Horse SA http://www.horsesa.asn.au Supported by the Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/home

1. Natural Paddocks – Un-natural Behaviours
Biodiversity

2. Land Management Advisory Service
Andy Cole
Land Management Consultant
(17 Years Consulting for Small Landholders)
Contact: 0437 299 268
ascole99@iprimus.com.au

3. CONTENTS
Shelterbelts – Design / What to plant
Pastures – Mixes / Native grasses
Dams – What to plant
Herbs – For health

4. SHELTERBELTS – BENEFITS / DESIGN /
WHAT TO PLANT

5. Shelterbelts – Benefits
A good shelterbelt will:
• Provide shelter from wind and rain.
• Provide shade in summer to reduce heat stress.
• Help to reduce soil erosion and soil salinity.
• Provide habitat for native birds, butterflies, bats, lizards
and useful insects.
• Conserve soil moisture and help to maintain pasture over
summer and autumn.

6. Shelterbelts – Benefits
A good shelterbelt will:
• Assist biosecurity by providing a barrier between
properties.
• Screen horsekeeping activities from neighbours and
reduce the chance of complaints.

7. Shelterbelts – Design
A good property
management plan will
include numbers and
location of effective
shelterbelts.

8. Shelterbelts – Design
Three row shelterbelts are most effective. Avoid single
rows which can be problematic when trees or shrubs die.
Photo courtesy Andy Cole Photo courtesy Andy Cole

9. Shelterbelts – Benefits
A well established shelterbelt will provide protection upwind
(5 times its height) and downwind (25 times its height).

10. Shelterbelts – Planting
Establishing shelterbelts:
• Plan ahead and order plants now for planting this year or next.
• Control rabbits and undertake good weed control.
• Plant carefully and ensure that the tubestock root mass is
covered with soil to prevent loss of water through evaporation
• Always use tree guards.
• Fence the area well from livestock.
• Water, if necessary in spring (usually once per month is
sufficient depending on weather conditions).
• Regularly check plants.
Note: Direct seeding large areas can be an option.

11. Shelterbelts – What to plant
Local native species are always preferred and there should
be a higher proportion of small to medium trees and shrubs
than large trees.
Planting tubestock in late autumn - early winter is a good
time since it will avoid the problem of low soil moisture in
spring and therefore poor establishment.
Photo courtesy Robyn Warren Photo courtesy Andy Cole

12. Shelterbelts – What to plant
‘Trees for Life’ provide
detailed lists of native plants
suitable for your area.
Tree height and shape are
included.
www.treesforlife.org.au
Phone: 8406 0500

13. Shelterbelts – What to plant
State Flora is a source for tubestock and tree guards.
Belair nursery: Phone 8278 7777
Murray Bridge nursery: Phone 8539 2105
www.stateflora.sa.gov.au

14. Shelterbelts – What to plant
‘Adelaide Gardens – A planting
guide’ provides detailed
descriptions of native plants
suitable for shelterbelts.
For details of what to plant in
your area, and technical support,
contact your nearest Natural
Resources Management Board.

15. Shelterbelts – What to plant
www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/home
Black Hill Natural Resources Centre
115 Maryvale Road, Athelstone 5076
Ph: 08 8336 0901
Woodside Natural Resources Centre
1/33b Onkaparinga Valley Road, Woodside 5244
Ph: 08 8336 0901
Open 9 am – 5 pm every Friday. All other times by appointment.

16. Shelterbelts – What to plant
www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin/home
Natural Resources Centre - Murray Bridge
110A Mannum Road, Murray Bridge, SA, 5253
Ph: 08 8532 9100
Fax: 08 8531 1843
Monday-Friday - 9am-5pm
Natural Resources Office - Mount Barker
Upper level, Cnr Mann & Walker Street, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
Ph: 08 8391 7500
Fax: 08 8391 7524
Monday-Friday - 9am-5pm

17. Shelterbelts – What to plant
Avoid planting poisonous trees such as:
• Oleander Nerium oleander
• Castor oil plant Ricinus communis
• Oaks Quercus spp
• Privets Ligustrum spp
• White cedar Melia azedarach
• Prunus spp

18. Shelterbelts – What to plant
Useful references:
Melissa Offord, Plants Poisonous to Horse - An Australian
Field Guide
https://www.horsecouncil.org.au/wp-
content/uploads/2015/11/Plants-Poisonous-to-Horses-Aust-
field-guide.pdf

19. PASTURES – INTRODUCED / NATIVE
GRASSES

20. Pastures – Introduced
It is important to ensure that pastures have a good mix of
species to avoid health issues such as grass staggers and allow
horses to have a choice in what they eat.
Common species include:
Perennial Grasses: Cocksfoot, Ryegrass, Phalaris, Veldt Grass
(300mm), and Tall Fescue.
Annual grasses include short term Italian ryegrasses such as
Tetrone, and self regenerating species such as Safeguard.
Sub. Clovers: e.g. Seaton Park, Denmark and others.
Medics: Barrel, Disc, Snail and others.
Perennial clovers: White and Strawberry clover and others.

