Most producers succeed in harvest-ing productive crops by incorporating tillage, competitive crops and, in the case of vegetable, mulches into their management system. Field crop producers who practice a reasonable annual tillage program and maintain a competitive crop in an infested field for several years might eradicate horsetail. There are few herbicides that affect field horsetail in field crops. Repeated applications of MCPA reportedly reduce horsetail infestations and would be safe to perennial grasses such as bluegrass and pasture grasses. Thorough preplant tillage and narrow row soybeans probably offer the best horsetail suppression in this crop.
Horses are particularly sensitive and can be killed if large amounts of horsetail are consumed.
The appetite remains normal until death. In late stages, muscular rigidity and constipation may be observed. In fatal cases, death is preceded by quiescence and coma. The immediate removal of contaminated forage brings about rapid recovery. Keep poisoned animals out of rain and adverse weather.