Horses Eating Nettle Cuttings is it the same as Grass cuttings ?

devilwoman

devilwoman

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Got to yard this avo, farmer (non horsey yard owner) has been in my field with tractor and kindly cut down all the stingers which were growing in there, unfortunatley my horses were still in the field and were happily tucking into the cut down stingers (suppose there must have been some grass in amongst it too), they had already eaten 2-3 hours worth before i got there, wonder if that is the same at them eating stacks of grass cuttings - i'm paranoid now i'm going to have colic bellys
 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but my Clydie once did just that and gave herself impaction colic. On the plus side, it was soon sorted out in one vet visit (of course that was just under the excess on the insurance policy and led to an exclusion on said policy). A very knowledgeable friend said later that if the nettles are pulled they don't have that effect it is the cutting that causes the problems. I do hope yours are not so badly affected.
 
The horses I have known have loved wilted nettle cuttings over the years (eating them like spaghetti:)) and so far I have never had any problems with them. They do not start to ferment quickly like mowed lawn clippings do.
That is my experience anyway. They are meant to be a good dietry supplement, I think you can buy tubs of them dried.
 
Nettles are very good for stimulating circulation in legs and feet (horses) and beneficial when they have laminitis. We used to cut them down, wilt the for a few hours and the horses loved them. Never had a problem with colic though.
 
I think the answer is a little of something can't hurt, it would depend on the amount eaten, also, if he just cut them, and they werent mashed up, it should be fine, it's when they are mashed up like a lawn mower would do that they would ferment quicker in the gut.

I hope they are ok, let us know how you get on!!
 
Cut nettles are brilliant - full of antioxidants which dettox and flush the system - I feed them to mine when we've strimmed them all - In fact my mare used to stand in amongst the nettles and just gorge on them - she just loved them! LOL!
Kate x
 
Ditto all the above, when my cushings pony had laminitis attacks and was on box rest she had cut, wilted nettles every day. I was also told they flushed the system.
 
Yepsy yeps mine love them too, also love wilted thistle's but im not sure they have any health benefits like thistle's do? Anybody know? :-)
 
There is a huge difference between a lawnmower that mulches down what it cuts and a tractor and a topper, I have a lawnmower tractor that just cuts and that is it same as a topper and strimmer, even grass is safe straight away for the horses to eat as it does not heat up and nettles and thistles are fine, a domestic lawnmower that mulches the grass and compacts it in boxes is not safe at all, as it begins to heat up straight away.
 
Yesterday, I strimmed our nettles with the grass down in the horses field as he tends to leave them but have moved the horse for about three weeks to stop him eating them until they have dried with the grass. I daren't let him on them incase of collic.
 
Seen as were all on this subject what about dot leafs? would it effect them in any way either grazing them or me strimming them?
 
My elderly yard owner was amazed when my foundered pony started munching the cut nettles in her pen, I dont think she's eaten them before and she reckoned it was a sign of the horse's innate ability to seek out a herb or plant that is beneficial for them. It might have helped a bit, who knows :) Certainly did no harm according to the vets. I've heard of ponies starting to eat willow?? Or another tree..?? that has asprin like properties when theyre feeling a bit sore. Miss that pony
 
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