As the spring grass flush finally starts to settles down, it’s time for the buttercups to show themselves. And how! They're everywhere here in Somerset, their seed-filled stems already standing tall in the fields, seemingly overrunning the grass. Charming they may be, but deceptively so, not only for soil quality but also our beloved Neds.

Buttercups are more than widespread, and no surprise - there are well over 50 species in Europe alone. Us horse owners will be familiar with the two common types: the 'creeping' buttercup and the 'sharp' buttercup. They thrive in our horses’ fields, with the creeper growing low and sprawling across the ground; its sharp cousin standing taller. The creeper prefers richer conditions, but if you’ve got less fertile, acidic soil, you’ll see more of the taller sharp buttercup.

Now here’s the thing: buttercups contain a toxin called protoanemonin, which can cause skin irritation. And how! (Again.) Horses typically avoid them while grazing, so an allergic reaction is rare. Unless, of course, you’re my connie, Murf, with his white nose.

In 2005, we were not long on a new rented field, so we didn’t know much about the pasture quality, but it was ours, and it was private! But it soon proved to be a nightmare. We moved in in the March, put up a shelter and new fencing (which killed us - 2-decades on I still remember the pain, and yes I've been a fence-nerd ever since), and sat back happy that we had our own place. Yet six weeks later, Murf was covered in what looked like a thousand bee stings on his muzzle.

Cue nasty buttercup pollen burns that took several pots of Sudocrem and a good couple of weeks to start clearing up (this was before I began studying herbalism - I'd now use our Calendula Cream of course 😉). It was torture for him – our field was overrun with more buttercups than grass - they were everywhere! So I had to keep him on box rest while he recovered, and meanwhile, we had the field savagely topped. Of course, his face blew up the day before we were due to go on holiday as well, so husband and stepdaughter went by themselves while I tended to my boy.

(The good news is that this toxin decomposes during the hay drying process, so if you see buttercups in your hay, your horse will be fine.)

Long and short, buttercups are horrible – they’ll not only burn your horse's muzzle but destroy your grass and herbage, significantly reducing the soil quality. The more buttercups you have, the more acidic your soil becomes, which links us nicely to ...

And then come the docks

Did you know a single dock plant can occupy the space of up to 30 grass plants? Even more space-hogging than buttercups, meet the dock and meadow sorrel, which grace our lands with over 120 species.

Sorrel thrives in acidic soil. And when its seeds hit the ground, they need soil to cover them in order to germinate, which our horses’ hooves unwittingly manage very nicely. As for dock seeds, they can germinate for up to 40 years (yes you read that right), so when you’ve got docks, you’ve got docks forever. And they just love poorly drained, wet soil - the more naff your soil quality is, the more docks you're going to get.

Preventing the spread

• Buttercups and sorrels need light to grow, so with dense grass reducing light penetration, this will reduce seed germination and young plant growth.
• If you see buttercups and horsetail growing together, it's a clear message that you've got poor drainage and your soil will likely be too wet. Top tip to do something about it.
• Overgrazing should always be avoided – keep that grass growing. I know it sounds nigh on impossible with our Neds chowing down daily on the grass, but if you can keep at least 10cm of grass blade coverage going, in order to lower the amount of light hitting the ground, this will make it harder for those seeds to germinate. If you're lucky enough to be able to rotate fields, this will help.
• Dense pasture vegetation will help stabilise the turf, so try to avoid turnout on wet soil to prevent hooves cutting up the ground.
• For areas heavily infested with buttercups or sorrel, a mulch close to the ground can be useful as other plants can outgrow them and shade them out.
• Sorrel is deep-rooted, with its roots reaching an astonishing depth of up to 3 metres! (Yes you read that right as well). This means it thrives in dry conditions. Summer heatwave? No problem. Back to that grass or mulch cover to keep out the light, preventing them from growing.
• If/when you spot the young plants, pull them out before they seed. Otherwise, you’ll have thousands of seeds lying dormant for decades.

With the right pasture management, you can keep buttercup, dock and sorrel species in check, ensuring a healthier environment for your horses.

PS - Trivia Time: contrary to popular belief, nettles mean a moist and humus-rich soil. Get your tomatoes, pumpkins or potatoes growing on it!