'Your kindness may kill' - People warned against feeding horses grass cuttings

People are being warned not to feed horses freshly cut grass and garden waste. 

My Lovely Horse Rescue (MLHR) issued a warning today (May 30) reminding people not to dispose of lawn mowings into horse pastures due to the risk of horses becoming "extremely ill". 

The post reads, "Unfortunately, grass cuttings are potentially very dangerous for horses to eat and sadly many have died as a result of people putting lawn mowings over the fence into horse pastures.

"The BHS (British Horse Society) continues to receive ongoing reports of horses being made extremely ill from this issue. There are many concerns and dangers to horses if they eat grass cuttings and garden waste."

Consequences of horses consuming cuttings and garden waste reportedly includes a risk of the horse choking, causing the horse to develop a potentially life-threatening stomach-ache known as colic, severe hoof pain known as laminitis which can also be life-threatening, poisoning from plants toxic to horses, and a risk of the horse ingesting chemicals applied to the plants such as herbicides and pesticides. 

The warning is part of the ongoing Be Horse Aware campaign, which aims to spread awareness of the potential deadly consequences of feeding horses that are not your own. 

BHS continues to urge members of the public not to feed strange horses, stating, "Although feeding horses may seem harmless, your kindness may kill!"