Cotswold Grass Seeds - Horse Leys for hay gallops and grazing

Use
Horses require different mixtures from those of other stock classes. There has been less research carried out on grass intended for horses compared with cattle and sheep. However, through practical experience we recommend these mixtures which are designed for the horse being the main user. These leys can also be grazed with sheep or cattle if required.

Grazing
For grazing we use a combination of perennial ryegrasses, creeping red fescue and timothy. This creates a dense sward which can be grazed from spring through until the autumn. The ryegrass and timothy provide the forage whilst the fescue ‘knits’ the turf together. The fescue also ‘creeps’ and has the ability to repair itself after damage.

Hay
Hay can be made from our Permanent Horse Pasture mixture. This ley provides leafy growth and is cut quite late, often in July. Alternatively, the Hard Horse Hay mixture provides a hard and bold sample which is favoured by professional buyers. The yield offered by this ley will be 30-40% greater than from permanent grass but it will provide this for only two years.

If you have free draining soil why not consider Sainfoin or Lucerne?

Clover
The use of wild white clover in horse pastures would be desirable if the content in the sward could be kept at low levels. In our experience, clover levels tend to increase as time progresses and can therefore end up supplying too much protein for horses. Red clover can be considered in short term hay mixtures and this has been popular in the past. It is liable to shatter if field dried and careful handing is essential. It is less of a problem if made into haylage as the process is quicker and the potential for leaf loss is less.

Herbs?
Simple mixtures containing only ryegrass and clover seem to lack some essential quality for the grazing animal. It is remarkable how horses relish herbs, particularly those in old pastures. There is a case for the inclusion of some herbs in a seeds mixture to provide minerals in the diet. They are drought resistant and improve drainage with their deep roots penetrating the subsoil.

Herbs are best included in long term ley mixtures when re-seeding and do best on light, free draining soils. Herbs are slower to establish than grasses and therefore need sowing no later than early September.

14.00 kg per acre £26.33 (35 kg/ha £65.83)

4.00 kg certified GEMINI tet. Italian ryegrass
4.00 kg certified FABIO tet. Italian ryegrass
3.00 kg certified ADIN Italian ryegrass
3.00 kg certified FOX Italian ryegrass

Ref. MIX9
The mixture specifically for the production of hay or haylage. Lasting two years this mixture produces a consistent sample of hard hay. Although it can be grazed this is principally a cutting ley. To get good quality hard hay nitrogen application should be restricted to 70 kg per hectare. Ideally P & K levels should be at or above soil index 2.

Hard Horse Hay
Two Year Ley

14.00 kg per acre £41.09 (35 kg/ha £102.73)

2.50 kg certified CORBET perennial ryegrass
3.00 kg certified TWYSTAR perennial ryegrass
2.50 kg certified ROSSA meadow fescue
2.50 kg certified REVERENT creeping red fescue
2.00 kg certified PROMESSE timothy
1.50 kg certified SOBRA smooth meadowgrass

Ref. MIX7
A specially designed mixture for horse paddocks and stud farms to provide balanced grazing and a dense turf. A number of variations can be made to the mixture to suit different conditions. These include adding our herb mixture to provide minerals and trace elements (cost £6.50 per acre) and wild white clover which can be added at 0.2 kg per acre (cost £2.30 per acre). Clover is a good source of free soil nitrogen and increases protein in forage. However, clover is not recommended for ponies or horses prone to laminitis.

Permanent Horse Pasture

NB. This mixture should only be sown into open swards.

10.00 kg per acre £28.06 (25 kg/ha £70.15)

5.00 kg certified CORBET perennial ryegrass
5.00 kg certified PORTRUSH perennial ryegrass

Ref. MIXOSH
A long duration mixture for over-seeding grazing pastures which require improvement. The grasses will provide growth from spring through summer. It is important to sow after the existing grass has been grazed tightly. Horses can be left on to graze, but should be lightly stocked. Avoid the application of nitrogen fertiliser for two months after sowing as this will encourage the old grass to be too competitive for the newly emerging seedlings.

Pasture Over-Seeding
Longer Term 4-5 Years

15.00 kg per acre £75.76 (37.5 kg/ha £189.40)

3.00 kg certified ROSSA meadow fescue
1.50 kg certified BARCEL or similar tall fescue
1.50 kg certified SPARTA cocksfoot
2.50 kg certified REVERENT creeping red fescue
1.00 kg certified BORNITO sheeps fescue
1.00 kg certified PROMESSE timothy
0.50 kg certified TENO smaller catstail
1.00 kg certified SOBRA smooth meadowgrass
1.00 kg certified SOLO rough stalked meadowgrass
0.50 kg certified HIGHLAND browntop
0.10 kg commercial meadow foxtail
0.10 kg commercial sweet vernal grass
0.80 kg commercial crested dogstail
0.25 kg burnet
0.10 kg ribgrass
0.05 kg yarrow
0.10 kg sheeps parsley

Ref. MIXPP
We recommend the use of a non-ryegrass mixture for ponies and horses which require less protein rich swards. The following mixture is designed to provide a maintenance diet for animals that are not working hard. Use this mixture for ponies with a tendency to become overweight or those prone to laminitis. This type of mixture is slower to establish than those with ryegrass but the resulting turf is dense and more resilient. Traditional herbs are included as standard. This mixture should be sown no later than mid September.

Natural Pony Paddock

£3.07/kg

20% certified westerwold ryegrass
20% certified perennial ryegrass
20% certified dwarf perennial ryegrass
20% certified creeping red fescue
10% certified smooth meadowgrass
5% certified rough stalked meadowgrass
5% certified crested dogstail

Ref. MIXPG
A fast establishing mixture which provides a more diverse cover than MIXOSH on poached areas along fences and in gateways. This mixture can also be used to improve pasture and increase diversity to the sward. Sow at 20kg/acre (50kg/hectare)

Paddock/Gateway Repair Mixture