FIRST DRAFT
COTSWOLDS CONSERVATION BOARD
POSITION STATEMENT ON HORSE PASTURE MANAGEMENT
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) are designated by the Government for
the purpose of ensuring that the special qualities of the finest landscapes in England
and Wales are conserved and enhanced.
The Cotswolds Conservation Board is the body set up by Parliament to conserve and
enhance the natural beauty of the Cotswolds AONB and increase the awareness and
understanding of the special qualities of the AONB.
This position statement concerns the management of land to meet growing use of
agricultural land for the grazing and keeping of horses. The statement is about
maintaining for the long term the diversity and quality of pastures, to ensure the
welfare of the animals while at the same time conserving biodiversity and minimising
adverse impacts on the landscape. Specifically, the statement covers:




the needs of the horse;
the benefits of a diverse pasture both to the horse and to wildlife;
community benefits;
best practice for the welfare of horses and the welfare of the environment.
Horse Pasture Management
Aims
For the horse – to provide the best possible welfare standards by enabling the horse
to exhibit its natural behaviour and to meet its needs for space and a diversity of
forage to provide the correct roughage, minerals and elements to give it a healthy diet.
For the environment – to manage the land in such a way that maintains the broadest
diversity of the Cotswolds limestone pastures and to ensure that the quality of the
landscape (so important to the image of the Cotswolds) is maintained and enhanced
rather that degraded. The limestone grasslands of the Cotswolds are some of the most
species-rich in the country and as such are environmentally very important but also
provide one of the best pastures available for a horse so need to be managed
accordingly.
For the community - to enable the equine community to thrive and grow providing
structures for equestrian businesses and the private owner to continue to own and
manage horses in the Cotswolds in harmony with other interests and the wider
community.
Background
The horse has evolved to thrive on a diet high in cellulose and low in protein, hence
the need for unfertilized species–rich pastures that are high in minerals and fibre.
Flower rich pasture supporting a range of grass and flower species is good for both
the horse and for the environment. A diversity of species means the horse has a wide
range to choose from providing different minerals to the animal, thus in the long term
reducing the owners expenditure and providing a benefit to wildlife. However, the
horse is a selective feeder choosing the finer grasses if available resulting in pastures
that show areas of closely grazed sward and areas of rough tussocky grasses.
In addition, the horse is a social animal leading to the use of particular areas for
grooming and rolling which can lead to areas of particularly high use and therefore
prone to poaching and excessive damage.
Both the above features of equine behaviour have led to the impression that horses are
bad for pastures, but this has arisen largely because animals have been kept on
paddocks that are too small for the numbers involved or the grassland has not been
managed in a suitable way to maintain the biodiversity and the visual beauty of the
Cotswolds.
Issues
* There is an increasing tendency for horses to be kept in individual paddocks isolated
from each other. To do this the pastures tend to be split up using electric fencing tape.
This results in a number of problems: the horses are not allowed to exhibit natural
behaviour leading to fence walking and consequent degradation of the land; there is a
profusion of white tape around the countryside leading to major visual intrusion; the
additional accoutrements associated with horses are multiplied around a field.
* The equine industry tends to bring with it a certain amount of physical structures
such as stabling/field shelters, vehicles, ménages and muck heaps. Many of these
require planning permission prior to their erection, such as stabling, lighting and
ménages and possibly the change of use from agricultural premises to equestrian.
The local planning officers should be contacted to discuss what is planned and to
ensure the applicant is clear whether on not a full application is required.
It is important that the Planning Authorities are consistent in their approach across the
AONB.
* It is beneficial to the environment and community if horse pastures are not
concentrated in one area and therefore less of an intrusion visually. This cannot
always be achieved so if there is a concentration the management of such an area
becomes even more crucial.
