ON the banks of the River Bann in Co Down, managing grass is inseparable from managing water. At Shanaghan Hill Farm, that pressure has reshaped how horses are kept. Under the Shanaghan Horses system, horses are managed as part of an integrated grazing model alongside sheep, soil, and forage production.

The 86-acre farm runs approximately 250 sheep alongside around 15 horses. Rather than treating these enterprises separately, they operate within one rotational system designed to protect soil structure, maintain ground cover, and optimise forage use.