Flood water has gone down in my pasture-what should I be aware of when I turn my horses out there again?

Question

This last weekend I picked up all the plastic pop bottles, branches, and general trash that floated up. It really stinks like dead fish out there too! I'm not usually concerned with the Febuary/March floods, but this one was later and the local farmers have sprayed and fertilized the fields around here, (corn, soybeans, alfalfa) which drowned out. Will any of that make my horses sick when I turn them back out in my big pasture? What should I watch for?

The price of grain is going to be higher than ever-hope everybody can stock up a little!

Answer 1

After the next rain.  Mud over grass will not grow much until the grass is washed off.  Not counting the dust, e.t.c. your horse will be inhaling.......

Answer 2

Well... You should make sure that you pick out their hooves (as stated before) and please, PLEASE make sure that there are no patches of mud deep enough or wet enough for your horses to slip or get their hooves stuck in. Those could cause them to pop a splint or pull a shoe.... Don't want that to happen!

Also, I would take a sample of grass and ask your veterinarian if it could be tested.

     If not, then just wait for a good rainstorm to dilute/wash away some of the pesticides that may be present in your pasture.

Answer 3

hello~

i wouldn't turn those horses out until its pretty dry ( it can ruin your grass/pasture ) but i would actually wait until it dries and then wait till it rans again if you are worried about the chemicals because that will help wash away everything.  if you don't have anywhere else to put them make sure they still stay active.. take them for walks on the lead rope.. find safe places to lunge them.. try your best not to keep them cooped up in the barn

Answer 4

Hey ok i don't think the pesticides will hurt them but pick out their hooves every day!!! I mean it you HAVE to pick them out or your horses will get BAD thrush which is hard to get rid of. If you see dark stuff in their hooves clean it out and get some sort of thrush treatment or ask your vet. Good luck

Answer 5

just make sure there no junk or like broken glass or anything

Answer 6

The flood water diluted it already.  The pesticides and herbicides should be fine.  The only thing to worry about is water borne diseases.  A good rain should carry most of them into the soil or stream.  Failing that sunlight is an excellent sterilizer.  Give it 5 or 6 days of sun.

Edit The major weed in most flood areas is water hemlock.  The plant is highly toxic.  Horses will not eat it when it is green but will gladly devour it if dried into hay.

Answer 7

Others have addressed the mud and pesticides.  Another issue for when it dries out would be invasion by plants that are toxic, or an excessive amount of clovers....we've had to deal  with that a couple times after flooding.

Answer 8

Well it's been poring where I live the last few days, but if you happen to get a good week or week and a half of dry whether that should be long enough. I wouldn't turnout until you've got a dry pasture.

I know what you're going through, my place has been underwater these last 2 days, and I've been forced to turn my horses out in my arena. It's the only thing that's still dry. Where do you live?

Answer 9

Do not turn them out until there is not the least bit of mud (you will ruin your paddocks/grass)

If you are worried about pesticides, wait for a good rainstorm if you can. Usually it will be safe after being diluted.