by Lori K. Warren, PhD

Many horse pastures in Colorado suffer from overgrazing. Repeated heavy grazing that removes too much leaf material weakens plant root structure making it difficult for plants to recover. As a result, less forage is available for grazing and pastures are vulnerable to weed invasion and erosion. 
 
Horse owners have several options for managing the grazing of horses. Some grazing strategies are better at maintaining pasture ground cover and reducing the risk of overgrazing than others. Grazing strategies include:
 
• Continuous (season-long) grazing
• Partial-season grazing
• Limited turnout time
• Rotational grazing 

Download the full article:  Grazing Strategies.pdf (268.16 KB)