Spot spraying ragwort / grazing ?

[Simbapony]

The yard I’m at won’t allow us to dig ragwort up and they spot spray it, but expect the horses to still go out and graze because it’s spot sprayed rather than the whole field. This concerns me greatly , does anyone else know of this being done ? I always have had the horses off for a period of time on my previous yard but they had spare paddocks , no one else seems concerned, am I worrying over nothing ?

 

[meleeka]

No! Dying ragwort is much more palatable to horses than when alive so they are in fact making it more dangerous. Aside from most weed killers say to keep animals off for at least 24 hours, letting horses graze wilted ragwort is awful!

 

[poiuytrewq]

No! We have just (finally) sprayed my field for ragwort and docks but the horses will be kept off it for a couple of weeks (as per instructions)
I plan to go out there and pull the dead plants before turning out even then.

 

[eggs]

No, I would not be happy. My understanding is that if spraying you should keep horses off the field for three weeks so that the ragwort properly dies down and disintegrates.

 

[canteron]

If you have no choice but to be on the yard leave for at least 24 hours after spraying (for the poison to get to the roots) and at the first sign of the plant looking unhealthy cut off the top growth.

But this is the worst and most ignorant of all practices and I would move my horse.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I spot spray but I go back and pick up the wilted bits I have never known my horses to eat it even when it's wilted.

If I have big patches I tape it off then dig it and get rid of it but I don't have anywhere else to put my horses so I find this is my only option.

 

[meleeka]

Honestly they’d be better off just leaving it if they aren’t going to be responsible. At least there’s a chance the horses won’t bother eating it if it’s green.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Similar situation on our yard. Horses won't tough ragwort that is growing, and tend not to graze near it. We allow the flower spike to develop, then cut it off before seeding. The plant will then die. It is a laborious process that has to be done annually. Ragwort seeds can live for years before germination, so even spraying will not clear next year's crop.