Horses living in a sea of ragwort... would you report?

HollyWoozle

HollyWoozle

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Hi all,

There are some horses kept in a field nearby who are literally in a sea of ragwort, more than I have ever seen. It was the same last year and I reported it to the council then (I can't remember offhand but I think there is actually a law relating to it?).

Would you report them again and if so, who to? I'm no angel and ragwort are still popping up in our own field here and there before we notice and dig them out, but I am shocked every time I drive past the field these horses are in. They are in relatively good condition from what I can see (though one is very fat) but people have mentioned them to me in the winter before and I have been to check if they had food when there was snow on the ground.

I'm concerned for the horses' wellbeing... I have had a horse which had to be put down due to liver damage and it was horrendous for him, I'll never forget it.

Maybe I'm being an interfering so and so but just thought I'd get some opinions. :)

Many thanks!

ETA: I'm such a twit, I just realised that I posted about this last time (actually in 2011) when I asked people if I should report it to DEFRA. Sorry for posting again when I should've just raised the last one! Still, my post stands and I would like to hear what people would do about it, if anything.
 
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Yes. I did this a couple of years ago re. some horses near me who had only ragwort to eat. I called the BHS Welfare line, they were wonderful and resolved the situation v quickly (2 weeks later, the owners were there digging up and burning it all). They update you throughout as well.
 
BHS welfare dept can arrange someone to go & talk to the owners, usually produces quick results.
Local council, quote the 1959 act
You can also contact DEFRA but that usually falls on deaf ears....

The five weeds covered by the 1959 Act are common ragwort, spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, curled dock and broad-leaved dock. Common ragwort is poisonous to animals, in particular horses. The others, if allowed to spread, compete with and suppress grass and crop plants. The five weeds covered by the 1959 Act are not "notifiable" as such and there is no obligation to report their presence to anyone.

Worth you looking at this page: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/enforcement/injuriousweeds.aspx
 
I have done this, a field next to a main road with several mares and foals in it !!! Looked like it had rape growing it was that yellow.
I called WHW and BHS, never got an update but a week later the horses were gone and the rag all topped - it's never been allowed to flower again in that field (although I suspect all the plants must still be there - never seen horses in it again either)
It might have been coinsidence but the horses did get moved which is a result either way.
 
In the past I have written a letter and posted on the gate, telling them my intention of reporting them to the BHS and DEFRA, and to suggest that they do something about the ragwort that is growing on mass in their field .
 
Hmm Im in 2 minds here.

The fields that we used to rent were a nightmare. Front field was fine but the back field was swamped with the ruddy stuff. without fail as soon as it started to sprout we were digging it up or pulling the bigger bits, IT WOULD NOT GIVE UP!! We were on those fields 15+ yrs and without fail the bloody stuff was there every year. It was chemically treated, control burnt, god only knows what else.

We moved my last horse to a yard as he needed more company, couple of years the fields were unused. A friend now has them and cuts beautiful hay from that same back field and has never had a problem as the stuff had finally died off.

Sorry but for all you know these people could be having the same contact battle that we had. Our horses were never poisoned by it, or the sea of buttrfcups. They all lived to between 27 (cancer) and 32 (colic)
 
The way to elimenate ragort is to spray it with a specific Ragwort chemical. Spray it again one week later and allow it to die off. Then remove it and burn it.
Pulling it up rarely works as the fine root structures are left in the ground and regenerate to form new plants.
If the field is full of ragwort then get a contractor in to spray it for you.
 
Hmm I wonder about this too. My neighbours and I spend a lot of time and effort getting rid of the horrid stuff, have had it sprayed, have then treated individual big plants with specific weedkiller (resolva lawn FYI) then having waited for them to wilt a bit have dug them up. Well that's great except the fields nearby and downwind from us have not been done are covered in colourful bouquets of the stuff!

I know it is classed as injurious weeds.
 
Once we cleared our fields of ragwort it has only come back as indfividual plants which are easy to treat with Barrier H Spray. (There wil always be seeds left in the ground and seeds spread by winds and birds etc.)
 
The problem with reporting to the local council is that they usually have plenty of their own ragwort, which is untreated. We keep on top of ours but have real problems because of some fields upwind of our place where the ragwort almost looks like cash crop. I'm interested to hear about BHS response as there are mares and foals on that land.
 
