future for both our beloved horses and our planet.
If you’d like to continue the conversation please join our Discussion Group over on Facebook – we’d love to see you there.