Topping pasture

[mybaileysglide]

if you have topped a field can you put horses on it after, if the cuttings are left behind, without a risk of them getting collic?

 

[huntley]

Yes.

 

[soloequestrian]

NO!
You need to either wait until the toppings have rotted down enough to not be attractive, or strip graze them so they only get a tiny amount at a time. They can easily gorge on toppings if they have dried nicely as hay. I speak from experience!!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Personally I would exercise extreme caution if putting horses on to pasture which has been topped - and treat it as you would lawn cuttings, i.e. don't!

If you did put them on it, and they got colic, it would be a horrible death for them and you'd feel eternally awful about it.

Better to wait.

 

[ThePony]

If a smaller field I remove the cuttings, if larger then I keep the horses off it until the clippings have either started to rot down or have totally dried through so they are like hay.

 

[happihorse]

Depends on how much you have cut off!

If it is just the dried out long blades which mean there is only a small amount of cuttings then it is probably ok. However, if there is a lot of cuttings and they are green, they no.

 

[mybaileysglide]

thanks for everyones help. i have only topped around the edges of my field because the brambles where over growing and it was about a month and a half ago now, so what do you think?

 

[Mike007]

No problem there.