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Discussion on Feeding horses grass seed?
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Member:
stek
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 11:05 am:
Not sure if I am nuts with this one... but I was thinking of feeding our horses a small amount (like an ounce daily) of grass seed with their grain with the idea that they would seed the pastures themselves by spreading the seed in their manure. I normally overseed with a fescue (endophyte free)/orchard/ryegrass/clover mix that I thought I might try this with. The seed is not treated in any way that I know of.
I wanted to ask 1) if there could be any health risks associated with this, and 2) if the seed is likely to just be chewed up and/or digested rather than making it's way to the pasture still in useful form? If not I would think the manure balls would be perfect seed starter pods.
I know they must consume some amount of seed when they eat first cutting hay, and I know I've seen things sprouting out of manure piles...
What are your thoughts?
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Member:
leslie1
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 11:35 am:
 seed starter pods
Gotta love it Shannon!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 1:29 pm:
Well, gee whiz, does this mean I don't have to trudge through the pastures when there is snow & mud to do my frost seedings?!
You might end up with cluster grass, 
Nuts? NO, Innovative, YES!!!
I seriously have no clue as to whether of not is will work.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 6:09 pm:
How well this would "work" would depend upon the type of seed, perhaps.
Also, do be certain that the seed is not coated or treated with anything, such a fungicide. Bagged grass seeds sometimes are treated.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 6:28 pm:
HMMMM I love it! what an interesting idea, but just from my experience with trying to start grass seed where the horses poop I don't know if it would work( it won't grow there) or if it does it dies fast...I think horse poop is too "hot" to start grass seed with....but not sure...the grass where the horses "bathroom " is sure grows good, but that's already established.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 17, 2009 - 8:16 pm:
Diane -- Your observations are "right on."
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 18, 2009 - 8:30 am:
My thoughts are I don't know why the horse's digestive system will not digest a significant percentage of the seeds and it seems like a really random way to spread the seeds. Often the places the horse uses as the bathroom is the areas that needs the least reseeding.
It general it is not wise to go messing with a horse's diet for non-nutritional reasons.
DrO
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Member:
imogen
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 18, 2009 - 9:32 am:
As an avid composter I can confirm that the grass seed does not begin to grow until about 1 year after the muck is first composted, at which stage all heat has left the heap. So the seeds will survive but will not grow for a considerable time.
Imogen
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Member:
stek
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 18, 2009 - 3:10 pm:
Interesting. Imogen, on my compost bins, I usually get grass and oats on the top layer of the pile within a couple months after I stop adding to the pile. Maybe this is on smaller piles that cook faster? They are about 4'x4'x4'.
I have also seen *something* green growing out of manure piles in the indoor arena not too long after the pile has been deposited if the arena is being kept watered. Never left it around long enough to let the plants mature enough to identify though.
Diane, I seeded one of our pasture 'bathroom spots' last year and the new seedlings took off like mad. Though the manure was probably already somewhat mature just from aging out in the winter rains. Of course, the horses didn't touch what grew there, but at least it looked better!
I still do overseed every spring regardless as we are hard on our pastures so I was thinking the main benefit would be randomness of it, we have a couple horses that use a bathroom spot but the rest go everywhere. And I have visions of the manure piles that tend to squash/kill the grass under them breaking down and re-seeding the spots on their own. Sigh.. I can dream, right?
My biggest concern though is the possibility of unintended health problems, and with that being a big question mark it's probably not worth it. Otherwise I might try it just to see what happened.
O'well, if wishes were horses I would've had twelve ponies living in my basement as a child!
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