Fast-growing, horse-safe hedge

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Muddy unicorn

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We’ve just had our arena put in and despite the field it’s in looking almost completely flat, we ended up needing to dig out a considerable amount of soil to get the surface flat so on three sides there’s a sloping bank going down to the arena fence. Most of the horses are sensible but the three-year-old is not and I have visions of him throwing himself off the top of the bank and getting tangled in the post and rail around the arena.

At the moment we’ve got a temporary post and electric rope fence on the top of the bank but it’s a bit unsightly and not 100% three-year-old proof so I’m thinking of planting a hedge along the top of the bank so about 15 metres along both short sides and the full length of the long side where the bank is.

Does anyone have recommendations for hedging plants that are horse-safe and quick to establish? We have a lot of well-established native hedgerows around the other fields and I’ve just planted a run of 35m of mixed native species as part of our BNG uplift so my priorities for this particular hedge are 1. as quick as possible to establish, 2. won’t poison the horses and 3. won’t require me to sell a kidney to finance it
 
cauda equina said:
Field maple is relatively fast growing too, but even if you plants whips this winter it won't be a hedge for a couple of years yet
The quickest growing thing I can think of is willow but it's not very 'hedgy'
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And the horses will eat it if they can possibly reach it (ask me how I know) ;)
 
Goat Willow and then lay it is probably your best option, but as above, you will need probably 6-8ft plants to start with otherwise the horses will probably just demolish it. Or you can plant it back from the electric fence a bit so that they can't reach it to eat it.

At my last place I used to turn my horses out around the arena, which had a steep bank on one side. They used to get up to some high jinx in there but nobody ever crashed into the fence off the bank. They used to crash into and regularly demolish fencing in the other fields without a bank, but never had any bank-related incidents.
 
There’s a nearly 6’ difference in height across the short side of the arena (it’s 25 x 45) and the angle is quite steep. I realise any young plants would need to be protected for a while yet as they all enjoy a spot of hedgerow foraging. @Landcruiser that is a good point … how does maintenance etc work with your hedge @TheMule ? And @DabDab thats interesting.. maybe I’m fretting needlessly 🤷‍♀️
 
Having trouble picturing it but could you fence the bank off around the back at ground level, to prevent them going on it in the first place? Might be less visible?

As far as hedges go hawthorn is still the best - not too fussy about conditions, fairly quick and pretty stock proof. Most non-toxic species are palatable though and will need fencing off for several years. Hawthorn whips in bulk are also really cheap as so many are produced.
 
If its exposed what ever you plant will take a long time to get thick enough. I would think of coastal plants, or rosemary hedge which can grow if left over 4ft and then put hedge plants in it, really for toughness you can not beat hawthorn, in fact if you string up some rope the birds will often seed a hedge for you.
Sometimes if someting looks solid they will not go through it, miscanthus can be cheap and quick, or pampas grass, but they are the devil to remove.
Be care full of tree roots, even a hedge can undermine you drainage.

Denser varied planting is often establishes trees faster.

Miyawaki Forest Project

www.north-norfolk.gov.uk www.north-norfolk.gov.uk

What ever you buy get whips, they do take longer to get started but you will have less failures. I live in a windy area and on clay, and it takes about two years to start making any real growth.
 
Muddy unicorn said:
There’s a nearly 6’ difference in height across the short side of the arena (it’s 25 x 45) and the angle is quite steep. I realise any young plants would need to be protected for a while yet as they all enjoy a spot of hedgerow foraging. @Landcruiser that is a good point … how does maintenance etc work with your hedge @TheMule ? And @DabDab thats interesting.. maybe I’m fretting needlessly 🤷‍♀️
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I have a 2m level gravel gap between my bank and my arena so it's fine, I can just let it grow pretty much untamed. It will get added into the normal annual hedge cutting this year
 
DabDab said:
Goat Willow and then lay it is probably your best option, but as above, you will need probably 6-8ft plants to start with otherwise the horses will probably just demolish it. Or you can plant it back from the electric fence a bit so that they can't reach it to eat it.

At my last place I used to turn my horses out around the arena, which had a steep bank on one side. They used to get up to some high jinx in there but nobody ever crashed into the fence off the bank. They used to crash into and regularly demolish fencing in the other fields without a bank, but never had any bank-related incidents.
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Traditional laying makes it stock proof (and looks beautiful) but so few people know how these days.
 
We had the same issue in that what I’d thought of as a level area in the 25 years that I had a grass arena positioned there turned out to harbour quite a slope.

Charles Britton warned us not to plant a hedge or trees too close to the new arena as the roots would tend to grow in towards it and damage the drains. We also had a mare and foal to consider.

You also don’t want lots of leaves coming down on the surface in autumn.

We put tall (6’) round posts and four lines of brown electric tape to fence the horses off the arena slope. It can get a bit tatty in no-mans land, and in this pic it is overdue a strim, but it protects both the horses and the arena.

IMG_7294.jpeg

If you were set on a hedge then hawthorn is quick and easy to grow.
 
I was going to comment the same as Tiddlypom, that most horse friendly hedges shed their leaves in winter, which depending on the prevailing winds could mean adding a lot of organic matter into your arena.

I planted hedging at mine 5 years ago, a mix of hawthorn, elder, dogwood, field maple, hazel, hornbeam and dog roses I think. All went in as whips. It’s now kept at 5-6ft high, thick and beautiful. The horses love browsing it, although the dogwood and hazel get a hammering!

I would avoid blackthorn as the thorns can carry nasty bacteria compared to hawthorn.
 
Screenshot_20250802-162628.png

This was my bank by arena - more like 4' than 6', but still a chunky bank. The fence of the neighbouring field was put in that position by the previous owner and left a track between fence and bank drop. My merry bunch of idiots used to bomb along there very sure-footedly, but I'm more laissez-faire with my horses than most so probably best not to listen to me 😳
 
A farmer once told me many moons ago that hawthorn attracts flies! The problem with putting a hedge round 3 sides means it will need maintaining and then disposing of all the bits that are cut back once/twice a year. Take it from me that’s no mean feat 😓🫩
 
Lamehorses said:
Have you considered gorse? Rather than a traditional hedge it can takeover the bank ( no worrying about cutting grass/weeds).
My horses love munching on the gorse flowers & shoots. It grows very quickly & not expensive.
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I second this. Gorse grows faster than anything else and the ponies love nibbling it.
 
Sanversera said:
I second this. Gorse grows faster than anything else and the ponies love nibbling it.
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Just to jump on the thread. I like the idea of gorse for a gap between mine and next doors grazing. Just had a Google and do people just plant from seed? Wondering if i have time to do it this year so any advice greatfully recieved
 
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