You may not think of your horse pasture as necessarily hazardous, but the truth is, pastures can be the cause of both injury and illness for many horses. The following are five common pasture hazards to avoid, if it all possible.
- Equipment
The most obvious and easily preventable hazard in pastures is equipment lying around. Horses are curious by nature and can cut or injure themselves on tractor implements, building materials, or other equipment that is kept in a pasture. If weeds and grass grow over the equipment, that can increase the odds of your horse stumbling. - Unsafe fencing
The worst fencing for horses is barbed wire and metal t-posts, both which can cut or even mortally injure a horse. If using metal t-posts, make sure to use plastic caps on the tops. However, the safest types of horse fencing include the following:
Flex Fencing which consists of galvanized high-tensile wires bonded to a polymer webbing. Instead of splintering on impact, Flex Fence will flex six to eight inches and then return to its original shape.
Flex Fence Coated Wire which is a non-electric fence that can be used alone or in combination with Flex Fencing.
PVC Horse Fence
Board Horse Fence - Toxic weeds
Another pasture hazard that may be lurking in plain sight? Toxic weeds and trees. Though horses innately don’t eat toxic plants, they might do so if they don’t have enough forage. Some
weeds/trees to watch out for include:
Buttercups
Pokeweed
Yew
Maple trees
Poison hemlock
Water hemlock
Milkweed
Bracken fern - Overgrazed or drought-stricken grass
While lush grass can certainly pose a hazard for horses, especial those with metabolic problems, horse owners may not be aware that overgrazed or drought-stricken grass can do the same. Overgrazed or drought-stricken grass will harbor higher levels of sugar, which can be dangerous for many horses. It’s also more likely to contain toxic weeds, which horses may eat if there’s not enough grass to consume. - Holes
Finally, holes created by burrowing animals can be another dangerous hazard in pastures. Horses running or even moving at slower speeds can easily step in these holes and injure themselves. Therefore, it’s a good idea to routinely walk your pastures and fill in any holes. Burrowing animals may need to be dealt with as well.
