Equine Grass Seed Mixtures

Good and well maintained grassland is essential for the wellbeing and maintenance of horses. All horses benefit from being turned out to grass, so efforts spent in maintaining and improving horse pasture will pay dividends for years to come.

Traditional Horse Paddock Mixture

2.0kgs Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass
7.0kgs Late Perennial Ryegrass
3.0kgs Creeping Red Fescue
0.5kgs Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass

Seed Rate 12.5kgs/ Acre.

This is our best selling paddock mixture ideal for grazing and patching, plus this will make a useful cut of hay in the spring if required. This mixture will produce a dense hardwearing sward and with the inclusion of the creeping natured grasses of the fescue and meadow grass, these will help repair itself where heavy treading or close grazing has occurred.

Horse Paddock Mixture with Herbs

5.0kgs Late Perennial Ryegrass
2.0kgs Meadow Fescue
1.0kgs Timothy
1.5kgs Cocksfoot
3.5kgs Creeping Red Fescue
0.4kgs Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass
0.49kg Browntop Bent
0.01kg Yarrow
0.05kg Sainfoin
0.05kg Burnet

Seed Rate 14.0kgs/ Acre.

As well as providing excellent grazing with excellent wear and tear performance, this mixture also has the added benefits of containing herbs. Mixed herbs within a sward are a valuable addition to grazing mixtures allowing their rooting systems to draw up minerals and trace elements essential to the diet of the horse.

Yarrow - This herb is adaptable to dry conditions and grows on most soil types. As well as its alleged medical properties, Yarrow is also rich in carotene, an important source of vitamin A.

Sainfoin - An extremely deep footing plant and can withstand drought and frost. As well as making excellent hay, it is also very high in protein and is beneficial to horses that are not thriving on other forage species.

Burnet - Another deep rooting and drought tolerant herb. Burnet, like Yarrow, has alleged medical benefits and is high in calcium.

Horse Haylage Mixture

4.0kgs Diploid Italian Ryegrass
4.0kgs Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass
4.5kgs Hybrid Ryegrass

Seed Rate 12.5kgs/ Acre

Choosing the correct grass seed mixture to provide high quality horse haylage is vitally important. Taller growing grasses lend themselves to better quality and higher yields. The mixture above is ideal for making quality haylage and fulfils all the criteria required. This mixture will last a maximum of two years before re-establishing would be required to maintain its productivity.

Racecourses and Polo Pitches

20% Bardessa Amenity Perennial Ryegrass
40% Baroma Amenity Perennial Ryegrass
20% Baroyal Slender Creeping Red Fescue
20% Chopin Strong Creeping Red Fescue

Recommended Seed Rate: 25-35g per m. sq. (250kgs - 350kgs per Hectare)

Suitable for polo pitches and racecourses, this mixture recovers quickly from poaching and is very resistant to extreme wear and tear. This mixture is also suitable as a repair mix or for creating new gallops.

Paddock Grassland Management

The following activities are important for paddock management, and should be carried out at the correct timing:

· Chain harrow to drag out dead grass and open surface 'crust' to allow air to the roots. TIMEING Autumn and Spring
· Roll to flatten out poached and uneven ground. TIMEING Spring
· Aeration aids surface drainage and allows roots of grass to breathe. TIMEING Late Winter and Autumn
· Weed Control to reduce poisonous and invasive weeds. TIMEING Spring and Autumn
· Fertilise to promote grass health and vigour. TIMEING March and October
· Topping encouraged grass to produce new leaves and reduces course grass, resulting in quality sward. TIMEING Spring through to Autumn

Overseeding fills poorly populated and poached areas and introduces productive grass and herbs into the paddock. TIMEING Spring and Autumn.

For more details on any of the above or to be sent a copy of our latest 2006 leaflet please contact toby.green@grainfarmers.co.uk or phone Toby on 01962 794605.