Feeding grass cuttings

[Fii]

Ok here comes my stupid question, and one that I have always wondered in my 30 years of horse owner ship!!!

Grass cuttings are bad, yes

But why when a horse eats grass tips, does it not have the same harmful effect? If the grass cuttings are fed instantly, then how is if different to a horse chewing it up?

Told you it was a stupid question

Mowed grass is mashed when being cut, and starts breaking down almost immediately, if you scatter it , it will dry in the sun/wind, but if you pile it up it will ferment very quickly! So it does the same in the horses gut!

 

[Dave282B]

I was told a horse can eat grass quickly but the pulling out/ nipping off tips takes enough time to digest properly .
When they eat grass clippings they overload their digestive system as nature never intended them to take in so much so fast
And as we all know Horses don't do tummy ache!

 

[flirtygerty]

Well! My question started quite a debate.
Thanks for all the replies and explanations.
As for the composting, I am looking at places
I can put a compost bin.
Thanks again, my faith in human nature has been restored

 

[FanyDuChamp]

The thing is MC was right. No we are not all born knowing everything BUT it is your duty, and should be your priority, to know what is dangerous to a horse and why. I honestly don't care if you cannot plait or your clipping is dodgy or you put bandages on wrong, but fed a horse the wrong thing and kill it and that is unforgivable. They are delicate creatures for all their size.

If I were you I'd buy a book about feeding and a medical book and study them. And of course continue to ask for help on here, there are many knowledgeable people on here, not least MC, and they are always ready to help. There is no shame in not knowing, the shame is when nothing is done to rectify the ignorance.

FDC

 

[Cinnamontoast]

It's a shame there's not a sticky like in the dog section about what is bad for horses-seems fairly obvious?

 

[Ollie's Mum]

Can people not give the poor OP a break now? There are other people on the thread who have asked for clarification as to just why clippings are bad - and equally some people have learned that peelings are bad too. I suspect there are a few out there who've been following this thread thinking "I didn't know that" but they aren't going to say as much as they now know they'll get told what unfit horse owners they are!

 

[shelly19]

Can people not give the poor OP a break now? There are other people on the thread who have asked for clarification as to just why clippings are bad - and equally some people have learned that peelings are bad too. I suspect there are a few out there who've been following this thread thinking "I didn't know that" but they aren't going to say as much as they now know they'll get told what unfit horse owners they are!

Totally agree, I'm a mature horse owner and have owned them all my life. I knew never to feed clippings but never knew why exactly. The OP did the right thing asking and you can't know everything.

 

[middlebank]

I too am one of those that knew you shouldn't feed grass cuttings but hadn't a clue why, I thought it was something to do with the fumes from the lawn mower

 

[Fii]

OP, this may be of interest to you!! http://www.alternativevet.org/Poisonous Plants WS018-07.pdf

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The thing is MC was right. No we are not all born knowing everything BUT it is your duty, and should be your priority, to know what is dangerous to a horse and why. I honestly don't care if you cannot plait or your clipping is dodgy or you put bandages on wrong, but fed a horse the wrong thing and kill it and that is unforgivable. They are delicate creatures for all their size.

If I were you I'd buy a book about feeding and a medical book and study them. And of course continue to ask for help on here, there are many knowledgeable people on here, not least MC, and they are always ready to help. There is no shame in not knowing, the shame is when nothing is done to rectify the ignorance.

FDC

Well said!

Whilst I wouldn't want to put any-one off asking questions, I do find it incredible, that some people need to ask the most basic things.
As someone else said, although they put it slightly differently, the problem is that many people now buy horses without having enough experience/knowledge to keep them properly.

 

[Ollie's Mum]

I think the point has already been well covered so why the need to keep rubbing the OP's nose in it?

 

[Fii]

I think the point has already been well covered so why the need to keep rubbing the OP's nose in it?

Just trying to be helpful, nothing wrong with that!

 

[Ollie's Mum]

Just trying to be helpful, nothing wrong with that!

The comment wasn't directed at you, it's obvious you were being helpful! It's the repeated "how daft you are OP, you aren't fit to own a horse" type comments that I think are unneccessary particularly when it's obvious earlier in the post from her reaction that the OP has been upset by them. She doesn't profess to know it all and isn't afraid to admit it.

 

[Lucyad]

OP, this may be of interest to you!! http://www.alternativevet.org/Poisonous Plants WS018-07.pdf

Was rather surprised to see haylage and sugarbeet on this list!

 

[Fii]

Was rather surprised to see haylage and sugarbeet on this list!

Yes maybe i didnt pick such a good web site, just saw the list of poisonousness plants! I didnt read it all!

 

[rockysmum]

I think the problem is there is so much you can do wrong with a horse. What seems like basic beginner stuff to me now has been picked up over nearly 50 years of horse ownership. I still read things on here and think I never knew that.

Has MC been banned for the post on here.

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Just trying to be helpful, nothing wrong with that!

Are they picking on you Fii? Naughty people! I hate being picked on, don't you?
FDC

 

[teacups]

Although I did mine some years ago it didn't cost anything like as much as that (can't remember the exact amount but I'm not made of money so I couldn't have afforded it if it had been a lot) and you could cut the cost further by not paying to taking the exam at the end of the course (you need to do the exam to get the certificate though) Plus you could also spread the course out over a few years - no need to do it all in one go. It was very interesting and I've got a whacking great file of notes and hand outs that I came away with - very useful to refer to as you never remember all of it.

A great shame if they've whacked the prices up though

I think it's a shame, too - especially since it's much more difficult to learn horse management at riding schools now.