The following information will help frame the overall concepts of stocking rates for horses. We are not aware of the specific stocking rate of horses per acre in your county. We suggest that you contact your local county Cooperative Extension office for more details as it relates to your soil, forage, etc. You can find your office at www.extension.org.
We do know that housing 60 horses on a seven-acre facility will require intensive management and limits available pasture. Your budget or business plan should include the purchase of all feedstuffs for 60 head as we could not expect to graze or harvest enough hay to sustain the herd.
Please read below for stocking rate details.
There has been little research done on the space requirements of horses. If you are attempting to figure the carrying capacity of land for a horse, a good rule of thumb is 1½ to 2 acres of open, intensely managed land per horse. Two acres, if managed properly, should provide adequate forage in the form of pasture and/or hay ground. But this is highly variable depending on location.
If you are depending on the land for exercise rather than nutritional needs (i.e., your horse gets hay each day), a smaller area may be adequate. Also, be sure to check your state and county agricultural statutes since different states have different minimum land requirements for livestock.
In the eastern region of the country on properly managed pasture, two acres will support the forage needs of a horse.
In the southern region of the country on properly managed and in some locations irrigated pasture, two to 10 acres will support the forage needs of a horse.
In the midwestern region of the country on properly managed and in some locations irrigated pasture, two to 10 acres will support the forage needs of a horse.
In the western region of the country on properly managed and in most locations irrigated pasture, two to 10 acres will support the forage needs of a horse.
With non-irrigated dryland pastures, you may need up to 30 to 38 acres per horse to meet its total forage needs.
One acre is 43,560 square feet or approximately 210 feet x 210 feet. Obviously, many people keep horses on smaller amounts of land and do not depend on the land to provide any forage.
The minimum area needed to house a horse for turnout is 0.1 (one-tenth) of an acre, approximately 4,500 square feet, or 75 feet x 60 feet for an exercise lot.
