Cow Parsley!

Don't know if it is bad or not but as kids our ponies feasted on it from the roadside on the way back from a hack. They loved it and suffered no ill effects. Sadly no cow parsley where I am now.
 
My boy loves it and will always try and grab a sneaky mouthful when we are out hacking. I try not to let him eat when out hacking but will pick armfuls of the stuff to let him have in the paddock.

Its not bad for them but you do need to make sure its Cow Parsley they are eating and not Hemlock which looks very similar but is poisonous.
 
Hacking and eating :O!!! However, horses do seem to love it - but don't let them eat the stuff thsat is huge and looks similar to cow parsley on steroids....Giant Hogweed - it is, Ithink, poisonous to horses; grows in marshy conditions (remember those, when it used to rain alot!!?)
 
My old boy loves it too. We have loads in the lanes around here in April & May and he would always try and get a mouthful while out hacking. I would have to ride in the middle of the lane to avoid him reaching it, so on bends when you had to tuck in in case of on coming traffic he always managed to get a full mouthful to keep him going till the next corner!
 
Our old mare loves the stuff, has always eaten it and she's 34 this year, I walk her down the lane in the Spring on a head collar so she can get Spring growth nutrients in her. I agree with the others its not the best to do so on a hack as it is habit forming and hard to break later on when they look for it.

Ian
 
Bertolie said:
My boy loves it and will always try and grab a sneaky mouthful when we are out hacking. I try not to let him eat when out hacking but will pick armfuls of the stuff to let him have in the paddock.

Its not bad for them but you do need to make sure its Cow Parsley they are eating and not Hemlock which looks very similar but is poisonous.
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In fact it is very good for them. Hemlock comes out a bit later and looks slightly coarser, flowers not as delicate and must smell bad because horses won't touch it.

When Cow Parsley is growing at mouth level it's very difficult to stop the odd bit somehow finding its way into pony's mouth!:D
 
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