# how long after seeding before horses can graze?



## Perce (31 January 2010)

I have a paddock of just under one acre that was dug up for a pipline. 
Some 3 years later i am still unable to use it! An unsuccessfull attempt to reseed was 'killed off' in autumn 2008 and left til about may09 to regrade and reseed. The grass was topped and removed in late august. 
How long after reseeding before it is ok to put horses onto a paddock. it is clearly too wet at the moment but i would like an idea of when it will be usable again. It's a large percentage of my land and we are struggling without it! 
thoughts please.
oh and before anyone suggests it - i don't have any sheep or access to them!


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## dorani (1 February 2010)

I would think you need to let it stand for a few months and maybe get it rolled first.Then don't put horses on it for too long a period of time untill it gets established. Good luck


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## ofcourseyoucan (1 February 2010)

usely once ploughed and reseeded leave for 12 months (fertilizing and spraying as required) then take a cut of hay (seed hay) then the root bed should be established to graze (first choice would be sheep) if sheep not available let other stock graze for 3 to 4 weeks then rest again, fert and spray, roll and harrow as req. i would think a 2 year projection would be realaistic before grazing horses on it! horses do trash the grazing! and top dressing with fert is necessary and resting is important! and spraying as req! a lot depends on the type of soil you have and its ph and previous crop history!!


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## Donkeymad (1 February 2010)

At least twelve months.


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## Perce (1 February 2010)

so by the sound of it, if i'm lucky, i might get on it in the autumn! will restrict grazing to drier weather and for a limited time. We could try to take hay off it before that, although last year we took a cut and baled it. It was far too green when rest of field cut but couldn't justify getting farmer back later to cut such a small amount and had to top it and remove it anyway so decided to see what it turned out like.  We got a mere 16 bales which quickly turned to very hot mould!! 
If i leave it 2 years we will have lost that paddock for 4 years since the pipeline came through! Had they said at the time it will be 4 years before you can graze it again i suspect I would have been telling them to stick their pipleline elsewhere! in the nicest possible way of course!


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