Would this hurt the horses feet?(read details!!)?

Question

In my field there are some big prickly weeds (I can't find what their actually called). Would it hurt the horses feet if I rode over them and they were stepped on? They are everywhere in my feild too. I will be leasing soon but keeping the horse at the leasers barn. The barn is really close to my house and I have a lot of land and I am thinking I can ride around in my fields. Would it be okay or would it be better to use a weed killer? The horse wouldn't be grazing in the field just riding btw too.

There is 2 different types a bush like one and a tree like one...

I took a picture of the bush like one.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27028825@N04/2581895229/

Answer 1

Thistles do not hurt horses hooves, my horses graze these, carefully but they will eat them.

Answer 2

We have them...it's just a thistle...and will make a purple 'flower' on the top...and our horses eat them and walk all over them.  Doesn't bother them at all.  Sends me into a fit if I touch them though...or brush one with my toes or feet if I'm wearing flip flops.

There is not a one in the pasture...guess they ate them all.  But they are in the areas that the horses can't get to.  But if I tether them...they will eat them.

I soak them with a hose and then put on thick leather gloves and pull them right out...or dig them with a shovel.  They die pretty quickly just left on the ground...which is what I do.

BTW...nice photo...It's so hard to make a judgement call on a plant that someone is trying to describe!

Answer 3

We call those Scotch Thistles.

Unfortunatly we have alot of them here in Australia, they take over very quickly. But I have never had a horse injure themselves. In fact my mare used to eat them! Very carefully but......Im sure she was nuts!

I wouldnt ride over them on purpose but they wont hurt your horse,your horse is much tougher then that.

If the thistle is green, the prickles are softer. If the thistle has died off the prickles will break off like splinters, just make sure you clean your horses hooves thoroughly after your ride.

If you want to try and get rid of them, all I can suggest is keep the grass cut down, or dig them out before they flower. Poison if you want, but prevention is more sucessful then killing them

Happy riding!

Answer 4

Your horse will be fine, don't use weed killer because chemicals like that are bad for horses, and if the horse or any animal (deer, other horses...) eats grass around it, it could make it sick. Your horse has hard hooves!, and the skin on there legs is a lot thicker than yours, + they have fur, and there smart enough to avoid things that hurt them.

Answer 5

The picture of the weed that you have is nothing more than a thistle.  It will not hurt the horses feet.  The pickers of the thistle are not hard, although they can hurt your hands.  I have ridden over these weed with no problem to the horse or his feet.  Go ahead and ride but it would be nice if you could spray the weeds, and lessen the population for next year.

Answer 6

it will not hurt you horses feet

Answer 7

Thistle thats what it is! its not going to hurt your horse just you because your skin is not as thick as a horses skin is.

Answer 8

Horses are usually sensible enough, and paying enough attention to their feet not to step on objects that will hurt them. Depending on how hard their hooves are, it may not bother them at all. Shoes would protect your horses hooves more than leaving them bare. If you are really concerned, you could buy hoof boots to protect your horse's hooves.

http://www.easycareinc.com

If you are terribly concerned, you could use weed killers. I wouldn't be that concrened, though.

Answer 9

to be honest with you I'm not sure if it would bother the horses hooves or not...I don't ride in the field much.

How prickly is it? I wouldn't ride on it just to be on the safe side, but they might be able to. If possible, ask to meet the horses farrier and bring a "sample" of the plant and ask the farrier if it would be alright to ride on it

Answer 10

Instead of using chemicals, use vinegar - just ordinary everyday vinegar and it will start to disappear in a matter of hours!

It's more efficient and doesn't cost the environment or your horses health. :)

Answer 11

It should not hurt your horses feet... to be safe for there mouths if you do ever let your horse graze kill those buggers! lol

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 12

Depends on how sharp/big the prickle things are. If they're really sharp and stiff then they could poke into the frog (in the hoof) and do some damage.

For weed killer, you'd have to keep the horses out (even for riding) for a while.

But my mom recommends pulling the weeds out by hand or by using a backhoe.

Answer 13

man.... I hate those weeds.... I would either put some kind of chemical out there to kill it or I would pull them up.

But if you got with the chemical way I wouldnt use that field for anything for about 3 or 4 days just to be on the safe side.

Answer 14

they will not hurt your horse