How Something So Beautiful Can Be So Deadly …
Beware of poisonous plants that will harm your horses when ingested. Recognizing poisonous plants and trees and then taking steps to prevent horses from eating them is high priority.
Surprisingly, poisonous plants don’t taste very good. But for some horses, it is very tempting. Older horses know to leave such plants as yew and oleander alone, but the young ones are very curious and it gets the best of them. Horses receiving adequate nutrition and plenty of good-quality forage will not voluntarily eat poisonous plants.
Oleander Yew
According to veterinary toxicologists, the most deadly plants are the yew bush and oleander. Yews are ornamental evergreen shrubs that are very toxic at all times of the year. Oleander is extremely toxic to horses even in small amounts. Once it is swallowed, nothing will save the horse. A laxative may help purge the plant from the system and some medications may help with symptoms, but death is usually the outcome. In some cases, death will occur in as little as 8 hours. Symptoms are colic, diarrhea, sweating, trouble breathing, and lack of coordination.
Equine poisoning is a completely preventable occurrence. Never trim yew bushes or oleanders and toss the clippings over the corral fencing to horses or other livestock. These dangerous plants should not be planted near your barn or pasture. If your pasture is maintained regularly, there is no risk of poisoning. A good point to remember is “if a horse is fed well enough, then he probably won’t have an appetite for it.”