Posts Tagged ‘poisonous plants’

I was asked to teach about any subject of my choice to 5-10 kids who all ride, ages 8-15.(it does have to be horse related) So far my friends are teaching about poisonous plants, different types of feed, the different parts of a horse, stages of pregnancy, safety around horses, and basic braiding.

Any suggestions of what I could teach these kids would be appreciated, but nothing requiring actual riding. Sometime useful, and maybe fun? Thank you.

The maintenance routine will include frequently spreading manure droppings or picking them up. Horses can wear bald patches in the ground. This typically occurs in wet weather. A useful economic tip is to spread seeds that fall from the hay onto the bald patches. This will take care of those patches with new grass in season for your horses.

Maintaining your horse pasture with a variety of grasses should be your goal for good care. Safe herbs and other plants can also be included. Some horses enjoy eating blackberries which contain vitamin C. Brambles may be left in hedges many horses enjoy eating the young leaves of these plants. Dandelions are another highly nutritious plant for horses. They are also easy to seed. Good edible plants should be encouraged in your horse pasture.

Routine pasture inspection is practical horse care. Make sure all fences are in good repair. Carefully check for any poisonous plants frequently. Most people do not have the knowledge to identify poisonous plants in their horse pasture. If you are not familiar enough with the poisonous plants for the area where you live to readily identify them, purchase a good photographic guide to poisonous plants. Inspections for these plants should take place often because seeds from these plants can blow in and sprout anytime.

Here is a list of plants using their common names that may reduce the quality of your horse pasture and those that are unsafe for horses. If you find them in you horse grazing area take care that they are removed.

• Beech – Beech mast or the fruit is poisonous to horses.
• Box – This plant is often used as a hedge for gardens.
• Bracken – This plant is not usually eaten by horses. It should be pulled up and burned because it wastes valuable grazing and spreads.
• Buttercups – Horses usually do not eat this plant but weed killers can change the taste and they may be eaten then.
• Daffodil – If growing wild can be eaten.
• Deadly night shade – Can be eaten by horses that browse a hedgerow accidentally.
• Foxglove – Not usually eaten but it commonly grows in paddocks.
• Hemlock – The whole plant is deadly. Young shoots appearing in spring are sometimes eaten.
• Holly – The poisonous berries are at times eaten.
• Horse chestnut – Horses can not eat the fruit of this plant but they can eat the leaves.
• Ivy – This plant seems to do no harm is small quantities but not eaten in large amounts.
• Laburnum – If this plant is near a grazing area it should be removed, normally it is only grown in gardens.
• Oak – Consuming large amounts can cause colic in a horse and could be fatal. Sometimes a horse may crave acorns and in this case the acorns must be swept up and removed or select another pasture for the horse to graze.
• Oleander – This plant is deadly to both humans and horses. It is often used as an ornamental plant. Do not pasture a horse near this plant.
• Privet – This plant is poisonous to horses. It is commonly used as a hedge.
• Ragwort – This plant should be pulled up and burned. It can be fatal to horses.
• Yew – Poisoning from this plant happens quickly. Horses can be found dead with the plant still in its mouth.

When you are able to keep your horse in a pasture it is the best way to let him get exercise while grazing. At http://www.horse-central.com you can find information that can help you learn more about keeping your horse pastures safe and other ways to care for your horse.

Author: Fran Mullens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Horses are living creatures with needs and emotions. But if you love horses, you don’t need to be told that. And like all living creatures, they need to be kept healthy if they are to be happy and successful. However, this world can be tough, and “nature red in tooth and claw” has a number of threats to horse health that a wise owner will want to watch out for.

Living conditions are the first consideration when it comes to horse health. If a horse is kept stabled, the stable will need to be kept free from damp and mould – and, to consider the opposite extreme, protected from excessive heat.
The straw or other bedding used to cover the floor of the stable should be mucked out regularly, preferably daily, and care should be taken that the new bedding is free from mould, damp or mildew. The stable should also be checked carefully to make sure that there are no sharp edges that a horse can cut itself on.

If a horse is kept in pasture, a shelter of some kind must be provided so the horse can find shade from excessive heat, or cover from rain. The field must also be checked to ensure that no poisonous plants such as nightshade or hemlock are growing in it or near it where the horse can eat them. Fencing should be checked to make sure that the horse cannot escape and that it has no sharp projections that a horse could cut itself on if it uses the fence to itch itself.

Correct feeding is another vital aspect of horse health. While it is obvious that malnutrition is bad for any horse, excessive or incorrect feeding can also be a threat to horse health. Colic can be caused by eating the wrong sort of food, such as under-ripe apples are notorious and eating too much can cause a horse to founder and run the risk of laminitis.

Stabled horses, in particular, require especial care for their diets. The right proportion of energy foods should be given according to the work the horse is performing. Fresh food, such as raw fruits and vegetables, will be a welcome addition to a horse’s diet, and it stands to reason that horse health as well as human health will benefit from the vitamins provided by these.

Horses, like other companion and working animals, need protection and medication to ensure that they are free from parasites. Veterinarians recommend that horses be wormed twice a year, preferably in autumn and spring, to ensure optimum horse health.

Mucking out stables and/or pasture frequently is another important part of controlling parasites. In this respect, keeping a horse at pasture can be an advantage, as a horse can be moved from field to field, thus ensuring that any parasites in the dung will die and/or be dispersed before the horse returns to that particular field again.

On a day to day basis, the most important part of horse health is regular interaction between horse and rider. Daily grooming, feeding and riding is not only the source of much pleasure for both horse and human, but it also gives the rider/owner a chance to make sure that their horse remains in good condition.

By interacting with a horse daily, it is very easy to see if the horse is showing any signs of poor health, such as poor coat condition, mucus in the eyes, scouring (diarrhoea), strange lumps or cuts. But if you love horses, you’ll be spending time with your horse, anyway.

For more information on horses, try visiting http://www.interestinghorses.com – a website that specializes in providing horse related tips, advice and resources including information on horse health

Author: Samantha Kay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do you have to clear out all the poisonous plants before you allow a horse to be in a pasture?