Weed killer and horse pastures

[phylodog]

We're nearing our goal of bringing horses onto the property we bought last fall. I've rebuilt the stalls, fenced in two pastures and a mudlot and we have one horse currently boarded at a facility nearby. Our plan is the bring him home the first of next month so I'm kind of down to the wire. I've mowed the pastures a few times this year but I've still got persistent milkweed along with a few others that I'd like to get rid of before we turn horses out.

Is anything safe to use? I don't know how long it takes for herbicides to dissipate to where it would be safe for horses to graze?

Anyone horse folks out there have experience with this?

 

[Leadeye]

Growing up ag, we had horses for many years. I can't remember anybody even talking about them getting sick from herbicides. I don't remember anything besides Monarch butterfly caterpillars eating milkweed. That info is 45-55 years old though.

 

[Mongo59]

Horses will only eat things they shouldn't if there is nothing else to eat.

If the pasture has the milkweed now, they will come back later as well even if you kill off the pasture.

Horses are hard on pasture as they pull up roots as they eat while cattle snip it off at the ground.

Rotate your pasture, reseed frequently and use a harrow to bust up the road apples and you will have happy horses.

 

[olhorseman]

Most herbicides are safe once they dry, however I always wait till after a rain before I turn the horses out on the pasture. Once you have the weeds initially controlled keeping them from coming back is equally important. Weeds love to grow in and under manure piles. In late fall and winter we drag the pastures weekly to break up the manure piles. This helps fertilize as well as controlling weeds. In late spring and summer we will pick the manure into wheel barrows daily and let it pile up and age to the next spring to fertilize gardens. Removing the piles also help with fly control.

 

[phylodog]

Thank you for the advice, I have a lot to learn.

 

[HoughMade]

Pasture Pro, GrazOn, PasturAll

There are herbicides made for this.

 

[patience0830]

If you have several lots divided out you can let them eat what they want in the first lot then just mow the leftovers when you move them to the next lot. Saves on herbicide. Only things I spray these days are Canadian Thistles and Autumn or Russian Olive.

 

[two70]

Pasture Pro, GrazOn, PasturAll

There are herbicides made for this.

I'd highly recommend comparing labels. Pasture Pro is essentially just (slightly) more expensive 2,4-D.

 

[HoughMade]

I'd highly recommend comparing labels. Pasture Pro is essentially just (slightly) more expensive 2,4-D.

Agreed.

 

[KLB]

Horses will only eat things they shouldn't if there is nothing else to eat.

If the pasture has the milkweed now, they will come back later as well even if you kill off the pasture.

Horses are hard on pasture as they pull up roots as they eat while cattle snip it off at the ground.

Rotate your pasture, reseed frequently and use a harrow to bust up the road apples and you will have happy horses.

Our horses don't tend to do that. They will eat an area they really like to the ground if they are left on the pasture too long. If they are left even longer, they will eventually move onto the other areas and eat them as well. Looking at our pastures on Google Maps, you can see the areas they like to eat. We rotate them monthly, then I mow the areas they don't eat.

 

[BobDaniels]

Thoroughly read the label of whatever you end up buying, it will have a section for pastures. I use 24D ester from TCS and if I recall correctly, it says a week or two before allowing to graze and about a month if producing hay. ymmv.

 

[Mongo59]

Do you have clover in your pasture?

While clover is a good nitrogen fixer the seeds will get between the horses lips and gums and cause the "slobbers".

What kind of trees do you have around the pasture? Red Maple and cherry are hazardous to horses.

A horses brain to body size brings them in lower than a turtle, but they are still smarter than a cow.

Even with good pastures you will need hay, grain and plenty of water. Keep goldfish in your water troughs to keep down the mosquito larvae.

Give your horse Ivermectin a week before bringing them home, then ever spring and fall.

Pick the bot fly eggs off their legs if you find any.

If you want docile pets stay away from alfalfa hay, it will be tough on their kidneys and make them anywhere from "frisky" to "wild".

Get to know your farrier, your vet and the guy you will be buying their hay. It will make a difference.

If you plan to make your own hay, you have my sympathy as that was my job for the last third of a century.

If you plan to breed, no fescue. Keep it simple, no fescue anywhere anytime.

Read, read and read. Lyons has good books about horses and the way they think. Not knowing the way a horse thinks will get you hurt, they are not large dogs.

Good luck and start young...

 

[Steel and wood]

Do you have clover in your pasture?

While clover is a good nitrogen fixer the seeds will get between the horses lips and gums and cause the "slobbers".

What kind of trees do you have around the pasture? Red Maple and cherry are hazardous to horses.

A horses brain to body size brings them in lower than a turtle, but they are still smarter than a cow.

Even with good pastures you will need hay, grain and plenty of water. Keep goldfish in your water troughs to keep down the mosquito larvae.

Give your horse Ivermectin a week before bringing them home, then ever spring and fall.

Pick the bot fly eggs off their legs if you find any.

If you want docile pets stay away from alfalfa hay, it will be tough on their kidneys and make them anywhere from "frisky" to "wild".

Get to know your farrier, your vet and the guy you will be buying their hay. It will make a difference.

If you plan to make your own hay, you have my sympathy as that was my job for the last third of a century.

