As the University of Kentucky’s Horse Pasture Evaluation Program begins to wrap up its third year serving Central Kentucky horse farms, forage experts share some of the horse pasture trends they’ve seen during the past three years and recommend steps farms should take now to ensure healthy pastures next year.

"The UK forage extension team has been extremely pleased with the success of the Horse Pasture Evaluation Program," said Ray Smith, UK forage extension specialist. "We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the farms that enrolled in the program and have been very impressed with the professional animal care and handling that we have observed on all farms. The majority of farms are to be commended for the good job they are doing in their pasture management programs."

From the three years of pastureland study done by his team, Smith said some common trends have emerged. One trend should trouble area farms because it directly limits the number of horses that can be supported on area pastures. Currently, close to one-third of the pastureland Smith’s team has evaluated is nonproductive, meaning it is covered by weeds or bare soil instead of grass.

The other two-thirds of evaluated area pastures break down as follows: 26% bluegrass, 24% tall fescue, 12% orchard grass and 8% white clover. Bluegrass and orchard grass are considered most desirable for horse pastures, whereas a high percentage of tall fescue is worrisome to many area horse farms with broodmares. Ergovaline, commonly found in tall fescue, is toxic and can cause foal loss in pregnant mares. Smith said the percentage of tall fescue found on many farms has been high enough to warrant control methods such as herbicide treatments or even total replanting