I remember as a kid the cartoons on TV where they were showing a bottle with a skull and cross bones on it indicating that it was poison.  Basically we were taught growing up, what could possibly harm us.  Animals on the other hand use the trial and error process.

Did you ever wonder how humans found out that things were poison?  I remember the old westerns where people were dying of thirst and found a water hole.  If there were dead animal bones by it, you had a pretty good idea that it wasn’t something you should trust.  I guess one person in a group would try a new berry or plant for food and if that person died, no one else ate it and the word was spread.

Now a days we have problems with small children eating the new detergent pods.  I’ve got to admit they look like something fun to eat.

There are so many plants that are poisonous to our horses.  Are you aware of what they are?  There is a book out that shows what plants should not be around horses.  I was amazed at plants I have been around all my life that are toxic to horses.  I think I’m more aware of it here in Florida.  You have to learn horse keeping Florida style when you move here, and plants, bugs, and snakes that are not horse friendly either.  I told my grandchildren that everything bites in Florida, ants, little green grasshoppers, fuzzy caterpillars.

Now Wild Cherry, or Choke Cherry as most horse people refer to it, is both here and up north where I came from.  When we were kids the horses would always grab a mouth full when we were out trail riding.  I never gave it a second thought.  However, when the leaves are dying, they become extremely toxic.  This I found out years ago, but it hit home yesterday.

Readers Digest version – my friend and I were riding the other day and found an old dog, overheated in a hay field.  We picked it up and my friend has been caring for it, she’s doing fine and we found the owner today.  She’s blind and wandered, quickly, out of the yard.  The woman was house sitting and the dog didn’t know the area.  Anyway, in my search for the owner I drove door to door (doors are very far apart here in the country) and spoke to neighbors that I don’t usually speak with.  We were talking about her older animals and she told me that her little mini bull had just died.  I was sorry to hear that since he was cute and always by the road when we rode by.  Turns out that the tree company that has been trimming trees for the electric company, and had left some Choke Cherry branches in her yard (under a certain size they are not required to pick them up) and the little guy ate them.  When she saw him down she called the vet but it was too late to save him.  I told her she needed to call the electric company and let them know before this happens to other people’s animals.  But I’m really thinking I’ll call too.

So my point is that some plants require a lot to be consumed before they become lethal and some don’t.  Are you aware of what plants are toxic to your horses?  Do you know if they are anywhere near where your horses can reach them?  Do you know how much of a particular plant a horse needs to eat before it kills them or does permanent damage?  My neighbor goes with the logic that if it blooms and has flowers, its poison.  Not necessarily so.  I love Hydrangea.  My mother in law had horses and had tons of them (not near the horses).  I didn’t know they were poisonous.

Plants do not come with a skull and cross bones, but horses, especially if their pasture is sparse, will eat weird stuff.  Check it out, you may be surprised at what you find.  You can go on line or there is a book available. Don’t wait to find it out the hard way.

There is just always something to worry about, isn’t there?