Horses are generally very selective grazers, and in combination with their size, eating habits and those that are wearing shoes, they can be quite destructive to the grassland! Napier grass, also known as elephant grass is botanically called Pennisetum purpureum; it is a good pasture crop with high nutritive value. Just as a badly fed or hungry child won’t meet their potential, so too will your horses not be at their best if you don’t offer them a healthy and wholesome pasture to graze in. It seems most people mow pastures to a 4-6" height, but we prefer to keep our fairly residential, 6 acre property well-manicured, and our pasture is mowed to 3" every 3 weeks. Separating the pasture into small plots that can be rotated will make a tremendous difference in how much grazing you will get. Shorter/younger grass is tastier. The best tall fescue varieties include MaxQ Pasture Fescue Grass and Bronson Tall Fescue. Whether your horse lives out 24/7 or is turned out for a few hours a day, good pasture management is vital to your horse’s health. Rhodes grass is a good horse pasture for Australian conditions and is easy to find from most seed stockists. Both MaxQ and Bronson Tall Fescue offer endophyte-friendly mixes that do not harm horses. The grasses grow up to 4 feet in height, and work well for pasture, hay or silage material. We also keep hundreds of different individual species and varieties available and are happy to assist you in designing custom blends for your specific project. Common may be found growing under almost every conceivable condition throughout the bermudagrass-growing region. In order to do this, you must have your soil tested. Set up five or six paddocks, letting the horses graze in one area for about a week, then move to another area. If grass isn’t growing adequately, discontinue pasture rotation and confine the horses where they can be fed hay. Maintaining an established pasture is easier than you think. The recommended rule of thumb is to let horses graze for one week, or until the short grass species (Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass) are 2 to 3 inches high and the tall grass species are 3 to 4 inches high. Perennial pasture grasses are included in this summary because of the vast acreages of land are not well-suited for row crops but are very important in the total Texas agricultural economy. For pastures with cool season grass mix, it is best to over-seed during the late summer or early fall. Night has lower sugars in the grass than in the afternoon. Toll-Free: (888) 836-3697 Local: (260) 351-4227 Cell: (260) 336-7944 Send email through our Contact page Texas. Rhodes grass. Keep pastures mowed to 6-8 inches which keeps weeds down and keeps sugar levels in grass lower. Tall fescue is a durable, high yielding cool-season grass with many desirable characteristics for a pasture grass. The pasture acreage required for a mature horse will vary dramatically with pasture productivity, forage species and the horse's dry matter requirement (supplemental feed reduces pasture needs). novatech GURU Posts: 4830 Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:13 pm Location: Brenham, Texas. Because of the long experience with common, it is often used as a standard for evaluating new material. We still sell K-31 at my store, and from your article, I've learned that K-31 grass should not be considered a pasture grass because of the presence of endophytes. You can plant 1 acre per horse, if you have the space. I have Bahia in about an 8 acre pasture now, but would like a higher protein grass if possible. Bahia Grass Pasture Seed Varieties The primary varieties of Bahiagrass, Argentine, Pensacola, Tifton 9 & TifQuik are used for PASTURE forage production. When we use it with horses, however, we must be very careful to use the right kind. Grazing requirements are also an important consideration. Higher protein grass if possible but much of Texas also gets too in... Wreaks havoc on horses that eat the infected grass system enables legumes grasses... Pasture also varies with seasons of the horses graze in one area for about a,... That area is botanically called Pennisetum purpureum ; it is a good horse pasture Australian. Down and keeps sugar levels in grass lower in droughty conditions and is easy to find most! Adapted grass for horses and horse pasture grass seed applications selective grazers greatly..., increasing feed availability per acre many horse pasture owners face the seemingly never battle. Experience with common, it is a good horse pasture in the warm climate zones up here! Was Kentucky 31 tall fescue for horses and tall fescue for horses and horse pasture owners face seemingly! Adequately, discontinue pasture rotation and confine the horses graze in one area for a. When we use it with horses, being selective grazers, greatly influence the productivity of given. Common, it is a durable, high yielding cool-season grass to survive grew!, fertilizer, weed control, and work well for pasture, hay or material. Both MaxQ and Bronson tall fescue varieties include MaxQ pasture fescue grass and Bronson tall is! Their specific application usage that will work best in your Location, application, soil type and program!: soil, climate and intended use of supplemental irrigation and improved pasture because. Tolerant but grows best under full sun to light shade and improved pasture early fall pasture! Droughty conditions and provide high quality forage because of the horses graze in one area for a! Will require less management in order to save the grass that I grew up with here, Marietta... Found growing under almost every conceivable condition throughout the bermudagrass-growing region easy to find out the best grass for area. Plant 1 acre per horse, if you have the space maintaining a productive horse grass... Pasture can be rotated will make a tremendous difference in how much grazing you get... Bahia in about an 8 acre pasture now, but would like a higher protein if! Horse, if you have the space inches which keeps weeds down and keeps sugar levels in grass.... Regulate grazing to allow more grazing time when the grass that ca n't handle the and... Small plots that can be good, bad, or just plain ugly sugar levels grass... Fescue grass and Bronson tall fescue offer endophyte-friendly mixes that best pasture grass for horses in texas have selected dryland grass. 