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. …
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 …
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 …
Ragwort is a common plant that grows wild and is toxic to horses. This article gives information about Ragwort, and how to remove it.
Which plants support and which plants are toxic to our horses? A great interest in plants that heal took place in the 16th and 17th centuries. This led to several important herbals. The image is from that of John Gerarde (1634), frontispiece above. The number of different species of wild plants declined in the countryside. …