Our Land
In the time we've been at the farm our goal has been to increase biodiversity and create an environment that encourages wildlife to thrive. The horses play a key part in maintaining the grazing areas. By rotating and regulating the herd’s access to each grazing area we retain a large range of sward lengths. This means that there are a variety of habitats for flora and fauna.
For example, barn owls require long grass in which to hunt but shorter grass allows orchids and fungi to grow. The horses benefit in that they get to browse a huge array of plant life and it is fascinating to watch them choose what they want to eat. During the summer months, when the herd normally chooses to loaf in the cool shade of the barn, we take arm fulls of nettles, cleavers, willow and hawthorne cuttings to the yard where the horses will pick over the choicest bits. Yes, they do eat nettles - they just wait until the sun has wilted them. It is a great way to keep them occupied and recycle the greenery. We also use the manure in our organic garden, which is why we are mindful of our worming regime.
The horses have access to grazing 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The majority of our fields have direct access to a large barn (2 bays, one straw bedding and one pea gravel) and all fields have large hedges and trees, which provides natural shelter.
We rotate the grazing as the seasons and weather dictate to ensure that there is always plenty of grass. Occasionally we allow access to the open grass areas in the woodland, which is an environment that is seldom available in livery situations and the horses love it. We only need to provide additional forage when extreme weather prevents grazing. The horses always have free access to salt and mineral licks.
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GRAZING
Our grazing is species rich mixed grass including perennial rye, sheep’s fescue, cocksfoot, crested dog’s tail, Yorkshire fog, creeping bent and Timothy. There is an abundance of wild flowers including yarrow, wild carrot, yellow rattle, birds foot trefoil, meadowsweet, knapweed, willow herb, clover, soft rush, dandelions, devil’s bit scabious, ragged robin, tufted vetch, cuckoo flower and heath spotted orchids to name just a few. The hedges are full of native flowers, trees and shrubs, which provide our herd with a year round medley of delicacies from bugle to blackberries.