Is anyone else thinking its becoming impossible to keep grazing horses safe ?

[marmalade76]

I don't see a problem with oak trees, my step mother owns a field in which she and her family have kept ponies and horses since she was tiny. One of her ponies lived 'til he was 35 and her TB mare passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 23 (owned by my SM from a 4yo) despite there being a number of oak trees in her field.

 

[marmalade76]

I've never seen such fluffy ears, Starbar!

 

[Toffee44]

I just feel that I spend my life repairing fences and charging batteries!!!

 

[bumblelion]

I've never seen such fluffy ears, Starbar!

Aren't they gorgeous!!!

 

[stencilface]

Our field still has some sections of barbed wire its an old cow field, and replacing the whole fence will be complete, eventually! A fallen down wall/bank which they always seem to want to be on top of and the flaming ragwort comes back every year We fence off the oak tree when needed, and they have a stone trough sunken into a spring in the marshy area of the field, which they just love drinking from (and afaik, in 20 years, none have fallen in it! ) and they love scoffing the ash tree

Buttercups can dominate too, less this year though. Nice and hilly (too bloomin hilly!) and nice big hedges and trees, planted more in the last few years.

(note the knackered tendons on the 25yo tb )

 

[Marydoll]

Bumblelion how is your horse head now ?
That is a roaster of an injury to get

 

[SO1]

I think a lot of it is about luck you can have a post and rail square with no trees or any other hazards or weeds and a horse can still get hurt, horses get injured in stables as well.

It is impossible to have an environment which offers freedom to roam or move and not have the possibility of an accident occurring.

I think there are plenty of places which do offer post and rail or electric fenced fields with no trees or weeds but then you tend to sacrifice space as it is very costly to do this sort of fencing and remove all trees and weeds so if you have very big fields then you are more likely to have a hazzard but then it might be a risk that people take to have their horses turned out with plenty of space to run or move about. I suppose the difference is a bit like between living in a gold fish bowl or a lake or sea.

 

[marmalade76]

A featureless post and rail square would be the last thing I'd want for my horses. I'm sure they'd get up to far more mischief with nothing to amuse them.