New paddock maintenance guide

Barenbrug, one of the UK’s largest grass seed producers, has relaunched its range of grass seed products for the equine industry. Three products are now available under Barenbrug’s Hunters Equestrian range: a general-purpose grass seed; a traditional meadow grass seed; and a herbs mixture. To support the relaunch, Barenbrug has also developed a free guide that gives horse owners step-by-step, season-by-season, paddock maintenance advice.Barenbrug, one of the UK’s largest grass seed producers, has relaunched its range of grass seed products for the equine industry. Three products are now available under Barenbrug’s Hunters Equestrian range: a general-purpose grass seed; a traditional meadow grass seed; and a herbs mixture. To support the relaunch, Barenbrug has also developed a free guide that gives horse owners step-by-step, season-by-season, paddock maintenance advice.

Conscious that most horse paddocks are repaired by overseeding rather than renovated through a complete reseed, Barenbrug has repackaged its equine products in 10kg bags. Easy to handle, these bags provide enough grass seed for up to one acre. Products available include:

• Hunters Equestrian General Purpose Grass Seed: This hardy mixture contains grasses that have been selected for their roughage and low fructan content. Designed to cope with the pressures of equestrian use, the mixture has a strong plant rooting system, which creates a dense sward that is hardwearing, persistent and delivers the right levels of roughage required for a fit and healthy equine gut. Approximately 70% of this specialist product is made up of perennial ryegrass; 16% of strong creeping red fescue; 8% of meadow fescue; and 6% of Timothy. 

• Hunters Equestrian Traditional Meadow Grass Seed: In this traditional meadow grass product, Barenbrug has blended a mixture that recreates the nutritional characteristics of a natural habitat. Free from ryegrass, the mixture uses species that are less aggressive to aid biodiversity. Swards sown with this mixture are likely to be lower in fructans than a traditional ryegrass sward, reducing the risk of laminitis, which can occur when horses have access to too much high-sugar grass.

• Hunters Equestrian Herbs Mixture: The final product in Barenbrug’s Hunters Equestrian range is a special blend of herbs, typically found in older horse pastures, which can provide valuable nutrients and trace elements. With a deep rooting structure, the herbs mixture provides a good source of minerals and trace elements and will add diversity of species in a pasture. Developed especially for grazing horses and ponies, this mixture is made up of 45% chicory; 20% sheeps parsley; 20% salad burnet; 9% ribgrass and 6% yarrow.ke machinery on to ground that is dry enough to prevent 

Mhairi Dawson, Research & Development Manager said: “Correctly managing your paddocks and overseeding them regularly can make a big difference to the amount of grazing available to horses. It can also make grass more resilient to the day-to-day pressures of feeding and exercise. The three products we have assembled are each valuable in their own right and, used in conjunction with the advice in our paddocks guide, will give horse owners everything they need to grow more grass.”

Alongside its Hunters Equestrian grass seed paddocks and pastures range, Barenbrug has developed a range of specialist equine grass products for the equine industry for gallops, racecourses and polo pitches. Barenbrug also has a range of products that are perfect for horse owners and small holders that want to grow grass for hay and haylage.