The ragwort debate!

Leaving the woods and wandering home along the New Forest lanes, you will see the yellow flowers of ragwort along the verges. We all know there is an ongoing debate about ragwort within the New Forest, and for good reason. Ragwort is highly toxic to ponies and cattle, and growing up and having a career with horses, I have spent many an hour digging out ragwort from fields in hard ground. However, when ponies and cattle live a wild life as they do here in the forest, with all the herbs, grasses, and flowers they need, it would be unusual for them to choose a toxic plant to eat. That said, ragwort reseeds easily, and we don’t want it blowing into farmers' pastures for two reasons. Horses and ponies that live a domesticated life in a paddock made up of mostly grass and not a lot else are more likely to take a nibble on an interesting yellow plant that is wafting in the breeze as if to say, “Over here, come and try me!” Also, if the farmer makes hay from their fields, they do not want ragwort in it, as it becomes more toxic when dried.

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