# Deter plant eating in yard?



## Geminiup (Aug 7, 2011)

I know horses are eating machines but is there a way to keep them from eating my flowers? I let my horses roam my 3 acres of lawn but, there are 4 favorite plants that they wont stay off of. Is there a concoction that I can spray on the plants that will detour them from chowing down the flowers and sticking to the pasture grass? Please???


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

The easiest solution is going to be making the plants inaccessible.


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

Do you have any land out of the pasture where the horses are to put your flowers in?


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Horses are notorious flower munchers, there isn't anything that will stop them if the flowers are just out within reach. In fact my daughter's horse went up 4 steps to the sundeck to get the petunias in urns. I occassionally let my horses out in the yard when it's been raining hard & the lawns are like hayfields (when we built the house, I seeded everything, pastures, lawns with dryland pasture mix) to mow it down a bit before I can cut it with the lawnmower. I tarp over all the flowers otherwise they will eat them down to nubs. Once I forgot about a hanging basket by the carport, it was eaten bare. One thing I can recommend is planting marigolds, they won't eat them, rest are fair game.:happydance:


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## Geminiup (Aug 7, 2011)

*Thanks*

Hey all, Thanks for the input. It sounds like I am up the creek on this. It was suggested to spray with garlic & cayenne??? and I will let you all know know if it works.
I love letting them both mow the yard but I just might have to sacrifice the landscaping for them. 
(IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HORSES)


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

A spray made from cayenne might work. You might also try sprinkling blood meal around your flowers. Not only should it help keep the horses away (well - it works on deer), but it's an excellent fertilizer...


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

Try electric fencing or fence off a part of your land to use as your garden


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

dee said:


> A spray made from cayenne might work. You might also try sprinkling blood meal around your flowers. Not only should it help keep the horses away (well - it works on deer), but it's an excellent fertilizer...


I have tried cayenne pepper spray for the roses so the deer won't eat them, but it only works once, we get heavy dew at night so it dilutes it. Haven't heard of bloodmeal, but I will try it. Because I live in a rural secluded area, we have moose & deer gobbling down everything that blossoms, not to mention my own beasts.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Cayenne pepper generally works for keeping horses from eating/chewing things, but it does wash off in the rain. If you really, really just can't keep them away any other way, you could always resort to what many people use to keep deer out of their vegetable gardens....predator urine (really).


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

waresbear said:


> I have tried cayenne pepper spray for the roses so the deer won't eat them, but it only works once, we get heavy dew at night so it dilutes it. Haven't heard of bloodmeal, but I will try it. Because I live in a rural secluded area, we have moose & deer gobbling down everything that blossoms, not to mention my own beasts.


We live in the boonies, too. The dogs do a great job keeping the deer and the horses out of the flowers. Unfortunately, the dogs then proceed to dig up said flowers so they will have a cool place to lay to keep watch over the flowers to keep the deer and the horses out of the flowers...:shock:


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## Geminiup (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm going for the gusto...Blood meal, garlic, and cayenne. If I haven't burned up my plants by the time I get through...I will let you all know how this works. For deer....I do know that predator urine does work as I did have a deer problem in last house. "Deer off" works great about once a week too``I get it @ Home Depot. It doesn't stop the horses though. Hey thanks for all the input from everyone.


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## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

waresbear said:


> I have tried cayenne pepper spray for the roses so the deer won't eat them, but it only works once, we get heavy dew at night so it dilutes it. Haven't heard of bloodmeal, but I will try it. Because I live in a rural secluded area, we have moose & deer gobbling down everything that blossoms, not to mention my own beasts.


Moose are one of my favorite animals, I wish that I could see them in my backyard!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

We have wicked mean deer here. Last 2 years, they have been attacking the dogs, so my dogs keep their distance. A lady was attacked by a deer while she was working in her garden, neighbor rescued her. She was in serious condition. Several dogs have been killed by these vicious deer as well. There have been several close calls with my dogs, in fact one time I am pretty sure one of them would've been killed if not for my horse who, surprise, went after the deer & chased it away. Moose on the otherhand, scare the bejeezus out of the horses, not too many of those around, they just come in to eat the blossoms off of the crabapple trees & nip off rosebuds. They are big, big animals!


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