Horse Property
Land Clearing

Reclaiming Overgrown Pastures

A pasture that goes unmowed for two or three years in Ohio does not just grow tall grass. Brush and saplings establish in the first season. By year three, you have woody stems that a standard bush hog cannot handle — the blades bounce off 2-inch saplings and leave stubs that puncture hooves and damage mowing equipment on future passes.

The initial clearing is a forestry mulching job. The Cat HM418 grinds saplings, brush, and multiflora rose thickets down to ground level in a single pass. Once the pasture is back to a maintainable state, brush hogging on an annual or biannual cycle keeps it open. We offer both services — the heavy initial clearing and the lighter ongoing maintenance.

After clearing, power raking scarifies the soil surface to prepare it for overseeding with pasture grass. For horse pastures, we recommend working with your equine veterinarian or county extension office on seed selection — tall fescue is common in Ohio but certain endophyte varieties can cause health issues in horses. Orchardgrass and Kentucky bluegrass blends are safer alternatives.

Riding Trails Through Wooded Property

A riding trail through wooded property needs to be wider than a walking trail — at least 8–10 feet to accommodate a horse and rider without branches catching on tack or the rider. The trail surface should be firm but forgiving, with good drainage so it does not become a mud pit after rain.

Forestry mulching creates riding trails efficiently because the mulched material becomes the trail surface. The Cat HM418 grinds brush and small trees into fine wood chips that compact into a natural footing horses handle well. The mulch layer also suppresses regrowth in the trail bed, reducing maintenance for the first 2–3 seasons.

For properties with wooded acreage, we typically lay out a loop trail of 500–2,000 feet that connects open pasture areas. Loops are more practical than out-and-back trails for riders because horses move more willingly forward than in reverse on the same path. We route trails along natural contours to avoid steep grades and water crossings where possible.

Expanding Paddocks and Turnout Areas

When brush and saplings advance into the edges of a paddock, you lose usable turnout space every year. A paddock that measured half an acre when the fence went up may have only a third of an acre of usable space after five years of brush encroachment from the perimeter.

We clear the brush back to the fence line and beyond if you want to expand the paddock boundary. For fence line work near horse fencing, the adjustable push frame on the HM418 allows precision clearing close to posts and rails without contact. If the fence itself needs to move out to expand the paddock, we clear the new perimeter and leave a clean corridor for fence installation.

Horse Property Service Combinations

1. 1Forestry mulching for initial heavy clearing — overgrown pastures, new trail cutting, paddock expansion through wooded areas. Handles brush and trees up to 8 inches.
2. 2Brush hogging for ongoing pasture maintenance — annual or biannual mowing to keep reclaimed pastures open and prevent saplings from reestablishing.
3. 3Power raking for seedbed preparation — scarifies soil after clearing to prepare for overseeding with horse-safe pasture grass mixes.
4. 4Fence line clearing for boundary maintenance — precision clearing along existing horse fencing to maintain visibility and access for fence inspection and repair.