Pasture has the potential to provide
1. The horses nutrition
2. A Safe exercise area
Potentials rarely achieved, often neglected

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All information given here is believed to be correct but the author cannot be responsible for any consequences of it's use.

Pasture Management
for
Horses

by Denis Lindsell
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Soils

Soil Profiles

It is possible to identify 5 main soil groups in the UK by digging a hole and looking at the soil "profile" to a depth of about 1 metre.

	Brown Earth A soil type showing either a gradual change in colour or more obvious ‘horizons’, with evidence of unrestricted root growth and earth worm activity to a good depth. This is likely to be a good soil with an ability to grow good grass but drainage and acidity will need to be checked.
	Gley A soil showing the reluctance of plant roots or earthworms to enter the grey coloured water logged soil. Water logging has been a severe problem with this soil, and may not be curable by drainage. There is likely to be poor grass growth and severe poaching in the winter. A mottled grey colour indicates the soil is water logged for part of the year.
	Podsol A highly leached sandy textured acid soil, where nutrients have been washed out of the upper layers possibly depositing them in a hard layer inpenetrable to plant roots. This soil would not grow a good crop of grass.
	Calcareous A soil overlying chalk. There will usually be a layer of brown coloured topsoil with virtually pure white chalk below. This soil will not be acidic and will be freely draining. It's ability too grow grass will depend on the depth of the brown coloured topsoil.
	'Organic' A soil with a high organic or 'peaty' content. Usually quite fertile and moisture retentive but can be acidic, especially if there is underlying rock as on moorland. There could be a drainage problem - the peat has developped bucause organic material has not been broken down as quickly as it has been deposited, possibly due to water logging (see gley, above). Can grow some good grass though can suffer from moisture shortage in the summer as the high fertility discourages deep rooting.