21. C3 grasses germinate in autumn and are often described as
winter active . For example Wallaby grass (Rytidosperma spp.
- previously Austrodanthonia spp.).
C4 plants germinate well in spring and are often referred to as
summer active. For example Kangaroo grass (Themeda
triandra).
In both C3 and C4 grasses excess carbohydrate is stored as
starch which does not contribute to laminitis in horses.
Pastures – Native Grasses

22. Weeping Grass (Microlaena stipoides)
Weeping grass is a highly-competitive
C3 species that responds well to
increased fertility and
moderate-to-heavy grazing.
Wallaby Grass (Rytidosperma spp.
- previously Austrodanthonia spp.).
Wallaby grasses are amongst the most
valuable C3 native grasses in pastoral
areas of Australia, due to its persistence
and productivity.
Pastures – Native Grasses
Photos courtesy Andy Cole

23. Wheat grass (Elymus scaber)
This is a tussocky cool-season C3
perennial grass which grows early
in spring and is generally a minor
component of most pastures.
Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)
Kangaroo grass is one of Australia’s
most widespread C4 species, extending
from the arid interior to alpine regions.
A drought-resistant, deep-rooted,
warm-season perennial grass with a
tussocky habit.
Pastures – Native Grasses
Photo courtesy Andy Cole

24. Red Grass (Bothriochloa macra)
Red grass is a warm-season C4 perennial
grass that forms a prostrate tuft of basal
leaves with numerous wiry stems. Leaves
are usually reddish or purplish in colour.
Highly nutritious leaves are readily eaten
when green.
Windmill grass (Chloris truncata)
Windmill grass is a short lived (2 to 3 years)
C4 perennial grass which makes good
growth in spring and responds well to
improved soil fertility and grazing.
Pastures – Native Grasses

25. Wallaby grass and Windmill grass pasture – December
Pt Augusta
Pastures – Native Grasses
Photo courtesy Andy Cole

26. Graze well over summer to remove residues.
Allow for a wave of weed seed germination after the autumn
break (normally 2 to 3 weeks after opening rains),
Spray out paddock with glyphosate/insecticide to control
weeds and pests (e.g. red legged earthmite RLEM).
Some paddocks may need to be lightly harrowed.
Sow seed into moist soil a week after applying glyphosate.
5mm to 10mm depth. If irrigation is available, sow C4s in
spring, otherwise sow all seed in autumn.
Pastures – Sowing Native Grasses

27. ‘Native grasses – A regional guide’ is published by the
Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources
Management Board and provides excellent information on
native grasses suitable for grazing.
Pastures – Native Grasses

28. Native Seeds: Suppliers of native grass seed,
www.nativeseeds.com.au
Flora Victoria: Suppliers of native grass seed and hay,
www.floravictoria.com.au
Native Grass Resources Group,
www.nativegrassresoucesgroup.com.au
Pasture Genetics - Introduced pasture mixes
www.pasturegenetics.com
Pastures – Useful websites

29. Dams – What to plant
Key aspects to biodiversity and farm dams:
• Fence off dams from horses.
• Grow only grasses on dam walls.
• Ideally spillways should have a good cover of rushes
and sedges to avoid erosion.
• Shrubs and small trees can be planted at the dam inlet.
A good reference for watercourse plants is ‘Water Plants
in Australia – A field guide, Sainty G and Jacobs S.

30. An ideal dam:
Dams – What to plant

31. Dams – What to plant
An ideal dam:
Photo courtesy Andy Cole

32. Juncus spp (Rushes) Cyperaceae spp (Sedges)
Typha domingensis (Bulrush) Phragmites australis (Common Reed)
Dams – What to plant
Photos courtesy Andy Cole

33. Cyperus gunnii (Flecked flat-sedge)
Cyperus gymnocaulos (Spiny flat-sedge)
Cyperus vaginatus (Flat-sedge)
Eleocharis acuta (Common spike-rush)
Isolepsis nodosa (Knobby club-rush)
Juncus krausii (Sea rush)
Juncus holoschoenus (Joint-leaved rush)
Juncus pallidus (Pale rush)
Juncus subsecundus (Finger rush)
Phragmites australis (Common reed)
Typha domingensis (Bulrush, Cumbungi)
Dams – What to plant

34. Herbs
Herbs, both native and introduced, can be a good health food
source for horses and other animals.
Always research and identify herbs and there possible effects
on your animals. And remember that too much of one source
can be problematic.
The following website has some useful information on the
benefits of herbs.
http://holistichorse.com/health-care/plant-a-medicinal-herb-
garden-for-your-horse/
http://thenaturallyhealthyhorse.com/planting-herbs-horses/