Mare and Foal Sanctuary's video: BBC Spotlight - The Mare and Foal Sanctuary Grass Cutting Treats

BBC Spotlight - 22.04.2019 Just before the Easter Bank Holiday we launched a campaign to warn people about the dangers of leaving grass-cutting treats for Moorland Ponies. Many people use the long weekend to get out in their gardens and tackle their over-grown grass which has been left over the winter. Piles of freshly mown grass cuttings dumped on the moorland, which people consider a helpful spring treat for the ponies which can be extremely harmful to those who consume the cuttings and can even suffer a slow and painful death. The grass cuttings begin fermenting almost as soon as they are cut and the ponies will gorge on them, causing a build-up of gas in their stomach. As ponies only have one-way stomach valve, they are unable to vomit or even burp to relieve the pressure. The gases given off by the fermenting cuttings can expand to the point where they rupture the stomach, causing an agonising death. These clippings can also cause serious colic due to complications further down the intestinal tract. Ponies are very good at avoid poisonous plants, but cannot detect them or any garden chemicals mixed in with the discarded cuttings. Welfare Officer, Becky Treeby said: “Our moorland ponies have adapted to survive on very little and with spring on its way they’ll soon have more than enough grazing to live on.” You can also contact Becky on 07717 311251 if are concerned about the welfare of a horse or pony on the moorland.