YOUR HORSE'S CARE PADDOCK PROBLEM | DEALING WITH TOXIC PLANTS
WITH SPRING ON the horizon, fields drying out and fresh grass pushing through, many owners are looking forward to being able to turn out horses who may have been stabled more than they would wish over this exceptionally wet winter. However, I grass isn't the only plant to enjoy a growth spurt at this time of year. In the spring it is vital that owners keep an eye out for the poisonous plants which may have invaded their pasture.
Buttercups
■ A pretty plant with five bright, shiny yellow petals, buttercups are often described as “little drops of sunshine”.
■ They come into flower in early spring and favour fields, pastures, lawns and meadows. The creeping buttercup is the most common variety. It thrives in damp conditions and soil with poor drainage, and it also spreads rapidly.
■ Eaten in large quantities, fresh buttercups are poisonous to grazing animals as they contain a chemical called protoanemonin in their sap. However, they taste bitter and are largely avoided by horses. Dried buttercups in hay are harmless.
■ They are difficult to pull up as they are so widespread. The best way to get rid of them is to out-compete them through effective pasture management.
Ragwort
■ An infamous weed of grazing land that has daisy-like yellow flowers and grows up to lm tall, ragwort favours grasslands, verges, neglected land and overgrazed pastures. ■ Seedlings appear from autumn to June and, for the first year, they grow in a rosette form, with spade-shaped leaves ■ Ragwort is particularly toxic to horses and cattle. Eating just l-5kg of ragwort over a horse's lifetime can cause liver failure and be fatal. It isn't particularly tasty and horses largely avoid it. When dried in hay, it is more palatable, however. ■ Ragwort is covered by the Weed Act 1959 and Ragwort Control Act 2003, and landowners have a duty to control its spread. The best way to do this is to manually dig up the plants when they are still at the rosette stage, ideally when the ground is damp. They have deep roots, so use a special ragwort fork and wear gloves to minimise any skin irritation. ■ Consider how to safely dispose of the ragwort, ensuring that horses can't access the wilted plants, and avoid transporting it and inadvertently spreading the seeds. Burning or rotting it down are options. The BHS has useful advice on safe disposal on its website ().
