Dona Morta Baix: before, during and after the visit of the horses
Following the rotational grazing system PRV (Pastoreo Racional Voising), a herd of horses is moved daily between the different plots in our gardens in Senan, always choosing those where the grass has reached the optimum resting point to ensure its proper regeneration over time.
The goals of this systematic rotation are, on the one hand, ensuring a long-term regeneration of grasses for feeding the horses and, on the other, giving the soil enough time so that its microorganisms can absorb and mineralise the organic matter incorporated through the animals' visit. This organic matter primarily consists of the manure that horses deposit while eating, as well as of the decayed roots and aerial parts of plant individuals that break or die in the process, contributing to the enrichment of the soil.
In the case of our plots in Dona Morta Baix, the area is mostly covered by grasses such as Brachypodium and shrub individuals as, for instance, Rosmarinus officinalis, but it has a substantial amount of patches of bare and compacted soil. During their visit, the horses feed on the aerial parts of the perennial grasses. However, occasionally, they accidentally step on and break the lower branches of trees and shrubs, which stay laid on the ground. These accidents are an essential part of the process, as they protect the previously exposed soil, augmenting its capacity to retain humidity and, therefore, fostering its regeneration.