[WarescotFarm]

Urgh trying to manage my grass is driving me NUTS! They eat the first half of the field to death and leave the other bit alone.
I am now keeping them in more to try and let the front section of grass recover / regrow a bit.
While they have hay I keep driving past all these beautiful hedgerows and wonder if there is anything I can forage for them.
I have been giving them a handful of hawthorn tender shoots, is there anything else?

I should say this is for a mini falabella and pygmy goat

Thanks x

[FiB]

A slight deviation, but I'm interested in what horses do and dont, can and cant eat too ....my neighbour was testing his cutters on a strip of his hay field... he hand gathered the fresh cut grass and offered to horsey neighbour who refused, saying it would give her horses colic - is this true or is she nuts?!!!

[WarescotFarm]

Grass cuttings is because they decompose so quickly and a horse and gauge themselves on it. It takes them time to nibble the ends of grass whereas a pile of grass clippings can be downed very quickly and gives them tummy ache hence the colic.
A real risk is a horse eating itself to death - daft sods!

[lachlanandmarcus]

A slight deviation, but I'm interested in what horses do and dont, can and cant eat too ....my neighbour was testing his cutters on a strip of his hay field... he hand gathered the fresh cut grass and offered to horsey neighbour who refused, saying it would give her horses colic - is this true or is she nuts?!!!

its true it could do, they are not nuts! and colic is a nightmare and can be fatal so most horseowners wouldnt touch grass clippings
Hawthorn, willow. my big chap loves beech.

[sokel]

Grass cuttings are bad for horses but if you strim long grass down so that you have long stuff that is ok
We do this for our goats and the horses and donks always get some

[lachlanandmarcus]

Grass cuttings are bad for horses but if you strim long grass down so that you have long stuff that is ok
We do this for our goats and the horses and donks always get some

yes, if (a big if) it is fed promptly after it is cut. Strimmers cut more cleanly too, I wouldnt feed anything that had been bruised and crushed  by a mower.

[sokel]

I always cut and feed straight away anyway. Been doing it for 35 years and never had a problem. As its just a falabella. And pygmy you could just pick some long grass etc as you need it
Just watch out for mares tail etc in it

[Rosemary]

My boys got a big handful of sticky willie yesterday. They love it.

[lachlanandmarcus]

ooh steady on Rosemary 

[omnipeasant]

Mine like dried nettles. If you leave them for a few days they don't sting their mouths.

[FiB]

My boys got a big handful of sticky willie yesterday. They love it.

Is 'sticky willy' cleavers/goosegrass?  They call it Cackey Monkey (Spelt Caci Mwnci in welsh) round here!!

[tizaala]

Mine like dried nettles. If you leave them for a few days they don't sting their mouths.

Yes to dried nettles , ours love them and they are good for them , willow they go mad for, grass cuttings are dangerous as they ferment ,

[WarescotFarm]

All great ideas thank you!

[lachlanandmarcus]

My boys got a big handful of sticky willie yesterday. They love it.

Is 'sticky willy' cleavers/goosegrass?  They call it Cackey Monkey (Spelt Caci Mwnci in welsh) round here!!

yes its the same thing as cleavers/goosegrass, not sure about Cackey Monkey love it!!

[ellied]

Cut nettles - high iron content
Cleavers/stickie willie - cleanses blood and aids circulation - ideal for those disposed to laminitis
Hawthorn - tips ideally but mine will chew delicately around thorns on larger pieces and leave the twigs stripped - another good for lami prone/at risk fatties
Rosebay willowherb - very common prolific weed, but only prior to flowering and don't confuse with foxgloves (digitalis) if you don't know one tall purple plant from another
Hand picked/scythed long grass but nothing cut with a mower and for me personally no strimmed stuff either - often hard to tell what's caught up in the latter and the former is a killer
Any brassica leaves
Rosehips and twigs
Willow (aspirin)
Mine eat dried thistles if I scythe field edges and leave them a day lying in the field they go - but then I have Highland ponies
Young dandelions leaves (diuretic but also good for digestion)