An Ideal Field & Poisonous Plants

[TracingEquines]

An Ideal Field

Fencing

You need to have secure fencing like -

* Post and rail
* Post and wire
* Hedges
* Dry stone walls
* Electric fencing

Post and rail is probably the most ideal unless you have a natural barrier in which you would place a post and rail fence on the inside. Post and wire is a cheaper alternative to wooden post and rail fencing.

The fencing should be checked every day. Look for any weak spots or broken fencing so that you can get it repaired before your horse escapes.

Grass

A good field should contain plenty of grass. If it is a large field, it should be sectioned off according to how many horses or ponies are grazing on it.

Shelter

You need to have some kind of shelter whether it is just trees or a proper man-made shelter. A shelter protects your horse from extreme weather conditions and provides a cool, shady area during the hot summer days.

Look for any signs of loose boards or damage from kicks and general wear and tear.

Gates

The field should have gates that are wide enough for farm machinery to go through and they have to open inwards. This is so that if it comes slightly open, the horse can’t push its way out.

Watering In The Field

Why Do We Give Horses Water ?

* It is the largest constituent within the body.
* Needed for bodily processes such as digestion and circulation.
* To quench thirst.
* To regulate temperature.
* To help with excretion.

On average a horse drinks between 6-8 gallons per day.

Your horse should have a constant supply of fresh water whether it is a natural source or not. If the water that is offered to the horse is in a bucket or trough, it should be cleaned out daily.

Methods Of Watering

Rivers And Streams

This source of watering is quite good, providing it is known where the water comes from initially. If the source is polluted in some way then it must be fenced off. A secondary back up supply must be found for draught like conditions. The base of the river must be gravel or pebbled, rather than sandy. As the horse drinks from a sand based river, he will stir it up and ingest it. This will lie heavy in his stomach causing colic.

Troughs

Troughs should not be situated in the corner of a field (fighting). Ideally they should be placed on hard core so that it does not get too muddy during the wetter months.

Baths

Old baths are not really acceptable (especially when the taps are still on). The edges are sharp and will almost certainly be the cause of injury. If a bath must be used then it is important that the taps are removed, and the bath is boxed in to eliminate any sharp edges. The water must be changed regularly to prevent it from getting stagnant, and the bath scrubbed out.

An alternative to a bath is a trough with a ball-cock system fitted. This is an automatic waterer. It is labour saving in the long run although it is still necessary to check the system on a daily basis. Leaves and other debris get into the system and block it up.

Ponds

These are not a very good idea. The water in the pond becomes stagnant very quickly, and does not taste very pleasant. Ponds are frequently quite deep which could pose a problem to a horse going to drink from one. This is particularly dangerous for old horses or mares in foal, or with foal at foot. If there is a pond in your field, make sure it is fenced off and find another more suitable form of watering.

Poisonous Plants

Foxglove - all plant poisonous mainly leaf

Hemlock - sappy stems are quite poisonous in dry weather

Woody Nightshade - berry is poisonous the most

Ragwort - all parts of this plant are poisonous. When picked and left to dry, it affects the liver

Deadly Nightshade - mainly flowers poisonous

Laburnham - all parts of this plant are poisonous. Seeds most poisonous

Privet - only poisonous when eaten in large quantities

Acorns - eating these in large quantities can prove fatal. Acorns and leaves are poisonous

Yew - all parts of the tree including dead leaves and twigs poisonous

Horse Tail - all poisonous even the foot