Yes the horses eat the thistle flowers (it’s funny watching them carefully pick them) and they have eaten some of the thistles I’ve pulled. My pony will also eat the docks immediately after I’ve pulled them out of the ground- I wish he’d eat them while in the ground!
I scythe nettles regularly (leaving a lot for butterflies) but my horses don’t seem to eat them when wilted, which is annoying as other people’s horses seem to.
Jane W wrote: ↑Wed Aug 18, 2021 1:36 pm GOATS!!
I've been noticing a lot of goats being used here for cropping down anything from scrub to lawns. Neighbours here have them instead of lawnmowers it seems.
I only know what I've heard locally and looked up on the internet...so I'm no expert...you need to do your own research...but...just putting the idea out there...they eat dock evidently, and thistle and bramble and nettle. Almost anything in fact.
They don't need to be sheared...are healthy and tough...can give milk/cheese.
Downsides are they are good at escaping...but then so are sheep and horses I guess.
Also noticed that horses will eat thistle and nettles if they're cut and left to soften. Any help for getting rid of too many of these? Scything down the worst patches and letting the horses at them?