Best Practice
* The horse is a herd animal and as such should be kept in a group. Those kept on
their own can adopt unsuitable behaviours walking up and down fence lines resulting
in damage to the pasture as well as their own well being. There should be adequate
space for animals to exercise and follow natural behaviour, a minimum of 0.5Ha
pasture per animal but preferably more. Ideally, this grassland should be unfertilized
species-rich grassland providing plenty of fibre and mineral rich herbs. If there is a
need to restrict the quantity of grass a horse can eat it is preferable to provide it longer
rougher grass with more roughage and fibre rather than the fine new shoots (very high
in sugars and protein) found in closely cropped paddocks.
* If electric tape is used around horse pastures, brown or green can be used since this
is just as visible to the horse and considerably less intrusive in the environment. The
tape should be attached to wooden stakes which can be reasonably widely spread still
ensuring the tape can be kept taught. Where possible the field boundaries should
match the local vernacular.
* The protection of trees within an area grazed by horses is essential best practice.
Whilst the bark of trees may well provide nutrients for the animals they will bark a
tree eventually leading to its demise.
* Where stables and other structures are erected it is important to chose materials that
blend in to the environment, again ideally choosing a material closest to the
vernacular, however, costs may dictate something else is used. In this case the choice
should be for the least intrusive in the environment.
* The management of invasive (some poisonous) weeds is essential on horse pasture.
Land that is grazed continuously with horses is likely to become infested with weeds
such as docks, thistles and ragwort. The British Horse Society has led a campaign to
encourage land managers to remove ragwort early enough in the season to ensure it
doesn’t seed and spread. (If pulling ragwort, gloves should be worn and the plant
material disposed of in a manner that ensures no livestock have access to it, since the
dry plant is palatable to horses and just as poisonous). Other weeds need to be
managed to keep the pasture in good heart. Spot spraying can be a method of control
for docks (as long as this is not close to any watercourse); or digging, ensuring the
root systems are adequately removed to prevent re-growth. Thistles should be cut two
or three times a year to prevent seeding. After a number of years of this management
thistles should be considerably weakened and less of a problem.
Other factors
Single Farm Payment
With the introduction of the single farm payment many equine establishments entered
the scheme and activated entitlements. This brings a small income to the claimant,
but also brings some responsibilities that the owners must be aware of. There is a
cross compliance requirement for all claimants of the single farm payment which
means the land must be kept in good agricultural and environmental condition. This
includes the control of certain invasive weeds and preventing poaching (or rectifying
any damage within the following year). Full details for the requirements of cross
compliance can be found on the Defra website.
Business in the Cotswolds
The equine industry is substantial in the Cotswolds bringing in much needed finance
to the community. This is something to encourage and continue to enhance so is
important that those in the industry are fully aware of the needs of the environment
within the Cotswolds and their responsibilities.
Strategic Directions for the industry and AONB
The interested parties need to work more closely together. This will hopefully
involve the local colleges such as Hartpury College (now one of the largest equestrian
centres in the country), local planning officers and of course all horse owners and land
managers, and the British Horse Society.
Sources of information:
Managing Grass for Horses – The responsible owners guide Elizabeth O’BreirneRanelagh
The British Horse Society
Strategy for the Horse Industry in England and Wales - British Horse Industry
Confederation. Defra
NOTES
The Cotswolds Conservation Board has the statutory duty to pursue the following
two purposes:
a) to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the AONB; and
b) to increase the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the
AONB.
In fulfilling these roles, the Board shall seek to foster the economic and social
well-being of people living in the AONB.
The Board is comprised of members appointed by the local authorities, elected
parish council representatives and individuals appointed by the Secretary of State.
The Board, formed in December 2004, is the only organisation that looks after the
AONB as a whole.
The Cotswolds AONB was designated in 1966 and extended in area in 1990. It is
one of 41 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty across England and Wales. It is
the largest AONB, covering 790 sq.miles (2038 sq.km). It is a landscape of equal
importance to National Parks such as Snowdonia and the Lake District.
For further information contact:
Mark Connelly,
Conservation Officer,
Cotswolds Conservation Board
Tel: 01451 862004
Fax: 01451 862001
email: mark.connelly@cotswoldsaonb.org.uk
website: www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk.