Watch out for plants poisonous to horses
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There are many plants in Lake County that have been suspected of being poisonous; however these plants vary greatly in their toxicities, the classes of animals affected and the conditions under which poisoning occurs. For example, a particular plant might provide good forage for cattle and horses, yet be poisonous to sheep. This article will only outline plants associated with poisoning horses. As with all livestock, horse owners should be aware of plants that are categorized as being poisonous in grazing areas and potentially be baled in hay.
Poisonous plants will always be present on rangeland and many serious poisonous plants are native to the state. Also an increasing number of introduced species are present. Keep in mind that there is no single rule or characteristic that can be used in differentiating plants as to their toxicity. The only sure procedure is to have the suspected plant properly identified and to obtain reliable information on its poisonous properties. When the less palatable poisonous plants are mixed with the more palatable nonpoisonous plants and fed together in hay, livestock are not able to discriminate between them as readily as they do in the field. Consequently, they are more vulnerable to poisoning under these conditions. Following is a list of local plants that are known to be poisonous to horses, any other plants that may be suspected can be identified at the MSU Lake County Extension Office.
A few plants poisonous to horses that are common to Lake County:
• Bracken fern
• Leafy Spurge
• Chokecherry
• Cocklebur
• Curley Dock
• Death Camas
• Horsetail
• Milkweed
• Nightshade
• Poison Hemlock
• Water Hemlock
