Do you have horse sick pastures that are prone to poaching in winter, bare of grass in summer, or full of weeds?
Do you want to learn how to manage your land so it can provide consistent nutrition for your horse throughout the year?
Are you interested in cutting the cost of fertilisers by using your own horse’s manure for grass growth?
ADAS offers independent support for equine owners who want to improve their land management and resilience. Our expertise ranges from practical grassland advice to rural grant application support.
As a company, ADAS has advised land managers on sustainable farm practices for over 75 years. As a team of horse owners, we know that horses have different pasture needs to that of other livestock. From sports horses to those with metabolic conditions like laminitis, each will have their own forage requirements. We take your circumstances into consideration and use the latest research to provide the right advice for your land and horses.
We are a multi-disciplinary team made up agricultural and sustainability experts. This means we have a practical understanding of land management as well as expertise in the challenges facing the equine sector.
After an initial visit to assess the current state of the land, we can establish where the key issues are and identify areas that need improvement. This gives clients a clear baseline for action. From there, we can guide you step-by-step on how to enhance pasture productivity.
Healthy soil is vital for resilience and grass growth. We will carry out soil testing to understand the soil’s nutritional needs. To enhance drainage, we will look for ways to build soil structure and address compaction issues. By building organic matter and achieving the right pH balance, drought and flood resilience will improve.
To make the most of your manures, we can offer guidance on nutrient and manure management planning. This could cover composting, storage, appropriate application timing and method.
If restoring grass cover after winter is an issue, potential solutions could include adjusting nutrient application timings or the use of harrows.
We can also advise on alternative grazing systems such as tracks, paddock paradise, or rotational grazing.
With our in-house team of weed and crop specialists, we can quickly identify potential weed, pest and disease problems. To resolve, we will work with you to put effective treatment and management plans in place. Depending on the issue, this could be with or without chemical control.
To better understand your environmental impact, we can carry out a comprehensive sustainability audit of your land. This will outline actions you can take to enhance biodiversity and reduce emissions.
There are several funding options open to equine landowners. Grants exist for hedge and woodland planting, biodiversity improvements, and emission reduction. ADAS can help you find and apply for funding that best suit your land and your business. This could include Countryside Stewardship, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, or selling Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) credits.
ADAS can offer sustainable land management training courses for individuals, groups and organisations. This training can be offered online or face to face.
Our training can cover:
For more information about this service or training, please contact our ADAS Equine team at equine@adas.co.uk.
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