Keeping horses on small acreage is all about grass and land management. We are constantly aware of how the grass is doing. I reseed every spring and fall to ensure our horses have enough quality grass to graze. That means rotating horse yards and keeping the chickens off the grass during reseeding periods. There are huge benefits to pastured hens so they’ll be back to their free ranging ways by July but in the meantime, I’m making an effort to provide grass in other ways. 

They have access to daily, though limited, grazing through various means. One is a grassy pen that we open for them on the weekends, giving it five days of rest between. They’re also enjoying pallet raised beds of grass daily. These are supplemented with indoor grown barley fodder. I use stacked plastic bins, set on shelves, to keep a rotating supply of fresh barley grass matts in production. With forethought and a bit of effort, they can still enjoy grass while I ensure everybody has what they need for the year.