Pasture has the potential to provide
1. The horses nutrition
2. A Safe exercise area
Potentials rarely achieved, often neglected
All information given here is believed to be correct but the author cannot be responsible for any consequences of it's use.
by Denis Lindsell
Some horse and pony owners have a fear of fertiliser, in the belief that it can produce the wrong
type of grass for your horse.
The answer lies in care and control.
Before considering this subject it is necessary ensure that the pH of your soil is correct, due to
the effect that this may have on the availability of nutrients. There will be little advantage from applying nutrients to the soil if acid
conditions are making those nutrients unavailable to plants.
The fertiliser that is normally applied from the bag supplies three nutrients - Nitrogen, Phosphorus,
and Potash (often refered to by their chemical symbals - N,P,K).
More information on Nutrients
If you want to know how much of the last two to apply, you will need to take a soil sample and have it analysed. This will be analysed in a laboratory and
to make the results easier to understand they will be converted to an 'index' figure. A laboratory analysis will
usually tell you the pH, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Magnesium levels in the soil. A nitrogen determination is not
normally carried out as the results will vary an not be of much practical use.
If this index figure is above 2 for either P or K, then the soil should provide sufficient quantities
of that nutrient for grass growth. If the index is below 2, then extra nutrient should be added to the soil in
the form of fertiliser, and this can be done once a year.
Nitrogen however is treated differently, as it is not held in the soil in the same way that Phosphorus and Potash
are and is easily washed out by rain water. Nitrogen is also the nutrient that is capable of producing a lot of
lush grass growth. Therefore Nitrogen fertiliser should be applied in several small doses through the year.
Suggested fertilizer application (Frape, D. 1998)
(Total quantities to be applied per year)
|
P or K index |
N (Kg/Ha) |
P (Kg/Ha) |
K (Kg/Ha) |
|
0 |
20-50 |
60 |
60 |
|
1 |
20-50 |
30 |
30 |
|
2 |
20-50 |
20 |
20 |
|
>2 |
20-50 |
0 |
0 |
These amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are very small by farming standards and will not produce
large amounts of lush grass, especially when split into 2 or 3 separate applications.
Max. Application of N 20-35Kg/Ha, when required, 3-6 weeks before grazing.
Horses and ponies should not be allowed to graze the paddock for at least 3 weeks after the application of fertiliser.
A longer break may be necessary if there is a lack of rain to dissolve the fertiliser and wash it into the soil.
Ref.
Frape, D. (1998) Equine Nutrition and Feeding, Blackwell Science: Oxford