Herbal Leys Workshop I spent yesterday at Farm-Ed near Chipping Norton, on a one-day course on Herbal Leys: Establishment & Management. The aim of the day was to build understanding around the Herbal Ley. In simple terms, a herbal lay is a parcel of land that has been sown with grass, legume, and herb seed. …
I was standing in the forest poo-picking. The herd was some way off, on another part of the land. When the first firework went off, there was an immediate response from the horses. They regrouped. Agitation rippled through the herd. My horse sense told me to move the barrow from where I was, in the …
Read more “Powerful essential oils helpful for horses at bonfire night.”
Times are stressful for many of us, right now. Building regular self-care into our daily lives can be a game changer. In this regard, I enjoyed a very insightful discussion earlier in the month with Adam Pickford. Adam is Co-Founder & Director of the Human Resources consultancy Highlight People. We were talking about an intense …
I am just back from a one-day workshop with Gillian Higgins at Horses Inside Out. Massage is the art of manipulation of soft body tissues with the hands. The workshop aimed at improving our skills in massage for horses. During the day, we worked with five lovely horses. Toby, Norman (shown above), Pumpernickel, Mowgli, and …
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Gastric issues in horses are extremely serious and can cause great pain. There are essentially two kinds of ulceration. One of these occurs in the upper or squamous part of the stomach. The other, in the lower or glandular region. Ulcers are unfortunately all too common in racing and competition horses. We will consider here …
In a recent post, I described the Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), as one of the plants most toxic to horses. In this post, I look at a related issue, concerning Ragwort and Rewilding. Description: Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) is a biennial plant, abundant in Britain. It can grow from 30cm to a meter in height. Ragwort has …
Which plants are most toxic to horses? In this series of posts, I continue to describe the most common plants that are toxic to horses. Here we look at the Hemlock. Description: Hemlock (Conium Maculatum) is an erect, branched biennial plant. It can reach 2m in height. It is common in waste ground, in ditches, …
Which plants are most toxic to horses? In this series of posts, I continue to describe the most common plants that are toxic to horses. Here we look at the mighty Oak. Description: Oak (Quercus spp.) is a tree, native to Britain, and commonly found in woodland, parkland, and near pastures. Oak is also widespread …
Which plants are most toxic to horses? In this series of posts, I continue to describe the most common plants that are toxic to horses. Description: Foxglove (Digitalis Purpurea) is a biennial plant that reaches about 1.5m in height. Its flowers are bell or helmet-shaped and they may be either purple or white. What the …
Which plants are most toxic to horses? In this series of posts, I continue to describe the most common plants that are toxic to horses. Description: Yew (Taxus baccata) is an evergree tree, native to Britain. It can grow to 20m in height. It grows in gardens, and churchyards all over Britain. Some trees reach …