Information please ???

[Ginia]

I know this topic has been discussed in the past, and I think I even printed it off, but can't seem to find it. One of my little pastures has young oak trees along one fence line, and the leaves have fallen in where the horses can eat them if I turn them out there. Could someone please refresh my memory on what might happen if I use that pasture? Caution tells me "not to do it", but would like to know for sure, and "why". Thanks to anyone with experience or knowledge about the possible effects.

 

[Marty]

I have the same problem as you do with my oak trees being on the fence line. Been trying to chop them down for years but they are some 60+ feet tall and so far every tree company that has come to estimate has walked away from them bidding us "good luck"........

Plenty of leaves go into the barnyard and front field this time of year. I can attest to having to pull them out of the horse's mouths and when I did, I noticed their tongues were black and that freaked me out. I do try very hard to keep them raked up best I can and run the horses out of there. They are supposed to be toxic but so far, we're all still alive and I know a couple of horses have eaten them on occasion. Dan usually mows through them right before we know we'll get a big storm with wind to blow them off.

The worst thing in the acorns from the trees and I know for a fact that if a horse eats enough of them they are going to get really sick and could very well die from them. I do know horses that have died from eating them. So this time of year, to solve the problems, I put up a temporary hot wire in these areas to keep the horses away and that elimatates a lot of the leaf and acorn problem.

 

[Ginia]

Thanks Marty, I was thinking it might have been you that posted last year. It will be a little inconvenient, but I think I'll just close that pasture up for the winter and use the others. By next Spring they will be so obsessed with green grass I doubt they will bother with either acorns or old dead leaves. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Do you have one of those lawn sweepers that you pull with a mower? and/or a blower? a friend with either? :bgrin

My goats used to eat ours.......actually race one another to see who could get to the just fallen leaf first!