Safe Horse Pastures

We all strive our best to ensure that our horses are healthy and happy. We pay great attention to how we feed and exercise them, and have good barn management practices. Well, when considering the overall health and happiness of your horses, don't overlook the safety of your pastures. That's right. Safe pastures mean safe horses!

We all love to look out the window and see our horses grazing peacefully in the fields. But unless properly maintained, pastures can pose dangers. Here are some tips to ensure that your pastures are safe for your horses.

• Maintain fencing and gates. This is the most obvious issue when it comes to safe pasturing, and it shouldn't be overlooked. Exposed hardware, loose wires, unstable posts, and broken and splintered boards can pose dangers to your horses, and even allow them to escape. Never forget how smart your horses are! You can bet your horse will test your fencing to see what it takes to get to the other side. Strong fencing will ensure that he doesn't. And safe, well-repaired fencing will ensure that he doesn't get hurt while he's experimenting!

Make it a point to regularly walk your fence lines. Look for damage, and repair it as you notice it. If your horses are continually on your fencing, running electrical wire along the fence can nip this behavior in the bud.

• Remove all toxic plants. Your horse is pretty adventurous when it comes to trying out the local fare! To that end, you must remove all toxic plants from your pastures. Not to do so may result in illness, and in some cases even death. If you don't know a toxic plant from a safe one, don't feel bad. Most of us don't! That's why it's a good idea to call your local cooperative extension agent. He or she can tell you what noxious plants are common in your area, and how to get rid of them. Another good way to identify toxic plants is to go to your local book store and find a well-illustrated book on the topic. Keep the book handy at all times.

Once you've identified the offending plants, how do you get rid of them? Poisonous weeds can be pulled out and spot-treated with a herbicide. But don't just treat them and forget them! Because weeds will have been in various stages of growth, you'll need to walk around your pasture every two weeks or so to spot treat. It will take about a year or so to get rid of weeds, but once they are gone, they are usually gone for good.

What do you do if you have toxic trees? Either trim them so they are out of the horses' reach, or put a fence around them so the horses can't get to them.

• Remove manure. Parasites and bacteria love nothing more than a nice, fresh manure pile. To protect your horses from dangerous parasites and bacteria, be sure to remove manure frequently. You can compost your manure for six weeks or so, but be sure to turn it frequently in order to kill internal parasites. Put your compost pile at least 75 feet away from food and water sources.

What to do if you can't remove manure or compost it? Leave the manure where the horses have put it, but break it up. Breaking it up and exposing it to the elements will cut down on parasite infestation.

• Rotate your pastures. Rotating your pastures keep your pastures productive. If you have enough room, divide your pastures into three sections. Let your horses eat from one until it well-clipped, then rotate, etc.

Remember, safe pastures means safe horses! Like to find more about how to keep your horse safe? Please visit our equine forum at Http://www.Horsechitchat.com/equineforums