What is the best way to get rid of Poison Ivy around animials?

Question

My husband and I have bought a house with acreage so we wouldn't have to board our horses anymore. We are about to start putting up fencing the only problem is we have Poison Ivy everywhere... What is the best way to get rid of it that would be safe around the horses? I know about round up, and Brush B Gone but I'm worried about using harsh chemicals around the horses especially where they might graze. Does anyone have a good way to get rid of the nuisance plant w/o poisoning my horses in the process?

Answer 1

Home made, non-toxic to mammals, Poison Ivy Killer:

One gallon of vinegar.

One cup salt.

Slightly heat the vinegar, add salt, stir until dissolved.  Put in a sprayer, and add a tsp of liquid dishsoap.  Spray the green leaves.  Be careful of overspray, as it will kill any plant it touches.  Also don't use it near streams or lakes, as the salts are bad for the water-dwelling critters.

It will take a week or two to work.  And if the poison ivy has large underground roots (as it probably does if you've got a lot of it), you may have to periodically respray as you see it re-appear.  But if you're persistent, and spray as soon as you see a re-emergence, it will eventually exhaust it's "food supply" in the root, and die.