Uneven land, brambles and fencing

[Maggiesmum]

Hi, I’ve just joined the forum so hello. I grew up in sheep farming world but have been out of it my adult life so sorry if I sound thick. I’ve just returned to countryside and bought a house with some land I’d like to graze my horse on and am after some advice. The field at the front of house is uneven clay with a big slope. It’s also covered in brambles at one end. There’s also no fencing. I’d like to turn it into a paddock with better quality grass, no brambles and safe fencing. And I’m skint! Can anyone give me a steer as to how you would go about achieving this and potential cost? I’ve previously used sheep net with a wooden top rail for fencing. But that was twenty years ago. Thanks. Any advice welcome.

 

[Purli R]

You say your skint? Join the club!

 

[Lofty1984]

My first step would be clear the brambles etc back to your boundary before trying to do anything else.
Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[Bury the Trash]

 

[Renaultman]

My first step would be clear the brambles etc back to your boundary before trying to do anything else.
Welcome to the forum by the way

This a knapsack and some Grazon first. Get rid of the brambles and let the grass grow, then electric fence if you're on a budget

 

[neilo]

You’re skint? That rules out getting someone in then, unless you look particularly good in jodphurs of course.

Clear the brambles by slashing/spraying regrowth, and put a single strand electric fence round the boundary to keep neddy in. Cheap but effective.

Do you really need ‘better quality grass’ for a horse, or just keep the brambles/weeds clear and throw a bit of grass seed on any bare patches?

 

[Maggiesmum]

Thanks for the replies, realise this is first world problems for most of you so I’m grateful. So brambles first then, (about an acre of them) I guess I need to hack them down first and burn and then Grazon them. Will the grazon make it unsuitable for grazing for a while?

 

[Renaultman]

Thanks for the replies, realise this is first world problems for most of you so I’m grateful. So brambles first then, (about an acre of them) I guess I need to hack them down first and burn and then Grazon them. Will the grazon make it unsuitable for grazing for a while?

I would just use Grazon on the brambles as are, it's great on them. 7 day withdrawal Link just a random Grazon google search no idea on the quality of the company although the price looks about right.

 

[Maggiesmum]

@neilo sadly I don’t think my arse is going to win me any free bramble cutting! Any idea of the cost if I were to get someone in to cut and treat? It’s about 1/2 acre of bramble. I’m in Cheshire. Electric fencing is a good shout. And prob right about quality of grass. It’s ok. Here’s a pic. Brambles are at top end.

 

[Maggiesmum]

I would just use Grazon on the brambles as are, it's great on them. 7 day withdrawal Link just a random Grazon google search no idea on the quality of the company although the price looks about right.

Thank you, will look at this.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Thanks for the replies, realise this is first world problems for most of you so I’m grateful. So brambles first then, (about an acre of them) I guess I need to hack them down first and burn and then Grazon them. Will the grazon make it unsuitable for grazing for a while?

get someone to put their hedgetrimmer on for an hour or 2 and flail them off or some one with a flail topper

then get some quiet livestock on it some how.

 

[neilo]

@neilo sadly I don’t think my arse is going to win me any free bramble cutting! Any idea of the cost if I were to get someone in to cut and treat? It’s about 1/2 acre of bramble. I’m in Cheshire. Electric fencing is a good shout. And prob right about quality of grass. It’s ok. Here’s a pic. Brambles are at top end.

Bugger, I won’t ask for photos then.

Are there any local contractors or farmers that have a flail topper? They could muller those brambles nicely at this time of year, before they get going again. Spray the regrowth with a knapsack, job done.

 

[michael N123]

Go to a tool hire place get a heavy duty strimmer won’t take as long as you think

 

[mo!]

If you're skint get rid of the horse. Problem solved.

 

[Agrivator]

If you're skint get rid of the horse. Problem solved.

And learn how to make bramble jam, or even better, bramble jelly.

 

[Old Boar]

A heavy duty brush cutter makes short work of brambles. You bounce the strimmer head on them, chopping them down gradually, not side swipe them or they fight back. By bounce cutting them, you end up with lots of tiny bits which rot down fast. I could probably do that patch fairly quickly and I am in my dotage. Very satifying too! It is a good exercise for slimming the waist too, and you can go inside with a clean field and eat cake!

 

[pycoed]

If you have a brushcutter already, get a mulching blade for it 9E.G https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mulching...719399?hash=item41ed46e067:g:l8YAAOSwSatbImm1) - they are the bees knees on brambles. 1/2 acre would be an easy morning - doesn't look to steep to be awkward to get a machine on too?

 

[glasshouse]

Buy a goat, they eat brambles.
Put white leccy tape round it, job done

 

[Lazy Sod]

Half an acre with a knapsack? It'll take forever and you won't be sure of what you've done and not done.

 

[Fendt516profi]

I would just use Grazon on the brambles as are, it's great on them. 7 day withdrawal Link just a random Grazon google search no idea on the quality of the company although the price looks about right.

Very good company to deal with had trouble ordering online so rang them and spoke to someone and they beat there online prices which were already £8-£10 a bottle better than my local supplier. And it was delivered straight to the door.