[RC] Land per horse in Michigan - Mike & Laurie Hilyard
Well I do live in Michigan - In Clare, which is
about 120 miles NE of Kalamzoo. How much pasture you need depends on how
long you expect your horses to get the bulk of their nutrients from the
grass. The grass starts growing in Clare the first week of May, and stays
green until a week or so of hard frosts in the fall - the end of October.
In Kalamazoo, you will probably get an addition week to 10 days of growth.
I used to have three horses on three acres of uninproved pasture, and I needed
to start supplementing about mid August, depending on how much water we had
gotten that summer. When I had two horses on three acres, I started
feeding hay in late September, early October. I now have two horses
and a pony on seven acres of improved pasture, and didn't put out my first round
bale until 10/31/04. As a group, they have eaten less than 300 pounds in
10 days, because they are still getting most of their nutrition from the
pasture. Michigan has fertile soil and incredible growth rates in the
months of May and June, and as long as we get water, growth gradually tapers
off until the snow flies. Even in September, the grass
grows. Something will grow, improved or unimproved, that your horse can
safely eat. Even with generous pasture (say 1.5 - 2.0 acres per
head) plan on feeding hay 180 days a year. Most of Michigan is
selenium deficient, so you will likely want to supplement. Hay is
plentiful and relatively cheap, especially during first cutting (June).
Second cutting in Michigan tends to be richer and more costly. Better for
dairy cows than pasture ornaments (horses). Most farmers in Michigan plant
an alfalfa/grass mix, and the concentration of alfalfa is higher in second
cuttings. Zoning laws will vary by township, but most Michigan cities are
not expanding so what zoning laws you move into will likely stay that way.
Most zoning is not done here by # of animals per acre. More likely it will
be a yes/no question on whether livestock is allowed at all - which should only
be an issue if you plan on living where city services are provided (water,
sewer, etc.). Welcome to Michigan, and I hope to meet you at our Great
Lakes Distance Riding Association rides!
