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Post by harleydales on Jun 8, 2007 21:22:52 GMT -1
A friends horse is in a rented field, and since it was vacated by sheep a year ago, it has become a carpet of buttercups. I know buttercups aren't good for horses, and there's enough grass that they don't eat them, but this horse has started coughing.
I reckon it is to do with the buttercups. She's fighting the owners of the field to get them to spray it (there are 4 other horses in there too) but is struggling. The horse is now off the field and in one of my paddocks to see if this helps.
The 4 horses are on 5 acres and they NEVER get poo picked. One has terrible sweet itch and is prone to lami and is as fat as a barrel, she has a ditch right down the middle of her back from withers to bottom. She's only 9. it drives me nuts!
My friend has her horse in a fenced off bit and keeps it clean - her bit looks great!
Has anyone else come across this coughing with buttercups? He has no other signs, he's happy and shiny and full of energy, no discharges or redness.
Thanks
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Post by SuzieP on Jun 8, 2007 21:30:28 GMT -1
Not heard anything about buttercups causing coughing, but they are toxic to horses. The toxins build up in the liver apparently and can cause long term damage as well as the blisters and photosensitivity which are more visible. Horses will avoid them as a rule, but if the field is smothered in them it's hard to see how they can avoid eating them. I'm glad the horse is off the field now - and the field owners should be ashamed of themselves for not practicing better land husbandry!
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Post by harleydales on Jun 9, 2007 9:05:26 GMT -1
I know Sue, it is wicked. The other owners should have a bit more savvy too.
I used to rent that field and grazed it hard with sheep as well as the horses and that kept the weeds down so it wasn't a problem. Since I left it has never been mown, topped or managed at all. Makes me mad to see good land wasted like this.
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Post by SuzieP on Jun 9, 2007 21:41:30 GMT -1
I'd heard that grazing sheep on a buttercup field can sort it. So aren't sheep affected by the toxins in the same way as horses are?
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Post by zeldalithgow on Jun 10, 2007 20:31:53 GMT -1
Isn't it when the soil becomes too acidic that the buttercups take over, our soil is acidic and I can see more buttercups each year  |
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Post by harveydales on Jun 11, 2007 4:30:08 GMT -1
Yes I think so. We have an area that is often waterlogged and it is very over run with buttercups.
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Post by shiatsudales on Jun 11, 2007 9:39:02 GMT -1
Yep, acid soil equals buttercups. We have a creeping buttercup problem and have to add stuff to the soil every five years to keep it at bay. I don't like to use weedkillers but just making the soil more alkali seems to knock them right back without us needing to use nasty sprays.
My old TB mare used to get swollen lymph glands if the buttercups were bad. You know if they've been eating a lot of them as the plants stain the pony's tongue a purply black colour!
They are poisonous and I'd not be surprised if they caused sweet itch and other problems.
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Post by The Moo on Jun 11, 2007 12:37:23 GMT -1
Heather, what did you use. I have buttercups and don't want to use weedkiller either. I also have a lot moss which would also be cleared by making the soil less acid. We have used seaweed in the past but didn't do much. Mind you I am not always sure the man doing the job actually puts on what he says.  |
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Post by harleydales on Jun 11, 2007 20:41:04 GMT -1
Lime would sort the acidity.
I suppose the sheep don't live as long as ponies as they are culled out or drafted on at 6 to 8 years (apart from mine LOL!) so the buttercups don't affect them. I've certainly never lost any through wasting/scouring that would come with liver problems. Maybe the rumination also does something to make them less toxic? Sheep and cattle can tolerate ragwort much better than horses.
The field is allegedly being sprayed in 2 weeks. Far too late of course!
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