When are acorns safe?

[Chianti]

When do people think acorns are safe to be eaten and so equines can be allowed access to them? My pony is currently in a field but in the spring will need to go back onto his track. The track's loafing area is covered in acorns. I tried raking some up today but the grass is now quite long and is covered in leaves so it was a fairly pointless task. I picked up a couple and offered them to my pony, hoping he'd turn his nose up, but he thought they were nice and tasty. What are others going to do if they have a similar problem?

 

[Nicnac]

Never safe. You'll have to pick them up or fence it off.
If you can get hold of a strong leaf blower you can use the sucky setting to collect leaves and acorns. I spend 3 days acorn raking and collecting. They're a pita but love the oak trees as fabulous shelter.

Just to add please don't feed them. 2 friends had horses with acorn poisoning this past autumn. Luckily both survived but they were extremely unwell.

 

[maya2008]

Either the squirrels take them in leaner years or you have to rake them up. They were particularly poisonous and numerous this year. I paid my kids by the bucketload one year if you have any neighbourhood children wanting pocket money!

 

[gallopingby]

Never!

 

[New Forests Rock]

Our greedy NF herd, who have just been turned out in 20 acres of yummy grass yes, you can guess the rest - this morning had snapped off three fence posts leaning over to scrounge the acorns they seem to be addicted to. This acorn season was definitely a mast year, and the pannage (turning pigs out on the Forest) was extended to mid January.

 

[meleeka]

I have a similar issue. They certainly seem to be hanging around for longer this year. There were so many falling that I kept my pigs in their summer paddock and now they are ruining the ground and slopping around in mud. The ponies usually get this field, but I can't move them because it's ruined and the pigs are still there. Pigs aren't as susceptible to poisoning, but they can still cause a blockage, so that's my worry. Normally they do a great job at clearing them as they fall, but there were just too many.