The Grass Doctor

What is best for pasture grass seeds for my horses. I am needing enough for 1.5 acres.?

I live in Oklahoma, and they have ate about 95% of the grass down to dirt. So I am needing to plant grass, but not sure on which type.

Public Comments

1. It doesn't matter what you plant, on 1.5 acres they are going to tear it up. No type of grass can really handle multiple horses on that small a field. How many horses are on it?
2. I agree with Julie. 1.5 acres is barely enough to keep one horse so no matter what you seed in they will trample it and eat it in no time at all. New grass needs time to establish and therefore horses should be kept off it for at least a year so the roots have a chance to get down into the soil and, even if you do this and have two or more horses out on it they will soon turn it into dirt again.
3. You are clearly over-grazing. 1.5 acres IS BARELY enough for one horse. With horses on the 1.5 acre, it doesn't matter what you plant, it won't survive.
4. Horses tend to be harsher on the grass then cows as they have teeth on the top and bottom of their mouths whereas cows only have one and curl the grass around their tongue first. When kept in a smaller paddock and still supplement fed they do a great job of turning grass to dust. I've been looking at a site that has details about diff grass types http://www.qldindependentseeds.com.au/page2.htm but this is for my area/climate so I hope it helps.
5. You should ask this question of your county cooperative extension agent. They will know which grasses are best for pasture in your local area. You'll also probably want to get the soil tested. I buy a "pasture mix" of seeds which includes a few different types of grasses for the best grazing over the longest period of time. If you want to get any grazing off of only 1.5 acres, you'll have to divide it up into three .5 acre lots and rotate the horses between them. That way each part will get a couple of weeks to rest and grow before being grazed on again.