Orchard dirt safe for horse paddocks (to eat, trees, teaching)

[Miborn]

Does anyone know if topsoil from orchards is safe to put in horse paddocks?

[crittersitter]

What kind of orchard? Some trees are toxic to horses. I'm not familiar with what's in your area.....

[Miborn]

Originally Posted by crittersitter

What kind of orchard? Some trees are toxic to horses. I'm not familiar with what's in your area.....

See that is what I am trying to find out.
If it comes out of a cherry orchard for example will it be harmful to the horses if they eat anything off the ground.

[crittersitter]

It could be harmful, depending on what kind of orchard. Once you find out you might contact your local extension agent to see what plants/trees are toxic to horses in your area. I am extremely careful about those things. We have black walnut trees around here which are very toxic. Also wilted leaves are bad on a number of trees as well as peach pits and cherry trees.

[Miborn]

Originally Posted by crittersitter

It could be harmful, depending on what kind of orchard. Once you find out you might contact your local extension agent to see what plants/trees are toxic to horses in your area. I am extremely careful about those things. We have black walnut trees around here which are very toxic. Also wilted leaves are bad on a number of trees as well as peach pits and cherry trees.

Thank you.........
I did not even think of calling the local extension.... duh....
I grew up with oak and maple trees all over we never had a problem. Ive heard that if they grow up around things like that they know not to eat them. But then again One of my neighbors had a stallion die last year that he just thought was from WVN.
But I think it ate some of the hemlock family weeds which we have around. So who knows.
But I have to put something down because it is a clay patch and when it rains it is terrible.
I hate to do sand because of sand colic and they do eat off the ground they push it out of the feeders to get the good stuff, there so funny.
Maybe just normal topsoil would be better.
Thanks again..........

[crittersitter]

Do they have what they call "stone dust" out there? We put that down in our drylot muddy areas and it really works well as far as draining and keeping the mud down. I would think some top soils would be slick when wet. I don't use sand either for the exact reasons you mention. A friend of mine had a very nice horse almost die of sand colic and he only spent a few hours now and then in her sand filled arena. He ended up in a teaching hospital a state away. He is now one very expensive horse. You know how there's always one in the herd that'll eat anything.... Good luck to you

[Miborn]

Originally Posted by crittersitter

Do they have what they call "stone dust" out there? We put that down in our drylot muddy areas and it really works well as far as draining and keeping the mud down. I would think some top soils would be slick when wet. I don't use sand either for the exact reasons you mention. A friend of mine had a very nice horse almost die of sand colic and he only spent a few hours now and then in her sand filled arena. He ended up in a teaching hospital a state away. He is now one very expensive horse. You know how there's always one in the herd that'll eat anything.... Good luck to you

Hey I will inquire about stone dust I have never heard of it. It is probably around though we have allot of rock stuff here. Thanks so much. Ya know the muddy season is just around the corner too!