Why is he eating the nettles!

[Wooleysmum]

Wooley seems to have a great liking for nettles! There is adequate grass in the field yet he wanders over to the hedges and gobbles nettles! Any idea anyone? He is 25, has had laminitis in the past but is as fit as a flea!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

My girl likes nettles, they are good for them, full of iron

 

[Nailed]

Nettles are brillient. they are really good for your horse. They are full of antioxidents, and really will not hurt him in the slightest to eat them.. Same with thistles and other weeds..

If he didnt need them.. he wouldnt eat them.

Lou x

 

[dun_in]

Is he a bit arthriticky? I remember reading that horses eating nettles are good for relieving it.

The site below mentions using oral extracts of it to relieve pain (-apparantly it's also traditionally been used directly against the skin (ouch!)

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/stinging-nettle-000275.htm

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Mine love nettles - I cut them down for them as there aren't any within reach in their fields.

 

[angandstar]

they are just staring to wilt now - our are anyway! so are nicer for horses to eat now, mine loves them really good tonic

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

............because horses are browsers, they vary their diet & will often go to hedges etc & find alternatives to grass.

 

[MurphysMinder]

My Cushings pony is currently on box rest after a laminitis attack. I am cutting and drying nettles for her as they are supposed to be a good antioxidant, and she certainly seems to like them as a change from 24 hour soaked hay!

 

[PapaFrita]

Yep, my lot ate nettles as well

And thistles as long as they weren't too big

 

[Sol]

My gelding has developed a sudden love of thistles.... he came over to me the other day in the field and dropped one at my feet - guess I should be pleased he thought I should share?! xD Had a mare that used to eat thistles & nettles too, she'd clear a field of them in a few days o.o