Dumping of mowed grass in my field! possible colic threat? help!

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LuandLu24

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hello,
today i did an all round check of my field when i came across 10 huge piles of grass that has been mowed and dumped in the field. My immediate guess is that the old man who lives in the house that is 20 feet away from the piles has been putting them there for the horses to eat. I was told that if horses eat a lot of it they can get colic, is this true? and i'm really worried now as a few of the piles looked like they'd been eaten down. I've moved some of the piles but its a nightmare as they're huge and heavy as it had been raining. I need a way to make him stop, i'm a very shy person so i really don't want to tell him face to face so i'm thinking of writing a letter but i don't know how to put it, any ideas? I really don't want to come across as mean to him as i know he is trying to be helpful, I've never met him but my yard buddy says hes lovely.
This thread might sound stupid but i am really worried for my horse and for upsetting the man :(
Thanks for reading :)
 
I'm afraid this is not the time to be a shrinking violet. You need to strap on a pair, and go straight round to see him. You don't need to be nasty/stroppy - just explain that the grass clippings can kill horses, and he cannot dump them in your field. I'd also suggest that he comes out and helps move the piles that are already there - sounds like there's a lot, and you DO have to move it all - fast
 
Mmm, it's a tricky one. But my own view is, shy or not, you have to speak to him.

It doesn't have to be confrontational - you could simply ask him if he's seen anyone dumping the grass in your field, explaining your reasons for concern.
 
Can you not fence it off if there's too much to move? You really must keep your horse away from it. It happened to me only last week when the builders from the new house next to my field got someone into mow the grass, who emptied it over the fence. Luckily the owner of my yard went straight round and got them to move it.

You have to say something to the man, he may think he's being kind but then again' he may think it's an easy way to get rid of it!
 
I lost a mare a few months ago due to grass cuttings. Vets diagnosis was botulism, which caused a gassy colic and twisted her gut.

I wrote a letter to the householders that back onto my field informing them of the situation, and requesting that nothing was to be put into the field or fed to the horses. Be careful not to acuse or blame, just make it a request.

If you'd like, I could probably pm you the letter I wrote when I get in?
 
Yes it does cause colic and often kills. I would first remove every single blade, and then go to the man and say it's so very kind of him to think of feeding your horses, but gently explain to him the mowed grass ferments in the horses' stomach and kills them. So please would he not feed it to them, but it was very kind of him to think of them.
 
Thanks everyone! Hearing how some of you have lost yours to grass cuttings has definitely motivated me to tell him. I am going to tell him tomorrow and going to clean up the rest, thankfully they have hay out so they shouldn't go near it tonight. p.s. i'm very sorry for your loses :(
 
When I was a kid my dad hurt his back so my parents got a nice chap in to cut our lawns for a few weeks. Went to school one morning and told my mum to watch one of the ponies as she was laying down a lot. Mum duly watched pony so vet was enroute before she turned really colicky. We found a huge pile of grass clippings that the guy had dumped over the fence. So yes, it absolutely does happen. My pony was fine after a day but we were lucky. I think you are better off tackling this face to face rather than a letter tho.
 
LuandLu24 said:
Thanks everyone! Hearing how some of you have lost yours to grass cuttings has definitely motivated me to tell him. I am going to tell him tomorrow and going to clean up the rest, thankfully they have hay out so they shouldn't go near it tonight. p.s. i'm very sorry for your loses :(
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Don't risk it - go down to the field and electric fence the clippings off, or move them. I wouldn't trust the horses to not eat them overnight.
 
Id be moving them now too to be honest. They are grazing animals, and as such will eat the easier things first as it is less energy for them. Bearing in mind a grazing animals only instinct is to eat enough to stay fat and healthy.
 
Grass clipping nearly killed my Shetland when I was little .
He was in a fatty paddock and a neighbour put them in my mum found him munching them.
She got the vet at once but he foundered the next day .
 
My 16 month homebred foal was put out in a field at midday, by 5pm was flat out with colic thanks to eating one lawn mower box worth of grass cuttings dumped over the fence. The next day he was put to sleep on the operating table and I was left heartbroken and with a huge vets bill. This was in a field with fantastic amounts of grass in. Please please fence it off now.
 
My next door neighbour gives their own horse grass clippings from their ride-on mower. I mentioned it and his reply was "the horse like its". FFS! His wife is a veterinary nurse and she is as bad!
 
to be honest i'd be really annoyed, I know people think they are being kind but aside from the fact is bloody dangerous, it is down right cheeky to feel entitled to feed other peoples animals! I wouldn't dream of feeding someone's dog without permission so why do people feed horses :( I'd try and deal with it in a calm and effective manner but beneath the surface i'd be fuming :o It is very dangerous and I would not take the chance, I understand what it's like to be shy but as a responsible owner, please think of your horse's safety and put your horses first in this situation.
 
If you can then please go and put a temporary electric fence round it until you can get them moved. Urgently. If the weather is as bad as forecast tonight then the horses will be hanging round the hedges for shelter and easy pickings like grass cutting will get eaten. Don't take the risk!

You seem a nice person, go and see the old man and explain and if he says it isn't him then enlist his help to keep an eye open for whoever it is.
 
The grass is great in my field and they have hay so they shouldn't touch it. I removed most of the clippings today and I can't go back up now as I don't drive and have no one who can take me. I'm going up first thing in the morning to remove them :)
 
I would approach it head on but gently

'I am not sure if you are aware but...'

or

'I do appreciate you being so kind as to treat the horses but....'

Are two ways to go about it that wont cause offence

remember you cant see the body language of the written word and it would be more likely they would take a letter the wrong way
 
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