Ride-on mower services
Paddock mowing keeps grazing land, fields and large plots under control. Craig mows and tops paddocks with a ride-on mower, timed around your animals and the state of the ground, for horse owners, smallholders and landowners across Suffolk and Norfolk.
What we cover
This is ride-on mower work for open land. It is different from lawn mowing, where the aim is a short, even garden finish.
Tell Craig roughly how big the area is, what it is used for and how long the grass has got, and he can suggest how and when to cut it.
Horses and other grazing animals are fussy eaters. They graze some areas down hard and leave others to grow long and stalky, and weeds take hold in the patches they avoid. Topping cuts the paddock back to an even height, which encourages fresh, leafy growth and stops weeds from setting seed.
Regular topping through the season keeps a paddock more useful for longer, and makes it easier to see the state of the ground and fencing.
Not every large area is grazed. Field mowing suits rough grass on land that is waiting for its next use, orchards, wildflower areas that need an end-of-season cut, grass around barns and outbuildings, and big plots on rural properties that are too much for a garden mower.
Timing matters more on a paddock than on a lawn. Topping is usually best after a paddock has been grazed and before weeds flower. Cutting when the ground is waterlogged leaves ruts, so work is planned for when the ground will carry the mower. Animals are moved off the area being cut, and gates and access points are agreed before the day.
Around Newmarket and across the area, many paddocks sit beside stables and yards, so access, gates and animal welfare are planned with the owner before any mowing starts.
If a field has been left for a season or more, the first cut may be heavier work, with tall grass, brambles and scrub in places. Craig can look at the site first. Where there is more scrub than grass, a site clearance with the right machinery may be the better starting point, followed by regular mowing.
The price depends on the area, the length and density of the growth, how easy the field is to get into, the ground conditions and whether the cut material needs collecting or can be left. Regular visits through the season are usually simpler to plan than a single cut on neglected land.
Topping usually means cutting the taller growth on a paddock to a set height, leaving shorter grazed areas largely alone. Mowing tends to mean cutting the whole area evenly. Which one suits depends on how the land is used. A grazed paddock is usually topped, while a field kept for appearance may be mown right across.
Where animals are in neighbouring fields, the work is planned so gates are kept shut and machinery does not unsettle them. Fencing, water troughs and other fixtures are noted before the mower goes out, and soft or boggy areas are avoided rather than churned up. Any damage spotted along the way, such as a broken rail or a fallen branch, is pointed out to the owner.
Common questions
Cutting a paddock back to an even height, usually after grazing, to encourage fresh growth and stop weeds from seeding.
It depends on grazing and growth, but several times through the growing season is common. Craig can suggest a pattern for your land.
Yes. Animals are moved off the area being mowed, and gates and access are agreed before the visit.
Yes. Fields, orchards, verges and large plots on rural properties can all be mowed with the ride-on.
Craig will look first. Heavy scrub may need a site clearance before regular mowing makes sense.
Usually after the animals have grazed it down and before weeds such as docks and thistles flower and set seed, on a day when the ground is firm enough to carry the mower without leaving ruts.
Prices and timing explained
More ways we can help
Straightforward advice
Call Craig or send photos, your location and a short description for an initial estimate.
