# Are stinging nettles bad for horses???



## Berry and Des (28 August 2010)

I have recently taken my old boy back from his loan home, he returned to me in an extreemly bad state over three months ago now, and he is back to full health. But he has recently developed a fetish for stinging nettles i let him eat them coz he loves them but are they bad for horses at all???


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## monkeybum13 (28 August 2010)

They must have a nice taste as I've known loads of horses to eat them.
At the moment Lacey's favourite food is thistles.


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## hannah28 (28 August 2010)

no there good  for them.


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## *hic* (28 August 2010)

Stinging nettles can be good for them to eat. However just watch out, some of them seem to be badly affected by stings whilst others don't seem to really even notice. I currently have one who got badly stung and was in a terrible state whilst her fieldmate rolled in the same patch of nettles and had no reaction whatsoever.


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## Laura1234 (28 August 2010)

They are good for them, I have bought them dried in a tub before.  Yum!


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## Berry and Des (28 August 2010)

lol he's always been a little strange but that puts my mind at ease lol Thanks guys xxxxxx


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## BarmyC (28 August 2010)

Nettles act as a diuretic (sp?)  We have a field full of mares that are devouring them like no tomorrow as the moment.

I was thinking it was maybe because the "new grass" is coming through their kidneys are having to work harder to remove the sugar from the grass a bit like a diabetic would.

I might be talking complete rubbish but that is my theory


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## Slinkyunicorn (28 August 2010)

No really good for them - full of antioxidants and they work as a 'detox' they are particularly good for laminitics. Chop them down and leave them to wilt a bit and put them in their field. It is his instinct telling him he needs them - they know what is good for them.


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## china (28 August 2010)

they are good for them, pick them (wearing marigolds) or cut them what ever you fancy! and leave them to dry and then let him munch away!


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## catkin (28 August 2010)

No - they are very good for them. Usually if they want particular plants or herbs then they need them at that time.

we have a nettle patch by the fence that we cut down bits of and leave to wilt - they are hoovering them up.

An old saying was that nettles would put dapples in the coat.


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## horsecrazy25 (28 August 2010)

Nettles are good for them  it makes me laugh how they can eat them as we touch them and were itching like mad and covered in lumps and bumps lol  x


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## nativetyponies (28 August 2010)

cut them down...the pony willeat them as they dry out.
very good for laminitics


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## Rose Folly (28 August 2010)

Nettles are NOT good for horses in any large quantities. We had a native pony who became very poorly. She had been turned out, with others, to help graze a non-horsy neighbour's paddock down. The paddock had been strimmed about a week before they went on to it. She developed a passion for the dried/dead strimmed  nettles, and ended up with iodine poisoning. She took a time to get right.


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## dibbin (29 August 2010)

Dylan loves them. And the prickly bits of thistles  weird animals that they are.


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