Stinging nettles - eating?

[SpotsandBays]

Hi all! I have a couple of patches of nettles, and I’ve heard before of people cutting them and the horses eating them when they are dry.
some of the patches are in different fields, so I could cut and carefully move them. Should I wait for them to dry before putting in? Or will they just leave them until they’re ready to eat them? How do you all do it? Thanks in advance!

 

[ester]

Just let them wilt a bit ours seem to tuck in fairly quickly

 

[Kaylum]

They are full of iron so yes cut them down and leave them when they are ok they will eat them.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Ok great thanks all!

 

[millikins]

They are also anti inflammatory and can be eaten by laminitics.

 

[millikins]

I'm happy to eat them too, but they do stain everything virulent green.

 

[D66]

Rather than cutting them try pulling them up. Use newish washing up gloves and long sleeves. Aim to pull a bit of root out the ground with each nettle. It is a very effective way of reducing the size of the patch.
Old rubber gloves are less reliable at keeping the stinging fibres away from your hands but new ones are excellent.

 

[Cortez]

Nettles are very good for horses (and people). The sting effect goes after an hour or so, wilted nettles are fine.

 

[Mahoganybay]

I used to make nettle tea for my old mare, full of iron and anti inflammatory.

 

[Carrottom]

Why not pick some of the tips and make nettle soup for yourself ? then give the rest to the horses.

 

[MissTyc]

I cut down the patches in my field with a hedge trimmer and leave them in situ. Horses eat them when they ready. If they're in a different field, I do sometime pitchfork them over the fence for the horses to eat. Or a leave them until the horses are in that field. The patches never seem to get any bigger, so I'm not concerned with reduction of the patch. I like having them there as a resource snack!

 

[Archangel]

My mare used to pick the tops off for herself. Right now the nettles might be home to small tortoiseshell and peacock butterfly larvae so check the underside of the leaves.

 

[PurBee]

Nettles are very good for horses (and people). The sting effect goes after an hour or so, wilted nettles are fine.

i made and enjoyed a nettle omelette the other night using the small soft tops of nettles. Theyre really delicious lightly steamed too, tasting much like steamed chard, a buttery-greeny taste.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Rather than cutting them try pulling them up. Use newish washing up gloves and long sleeves. Aim to pull a bit of root out the ground with each nettle. It is a very effective way of reducing the size of the patch.
Old rubber gloves are less reliable at keeping the stinging fibres away from your hands but new ones are excellent.

I have been told that it is better for the horses to give them pulled up nettles, rather than cut down ones (by a farmer/experienced horseperson).

 

[millikins]

I have been told that it is better for the horses to give them pulled up nettles, rather than cut down ones (by a farmer/experienced horseperson).

In the winter I've watched mine digging for the roots, but they are resourceful natives

 

[Pinkvboots]

I just cut all mine and leave them they will only eat them when they have dried out enough.

They are easy to pull just awkward as they sting a lot!

 

[SpotsandBays]

Interesting thanks everybody! I’m no cook but I might give the ol soup a try. I wonder what my mum will think ?

 

[Gloi]

My oldie just stamped nettles and thistles into a mush and ate them, cleared the field of them

 

[J&S]

Let them have the thistles too!