The girls and I had a meeting.
I explained to them the concept of Delayed Gratification.
“You’ll thank me later,” I said.
They threw visual daggers at my back, I’m pretty sure, as I walked out of their muddy, stinky paddock.
Yes, Grass is back! And we (horses and human alike) are looking forward to its benefits.
- For Them: fresh grass and more movement. Check out NickerNews facebook for mud race images.
- For Us: a well-earned break from the labor and expense of hay.
But my enthusiasm has been curbed by the knowledge gained from conversations with pasture professionals.
Deb Schwab and Dick Brzozowski both recommend letting grasses get a head start before sending hungry horses onto fields.
Grasses can’t thrive if they are constantly bitten off short.
Traffic during mud season will wreck any overseeding attempts before those seeds can germinate and take hold. Thus, the above talk about Delayed Gratification.
We’ll be rotating pastures this year, too, girls. That means more looking over the fence where Grass is Greener and introducing another not-so-satisfying mantra:
“It’s for your own good.”