The Equestrian Blog

Be warned – Horsetail, Mares Tail or Scouring Rush

Just a quick question... As horse owners we're mostly all familiar with the battle against ragwort and how it has spread into every field, central reservation and grass verge in the country, but how many of us know anything about mares tail?

Horse or Mares Tail, (scientific name Equisetum Palustre), is toxic to horses and should in my opinion be equestrian enemy number one. It looks like it belongs in Jurassic Park and spreads like wildfire. From a few small patches last year my paddock is now covered in it and it looks as if it's spreading fast and here to stay.

I've been researching this plant and what I've discovered doesn't make for pleasant reading.. more at Mares Tail - Toxic To Horses

A Good Start to 2008 ??

Posted by rji | Filed under Equestrian News, Worth Mentioning

A woman was injured and two horses killed as a result of a road traffic accident in Wales on Monday morning (7 January).

On Sunday (6 January) two horses were stuck by cars and killed after straying onto the A20 in Kent

A man was seriously injured and a pony killed when they were involved in a collision with a 4x4 vehicle at 10.45am on 29 December in Newland Common Road, Droitwich

A massive rescue operation is underway in Buckinghamshire, to remove 84 horses, ponies and donkeys from a location where 32 equines have already died. While 31 horses were found dead in a field, three were destroyed as they were considered too ill to be moved or rehabilitated. They are described as being emaciated, deprived of food and water, with overgrown feet and possibly suffering from infectious diseases.

A grisly discovery inside a Cattaraugus County house and barn Saturday led to the arrest of a Randolph man and his girlfriend on animal cruelty charges, state police said. Authorities found a dead draft horse chained to a pole inside a barn at 3199 Route 394 in the Town of Coldspring.

Rochester USA - A woman died of injuries suffered when she fell while trying to stroke a police officer's horse outside a shopping mall. The woman reached out to touch the horse but it pulled away and she lost her balance and fell underneath the animal, her sister said. "It stepped on her several times".

And it's only the 10th of January ??