The maximum number of horses and ponies
who should ideally be kept to graze on any piece of pasture land or acreage
varies according to several
The general rule is to allow at least one and a half acres of grazing for the first horse and one acre for each horse or pony after that.
Provision also needs to be made for every part of the pasture to be rested for at least six weeks, twice a year.
Some owners will try to keep horses on less acreage per horse, but, for example even having seven horses on 7 acres would stretch a field's resources to its limits.
With careful grass management, it would technically be possible to cope but it would only take an average wet winter to leave you with a field which is so over-grazed and muddy that it would be of little use for turning out any horses or ponies.
Once pasture has deteriorated, and becomes worthless for grazing, it is a long, hard process to return it to a good condition for grazing your horse or pony on.
This might even mean re-seeding the grass, which would put the whole seven acres of pasture out of action for the best part of a year - leaving you without any grass for grazing for your horse or pony.
However many horses you keep on your land, a general pasture maintenance programme to keep your pasture at its best should include:
A local farmer or agricultural contractor will be able to do these tasks for you.
It may also be worth contacting an agricultural consultant to visit and give you specific advice in relation to the soil type, drainage, fertilising etc.