The UK Horse Pasture Evaluation Program had another strong evaluation season during the summer of 2025. This program began in 2005 as part of Equine Programs to develop stronger ties with Kentucky’s horse industry. The program focuses on the following objectives:

• Providing detailed pasture management recommendations to horse farm owners and managers.

• Improving pastureland by increasing forage quality and quantity and reduce the need for stored feeds, such as hay and grain.

• Assessing the potential risk of fescue toxicity for broodmares on pastures.

• Providing undergraduate students with a new appreciation for agriculture and the horse industry.

In 2025 the program conducted 35 full farm evaluations covering over 600 pastures in 7 counties. Farms represented roughly 8,000 farm acres. 

The results of this program allowed these farms to improve their pasture management and led to overall higher profitability. Two of these farms are also hosting field day's this summer to showcase their pasture improvements. 

Collaborators: S. Ray Smith and Krista Lea