Should we let animals onto boggy area now the land is so dry.

[zaffy]

We have 18 acres of parched land but there are a few areas where it is boggy and green roped off. It seems to me, now is the time to allow the horses to graze on that boggy area. But I have read never to allow livestock onto boggy land because it will churn it up and make it worse. Anyone had experience of letting large animals onto boggy land and the consequences? thanks.

 

[Still Farming]

Unless sssi or nature reserve???
Even boggy areas are Rock hard this year possibly?

 

[Bald Rick]

Nothing wrong with it. In fact it will increase the biodiversity but you will need to treat for lung worm when done

 

[Uggman]

We have 18 acres of parched land but there are a few areas where it is boggy and green roped off. It seems to me, now is the time to allow the horses to graze on that boggy area. But I have read never to allow livestock onto boggy land because it will churn it up and make it worse. Anyone had experience of letting large animals onto boggy land and the consequences? thanks.

I would walk it and see how boggy it still is but if it feels firm crack on

 

[zaffy]

Thanks for immediate response. No, it is not a special area. Dorset land, and there's a lot of water underground. Seems to make sense to graze it rather than feed hay in these lean times. But family member seems to be sticking to the rules of never allow animals to churn up boggy areas.

 

[Sid]

Nothing wrong with it. In fact it will increase the biodiversity but you will need to treat for lung worm when done

Don't you mean fluke?

 

[egbert]

If it's not restricted by designation/scheme, go ahead.
the variables to consider could include fluke issues, and be aware there are some nasty plants only found in wet places. Bog asphodel comes to mind. Unlikely, but give it some thought. even then, better than seeing hungry stock

 

[Bald Rick]

Don't you mean fluke?

Yeah ... although the OP could get lungworm if he eats the horse that grazes the wet patch without proper cooking.

About the only real use for horses IMO

 

[Derrick Hughes]

If it's wet now it's a lake not a bog

 

[zaffy]

If it's wet now it's a lake not a bog

I think there are underground springs or maybe all the water running of the land as it heads towards the see. Always has reeds growing on it and reluctant to drive a tractor over it.

 

[whatnow]

We have 18 acres of parched land but there are a few areas where it is boggy and green roped off. It seems to me, now is the time to allow the horses to graze on that boggy area. But I have read never to allow livestock onto boggy land because it will churn it up and make it worse. Anyone had experience of letting large animals onto boggy land and the consequences? thanks.

If you never intend to allow anything to graze it does it actually matter if it’s made worse?
As already said, if it’s dry enough to graze get on and do it. Probably won’t be this dry again (at least not for 10 months or so)

 

[zaffy]

Whatnow - Yes, agreed. Passing on all this common-sense info to family member who has been following an equestrian forum/blog, which is very good and helpful, but with this situation, I feel blog is wrong. Thanks

 

[Half Pipe]

When I was young our cattle had access to a peat bog, they only ventured into it when dry but often ended in some needing pulled from a wet spot.
It got fenced of many years ago.
Any locals/previous owners you can ask why it's been fenced off!?

 

[michael N123]

Just walk over it and see if it’s still soft

 

[Sid]

If it's wet now it's a lake not a bog

I still have land you can't walk over.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

We have 18 acres of parched land but there are a few areas where it is boggy and green roped off. It seems to me, now is the time to allow the horses to graze on that boggy area. But I have read never to allow livestock onto boggy land because it will churn it up and make it worse. Anyone had experience of letting large animals onto boggy land and the consequences? thanks.

If you never graze it it can't get worse by grazing can it , grazing can only improve land like that

 

[Ffermer Bach]

When I was young our cattle had access to a peat bog, they only ventured into it when dry but often ended in some needing pulled from a wet spot.
It got fenced of many years ago.
Any locals/previous owners you can ask why it's been fenced off!?

that would be my only concern, would they sink and get stuck? I would be happy to try to lift out a stuck cow with the tractor, not so sure I would want to try to pull out a sheep by hand! And I would definitely be a little unsure about a stuck horse.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

hey, just a thought, while it's as dry as it's going to get, why don't you pull a ditch through the middle of it, try to improve it?

 

[2wheels]

if you can't walk /graze it now get a 360 and make a resevoir.

 

[Nearly]

if you can't walk /graze it now get a 360 and make a resevoir.

Rent it to SWWater?