This is a guide to putting in place a sustainable equine paddock management system. There are steps to follow to improve and change the way you manage your paddocks and pastures. If you do only one of these steps you can still make a difference to your pasture and land. If you do all of these steps you will be well on the way to creating your own Horse Utopia.
Go at your own pace with your property, most of it can be put in place by your own hard work, other aspects you can use in machinery to get results faster.
These changes will eventually lead to sustainable healthy pastures by reducing the use of chemicals, making your own natural fertilisers and allowing weeds to repair soils. By creating this environment you will promote a holistic approach to horse care and health. Horses will have access to browse pastures and other plants to fulfil their dietary needs by using rotational grazing and not letting your land become overgrazed.
Imagine this:
You have just finished a goal-kicking ride on your horse, washed it and put it back in its paddock. Then you go and clean the one and only water trough and feed the horses their supplements in the muster point that is only 30 metres from your back door. This has literally taken you only 10 minutes.
What other jobs need to be done? Weed control?
No, you have learnt that weeds aren't always bad and are best left to do their work on the soil. Surely there is something else you have to do? Nope, nothing.
So you go and take a seat on your veranda with a refreshing, cool (insert drink here) beverage.
As you relax, gazing over your property, all the work you have done has finally paid off.
All of your horse paddocks are generously covered in thick, healthy, lush grass.
You can hear the trickling water of the crystal, clear stream flowing gently through the paddock. Only just visible through the dense thicket of trees and shrubs that are lining it, butterflies are fluttering and birds chirping, there are even native rainbow fish thriving in the stream.
The horses mosey-on back down the laneway to their pasture. Their coats catch the sun’s rays glistening in your eye; so shiny you can see your reflection.
They graze contentedly in herds. Their tails hanging motionless, as there are no buffalo flies to hassle them. Your old brood mare is dozing in amongst the grazing horses; she feels safe with the other horses -doesn’t have a care in the world.
If you listen carefully you can hear the dung beetles scratching at the earth as they bury the dung with intensity!
You start to doze off and you are dreaming you can see a unicorn in your pasture… You are startled and awaken suddenly. Was that a dream? A unicorn? In a fairytale paradise?
No, it wasn’t a dream it was your horse in your paradise, your Horse Utopia!
