Hedge plant advice

[Hack4fun]

I have created a new hardstanding area in one of my paddocks to ease the winter mud. It is bounded by post-and-rail fencing.

I would quite like to plant some hedging along the boundary too, not least to stabilise the soil. My horses will be able to lean over the fence to reach it, and will have full access from the paddock too. What hedge plants would you consider, ideally ones that grow rapidly and will not be nibbled to death. Willow came to mind but I think my three will enjoy eating that too much.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

a hawthorn/beech mix works well, they will eat it a bit-especially in spring and the hips in autumn. avoid blackthorn, almost all evergreens (except holly-although holly is not terribly fast growing). I have an ace one-beech, hawthorn, dog rose and gorse.

 

[little_critter]

Hazel?

 

[DD]

holly hawthorn (quick thorn) hazel but you will need to protect it against being eaten until its well established. I have found thast horses do not eat mulberry. maybe plant a row of those ? they form a nice shrub and you get lovely fruits to eat if you can beat the blackbirds to them.

 

[cornbrodolly]

Please avoid quick thorn - the thorns are lethal to both human and horse. A horse we bred was lamed permanently with a thorn going into her tendon. Hazel, hawthorn, hornbeam if land too clay-ey for beech. A few hollies . All will get eaten, put up an electric fence at least 5 feet away for first five years

 

[blitznbobs]

Blackthorne hawthorn mix... that way you’ll get some sloes for your gin...

 

[blodwyn1]

Rosa rugosa grows a fast hedge and has lovely pink roses with giant rosehips. It is very thorny so doesnt get nibbled much!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

rosa rugose makes a lovely hedge. I avoid blackthorn with the horses, can lead to some impressive abscesses-thought a pony of mine had strangles once!

 

[DD]

quick thorn isn't poisionous quick thorn is another name for hawthorn. black thorn prickles can cause problems is the stick into horse or human. but they do bear sloes for making gin with!

 

[DD]

a typical native hedge for the British Isles contains 70% hawthorn (quick thorn) with the rest a mixture of hazel blackthorn and holly. you can plant elder they wont eat that but it does shade out the other hedging plants and grows very quickly. some dog rose typically finds its way into the hedge too. guelder rose is lovely all year round but I think its poisonous. ditto spindle tree.

 

[little_critter]

Blackthorn also throws up suckers which are a PITA.

 

[Petalpoos]

Agree with no blackthorn. I also had a horse lamed by a thorn in the tendon. Cost a fortune but came right in the end - certainly makes buying sloe gin look cheap!

 

[Clodagh]

Hawthorn is lovely, my favourite plant, lovely leaves, pretty flowers and attractive fruit. Beech doesn't like all soils, we have a beech hedge but it took forever to grow to any height. Hedging companies sell bundles of mixed plants, I agree to avoid blackthorn but our hedges round the paddocks are ancient mixed hedges and always attractive.

 

[TGM]

Hawthorn is brilliant for hedging - grows outwards as well as upwards and although the horses might nibble the tender shoots at the end, then don't munch it back down to the ground. Whereas hazel just tends to grow straight up (and not out) and horses will massacre it if they can reach it. Holly is lovely but not nearly so fast-growing as hawthorn.

 

[Abby-Lou]

Another for hawthorn (not blackhorn as someone said earlier the suckers are a bugger to get rid of)