30/06/2026
🐛💛 One of the things I love most about this time of year is finding cinnabar moth caterpillars.
Much of the ethos here at Silver Horse is about working with nature rather than constantly trying to manage or control it. It’s about paying attention to what’s already happening and asking, “How can we support this?”
This bright yellow plant is ragwort. It’s a beautiful wildflower, but it’s also highly poisonous to horses and other grazing animals, so we have to manage it carefully.
At the same time, ragwort is incredibly important. Cinnabar moths rely on it to survive, laying their eggs almost exclusively on these plants. Their caterpillars then feed on the ragwort, often stripping the plant before it can flower and set seed.
So rather than pulling every single plant, we try to find a balance. We remove much of the ragwort to keep our grazing safe, but whenever we find a plant full of hungry cinnabar caterpillars, we leave it. They become part of the management plan, doing the job in a way that supports the wider ecosystem instead of working against it.
It’s the same reason I smile every time I see the kestrel hovering over the fields. Knowing it’s hunting here reminds me not to make everything too tidy. Longer grass, rough edges and a few untamed corners support the small mammals and insects that, in turn, support the kestrel.
For me, this place has never been about creating a perfectly manicured yard. It’s about stewarding a living ecosystem where horses, goats, wildlife and people all belong.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is trust nature a little more. 💚
