Horse has accidently grazed in sprayed field...should we worry?

[joulsey]

Just as title says really.

But I am so angry....Basically we rent 2 stables (I say we, but Im the sharer and do just as much or more as owner) and the land, so its like a private yard. The " land owner" has decided to spray the field....not been able to get hold of her so I don't know if its fertiliser or weedkiller.


The lands next to my mums, and yesterday I was out with friends so I just asked my sister to have a walk up to the stables and make sure they had enough water.....10 minutes later I have a phone call saying I have to go up because they are spraying field and the horses need to go in the bottom field, but the "land owner" couldn't catch them to put them there....anyway my sister managed to get them there and that's that.

I went up this afternoon....the gate between the two fields is wide open and both horses have been grazing on the field which has been sprayed. Plus... the "land owner" didn't even bother giving them water in bottom field, and the water in top field had been emptied and moved out field. so both horses have been grazing on this field, and without water for over 24 hours. Im so angry...1) let me or some one know you are spraying and field and what with....2) if your going to move them with out us knowing at least give them water.

As I say, as yet I don't know what its been sprayed with, but what ever it is they apparently cannot be in the field for 2 weeks.

How worried should I be they have grazed on it??

 

[Fun Times]

Yes, I would be worried. First priority has to be to find out exactly what it was sprayed with. Then speak to manufacturer of the spray and your vet for advice. I would imagine that some chemicals dont affect them immediately but rather have long term effects so you do need to get to the bottom of it even if they seem ok now.

 

[Polos Mum]

As above you need the bottle of whatever it was (it will be weedkiller, fertiliser is pellets and comes out of a spreader not a sprayer) next to you while you phone the vets who'll need all the complicated chemical details to look up the implications.

 

[Marydoll]

Yes, I would be worried. First priority has to be to find out exactly what it was sprayed with. Then speak to manufacturer of the spray and your vet for advice. I would imagine that some chemicals dont affect them immediately but rather have long term effects so you do need to get to the bottom of it even if they seem ok now.

Exactly this ^^^^

 

[Shay]

It the horses have to be off the field for 2 weeks then it is most likely to be a pesticide or herbicide both of which can have serious implications, mainly liver damage. But even fertilizer is dangerous as horses die from nitrate poisoning if the concentration is high enough. I know its Easter day etc but you need to know what that was and at least google it; although preferably call your vet for their advice.

 

[Pipistrelle]

Like everyone else has said, yes I'd be worried. You need to get details of what the chemical was and contact your vet ASAP who will then contact the VPIS (veterinary poisons information service) to find out how to treat the horses. Good luck.

 

[Dry Rot]

It obviously is not a good idea to graze pasture sprayed with anything but if manufacturers sold chemicals that were likely to kill livestock in such small concentrations, they would soon be out of business because accidents (as in this case) do happen. I would not be happy but unless your horses are starving (unlikely) I don't think they will have been eating contaminated grass anyway. So I think some of the comments above are a bit over the top. As for nitrate poisoning, I'd be interested to see a few statistics on that for normal fertiliser applications. So try not to worry, it will probably be OK.

 

[SuperH]

Find out what it was sprayed with before you panic. You can get 'graze on' sprays that are safe to use in livestock fields and need no withdrawal time.

 

[Marydoll]

Any further forward with your enquiries op ?

 

[mandwhy]

It obviously is not a good idea to graze pasture sprayed with anything but if manufacturers sold chemicals that were likely to kill livestock in such small concentrations, they would soon be out of business because accidents (as in this case) do happen. I would not be happy but unless your horses are starving (unlikely) I don't think they will have been eating contaminated grass anyway. So I think some of the comments above are a bit over the top. As for nitrate poisoning, I'd be interested to see a few statistics on that for normal fertiliser applications. So try not to worry, it will probably be OK.

I agree! I should think it was a weedkiller, but I'd find out, and whoever it was needs to reassess their common sense pronto.