How to look after paddocks and grazing so horses stay sound and the land lasts: rotational grazing, safe fencing, drainage, parasite control and sensible supplementation through the season.
Well-kept paddocks mean healthier horses, lower forage bills and land that holds up year after year. Rest the grass, keep the fencing safe, and stay on top of parasites and extra feed. Here is how to plan and look after your paddocks through the year.
Splitting the grazing into several paddocks and moving the horses between them is the single most useful thing you can do for the land. The sward gets time to recover, the grass stays in growth, and parasite pressure drops. Overgrazed, poached ground takes a long time to put right.
Fencing should be well set, easy to see and keep the horse in without injuring it if it leans or pushes. Check it regularly, especially after storms and the spring thaw, and keep the wires taut.
Wet, muddy paddocks wear both hooves and land. Gateways, feeding points and water troughs take the heaviest traffic. Harden those spots and get the water away so the paddock holds up through wet spells.
Pasture is the main infection route for gut worms. In Sweden all wormers have been prescription-only since 2007, and modern control is targeted and selective: you take a faecal sample and treat only the horses that are actually shedding. That slows resistance and keeps the herd healthier.
Turn horses out onto spring grass gradually to reduce the risk of laminitis and digestive upset, and watch for weight gain on lush summer grazing. When the grass runs short, the horse needs extra forage, and mineral supplements and fresh water should always be on offer.
There is no statutory figure, but a common rule of thumb is roughly half a hectare to one hectare of grazing per horse if the pasture is to last and be managed sustainably. The need varies with the quality of the land, how well you rotate, and how much forage you feed in addition. Always match the number of horses to what the acreage can carry.
Rotational grazing lets each paddock rest and recover, keeps the grass growing and lowers parasite pressure. You get healthier horses, better grazing and land that lasts from year to year – unlike leaving the same ground grazed all season.
All wormers have been prescription-only in Sweden since 2007. SVA recommends targeted, selective treatment: take faecal samples in spring (April–May), including checks for large redworm and tapeworm, and treat only the horses that are shedding. Routine worming of every horse drives resistance. Combine this with picking up droppings and rotating the grazing, and speak to your vet.
Harden and drain the busiest spots – gateways, feeding points and around water troughs. Rotate the grazing so the land can rest, and take water away from the high-wear areas. That cuts both damage to the ground and the risk of hoof problems such as mud fever.