Some Plants Are Poisonous To Your Horse

All horse insurance customers should be able to recognise poisonous plants that could be harmful to their horses. Horses at pasture have access to many different plants in the sward and hedgerows. Your horse is more likely to be in danger of eating poisonous plants when they are first turned out into the paddock. If the grassland has a variety of plants that provide a varied diet your horse is less likely to eat something poisonous. The best safeguard against poisonous plants is good paddock management.

Listed below are some common plants that you should be wary of in UK fields:

Buttercups - These vary widely in size and growth. However, they all have the similar golden yellow flowers and all are poisonous if consumed in large quantities. If they are dried in hay they are harmless to your horse. The meadow variety of buttercup is the tallest of the species and can grow up to 1 metre tall. The celery leaved type grows in mud, ditches or near the edge of lowland ponds and streams. The creeping variety spreads rapidly on over ground runners and can even overtake meadows.

Bracken -This is a frond plant and the roots are believed to be five times more poisonous than the fronds. When the fronds are turning brown in between August and September is when they are the most poisonous. This plant contains an enzyme that causes vitamin B1 deficiency.

Foxglove - All parts of this plant are poisonous. They grow throughout the UK in woods, on banks, heaths and rocks in acid soils. The plant grows tall and has purplish flowers.

Oak Trees -The leaves and the acorns of this tree are poisonous. Some horses develop an appetite for acorns. If the acorns are consumed in small amounts they are usually harmless to your horse. Just to be on the safe side you should fence off any oak trees during the fall months.

These are just a few of the common plants that can be harmful to your horse. You want to make sure you always walk the pasture and paddock before turning out your horse. That way you might be able to prevent your horse from digesting something that may be harmful to them.

Has your horse, pony or donkey had a bad experience with something he has eaten in the pasture? Animal Friends Equine Insurance would love to hear what you have to say. Please post your comments below if you would like to share your experiences with other members of AFI's Horse Community. Thank you and enjoy the blogs!