Protecting trees in the pasture

[wsmoak]

I just saw some neat tree protectors on the live feed from Badminton.

It looks like they set three posts in a triangle around the tree fairly close in, added two or three rails across all the way around, and then either attached or wove very tall thin poles (saplings trimmed from elsewhere?) through the rails.

Horses wouldn’t be able to get near the trunk to strip the bark off, but they can still stand under the tree.

What other things have you done to protect trees in your paddocks or pastures?

[lorilu]

I have four, 4ft gates in a square around a pine tree. Inside the corners are tall thinner fenceposts ( cheap ones). I attached chicken wire to the fenceposts above the height of the metal gates.

I also have a tall thinner pine tree that bravo started using as a rubbing post. Yuck, pine sap!! So I bought a length is plastic pipe meant for drain fields( ribbed with holes), slit it lengthwise, and put it around the trunk. He can still rub on it but he is rubbing on ribbed plastic not pine bark.

[walkinthewalk]

When I lived in SoCal, I wrapped the Eucalyptus trees in chicken wire:)

[clanter]

never had any success with trees in a pasture, only ones that survive are the ones you do not want

[ToTheNines]

It’s weird – if you have just one or two trees, the horses will kill them. But in other of my pastures, I have many live oaks and ceder elm and they don’t bother them a bit.

In my pasture with no trees, I just went all out for a little white oak I planted. I set four posts in a square, 10’ apart. I am using 2 strands of Horseguard bi-polar and a solar charger. Expensive, but I like the little oak and they were killing it.

[Bluey]

We had some old tall chainlink and wrapped it around trees.
As the trees grow, that stretches to fit.
You have to watch with any kind of wire on trees that it doesn’t get embedded in the bark as it grows.
Be sure it doesn’t get too tight and move it loose every so often if it does.

Horses love elm trees, will eat whole sticks.
Not good for the trees and horses.
Have seen horses rear up and stand on hind legs while eating any they can reach, even pull limbs down for other horses to eat the leaves.
Horses with mile long pastures full of delicious grasses, still love to eat trees.

[Jarpur]

We’ve used old portable corral panels-- the type of panel brought along when horse camping – arranged by threes in a triangle around the base of the tree; a tripod is pretty stable.

[lorilu]

The idea of willow branches woven around the base gave me an idea. What about using a section of bamboo fencing? https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Fencing/Bamboo/N-5yc1vZbrk7Z1z0u6r0?Ns=P_REP_PRC_MODE|0&storeSelection=253%2C8447%2C6332%2C278%2C270

[wsmoak]

I finally came across a clear enough video showing the tree protectors:

https://www.facebook.com/emma.myatt.5/videos/o.613722982126826/10217488284812948/?type=2&theater

On second thought, they look rather pointy at the top, I don’t think I’d do that in a pasture!