Re: cedar trees
This message is from: "Jean Gayle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Mary, You are right about buttercups. One thing that has always surprised me is the bracken fern that used to be thick in my fields until Howdie my fjord came along. Never had to mow them down after that, Not a sign of them today. These fjords are great lawn mowers. I do keep an eye out for tansy ragwort as my horse Charley when he was a foal, ate the tops off six young plants that I had not seen in the paddock. Normally the horses will not touch them as they are so bitter.Jean Jean Walters Gayle [Authoress of "The Colonel's Daughter" Occupied Germany 1946 To 1949 ] http://users.techline.com/jgayle Send $20 PO Box 104 Montesano, Wa 98563
Re: cedar trees
This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> DON'T build anything in the corral or barn out of cedar, however...I used cedar posts and boards in their run-in shelter, and also built a little gate out of cedar, thinking that the cedar would not rot like other wood...One day I went out and the only thing left of the little gate was only the hinges, and a non-cedar board. Then they started on the cedar posts and boards..they crunch up so nice! I don't think they ate much, but just had delight in shredding the crunchy wood. No more cedar posts, no more cedar boards! Also, my fjords LOVE spruce roots. I had thought that the big spruce trees would be safe from them, but they dug up the roots, which are virtually on the surface here in Interior alaska, and they ate the juicy bark off the roots. The trees died of course. I left the big stumps in the paddocks (to hold the soil on the hill) and they do chew and rub on them. Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska, another beautiful sunny day, high of 56+ but the leaves are falling and hills getting bare. >my geldings also had a taste for cedar and spruce >ROOTS and would chew at any he could find or unearth >by pawing. These I sprayed with Bio Groom 'No Chew' >(yes, it needs to be Bio Groom, as other No Chew >products aren't nasty tasting enough) and he quickly >got the hint. That stuff is SO BITTER. Haven't met a >horse yet that likes it. We have used cedar bark >chips and cedar shavings, etc., in stalls and never >had a problem with the horses eating the bedding. Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: cedar trees
This message is from: Mary Thurman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --- Sanders <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "Sanders" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Robyn, If the tree eating has recently started and > isn't an ingrained habit > yet you could try to coat the tree with liquid Ivory > dishsoap. It would, of > course have to be reapplied often. > Maybe some of our people who > live in Puget Sound, where cedar trees are abundant, > would have some > additional thoughts. Yes, those of us who live in the great "Northwet" DO have lots of cedar trees. Normally the horses leave them alone at our place, except for the occasional 'curiosity taste' by the youngsters. I have had a horse or two that was more serious about chewing trees - cedar, spruce, alder, whatever was handy to chew on out of boredom(I guess). If the tree was 'expendable' I didn't worry about it - ie. if it was a small tree or a weak one that would be coming down anyway. If the tree was a big tree and NOT expendable, I just stapled chicken wire around the trunk from the ground to above 'reach height'. When the horse outgrew the chewing - or was moved elsewhere - I pulled the staples out and remove the chicken wire, as the wire will become imbedded in the bark as the tree increases its girth. If only one side of a tree is exposed to chewing, just put the wire on that one side. One of my geldings also had a taste for cedar and spruce ROOTS and would chew at any he could find or unearth by pawing. These I sprayed with Bio Groom 'No Chew' (yes, it needs to be Bio Groom, as other No Chew products aren't nasty tasting enough) and he quickly got the hint. That stuff is SO BITTER. Haven't met a horse yet that likes it. We have used cedar bark chips and cedar shavings, etc., in stalls and never had a problem with the horses eating the bedding. They WILL, however, devour ALL of any product used for bedding that resembles food in the least! That automatically deletes any kind of straw or pellets from our list of bedding products, leaving only woodchips/sawdust/planer shavings(the BEST) to choose from. Good luck with your 'cedar eating' Fjord. BTW, out here I have never heard of a horse getting sick or dying from eating tree bark - only from eating cherry leaves in the fall(in LARGE quantities). Anyone else out here ever hear of bark eating being a problem? If so, was it a Fjord? When we first got our Fjords the local horse people told me I'd need to get rid of all the buttercup in my pens and fields, plus all the elderberry brush, or my horses would eat it and get sick. NOT!! We have buttercup growing abundantly everywhere - in some pens it's the ONLY thing that's green. The Fjords do not eat it - except for the occasional curious nibble. As for elderberry bushes - one or two of the mares would eat the new leaves in the spring, get the 'runs' from it, and quit eating it. Almost like they used it for a 'spring tonic'. Usually they only ate it for a couple of days and then quit. Both of these mares had been 'range mares' at one time, so I never worried much about them eating stuff that was bad for them. They also were useful in teaching the youngsters what was 'good to eat' and what was not. A great 'natural delicacy' at our house for the horses was the watercress weed I cleaned out of the creek bed in the fall every year. I pulled it out in great mats with a rake and left it on the banks for munching. I was usually followed by a Fjord or two, happily eating up the goodies! Good luck with your 'cedar muncher'. Mary = Mary Thurman Raintree Farms [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: cedar trees
This message is from: "Jean Gayle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> My horses chew on the cedar fence posts occasionally. I have huge cedars in their fields but they do not bother them. They prefer the young branches of the firs and also reach over the fence to keep the raspberry stalks trimmed. I think horses like a chunk of wood, fir, to chew on so I leave firewood in the pasture. Jean Jean Walters Gayle [Authoress of "The Colonel's Daughter" Occupied Germany 1946 To 1949 ] http://users.techline.com/jgayle Send $20 PO Box 104 Montesano, Wa 98563
Re: cedar trees
This message is from: "Sanders" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Robyn, If the tree eating has recently started and isn't an ingrained habit yet you could try to coat the tree with liquid Ivory dishsoap. (Ivory is good because it is purer than other brands. Don't use the grease cutting brands because the chemicals aren't healthy for the horse) It won't hurt the horse or tree but the horses don't like the taste. It works for forelock and tail chewing and doesn't bother the horses digestive system. It would, of course have to be reapplied often. I am assuming you have already tried using foal fencing around the base of the tree? Maybe some of our people who live in Puget Sound, where cedar trees are abundant, would have some additional thoughts. When you find a "cure" let us listers know, it is information worth filing away for future reference. Good luck. Teresa Sanders - Original Message - From: Robyn Millar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 9:46 AM Subject: cedar trees "This message is from: "Robyn Millar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Message to Brian Jensen: I took your advice and contacted the Nelson's about my cedar tree eating Fjord. (if you remember, I have a friend whose horse died from eating cedar bark). ... Robyn"
cedar trees
This message is from: "Robyn Millar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Message to Brian Jensen: Didn't think to get your e-mail address at the evaluation dinner, so am posting to the list. I took your advice and contacted the Nelson's about my cedar tree eating Fjord. (if you remember, I have a friend whose horse died from eating cedar bark). The Nelson's didn't have any answers, as their Fjords do not eat their gorgeous cedar trees. So, am still looking for a solution. You were right, the Nelsons have very nice horses and wonderful breeding. Robyn
