Nettles

[char.lotte]

I’ve been reading everywhere that nettles are amazing for horses- blood cleansers, anti-imflammatory, hypoglycaemic etc! Would love to give them a go considering its spring grass season, they are free and I am curious about why some people swear by them! How do you cut them, as in should they eat the roots and stems or is it only the leaves? When drying them would you pull a whole plant up by the root/ cut at the bottom of the stem then hang upside down. How long do they need to be upside down for and once ready how long do they last? Would also love to know who uses them and how they’ve found them - especially with laminitics! Thanks all!

 

[Amymay Again]

Just cut and allow to wilt. Don't pull up the plantm

 

[cremedemonthe]

They are good for humans too. I used to make and drink nettle tea, it's a good cleanser and tonic. With human consumption we can't use them after the beginning of July I think it is as something changes in the leaves and makes them inedible. Not sure about horses though but best to check. I dried mine before using them (on me)

 

[char.lotte]

Yeah have seen you need to cut before they flower. Potentially hoping to cut then store so have a year long supply…!

 

[char.lotte]

Just cut and allow to wilt. Don't pull up the plantm

Will do thank you, should I give them the stems too or pick off the leaves once wilted?

 

[Amymay Again]

Will do thank you, should I give them the stems too or pick off the leaves once wilted?

I'd just let them eat the whole thing. Others may disagree....

 

[2 Dragons]

I just cut them down in the field and the ponies eat them when they feel they are dried enough. They eat the stems and leaves. I also cut cow parsley and clivers and throw them in the field.
Both of mine have mild arthritis and one once had laminitis

 

[char.lotte]

I just cut them down in the field and the ponies eat them when they feel they are dried enough. They eat the stems and leaves. I also cut cow parsley and clivers and throw them in the field.
Both of mine have mild arthritis and one once had laminitis

Sounds great thank you, will try tomorrow. Any idea how long they last once dried/wilted?

 

[Burnttoast]

They are known for being high in iron though so apart from other beneficial properties if you have say an EMS horse whose forage was already high in iron I might avoid them in anything more than small snack quantities.

 

[2 Dragons]

Depended on how much sun there is. The ones I cut at weekend only took a day to dry

 

[2 Dragons]

Just to add, I only ever give them a small pile- just a few mouthfuls each

 

[char.lotte]

They are known for being high in iron though so apart from other beneficial properties if you have say an EMS horse whose forage was already high in iron I might avoid them in anything more than small snack quantities.

Ah okay, only ones been tested for ems and was negative. Both on simple systems metaslim & small handful chop + salt & veggie oil, one gets to go on grass when sugar is low but other than that they get 2 big nets of hay morning and evening; is that a particularly high iron diet? I never thought to monitor their iron intake! Thank you!

 

[char.lotte]

Just to add, I only ever give them a small pile- just a few mouthfuls each

Awesome, was thinking I would chop finely then add a little supplement scoop to their daily feeds?

 

[Burnttoast]

Ah okay, only ones been tested for ems and was negative. Both on simple systems metaslim & small handful chop + salt & veggie oil, one gets to go on grass when sugar is low but other than that they get 2 big nets of hay morning and evening; is that a particularly high iron diet? I never thought to monitor their iron intake! Thank you!

Most UK forage is high in iron and benefits from balancing with this in mind (eg no balancers that contain iron).

 

[char.lotte]

Most UK forage is high in iron and benefits from balancing with this in mind (eg no balancers that contain iron).

Thank you, I never knew that, will keep it in mind and do some more researxh thank you!

 

[PurBee]

Ive collected them in bulk at spring time, dried them, crushed them and stored in airtight tubs to feed during the winter mainly.
Make sure theyre really crunchy dry before storing airtight.

Just be careful of where you collect them from - nettles love compost heaps - dung heaps and vegetable based heaps - they especially will accumulate nitrogen from dung heaps so avoid feeding a wilted trug full from such a location. High nitrogen can be an issue in a horses diet but rarely, unless fed greens from dung piles, or have dung piles leaching in their paddocks.

Right about now i collect the tops tender 4 leaves of nettles to cook for ourselves, added to omelettes, stir-fries etc….they’re really delicious, sauteed, tasting similar to steamed chard.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I'd just let them eat the whole thing. Others may disagree....

I also let Orbi and BB eat the full thing. BB used to go mad for rosehips

 

[Beausmate]

I have a few large nettle patches in the field. I leave them, and the girls devour them when they're 'ripe'. They will clear a stable-sized patch in a day between them, but they only eat them at a certain point. The common two will also dig up the roots and eat those. The posh one doesn't want to get her dainty little hooves dirty.

 

[Widgeon]

I just cut them down in the field and the ponies eat them when they feel they are dried enough.

Yep same here! Or I cut them down elsewhere and lay the out in the field to wilt and be eaten.

 

[Widgeon]

I have a few large nettle patches in the field. I leave them, and the girls devour them when they're 'ripe'.

My cob will only eat them cut and wilted but the Icelandic I owned used to smash them down with his front feet then eat them. I was impressed.