Horse farm work

Glenn D

Member
Hi folks

we have a friend that runs a horse rescue place they have a few animals on 25 acres divided up into paddocks and a sort of track the horses can wander and run in. This track varies in width from 8-20' wide and it's a bit hilly. This area used to be hayfield and I guess it's pretty rough to walk on and theres grass growing in it now. she has asked if I could disc it for her to kill the grass and mix up the surface. This only came up because I have a small disc and one of my Ford N's is small enough to get through the narrow parts, the other farmers around her have told her discing this is the way to go but their equipment is all to big to fit. is discing it going to get her what she wants? and if I do it how would you charge for something like that?
 
The slopes will wash maybe, so its what she wants but can
create as many problems as it solves.

By the hour would work for charging for such an odd field
shape.

Paul
 

I'm not entirely sure I understand what the problem is to begin with. but I can certainly see how killing the vegetation is going to cause erosion.
 
You really haven't told us "what she wants" other than for you to disc it. I'm going to make a stab at this and think she wants it to be smoothed out because it is too rough for her liking. (Probably a result of letting the horses turn this area into a gymnasium while it was way too wet) I'd disc it for her and charge her $65.00 per hour. I'd also "suggest" to her to reseed it after discing. Horse people....always want their race tracks to look like Churchill Downs.
 
Biggest trouble I see is what you might get into.
From past experience, I shy away from 'rescues'.
Seems they all want you to do things for free
because they're 'rescuing' some bone bag that
should have been put down humanely some years
back. Then they want you to give them free hay.
Sorry- I have have been burned a couple of times,
and refuse to do it again. I'm just not into
feeding their animals for them so I can feel good.
Or dragging a down horse out of a swamp, or
digging a hole so they can bury the critter.
Sorry for the rant, but too many of these folks
should go back to town or learn that horse meat
doesn't really taste all that bad....
 
I'll bet the problem is that the horses have made it real rough due to working/running in that area when wet so it is full of huff prints which will make the area rough and hard to work across
 

Well I guess the rescues aren't just farm horses someone can't afford to feed it's some special gaited breed and she gets them from all over the world. The problem with her track (more of a path) is there is too much high quality grass on it and she wants that to die and I guess she'll plant something else to take over. Basically the horses are eating too much, and she needs to be able to control how much they eat and still let them exercise.
 
Yup, know where you are coming from. I am 30 minutes from New Holland Sales Stables, one of the biggest horse auctions in the east. Everyone one tries to rescue horses from there. Then they flood craigslist with ads needing feed, hauling, stone dust etc etc for free. What a joke...
 

That could be it. from the web search they look like that. They have ones from south america and one from Puerto rico that was in bad shape when they got him. they pay all the expenses to get them here out of pocket.

anyway I'm pretty sure I can do what she wants. I'll work out a price for her.
 
Do it right. Burn it down with RU Then disc, then disc second time when some weeds appear (12-14 days. Then reseed with some bluegrass.
 
Send me and e-mail please. The blue grass one guy say to use is bad mojo but will not say why here by to horse's it is a big well
 
Paso Finos are normally a pretty sound animal, except that they are more prone as a breed to Laminitis. Could be why She wants the bluegrass gone.
 
They feed bluegrass to million dollar thorobreds so it might be OK for those PF. According to the MSU ag school it is one of the best and most popular pasture grasses in MO.
 

I can only guess but I would think a thoroughbred would need a lot of energy from it's feed to replace what they expend in training. I don't think these horses are as rigourously worked.
 
I guarantee you, she isn"t going to want any bluegrass, or probably any other grass planted either if she is working with sick Paso Finos
 
Dirt! If in fact it's a laminitis case, only able to feed grass hay, preferably last years. No grazing at all.
I had exactly that here on my place, crazy lady owner had the horse for 22 years I think. Like most of that kind treated the horse like she'd like to be treated, not like a horse needs to be treated. Over fed and basically killed her own horse.
I've had three Paso Fino horses on my place over the years, unbelievable animals. You could go out in the morning with a full cup of coffee, hop on and trot off without spilling a drop, especially the Puerto Rican breed.
 
In which case you will want to try and level to some extent. And/or expect to go back and do more work after time and erosion progresses. If the operation is as much on the up and up as you say, might turn into a regular gig. Dirt track maintenance can be honest work, might add a trick or two to your drag harrow collection.
 
I recommend you do like all the other farmers did. Say your disc is to big. The reason the ground is so torn up and rough is that she is over grazing her acres. If there is grass growing on it and she is grazing horses now why try to kill the grass ? Grass is what horses eat. So your ?, is discing going to get her what she wants ? No ! I doubt it. She dosen't know what she wants. Proceed at your own risk. But there is a reason everyone else said thy could not do it.( and farmers tend to be very generous, I would do 25 acres for free if I thought it would help a neighbor,).
 
I have several horror stories with the "rescue" horse people.

1st tenant I leased to with the understanding of no more than 3 animals on 5 acres. Next thing you know it's 11 and they destroyed the grasses before I could get them/her off my land.

Seems they have very big hearts and no money.
 
H :evil: donjr,,, I know this is an old topic but "US HORSE PEOPLE" think more of our horses than than some of "YOU" humans. You sound like a cat lover to me.
 

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