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New Member:
menjd

Posted on Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 - 10:01 am:

Hello Everybody,

I need to turn one of my smaller paddocks into dirt for my laminitis prone gelding. This guy gets sore even when he wears a muzzle and is turned out on pasture that is mowed super short.

The paddock is small, about 1/2 acre, but that still makes Round up super expensive. I also have 2 ponds nearby and don't want to endanger all those fish and frogs.

Any ideas?
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 - 11:04 am:

Hi Sarah,

Looks like you're in Utah? If you have use of a tractor with a rake, just till the top inch or so and drag it a couple of times-- I have built several arenas in CO (some nearly as large as your space)with purely mechanical weeding. Dragging a weighted chainlink fence panel behind a pickup is slower, but will also get the job done. It will also make the footing a bit softer for him.

An even simpler option is to confine some other animals in the space for a while to over-graze it.

If you guys get wind like we do, make sure he has shelter from blowing dust. That's an unwelcome side effect of sacrifice areas.

Good luck.
Member:
christel

Posted on Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 - 11:24 am:

Hi Sarah- I live in Texas, and if you look around here, dont go to the nearest garden shop or Walmart even, try a farmers coop (I get my Roundup at the local grain elevator- 2 1/2 gallons cost $35. at the nurseries it costs $110. for the same 2 1/2 gallons). The cost is .35 cents a gallon when I mix it up as it states in the directions- (6 tablespoons per gallon). It is very cost effective.
Roundup has now (like zimectrin) outlasted it's patent- everyone is making it, and is very cheap compared to what it was a few years ago.
If you look around bet you can find it cheap.
Hope that helps.
Chris
Member:
hwood

Posted on Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 - 11:53 am:

Elizabeth, would you mind e-mailing me privately? I have some questions about your arena-building expertise.
Thanks
Member:
scooter

Posted on Sunday, Sep 16, 2007 - 12:54 pm:

Sarah is it possible to start with your paddock being smaller? What I did was start with a small area let the horses eat it to nubbins and the trampling finished it off. Then I would move the fence 3 foot and let them "kill" that... we are now up to about a quarter acre "dry lot" with a few weeds, and a potty area they won't eat surprisingly!

This worked very well for me I used in step in stakes and a very hot electric fence. Moving the fence 3 foot about once a week was very easy.

When I decided "fat" boy was skinny enough to graze I did the same thing with the pasture...I would move the fence 3 foot daily, that way he got some grass...but not too much. I also have 2 other horses that helped with the process. The laminatic one is now out 24/7 in about an acre of short grass with no ill effects. Up until this process the laminitis, and weight were not under control he would get sore from a little grass also. Good Luck
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 17, 2007 - 12:38 am:

Besides the cheaper generics available RoundUp is considered safe to use around ponds as it deactivates rapidly when it comes into contact with the soil. Just be sure to follow the instructions.
DrO
Member:
imogen

Posted on Monday, Sep 17, 2007 - 12:45 pm:

Glyphosate (roundup) is one of the safest weedkillers around and in normal sunlight/weather will break down in about 3 days but obviously read the label and use it right... People graze cattle on it after 3 days here!

The other methods here I'm sure will work too.

Good luck Sara
Member:
menjd

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 25, 2007 - 9:11 pm:

Thanks for the replies everybody! For now, we are just turning the other two horse out and letting them graze it down and I must say they are fine lawnmowers!
Thanks again!
Member:
imogen

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007 - 3:26 pm:

Sarah, if you want to use roundup the grass must be growing strongly. Therefore you don't want to graze it down too hard before you spray it (eg if there are no green leaf blades showing then the spraying will not be very effective). There is nothing wrong with using up the grazing there but do not graze it really tightly before spraying.

Best wishes

Imogen
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