land questions .....

Ok I didn't know where to put this but I hope it is the right spot.
SOON I will start to clear of land. I don't want to worry about
constantly buying hay because my horse dosn't have enough grass.
so how much land would it take for a Haflinger and a friesian (2)
to have enough grass to eat though the summer and have enough
hay for all the winter (the hay comes from the same field)?????
Plaese help!
Larra

ok i guess it is too hard???

Where I board my horses, my BO has about 12 acres for land for 10 horses, 2 mini donkeys and 1 mini. In the summertime there is enough grass that they don't need any hay. Though she does buy hay in the winter.

I'm really not sure how many acres 2 horses would need to have.

sorry if that wasn't really helpful

we baled a couple acres and had enough for the year (3 cuts) but the horses were not on the same land we were baling...

For the best advice for your particular circumstances you should speak with your county agriculture agent. They will even come out and help you with a plan for optimal land usage.

Appyt is right, you need to contact your local Department of Agriculture or Natural resources agent. The land needed can very by state and rainfall. Your in Atlanta which I think has been having a drought for the last few years. What you need during those times will be different then for normal rainfall years too.
The main thing if you wish to have a "hay meadow" area is to set it aside from your normal horse pasture. I used to have our place split into 3 sections. A dry lot, a warm season pasture and a cool season pasture and I only have 10 acres. I still buy my hay, its just cheaper to buy it from my neighbor than to pay someone to bale it, or purchase and maintain the equipment needed to bale it myself.

WOW! thanks for all the help! I will be sure to ask a local Agriculture or Natural resources agent.

Where i live, you HAVE to have three acres per horse.
Maybe look up your states equine laws? and see what the legal about of land is?

Chelsss - that's for horse ownership -- she's asking about how much is need to grow sufficient hay... different issue

People have given you good advice. And be conservative -- that is -- if you are told 5 acres and you have the option to do 7 -- go with the 7. A bad year can really mess you up. A good year, you can either sell it or fallow some the next year.

I asked my husband and he doesnt think you are going to be able to hay the same land they are turned out on. You'd be better off doing a sacrifice lot (which would be like a corral that you can shut the in that will more then likely always be dirt). Then have your pasture, and you can monitor your grass and keep it from being eaten down to much. Keep them up in the lot when it's really wet so they don't tear it up and also pull them off the grass entirely for the winter. Then if you can get yourself a 2 or 3 acre section that they are not on at all you can probably bail enough to get you through the year... hope that helps.