dumped grass cuttings from lawn mower

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SKY

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a few weeks ago someone dumped grass beside our field and i was raging but, couldnt find out who done it. i was down checking horses on saturday, have them moved to back fields as there is 20 acres on friday night so wanted to check them. but on sat when i was checking them, noticed at gate dumped grass cuttings beside there water barrell which i hadnt moved yet as they have running water in new fields and i had just moved horses night before, if they had been there they could have eaten it and had colic and died. i am raging, also the field is full of grass as fields havent been grazed all year so its not like someone seen a hungrey horse and thought aw they need some grass, as they are too fat at min have to get lunging them. i only moved them as was going to bring other horses down and wanted them separate till used to each other.
i am soooooooo mad as you should never dump anything but grass cuttings in a horses field can and will kill them. i know not everyone knows this unless you have horses, but you shouldn't dump anyway, especially when there is a dump 3/4 a mile away for grass and trees, wood ect. i phoned 2 local papers today to get a article put in about dumping grass and what can happen, i know people dont realise but this was done at night because i was there on friday night and sat mornday so happened after dark. i could have lost my horses, so mad :mad:
 
:( the old couple on my field put their cuttings over the fence to the horses, but they didnt like it, thank god. But then, i didnt know it was bad for them until my friend pointed it out. not sure if they told the couple but i never saw them put cuttings in our field after that.

Good idea about the article though x
 
we had a horse years ago, i just caught her in time vet said keep a eye on her, she looked like she had eaten loads when i found her and i phoned vet he came out and she was showing colic signs by time he got there. but he said i caught her in time, but this was when we 1st got horses and our neighbour didnt know but nearly cost me my mare, she was fine but alot of walking a nd sleepless night, as she kept wanting to lie down. but this time the fields i rent isnt beside my house and that was the fields grass was dumped in on firday night.
i winter my horses there thats why they wernet grazed so dont want to be on edge if something happens, so hopefully article goes in paper and who ever done it reads it. i know people dodnt realise but they should dump anyway. thats why there is dump sites for this and other items.
 
just bout to phone and see if paper doing article, could be next week though. hope they do. because this is something everyone should know and doesnt.
 
was going to do that, but half the ones up my way, our new to the area and if seen a sign like that would prob dump in badness. where i live used to be a great place but so many houses now and not the nicest people in them. if i catch them then i will pull them. but thats why dont want to chance sign as would do it in spite.
 
A friend of mine has cottages round her fields. One of the neighbors dumped clippings and as she knew who it was made it a point to say to them very very very sternly (she doesn 't mess about) something like:

"Please do not ever dump anything in my fields. What you dump might KILL my horses in a very painful and slow manner. I will video this and make you watch...."

I think they now think she's nuts, but they got the point! LOL

I hope you find out who is dumping and get it sorted!
 
if i get them it will be stern words like that but maybe worse from me, might be a few bleeps. i phoned they are going to run something for next week as paper out 2morrow. bit late for them to edit with out doing a full write up. will keep you all posted.
 
Hi, I live in the Czech Republic and have been here for a few years now. When in the UK I knew of the dangers of feeding fresh grass cuttings to horses so never did it. I was told I shouldn't so I didn't.

Needless to say I was horrified to see the Czech's feeding the horses (including my 2) fresh cuttings but was told it's something they do all the time here. The lady that owns the place said that in her 40+ years of horses she has never seen one get sick from it.

I moved my horses a few months ago to a new yard and they feed it to them there too. Again the yard owners say they have never had a problem. I've had my horses here for 2 years now and i've not seen a single horse with colic from fresh cuttings.

Bread aswel, they feed bread by the bucket load. I was told NEVER to feed a horse bread but, they do here and there's never any problems.

I'm not saying feed fresh cuttings but I do wonder sometimes if english horsey people (I am one too) just worry to much and are too over cautious.
 
As we've lost our chickens to the fox (they did fine on grass cuttings), we have only mowed the front lawn once, last week. We spread our cuttings to wilt and dry out for 48 hours, figuring can't be worse than fresh hay, and for nettles the advice was wilt for 48 hours then feed (which they loved). Have to report back they ate an overflowing wheelbarrow full over the weekend. I did feed a bucket at a time, gradually, as they are on sparse grazing/natural foraging in the woods, supplimented with a bit of hay overnight, and have survived. They also ate a couple of litre tubs of apple peelings/cores from a friend who was given a bin of apples and has turned it intoyummy chutney, plus they found a pile of chopped down brambles which they helped themselves from - it was free after all!
 
The problem is not with very fresh lawn clippings or dried lawn clippings (as long as the grass has not been treated with fertilser or weed or moss killer) but if they are left in a heap they quickly ''heat'' and begin to ferment and become dangerous.

So the advice not to feed is safer as a general rule.

The only fright I have had was when the farm contractors tipped a silage grass trailer and a pile of grass was left ''heating'' within reach of my horses, it took quite a lot of effort to move it--very annoyed the contractors just left it.
 
