Hello Again!

Lawn grass is coming in thick and lush at this time of year. But if you collect and compost your grass clippings, be sure the pile is well out of reach of your horses.

Grass clippings can be dangerous to your horse. They can cause colic and laminitis, contain toxic chemicals or plants and be a choking hazard.

It's ok, however, to leave clippings on your pasture after a mow. The clippings will dry out quickly when exposed to sun and air and they won't accumulate in big piles. Horses can safely consume dry, well-distributed clippings along with pasture grass.

Be careful using hydrogen peroxide on wounds. It actually removes oxygen from the area which can retard healing in some cases. It may encourage the growth of bacteria that thrive without oxygen (anaerobic).

The Veterinary Manual For The Performance Horse by Equine Research Inc. says "hydrogen peroxide is toxic to equine cells...interfering with oxygen supply to the tissues. Reduced oxygen results in...delayed healing. It should be reserved only for cleaning off blood that has splattered the hair below a wound."

Happy riding!

The Practical Horsekeepers

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