Lime and horses

So what do you think after spreading pellitized lime. How long should I keep the horses off that field ? Wait till after a rain at least ?

I wait until a good rain. Once its not on the blades of grass its good for grazing.

I have always waited till after a good rain, for lime and fertilizer.

How do you know when to add lime and how much? I am thinking my field could use some this spring based on the types of weeds that come up, but I'm not sure. Soil tests that you send away for analysis are crazy expensive here. Would a gardeners test kit work?

I use the gardeners tests, I get them for two dollars each and do four for my pasture (different parts). Test usually has information on what should be done. Some use a ton a acre (or 1000 pounds in spring than again in the fall) when it's really acidic every four? Years. I put 500 (or ten bags of pelletized) pounds of lime on my small pasture. Twice a year (for this year).

You take a soil sample from your pasture, you University Extension center can tell you how, or you agricultural store, ours is Missouri Farm Association, MFA.
They will even lend you a collection tool. They send the sample to the local university for analasis, about $10-15.

Wow! I was quoted between $75 and $100 for a single soil sample. I was also told I needed to sample in a half dozen or so locations in my 3 acre pasture. This is what the local Ag store told me the government extension charged. I guess I need to look into this a little more...

You do need to test several different locations in your pasture, take a sample from about 6 spots then put them all together, mix them all up for one sample.
Mine go to the University of Mo. In Columbia, I would look into state universities closer to you in the states, you can send directly to the university, I think for the same price. I go through MFA because they have the soil probe I can borrow.

Now I will say that a $75 soil evaluation is probably very detailed, but you don't really need that much detail for a pasture. Your place might have a less detailed evaluation for less $$$.