Clover Control in Horse Pastures

Do you have any suggestions on how to control clover in pastures that don’t involve herbicides?
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Controlling Clover in Horse Pastures
White clover is the most widely found pasture legume in the United States. | Photo: iStock
Q. I enjoyed your recent blog post about pasture weed management. I, however, struggle with clover in my fields. It grows so low that I’m unable to mow it, and now it’s spreading and outcompeting the grass. Do you have any management suggestions to control clover that don’t involve herbicides?

Laura, via email


A. Laura, there are several reasons why an excessive amount of clover may be growing well in your fields—most of them come back to management techniques. Good for you for looking at the root of the cause instead of wanting to go to the quick fix: chemicals. We do need to be careful about the chemical choices we make in our daily lives as those impacts all add up.

The clovers themselves are not known to be toxic to horses; it is thought that the problems associated are a result of the different types of molds that grow on clovers. Clovers are not typically a problem in dry hay, although a high percentage of clover in hay can prolong drying time and increase the chances of moldy hay. Some horses do not find dried clover palatable

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Written by:

Alayne Blickle, a lifelong equestrian and ranch riding competitor, is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, an award-winning, internationally acclaimed environmental education program for horse owners. Well-known for her enthusiastic, down-to-earth approach, Blickle is an educator and photojournalist who has worked with horse and livestock owners since 1990 teaching manure composting, pasture management, mud and dust control, water conservation, chemical use reduction, firewise, and wildlife enhancement. She teaches and travels North America and writes for horse publications. Blickle and her husband raise and train their mustangs and quarter horses at their eco-sensitive guest ranch, Sweet Pepper Ranch, in sunny Nampa, Idaho.

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