Ragwort that has flowered!

[caths]

Hi - We have just taken on an extra paddock for our mare next to the one we already have. It's about 1.5acres and full of ragwort. We dug out half of this before it flowered but the other half of the field hasn't been grazed all summer as it was kept for winter grazing by previous owner. His pony grazed in that field for several years with no apparent probs and they did not make any attempt to take out the ragwort. Now that the ragwort has flowered in the winter field its really hard to find as the grass in there is almost elbow height. Can my mare still use this to graze or is it likely that she would possibly eat any plants that have flowered that we haven't found.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Ragwort is more palitable once it has died back. I wouldn't be putting my horse in there.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

The ragwort is still there in the field even if it is hard for you to see. Don't graze you animal there, the plant becomes more palatable when it dies back.

Just because someone has grazed a pony there before without any apparant problem diesn't mean there isn't a problem. The effects of eating ragwort build up over time & basically there is no remedy when a pony has injested it to any degree, it's terminal.