A study of ragwort and how it affects horse riding enthusiasts

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Those that enjoy horse riding will no doubt of heard the blight faced by many a horse owner; the common Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea). What lies behind the seemingly pleasant coloured weed is something that can cause irreversible damage to your horse and possibly yourself. In order to better understand the problem of ragwort, we take a look at the legalities behind it and what can be done to ensure you and your horse are best protected against it.

Ragwort - The facts

Ragwort is a deadly weed; it contains alkaloid toxins that if eaten in quantity can prove to be fatal. The effect it has upon the horses body is cumulative, so regardless of when and where the horse digests some, whether it is in one large dose or over a period of time, the effects are the same. However, what makes ragwort so deadly is that symptoms lie undetectable until it reaches a critical level, and once reached it is too late. As yet, no guaranteed treatment is available to cure a horse with severe ragwort poisoning.

The legalities

As weeds go ragwort has a fair old history in the regulations of the United Kingdom. It was one of five injurious weeds that that were covered by the provisions of the Weed Act 1959. This gave the Secretary of State power, if need be, to enforce notice on a landowner to prevent the weed from spreading. However, this act fell short of making it illegal to have ragwort or any of the five injurious weeds, growing on a landowners property. The emphasis concerned controlling the spread of the deadly weeds.

Subsequently, the equestrian fraternity welcomed the Ragwort Control Act that was enforced with support from John Greenway MP and sponsored by The British Horse Society, on the 20 November 2004. An amendment of the previous Weed Act, the reformed act came with a Code of Practice on how to stop the spread and also made it easier to prosecute those who disregard the severity of the problem. This marked a definite step forward and gave hope to anyone that has a love of the horse and enjoys horse riding.

How to tackle the problem

It is never too late to tackle ragwort, what is important is that you do it as soon as possible before the problem gets out of hand. The following are some of the best ways to ensure your fields are free from ragwort.

Before you start dealing with ragwort it is vital to mention a study made by Derek Knottenbelt of Liverpool University. He indicated that as well as horses, humans may also be at risk from the deadly ragwort. So when dealing with the deadly weed it is essential steps are taken to protect yourself; ensure when handling you wear thick rubber gloves, and if its flowering, a dusk mask with pollen filter.

The old fashioned digging and hand pulling technique is a great start dealing with any sort of ragwort problem. Although by doing this you are allowing for potential regrowth, there are ways to minimise the amount of root you leave. One of these is to use a specially designed ragwort fork and also ensure you pull when the soil is wet. But to guarantee maximum effectiveness, pull from the root before the plant is flowering; this will help stop any spread that you would get when the weed is pollinating. This whole method should be done yearly to prevent as much spread as possible.

If you have the means, grazing with sheep works to weaken the plants. However, if your field is heavily infested this method is now discouraged due to the risk to the animals.

What is seen as the most effective method is to spot spray with a systemic weed killer. This is best done at the rosette stage before the weed flowers and should be done as a programme for a minimum of two years. As soon as you see new weeds coming up, act upon them.

If it happens that the field infected is not your property but may indirectly or directly affect you or your horse, action can be taken�and it should! There are a number of contacts that you should phone depending on where the problem lies.

Highways Agency: 08457 50 40 30

Network Rail: 08457 11 41 41

Local Highways Authority: Look in your local directory

For Private land. If possible contact the landowner direct, if this is not possible or he fails to act contact DEFRA/MAFF, or fill out the complaint form that can be found at www.defra.gov.uk

Also, the British Horse Society has a free phone number to help horse owners develop strategies to control their ragwort: 01926 633099.

For your information

The Ragwort Control Acts code of practice can be downloaded at www.defra.gov.uk/farm/wildlife/weeds You can also obtain it for free by ringing 08459 556000

Also a DEFRA guide to the disposal of Ragwort can be viewed at www.defra.gov.uk/farm/wildlife/weeds/pdf/ragwort-dispose.pdf

So whether youre a horse owner, enjoy horse riding, compete at horse shows or just share a common love of the horse, we all share an obligation to eradicate the blight of ragwort.

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