Yard owner being a complete tw*t again?

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cariadssogreat

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Yard owner has today done his usual annual muppet features impression. I'm beginning to think it is only me who thinks it is a problem tho. He has topped my field with my horses grazing in it - and no other place to put them. Now I am sure this is a very bad move - although I am starting to doubt my own sanity.
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If he has only cut a small amount off, they should be alright as they are unlikely to bother with the dead grass if there is adequate grazing. However, if there is a lot been cut off, I wouldn't leave them on it.

I'd be rather annoyed if my horse was out when they cut - he would have gone baserk(sp)!
 
How did your horse react to the tractor/quad with the topper? When my horse went to my friends so I could rest my paddock her dad went in and topped it while Jake was in there. I thought he'd go mad but apparently he walked calmly behind the tractor, following it round the field. He was fine as there was so much grazing, he didn't bother about the cut grass.
 
Not an ideal situation but if he hadnt done it, would you be complaining about that?
If there was nowhere to put your horses what was he supposed to do? I havent read any other posts regarding your YO so have no idea about how 'twitish' he is but I cant see how topping the field while your neds were on it was a 'bad move'! What are you worried about? Mairi.
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Ours are quite regularly topped around the horses, and I have known this done at several yards - they soon learn to ignore it. i might have a different view if it meant that lots of lush grass cutting were left behind, but that isn't usually the case and they are just topping the stalky stuff and weeds
 
Mairi, I would have thought in this situation if he wanted to top the grass off then he should have offered for somewhere else to put the horses. If he had just been topping docks and nettles like he did in the spring then fine - cause the horses wont eat that. But it is the equiv of 1/2 acre of good grass that he has cut - to tidy the field up.
 
A good YO will top the grass when its needed. Topping grass when its a foot tall isnt 'topping' its called cutting! How long was the grass when he went in? M.
 
Poor you FE I would be worried sick if that had happened to me. My husband tops my fields and the horses are out of those particular paddocks and don't go back into them until I have managed to pick up a lot of the long lush grass or I let it burn off.... just think its asking for problems as they do seem to love munching on the long lush bits...
 
Your not just off the edge of Exmoor are you? Because I drove past a somebody doing that very thing this afternoon, field with five or six horses in, tractor and topper going round felling everything, followed by horses....
 
IME cutting the long stuff reveals the short stuff underneath and most horses will nudge aside the cut stuff (apart from the thistles) to get at the new green stuff underneath. I dont consider this a problem. Better to 'top' off now and get good grazing for the winter than be left with a load of stalky dead stuff. Safety wise I think its dodgy to operate a topper with animals in the field but thats another matter.
 
My YO always tops my field with the horses in (nowhere else to go!) but it is 10 acres. I know grass cuttings from a lawnmower are dangerous, but don't toppers work in a different way? ie just cut the grass at the base rather than into tiny little bits
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. I'm sure somebody will correct me
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Mowings from your lawn are dangerous but not field toppings of a foot long.
It wouldnt bother me in the slightest, in fact at least the YO has done it. !!
 
Thomas Tank - are you sure - if so great. Thing that annoys me most is the fact that he doesnt do fencing, chain harrowing or rolling - but then does this without even mentioning it. But I was honestly under the impression that cut grass is dangerous. What is the difference between lawn mover cuttings and a cut field then - anyone - just to get to the bottom of this.
 
I think lawnmowings impact in the gut and cause colic ( someone will correct me if I am wrong ) I think they ferment too, as the grass is so short
Toppings however, need to be chewed properly and therefore wont impact. As said above, they will push it aside to get to the fresh growth.
Where the grass is really long is probably where they poo, so they wont eat it as it is too sour.

Its a long time since I did my exams and was fully into horses full time, I am sure I am along the right lines though.
I havent had a problem with my horses grazing a topped field.
 
Yes but dont quote me on it, I may not have it 'quite' right.
I do know cuttings from your lawn are very dangerous as opposed to a topped field.
 
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