HJTT
New User
There is a big stretch of bracken that runs along the edge of my ponys paddock, she has eaten it all, every single bit, and i'm worried that when it grows back she will just keep eating it till it kills her, what can i do? 
Bracken in my horses paddock.. what to do??
- Thread starter HJTT
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YorksG
Over the hill and far awa
When ours were in a field next to a lot of bracken our vet told us not to worry. He recond that they had to eat a huge amount of dry weight before it did them any harm. We did try and keep it cut back, to allow the grass to grow through.
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
I would fence it off and pull or weed kill dependent on how much there was. Without treatment it will grow back.
L&M
Well-Known Member
We have patches of bracken in our hill field and the horses do nibble at it, but never enough for me to worry.
I was told that they have to eat a lot, ie for it to be their main diet, to suffer from 'bracken staggers'.
We occasionally have ours topped and remove the cut bits, but not every year, and have had no horse suffer yet.
I was told that they have to eat a lot, ie for it to be their main diet, to suffer from 'bracken staggers'.
We occasionally have ours topped and remove the cut bits, but not every year, and have had no horse suffer yet.
Dry Rot
Well-Known Member
The solution to bracken control is apparently to keep cutting the fronds as they uncurl. It weakens and exhausts the plant. Apparently.
Didn't work for mine.
I was the one who weakened and became exhausted. The bracken is still there, but it doesn't seem to hurt the ponies because they are still there too!
Didn't work for mine.
I was the one who weakened and became exhausted. The bracken is still there, but it doesn't seem to hurt the ponies because they are still there too!Adopter
Well-Known Member
Did you see the item on Country file where the NT used horse power to crushed bracken so that it gets virus attacking the stems and it weakens it so it dies off?
I tried crushing some bracken in our orchard, sounds odd but drove car over and it died straight off and did not come back! Have also over the years pulled out stems and find it does weaken and in large areas I have managed to get rid........ however the heather moor next to our land is full of bracken so have to keep on top of it.
I tried crushing some bracken in our orchard, sounds odd but drove car over and it died straight off and did not come back! Have also over the years pulled out stems and find it does weaken and in large areas I have managed to get rid........ however the heather moor next to our land is full of bracken so have to keep on top of it.
PandorasJar
Well-Known Member
I know one that developed a taste and is a nightmare now.
Needs constant hard feed, can't use standard wormers, checks multiple times a day.ruined internally.
If they've started on it I'd completely fence off and work on getting rid.
Needs constant hard feed, can't use standard wormers, checks multiple times a day.ruined internally.
If they've started on it I'd completely fence off and work on getting rid.
Welly
Well-Known Member
Weed killers don't work very well, as Adopter said really strim or cut during the growing season takes a couple of years though.