Pasture Management
for
Horses

Soil Texture

Find out what type of soil you are on.

We use general terms of Heavy Medium or Light which really refer to the size of the individual mineral particles which make up the soil and the effect this has on the properties of the soil. This is referred to as the 'Texture' of the soil as it can be determined to a certain extent by assessing the 'feel' of the wetted soil between the finger and thumb.

The sizes of the soil particles are divided into three groups -

Sand (particles ranging from 0.02 to 2mm across)

Silt (particles ranging in size from 0.002 to 0.02mm across)

Clay (particles less than 0.002mm or 20 microns across)

Heavy soil has a high clay content. It is sticky when wet and a moist sample can be rolled into a strong ball. Clay soils have a good ability for holding plant nutrients and water, though slow movement of water through a clay soil can cause problems.

Medium soil will have less clay and will have a significant proportion of silt. Medium or loam soils will have slightly less ability to hold nutrients and water, but movement of water will generally be easier through the larger spaces

Light soil has a high sand content, possibly with significant silt but very little clay. These soils will have a low ability to hold nutrients or water and are likely to suffer from drought.

 The texture of a soil can be determined in a laboratory to determine the % of each constituent. One way to then illustrate the soil type further is to plot these percentages on a triangular graph. This will result in three lines being drawn, one from each side of the triangle according to the relative percentages. The point where these three lines meet will determine the description of the soil as shown in the diagram below.

For a demonstration of the soil triangle in use where a soil has been shown to contain: 25% Clay 60% Silt 15% Sand

The texture of a soil may also be determined by hand, following a series of questions or key.

Click here to try the key