At 19:16:37 on 21.07.09, jaykay wrote:
I have an increasing problem with marestail / horsetail in my paddock, but get different replies re: its toxicity. I have read that it is a liver toxin similar to ragwort, but have also seen a report of ponies being used by the Suffolk wildlife trust to help keep it in check. Unlike ragwort, the horses will happily eat it, and it's a b----r to get rid of, so I have to fence a large area off until it dies down for the winter- any thoughts?

At 11:07:37 on 29.07.09, HorseVet wrote:
Hi A quick search on Google for horsetail revealed that it is used as a herb for a variety of conditions from connective tissue to kidney problems. Of course I wouldn't recommend too much as there is bound to be a level above which it puts a greater burden on organs. What this level is and how much plant that equates to in terms of what a horse can physically eat I have no idea. It would certainly not seem to have the same issues as Ragwort. Best wishes HorseVet
http://www.naturalhealingsolutions.co.uk

At 11:24:30 on 01.08.09, jaykay wrote:
THank you - guess I should have thought of googling it!

At 09:45:38 on 19.08.09, luckylucy wrote:
Hi, I let my horses self medicate through the seasons, they graze the unsprayed lanes it is facinating to see what they select, our lanes are abundant in flora no longer accessible in "normal paddocks", horsetail I understand is rich in silica. In spring they love cowparsley just as it flowers, then sticky willy, hawthorn as it buds, berries just now. rosehips are a great fav but later say oct. Elderberries are gt too. Vetch is good right now.