If you plan to breed, no fescue. Keep it simple, no fescue anywhere anytime.

Read, read and read. Lyons has good books about horses and the way they think. Not knowing the way a horse thinks will get you hurt, they are not large dogs.

Good luck and start young...

This is great advice. Only thing I could add is horses love short tender grass the tall grass that’s waist high is tough. Oh yeah cheapest thing about a horse is buying it everything else is outrageous. This is coming from a old man that shod horse and own them for 25 years.
Enjoy and have fun,the memories are going to be great.

 

[phylodog]

Do you have clover in your pasture?

While clover is a good nitrogen fixer the seeds will get between the horses lips and gums and cause the "slobbers".

What kind of trees do you have around the pasture? Red Maple and cherry are hazardous to horses.

A horses brain to body size brings them in lower than a turtle, but they are still smarter than a cow.

Even with good pastures you will need hay, grain and plenty of water. Keep goldfish in your water troughs to keep down the mosquito larvae.

Give your horse Ivermectin a week before bringing them home, then ever spring and fall.

Pick the bot fly eggs off their legs if you find any.

If you want docile pets stay away from alfalfa hay, it will be tough on their kidneys and make them anywhere from "frisky" to "wild".

Get to know your farrier, your vet and the guy you will be buying their hay. It will make a difference.

If you plan to make your own hay, you have my sympathy as that was my job for the last third of a century.

If you plan to breed, no fescue. Keep it simple, no fescue anywhere anytime.

Read, read and read. Lyons has good books about horses and the way they think. Not knowing the way a horse thinks will get you hurt, they are not large dogs.

Good luck and start young...

I have a lot of clover outside of the pasture but not much inside. When I bought the place last year the areas which are now fenced in had been left alone for several years so I don't think the sunlight could get down that far.

There are no trees within reach of the pasture fences. I've got a 20'-25' wide path of grass I keep mowed around the perimeter. Hopefully this will discourage them from trying to lean across the fence and it makes a nice place to walk around as well.

I like the goldfish in the water trough idea and I had not heard that about alfalfa hay. I've got a couple of acres which I haven't touched since bushhogging it last fall. It came back in as 90%+ grass but I don't know if it would make decent hay or not. I also don't have the equipment nor do I know anyone who does to come cut & bale it. No breeding here, we're looking at sticking with geldings.

My daughter is the horse expert. She's been riding for 8 years now and reads constantly. She's extremely overprotective of the horse we have now, ours will be extremely well cared for there is no doubt about that.

Thanks for all of the advice gents!

 

[Leadeye]

At an early age my father gave me good advice about horses. He said that the good Lord made the horse strong because he didn't make him very smart.

I enjoyed riding and I live way out in the woods on 250 acres and although I grew up with horses I have none, just ATVs.

Make of that what you will.

 

[phylodog]

I hear ya Leadeye. A nice house in the country on a little bit of land was my dream. Horses and free range chicken were the dreams of my wife and daughter. I enjoy riding but I wouldn't be headed down this road if they didn't want them.

 

[KLB]

I have a lot of clover outside of the pasture but not much inside. When I bought the place last year the areas which are now fenced in had been left alone for several years so I don't think the sunlight could get down that far.

There are no trees within reach of the pasture fences. I've got a 20'-25' wide path of grass I keep mowed around the perimeter. Hopefully this will discourage them from trying to lean across the fence and it makes a nice place to walk around as well.

I like the goldfish in the water trough idea and I had not heard that about alfalfa hay. I've got a couple of acres which I haven't touched since bushhogging it last fall. It came back in as 90%+ grass but I don't know if it would make decent hay or not. I also don't have the equipment nor do I know anyone who does to come cut & bale it. No breeding here, we're looking at sticking with geldings.

My daughter is the horse expert. She's been riding for 8 years now and reads constantly. She's extremely overprotective of the horse we have now, ours will be extremely well cared for there is no doubt about that.

Thanks for all of the advice gents!

Famous last words.

 

[natdscott]

Tordon has been proven completely compatible with life for bovine animals.

Might kill us, but cattle and horses might not live long enough to see the effects.

Just be careful where the animals sh#$, because the Tordon will still kill everything there as well.

 

[HoughMade]

...Horses and free range chicken were the dreams of my wife and daughter...

Now guess why we have a miniature horse.

"but the horse is free Dad!"

...and it was.

But then there is the stable I had to build, the horse trailer I bought (it's not that miniature), the pasture i fenced, the vet bills, the farrier.... I have thousands into that little sh.........manure​ machine.

But hey, this morning before work I planted 2 apple trees using composted manure (which I could have picked up for a few bucks a bag), so there's that.

 

[KLB]

Now guess why we have a miniature horse.

"but the horse is free Dad!"

...and it was.

But then there is the stable I had to build, the horse trailer I bought (it's not that miniature), the pasture i fenced, the vet bills, the farrier.... I have thousands into that little sh.........manure​ machine.

But hey, this morning before work I planted 2 apple trees using composted manure (which I could have picked up for a few bucks a bag), so there's that.

You got off easy.

We have six horses and a pony. Plus we are going to be leasing another one(a jumper) somewhere else soon. Wife and granddaughters all are into them.