Stupid question re dock leaves

[moocow]

Just wondering if they are poisonous to horses? Looking at land ot rent and part has loads of them.

thanks,

 

[BigRed]

I don't know if they are poisonous. My horses do not eat them, but the real problem is they are very invasive and hard to get rid of, so you may end up fencing that area off and trying to spray them to kill them off, otherwise you quickly end up with more docks than grass.

 

[moocow]

Thanks for that. fencing and spraying not a prob really.

ta!

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Spray with grazon and keep horses off for 10 days. It will be a long term effort to get rid, but worth it. My horses don't touch them don't think they are poisionous, but they spread and squeeze the grass out if left.
P>S. nip the seed heads off when they appear if any get missed when spraying.

 

[moocow]

Thank you. Can fence off no prob. Its actually too much land for us so it wont be a problem to keep them out of it.

 

[abracadabra]

horses seem to be avoiding them at mine, i cant use sprays, so am weeding them out by hand, luckily there arent many and if i get the seed heads before they go over i'll be oon to a winner

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Problem is the seeds spread in the wind and contaminate the rest of your grazing, so I would still get rid if poss. Sorry to be so pessimistic about the topic but I am battling against the dam docks, they are driving me mad, but I will get the b......ts , I back pack spray areas at a time, but new ones keep popping up. Then there is the ragwort, don't start me on them!!! I will get them too, if it kills me.!!!!

 

[moocow]

Its only a short term rent to be honest. Just from now till Oct so will spray and that should sort them. Land owner should have sorted it!!!!

 

[Tnavas]

Chop them at ground level and paint the remains with strong weed killer - it really knocks them hard.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Posted a reply in Stable.

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Oh well in that case, as long as you have enough grass to last, I wouldn't bother, as it will be the land owner that gets the benefit.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

They aren't poisonous but they can take over if you're not carefull and block the sunlight from the grass so that the grazing is poor.

 

[Donkeymad]

They are perfectly safe for horses to eat, not many do though.