TBH from what I have heard DEFRA are about as much use as a chocolate teapot, and they tell you you can only report it if you are the owner of neighbouring grazing land (and if you can provide them with details of who owns the land (yes, happy to do your job for you :)). It is a noxious weed and comes under the legislation but you have only got to see the verges and publicly owned land full of it to realise that either the legislation or the enforcing of it isn't working. I think I would be asking WHW to take a look - they did a campaign a couple of years ago and their Field Officer might be able to track down horses' owners and advise them on the dangers.
 
Thanks a lot for the responses everyone, I might give the BHS a call. I understand those who are saying that maybe the owners are trying to fight it and just not getting very far... but I honestly believe they haven't touched it. I drive past this field pretty often and I have never once seen a person in the field doing anything. There is a LOT of ragwort and I mean a hell of a lot. There are no signs that any has been dug or sprayed at any stage.

I'm not saying the owners don't care or anything like that. Maybe they don't know the risks involved. I would just like something done about it if possible.
 
I moved from a yard a month of so ago, due to the farmer and all other owners saying there is nothing they can do about it and that so long as you fed your horse then they wont eat it! The grazing is ziltch I can see them from my new place and 1 horse in-particular looks in a terrible state. The farmer quotes "One of the horses has been on there 30 years and it never killed him" and that I am neurotic? All I can see is yellow when I look up there 40 acres or so of YELLOW! So glad I'm in a much better place but still thinking of them poor horses :(
 
The people to complain to are DEFRA.

You need to make your complaint in writing stating the location, owners (if possible), and photographs (if you can) with a date when they were taken. Keep a copy as your complaint may be ignored!

It is an offence under animal welfare legislation to allow livestock to graze in a field infested with ragwort.

It is an offence to allow ragwort to grow where it may spread to nearby horse pastures.

DEFRA have a duty to take action if they see it, even though it hasn't been reported. It is clear they are wasting tax payers' money by failing to do their job.

Farmers who allow ragwort to grown on their property can lose their Single Farm Payment which is a very real threat. (My neighbour was reported as getting £1,000 A DAY Single Farm Payment on a DEFRA web site!).

DEFRA are rather fond of ignoring complaints, so be prepared to escalate your complaint. Find out who the head of your local DEFRA office is and write to them personally. If that doesn't work, go to the DEFRA web site and find out how to make a formal complaint.

Even after you do that, you need to keep on their case. If they fail to take action, complain to your member of Parliament.

Pulling/cutting/digging up ragwort will stop it from seeding this year but it will be back next year.

The only effective method of control is to spray twice a year with a recommended herbicide (speak to your local agri-chemical supplier) in spring and autumn.

Ragwort is a biennial. It grows for two years before flowering. The first year it forms a "florette" and can be killed with certain herbicides. The second year it develops flowers which are very hard to kill and sprays are pretty much useless.

So, yes, pull mature plants to stop them seeding but also spray in May and September or you will be starting it all again next year!

You pay the wages of DEFRA staff through the 20% VAT you pay on a lot of things like petrol. You also pay farmers through the Single Farm Payment which they get for agreeing to Cross Compliance -- which means they have made a legally binding agreement to control weeds like ragwort.

It's your money, so make sure they spend it wisely! All it needs is persistence and determination. Do NOT let them get away with it!
 
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I was driving back from work yesterday, took a different route home through some back lanes and saw a Cob in a field of yellow poison. I also saw that someone was in the field so I turned round and went back. I casually hung over the fence and the lady came over and was very friendly. I didn't push the issue of the ragwort immediately, she had just rescued the horse from the meat man and was very upfront in saying she knew nothing and was working through an enormous amount of books. I told her the dangers of ragwort and she was horrified and said she would get straight onto it. She's going to stable the horse for a few weeks, pull it all up (poor lady) and get the immature plants sprayed. Unfortunately there won't be much grazing left after the ragwort has gone!

True to her word I left early for work and found her pulling up ragwort at 8am this morning!

So maybe if you spot someone in the field have a friendly word, if not then DEFRA would be the best place as I have reported a couple of "sights" in my time to DEFRA and they have been on it very fast.
 
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