Horses field full of Ragwort

Twinkle Twinkle

Twinkle Twinkle

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Just took Dylan the dog out a walk and decided to go a new public footpath wich took us through a field of horses and it was full of Ragwort and l mean full. We were talking to OH friend who lives across the road and he told us the RSPCA have been out to check them but they could do nothing because they had water and grass (not much) and they weren`t in bad condition. I just can`t believe people are so stupid to keep horses in such conditions :(
 
I was just out with my dog and went past 2 large fields with horses in totally full of ragwort - it looks like they are growing prize winning specimens.

I did report to RSPCA about a similar field and I believe they go and visit and have a word but they cant do much as you said. Still worth reporting though.

Some people don't deserve to have horses !!
 
meesha said:
I was just out with my dog and went past 2 large fields with horses in totally full of ragwort - it looks like they are growing prize winning specimens.

I did report to RSPCA about a similar field and I believe they go and visit and have a word but they cant do much as you said. Still worth reporting though.

Some people don't deserve to have horses !!
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This field was the same it had huge big patches they where like tiffods :(
 
Some people have no idea!!!!
On sunday l passed a lady and her young daughter aged about 6 picking ragwort at the side of the road, l wound down the car window and said that they should wash their hands as they were picking ragwort and it was poisonous to be told to P_ss off and mind my own business which l did. Do the general public actually have any idea about Ragwort!!
 
I went past a field (quite possibly belonging to a riding school) full of horses, and absolutely covered in Ragwort. They were knee high in it, I've never seen a field so full of it!:eek:
Poor horses, some people have no idea :(:mad:
 
It's rife here, it's everykin where, fields roads railway embankments etc, I have been moaning about it every year, nobody seems interested or bothered, poeple who should know better just dont seem to bother, fortunately our yard does and it gets pulled, but we are surrounded by the bloody stuff :mad:
 
I have a field full by my me, being grazed by ponies.

I will be devastated if it goes to seed this year, having spent five long years trying to get rid of it, and still get some every year. Probably always will but nowhere near as much now.

We are right down wind from it, so will probably get most of it if it goes to seed.
 
lucy007, you must report that to Natural England. Look on DEFRA website. It is agains the law to allow the seeds to spread onto neighbouring land. the last poster is correct, you must ask the owner or tenant of the land to stop it spreading onto yours and if they do nothing, action will be taken against them. Don't feel powerless, put it in writing to them and keep a copy, allow them say ten days to clear it, then report the problem.
 
im a tad guilty atm as my fields split into 3 and one half of one section still has some but i have plans for it tomorrow and the horse is nowhere near it.

but is it just me or are they all triffids this year cant believe how blooming huge they are this year.
 
classicalfan said:
Horses tend to avoid ragwort growing in their fields. The biggest danger is when it is dried and ends up in their hay. We pull it out as soon as we see it, but then we make our own hay.
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You are sticking your head in the sand if that's what you believe. Unfortunately it's your horses who will suffer for your ignorance of the potential threat of allowing your horses to graze around the plants. It takes two years for one plant to reach flowering stage. They don't just go from a seed to half a meter high with a flower on top!!!
If there are plants growing in the field, you can bet your life there will be seedlings growing in amongst the grass, it is these that are the real threat as they cannot avoid eating those tiny plants. I took over a strip of land and had a big problem of getting rid of these plants. I sprayed and got the big ones but I spent every available hour digging up the seedlings that were constantly emerging.
 
Horses tend to avoid ragwort growing in their fields. The biggest danger is when it is dried and ends up in their hay.
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True, but the stuff growing in fields ends up turning into the dried stuff where it stands and then they will eat it as it no longer tastes bitter. It doesn't stay green all year round and the plants don't just disappear when its gone to seed. Better to pull it before it goes to seed then you've at least got a bit of a hope of there being less the next year.

And to everyone else, yes they are like triffids this year.
 
muff747 said:
You are sticking your head in the sand if that's what you believe. Unfortunately it's your horses who will suffer for your ignorance of the potential threat of allowing your horses to graze around the plants. It takes two years for one plant to reach flowering stage. They don't just go from a seed to half a meter high with a flower on top!!!
If there are plants growing in the field, you can bet your life there will be seedlings growing in amongst the grass, it is these that are the real threat as they cannot avoid eating those tiny plants. I took over a strip of land and had a big problem of getting rid of these plants. I sprayed and got the big ones but I spent every available hour digging up the seedlings that were constantly emerging.
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Horses are very picky eaters, even the greedy ones. Hence some types of grass are left completely uneaten as are the more unpalatable plants such as buttercup. Never undreestimate the intelligence of the horse but I agree that teh best solution is to pull the weeds up.
 
I am a proper Ragwort Nazi!!! :( Proper makes me angry!

I have been pulling like a thing possessed! Not just our paddocks but the verges around the farm AND in neighbouring fields. :eek: I have been reporting it left, right and centre to the council and DEFRA.

There was a link to the BHS Ragwort survey on here somewhere....:)
 
Never bother with the RSPCA, they are rubbish. I went past a field similar to the one that OP mentions a year or so ago and was horrified to see a horse in amongst so much ragwort. I called WHW when I got home. Obviously the horse wasn't in an imminently life threatening situation but they ensured they got an officer out in the next week or so to leave a notice for the owner and ask them to contact them. They will follow this up if no contact is made and take necessary action to educate etc. They phoned me back a week or two later to update me that they had explained the danger to the owner and asked them to remove all ragwort before their follow up visit. The field is now ragwort free, so pleeeeeease give WHW a call about this! It needs to be sorted out.
 
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