Stinging nettles

[the_rancher]

Pleas can someone tell me if stinging nettles can sting horses. yesterday I was riding through some long grass and a few nettle that came to the top of his legs. All of a sudden he bolted. he can be very nervous if something spooks him but normally he just leaps a little .

 

[Lou23]

I belive they can affect them in some way as my old mare was ridden through stinging nettles once and she came out in bumps all over her legs. took a while for them to disapear.

(she was ridden through the stingers as we were blocked on bridle way with tree and it was the only way to get around it) before anyone shoots me1

 

[carys220]

Some horses can get stung, most don't, my pony gets stung but I don't think she feels it(either that or she's stupid!) she just comes up in a rash and loses the hair which then grows back white

(she is a black shetland).

 

[the_rancher]

what if he got stung in the "gelding area"

 

[kerilli]

yes, they can sting them. some are more sensitive to it than others, obv... i've had horses that would jump patches of nettles, others that would just wade through.
am currently feeding wilted nettles to a few of mine... one won't touch them, thinks i'm trying to poison her, another hoovers them up, thinks they're delish!

 

[kellyeaton]

yes i think they can!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

My greedy Highland x used to cheerfully shove his face in patches of nettles to get to the tasty grass growing in between them. Every so often, he would stop and wipe his muzzle frantically on the ground. I have absolutely NO doubt that horses get stung by nettles if the nettles touch their skin. Nettles are covered in short stiff hairs and its the action of these hairs - that carry the stinging agent - when they break off and pierce the skin that hurts. That's why "grasping the nettle" came about coz the theory is if you grab a nettle hard and fast, the little stiff hairs are crushed before they can penetrate the skin. I think someone should try it in the interests of furthering the knowledge of H&H Forum members! I guess that where horses are covered in hair that stops the little nettle barbs from reaching their skin, the horse doesn't notice nettles. More sensitive areas like muzzles and sheaths might be a different story. Anyone got an OH who would be willing to do a field test? Ha ha.

 

[ISHmad]

Yes they definitely sting them, some react more than others.

Wandering slightly off topic, if you cut nettles down and let them wilt for a day or two the horses go mad for them.

 

[PennywithHenry]

Box of Frogs-my OH grabs handfuls of nettles and has no reaction...something to do with as you said, grabbing the stem initially hard. then if you run your hand up them, bottom to top, the way that the stingers lie means that you don't get stung...

I tried, fannied about and had a very lumpy hand....I either strim or scythe if he's not about lol

 

[kellyeaton]

nettles are very good for horses tho tho mop up free radicals in there system!