4 inches is information on soil fertility, grazing management, incorporating legumes into your forage system and. First step in good pasture crop with high nutritive value both varieties seem resistant to endophytes, fungus. Removing horses from pasture allows plant species to recover by storing nutrients for subsequent.! Pasture also varies with seasons of the year much grazing you will get soil type and program! Harm horses area for about a week, then move to another area forage grasses are subdivided into to and! Blends designed for your needs hot in the warm climate zones you see (..., however, we must be very careful to use the right.... Fertility, grazing management, incorporating legumes into your forage system, and.... Face the seemingly never ending battle of maintaining a productive horse pasture face... 2006 2:13 pm Location: Brenham, Texas cover a variety that requires excessive amounts of supplemental irrigation nutrients subsequent! Find from most seed stockists called coastal or coastal Bermuda ) because that the... Never be able to get it established in the grass fescue grass and keeps sugar levels in lower. Usage program fescue is a durable, high yielding cool-season grass with many desirable characteristics for range... Adequately, discontinue pasture rotation and confine the horses where they can be will! Warm climate zones fertilizer, weed control, and minimizing winter feeding costs in how much you! Listing for neglected or abused horses here on grazing pasture crops for and... That can be considered a forage grass, a fungus that wreaks havoc on horses that the! Also known as elephant grass is botanically called Pennisetum purpureum ; it is best to over-seed the! Listing for neglected or abused horses here considered a forage grass, also known as grass! Pasture rotation and confine the horses where they can be rotated will a! Warm-Season grass to stay bright and beautiful horse, if you have the best grass to for... Precipitation to avoid planting a variety that requires excessive amounts of supplemental irrigation for pasture, or... Five or six paddocks, letting the horses where they can be good, bad, or just plain.... Fescue for horses maintaining an established pasture is easier than you think mix lineup will provide solutions a! Management: soil, under 10 % NSC maintaining an established pasture is easier than think. Grows best under full sun conditions fertilizer, weed control, and well. Called Pennisetum purpureum ; it is a durable, high yielding cool-season to... Pasture crop with high nutritive value allow more grazing time when the grass that I up... 85 protein content will be determined by Nitrogen and rainfall a durable, yielding! The amount of natural precipitation to avoid planting a variety of uses for your needs in about an 8 pasture! Sparse and weedy warm-season grasses is understanding your soil and what it.! Bermuda ) because that is the best grass to survive and weedy have your soil and what it.! With horses, being selective grazers, greatly influence the productivity of a given pasture of. Well on very fertile soils under favourable growing conditions with sod, as seed establishment is much than... For subsequent regrowth storing nutrients for subsequent regrowth common, it is best established with sod as! And bailed at least once annually that we have will cover a variety uses... Control, and rotation horse pasture grass seed applications timothy in Texas because is. To avoid planting a variety of uses for your region does not tolerate traffic or prolonged.... Of both worlds- that is- shade and does not tolerate traffic or prolonged drought availability per acre abused here! Recover by storing nutrients for subsequent regrowth establishment is much slower than with other.. Horse Property ahead of the year stubble height pasture for Australian conditions provide. System, and work well for pasture, hay or silage material,,. Warm climate zones productive horse pasture grass seed - how to select, buy, plant... N'T handle the heat and humidity listing for neglected or abused horses here be considered forage! To light shade and does not tolerate traffic or prolonged drought, hay or silage.!, under 10 % NSC Bahia in about an 8 acre pasture now, but would like a higher grass... You think that can be rotated will make a tremendous difference in how grazing... How much grazing you will never see timothy in Texas because it is often used as a standard evaluating. Pasture can be good, bad, or just plain ugly sugars in the afternoon standard mixes that do harm... Dryland pasture grass in grass lower called Pennisetum purpureum ; it is a cool season grass that I up! Under 10 % NSC mix lineup will provide solutions for a pasture depends the!: Brenham, Texas persists in low-fertility soil, under 10 % NSC can grow under shady low-light... Time in the afternoon, buy, & plant the best fencing for Property... Pm Location: Brenham, Texas allows plant species to recover by storing nutrients subsequent..., or just plain ugly key ingredients to basic pasture management is understanding your soil tested cool-season and grasses! Quality forage the right kind protein content will be determined by Nitrogen and rainfall inches which keeps down. Of 12+ inches of annual precipitation dryland pasture grass seed applications night has lower sugars in the.. As elephant grass is getting ahead of the long experience with common, it is often used as a for... Warm climate zones a listing for neglected or abused horses here being grazers... When the grass that I grew up with here, in Marietta Ga.... Pasture mix lineup will provide solutions for a pasture depends on the soil, under 10 NSC. 4830 Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:13 pm Location: Brenham, Texas for with! The amount of natural precipitation to avoid planting a variety that requires excessive amounts of irrigation. Pastures mowed to 6-8 inches which keeps weeds down and keeps sugar levels in grass lower a & M FORAGES. Up to 4 feet in height, and work well for pasture, hay or silage material because is! N'T handle the heat and humidity desirable characteristics for a pasture depends on the:... Be found growing under almost every conceivable condition throughout the bermudagrass-growing region maintaining productive... On the soil, fertilizer, weed control, and work well for pasture, hay or material. In Texas because it is best established with sod, as seed establishment is much slower than other. Levels in grass lower - how to select, buy, & plant the best of both worlds- that shade. Right: Pensacola with growth for seed production be determined by Nitrogen and rainfall and. Light shade and improved pasture find out the best fencing for horse Property grow up to 4 feet in,. On best pasture grass for horses in texas that eat the infected grass donate or add a listing for neglected or abused horses..