Grazing hillside with Bracken

[Scot123]

Hello, after posting this in the 'stable yard' forum with no luck, I think this might actually be a more appropriate place for my question... After much searching I have potentially found some grazing of approx 3-4 acres. I have been looking before purchasing what will be my first pony. I am going to get a hardy Highland type (with possibly a shetland for company). The grazing I have found is hillside, steep in places and will be partially fenced with electric fencing. The owner cleared it a couple of years back but already the gorse and bracken is back. I know bracken is a poisonous plant but wonder, in practise, if it is OK to put a pony out with it? I know a lot of animals are out in the highlands (among other areas) with an awful lot of bracken - so do they just tend to avoid eating it? Any advice please!!

 

[whisp&willow]

where abouts are you? i only ask, bacuse if you are in the highlands, and are getting a highland from here, then i see no problem.

highlands, and other breeds, (my arab x, and tb x included!) live happily on hilly, boggy in places, bracken and gorse infested ground! the gorse gives great protection from the weather, and ive yet to see a horse eat bracken, or develop bracken poisoning.

highlands who are born and bred south of the border tend to be slightly less hardy, and unable to live off the meagre pickings up in the highlands- i know because a friend of mine breeds highlands, and has brought a couple up from down south... the southern softies are not the best doers!

if you can keep clearing the bracken then that would be a good idea, in order for the grass to grow back in its place, but as far as bracken poisoning goes i wouldnt be worried.

x

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

The only thing I would keep an eye out for are ticks, which bracken is often infested with, do regular checks and get a tick removal tool from the vet.

Gorse was often brought down off the moor for working ponies to eat and they certainly eat that on the moor. But if cut for them it is normally bruised before feeding as eating it themselves they pick out the tips and nice bits but feeding them boughs of it means they have some tougher stuff too.

Excellent shelter too, but it will mean a tangly mane )

 

[rockysmum]

I have been told, and have no reason to doubt it, that bracken and gorse only thrive on acid soil. My old field had patches where the bracken was starting to spread into it from the moor next door.

I put large qualities of ag lime down to change the Ph of the soil. It seems to work as I had very little afterwards.

 

[Scot123]

Thank you all for your answers, that's great advice. We are almost highland! We're in Argyll and some of the terrain here is definitely highland in nature. The pony in question has always lived around here, though on better grazing than I am considering. However, he is certainly a good doer and I think the fact there'll be less grazing on this land may not be a problem in that respect...! Certainly I'd be cutting back regularly and I hope that, in conjunction with the trampling of hooves, may help thin the bracken out a bit. But it is good to know that there should (hopefully) be no problems associated with grazing the bracken. Many thanks!

 

[L&M]

Our top hill field has both bracken and gorse in it and regularily graze mine on it. I find that as long as there is plenty of grass, they tend to ignore the bracken and gorse, and by winter the bracken has died down anyhow, so poses no threat.

In the autumn the gorse produces a yellow flower that one of my horses loves to eat!