Page 64 - The Mini Horse Magazine 2023 No 1

10

MOST

POISONOUS

PLANTS

FOR HORSES

INFORMATIVE Plants that are toxic to horses aren’t particularly rare. Take a stroll through

any pasture, and there among the grasses you’ll find any number of different
plants. Small vines, broad-leafed weeds, some wildflowers you recognize—

some you don’t. And, as disquieting as it may be to contemplate, the chances
are pretty good that at least some are toxic to horses.

The good news, of course, is that the vast majority of those plants pose little threat to horses. For
one thing, most of them are unpalatable, and horses who are filling up on quality forage aren’t likely
to spend a lot of time grazing on the few bitter leaves populating their pasture. Another factor that
protects horses is their size—a 1,000-pound animal has to consume significantly higher quantities
of most toxins than a smaller animal does to feel any effects. So, for the most part, as long as your
horses are healthy and your pasture is in good shape, you have little to worry about. The problem
becomes even bigger if the miniature horse eats the poisonous plants. However, some plants
are cause for concern either because even a curious nibble can spell doom or because repeated
browsing over weeks or months can lead to serious illness and death.

According to
Anthony Knight,
plant toxicologist
from Colorado State
University, these
10 plants are those
most dangerous
to horses

64 | Miniature Horse Magazine • Issue 1/2023