How do you make/maintain a dry lot?

[evedex]

I often read about people's dry lots. And I have tried to make and maintain them but have little or no success. I would be curious on how others have created theirs and how they keep them from growing back right away.

Thanks.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]WE just let all our horses over graze a small area and it became a dry lot over a couple of years. We also live in the woods mostly and there wasnt alot of grass to begin with in the back.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[kaykay]

mine became a drylot in 2 weeks lol.

 

[Cathy_H]

If you make it too big for the number of horses then there will be some grass that will grow back................... In the late 80's when we made ours we fenced off an area that we felt would be big enough for some ample moving around. We put our dozen horses on it & the grass was gone in less than a week & never came back......... We now have 4 dry lots in different sizes. These were sized based on the size of the run ins & the number of horses that we were going to put in each lot............................ If you keep the grass cut very low that will help them eat it down faster......... You can delete hay for a few days or so until they graze the grass down....................... Don't know how much grass you have left but if it is short & sparce then that is not a problem - it will just keep the horses content trying to get it.................. If you feel it is way too much grass you could always kill it off if you have somewhere to leave the horses until it is safe to put them back on ( when I use products like this I always leave the horses off lots longer than recommended).

 

[bevann]

I used a product called Pramitol but there are other weed killers out there that will kill everything green.Just use a garden tank type sprayer&spray anthing green in a small area.Don't make the dry lot too big-they just need to be able to trot around.It may take a while but it works.I call mine the "DIET FIELD" I really thin I need to live in there for a while.It is portion control feeding.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

You can mow it very short. If you use weed killers, be sure you don't use one that is a soil sterilant. That stays in the ground for many years and will run-off. Use Roundup around the fence edges. It is safe for livestock in a day. I have to mow parts of mine, as the horses don't like the vegetation and won't even go in the area where it is, so as to trample it down. I mow it, as I don't want the stuff going to seed.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Eve you need to fence off an area that is too small to maintain the number of horses grazing on it. Fence it off this fall and over the winter and into the spring keep the horses on it constantly. They will graze it down to nothing as the grass comes up and then you don't need to worry about founder as they will get only gradual amounts of grass. You won't need to feed hay or as much hay depending on the amount of grass coming up until it is all gone. Then you need to keep the horse on it and they will nibble up any bits that do come up. Once you start to turn them out on pasture in the summer do it gradually for parts of the day and bring them back on the dry lot for the rest of the day.

 

[Marty]

I tried for a couple of years but our place was too lush also. It finally took a bulldozer when building our barn pad.

Even now we still have grass coming up in places. You can squirt vinegar on it and keep it mowed way down low but mostly we just all use it. We ride the 4 wheelers on it and the truck, mowers etc but mostly I let the horses on it all the time. I don't worry about the nubs growing.

 

[Miniv]

We have several dry lots that vary in size up to a quarter acre. The larger was mowed before puting horses on it. They ate them down in no time and didn't allow anything new to grow back.

In Spring, a little bit does come back but is quickly taken care of by busy mouths.......

MA

 

[Black Magic]

Goats.... Take one male... two females... and wait..... Lol... We just got two female goats and one baby (that is gelded). This morning, I saw the guy running up an old sprawling oak tree, trying to get to the green stuff... Who knew goats could get up trees??? lol..

Wanna trade??? Your lush for our dry???

God Bless,

Lynn W

 

[Voodoo]

Alright everybody, I'm moving to wherever you all live. This is killing me, too lush for a dry lot

: . We're lucky to get lawn here let alone something lush for the horses

: . Dry lot is all there is in this *&%$@#@! country :bgrin . That being said I can't help you out with making a dry lot because you sure don't have to try where I come from.