09 June 2025
Quality pasture: The foundation for healthy horses
The importance of pasture quality to horse health, nutrition and overall cost will form central pillars of discussion at two upcoming Equine Pasture Management Workshops.
The importance of pasture quality to horse health, nutrition and overall cost will form central pillars of discussion at two upcoming Equine Pasture Management Workshops.
Organised by Teagasc and the Irish Equine Centre, in collaboration with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA), these workshops will provide an opportunity to engage with soil, grassland, biodiversity and water quality specialists – alongside stud farm hosts – to discuss optimising pasture management for healthy horses.
Giving a flavour of what to expect and galvanising the importance of pasture management ahead of the series of workshops, Teagasc Equine Specialist, Seán Keane explained: “Well-managed pasture is the foundation for healthy horses and sustainable farming and a valuable resource not only for nutrition but also exercise.
“When pasture is poorly managed, it not only creates greater costs for supplemental feeding, but it also can be the cause of very costly illness, most particularly in young and growing horses.”
Speakers will focus on efficient farming, pasture management, soil management, pasture hygiene, protecting watercourse and biodiversity on equine farms.
Line up of speakers:
- Alan Creighton, Head of Environment and Nutrition at the Irish Equine Centre;
- Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist;
- Mark Plunkett, Teagasc Signpost Programme and Soils Specialist;
- Kevin O’Sullivan, Teagasc Advisor;
- Pádraig Fitzgerald and Joseph Maher, Water Quality Advisors with the Teagasc ASSAP Programme.
- The discussion will be facilitated by Teagasc Equine Specialists, Seán Keane and Wendy Conlon.
When and where?
The workshops will take place on Friday, 13th June in County Kildare and Friday, 27th June in County Limerick. Registration is online through the links available below. It is recommended to book early as places are limited. For more information, please email Seán at Sean.E.Keane@teagasc.ie or Hannah at hmarks@itba.ie.
| Friday, 13th June – Leinster Workshop | Friday, 27th June – Munster Workshop |
|---|---|
| Location: Irish National Stud, Tully, Co Kildare. Eircode: R51 AP20 | Location: Ballyvolane Stud, Bruff, Co. Limerick. Eircode: V35 AX62 |
| Time: 10.30 am – 2pm | Time: 10.30am – 1.30pm |
| Register for the Leinster Workshop here | Register for the Munster Workshop here |
More information on the Equine Pasture Management Workshops can be found here.