Hedgerows and trees
Most hedge mixes for horses contain about 50 to 70% hawthorn and other native varieties. It is planted as a backbone to the hedge and for its longevity. There is always the risk of injury to muzzle and eye but absolutely nothing like the points of Blackthorn.
You can make up the rest of your mix from some of the following:
Field Maple, Guelder Rose, Hornbeam, Cherry Plum, Dogrose, Sweet Briar, White Ramanas Rose and Red Ramanas Rose, Hazel and Common Dogwood.
Stay away from plants such as Spindle, any of the Buckthorn, though sea buckthorn is ok as part of a mixed hedge, Holly, Leylandii and Laurel.
If you would like to have some mature trees in the hedge for interest and for shade, grow some Willow, Mountain Ash, Silver Birch or Small Leaved Lime. If you plan on doing this, buy them as small plants. Some people put them inside tubular tree guards. When you cut the rest of the hedge back very hard in the first two years, leave these trees alone. When they have reached about 2-2.5 metres, cut the top couple of inches off between November and the end of February and they will produce side branches just below the cut.
It should be stock proof in about five years.
Plant in a double row which means staggering 5 plants per metre in two parallel rows 40 cm apart.
For the best approach plant either side post and rail fencing. Note ... fresh horse droppings on young roots burn them so only use well rotted manure.
Recommended height for a mature hedge is normally between a metre and a metre and two metres.
Hedging plants to avoid are Sycamore, Maple and the acorns from Oak. Field Maple (Acer campestre) is in the same family as Sycamore and consequently many people feel uneasy about it, though it is often planted which is why I included it in the list above. Others to avoid are Yew and Laburnum as the most toxic while Box, Broom, Leylandii, Laurel, Rhododendron, and Privet are pretty horrible as well.
Hedges add to the long-term bio-diversity in your area, looking beautiful at all times of the year but the reason I like them, especially as perimeter fencing is for privacy and prying eyes . Hedges need keeping on top of as they can quickly spiral out of control, become very wide and tall and throw shade all over the grass preventing photosynthesis. They are expensive though in terms of labour and equipment to maintain. It costs me about £180 a year to employ a contractor with the right equipment to cut only one side of two acres, or a week of our time and labour to cut, gather up the cuttings, move and burn them and even then I can’t reach the top. The previous owners used to stand on a flat bed trailer with a hedge cutter while someone drove the tractor slowly close to the hedge. I don’t recommend that for obvious reasons.
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