We did feed FRESH clippings to my two when our grass was slow to start in the fields,but worse..far worse..a stupid neighbour was collecting and FEEDING them ACORNS!! Had to explain that was why on our side of the fence we keep pet pigs to clear them up.:mad:
 
I think they were probably trying to be nice, thinking horses would love a big pile of grass. Please don't swear at them if you catch them, just explain calmly how dangerous it can be and that you know they might have been being nice but that you shouldn't feed other peoples horses because even a few carrots could kill a horse with lami.

As an aside, i have fed bread to every horse i have ever known probably. Stale bread too (but not mouldy) and they're all fine.
 
I would be livid if anyone dumped anything at all in my field, especially something that the horses would want to eat. We've had all sorts of rubbish fly-tipped over the years, including a complete toilet (the police said they had nothing to go on)
However, I did just want to say that a very experienced equine vet once told me that you can feed fresh grass cuttings to horses, ie straight off the lawn and out of the grass box. If they have been left for any length of time they become dangerous when the fermentation process starts.
 
i was at my horses on friday night and sat morning so this was done between 9pm on friday night to 7.30 sat morning. so someone dumped it after dark, also field hasnt been grazed this year so has loads and i mean loads of grass also horses are bit overweight at min so wasnt like someone thought poor straving horses as they are far from it. it was done as laziness couldnt take it to a dump that is 3/4 mile away. 2nd time this happened, 1st time was beside and now in field at gate where water is. just glad horses is in back fields.
will be in papers next week.
 
Cuffey is correct, you can feed as soon as the grass is cut and long. It's when it starts to forment is the killer, lost a yearling many years ago from twisted gut from grass cuttings also watched a lovely horse die after he'd had an operation for twisted gut also grass cuttings and his kidneys packed up and there was nothing I could do ease his pain before he died.
 
Charm think this through. If the people were being lazy why would they have carried the grass cuttings to your field, surely they would have shoved them in their wheelie bin (or next door's if their own was full).

I think whoever did it almost certainly thought they were doing something nice for the horses.

People who aren't horsey don't assess the amount or quality of the grazing or the condition of the horses, they just think "oh I'll give it a nice treat". They also don't realise how many seemingly innocuous things can be poisonous to horses. People think horses eat grass, I've just cut my lawn and have all this grass that I'm going to put in the bin, maybe the horses would like to eat it. Same with veg peelings etc. They don't understand the risks of poisoning, colic and laminitis.

How many people don't realise that feeding dogs chocolate can kill them??? Loads, some of them have even had dogs of their own for years! It is the same thing.

I think the idea of a newspaper article is great. But I would put a polite notice up on your field saying, please do not feed the horses, and explaining that feeding them food outside their usual diet can make them very ill and that this includes grass clippings.

If you see the people be nice, only take the firm strongly worded approach after you have explained it nicely. People generally respond better to a polite reasoned approach. These people will probably be horrified to think they could have made your horses ill, they probably love looking at them and wanted to be nice.

Shouting at them will lead to you being labelled the mad horse woman who starves her horses and they won't understand the reason you won't let them feed the horses and they might continue behind your back. You should be looking to cultivate good neighbours. It is invaluable to have people looking out for your horses around the area where they are kept, even if they aren't very knowledgeable. Make friends, give them your mobile number and say that while you would rather they didn't feed the horses you really appreciate them caring and if they ever have any concerns about the horses, or if they see anything dumped in the fields to give you a call. It could save your horses life one day!
 
Katt said:
Charm think this through. If the people were being lazy why would they have carried the grass cuttings to your field, surely they would have shoved them in their wheelie bin (or next door's if their own was full).

I think whoever did it almost certainly thought they were doing something nice for the horses.

People who aren't horsey don't assess the amount or quality of the grazing or the condition of the horses, they just think "oh I'll give it a nice treat". They also don't realise how many seemingly innocuous things can be poisonous to horses. People think horses eat grass, I've just cut my lawn and have all this grass that I'm going to put in the bin, maybe the horses would like to eat it. Same with veg peelings etc. They don't understand the risks of poisoning, colic and laminitis.

How many people don't realise that feeding dogs chocolate can kill them??? Loads, some of them have even had dogs of their own for years! It is the same thing.

I think the idea of a newspaper article is great. But I would put a polite notice up on your field saying, please do not feed the horses, and explaining that feeding them food outside their usual diet can make them very ill and that this includes grass clippings.

If you see the people be nice, only take the firm strongly worded approach after you have explained it nicely. People generally respond better to a polite reasoned approach. These people will probably be horrified to think they could have made your horses ill, they probably love looking at them and wanted to be nice.

Shouting at them will lead to you being labelled the mad horse woman who starves her horses and they won't understand the reason you won't let them feed the horses and they might continue behind your back. You should be looking to cultivate good neighbours. It is invaluable to have people looking out for your horses around the area where they are kept, even if they aren't very knowledgeable. Make friends, give them your mobile number and say that while you would rather they didn't feed the horses you really appreciate them caring and if they ever have any concerns about the horses, or if they see anything dumped in the fields to give you a call. It could save your horses life one day!
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You're talking far too much common sense there! I must admit I agree completely, try to turn it around, you might get someone keeping an eye on them for you!
 
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