Horses Health - Toxic Plants Part 3

Plants That Can Seriously Damage Your Horses Health

It really is lucky that horses don't find most these plants very palatable. However, there are exceptions and sometimes horses will eat highly toxic or lethal doses, even when forage is adequate. That's why summer is a good time to explore your horse pasture to be sure toxic plants are kept out of your horse's diet. Remember that some of the plants I have covered are evergreen, so they will be around in the fall, winter and spring too.

This issue will cover:

• Fiddleneck and Related Plants
• Crotalaria Species
• Senecio Species
• Chokecherry and Wild Cherry (Prunus)
• Sorghum and Sudan Grass
• Bermuda Grass
• Black Locust
• Oak Trees

Again I need you to know that I have not written the following – I am not a Vet or a plants man, so I have copied this information simply to make it easy for you to read. I would not re-write it because I was afraid of getting something wrong that may prove fatal to your horse, so I make no apologies for copying this.

Fiddleneck and related plants

Several members of the amsinckia species have been linked to causing cirrhosis of the liver. These plants include fiddleneck, tarweed, yellow burr weed, fireweed and buckthorn, which are predominantly found in the semi-arid regions of Idaho,Washington, Oregon and California. The plants appear in late winter and early spring. The seeds are the most toxic parts of these plants and fortunately the mature plants are unpalatable to most horses. Most instances of poisoning occur when mature amsinckia species are bailed in early cuttings of hay or when contaminated grain was threshed for horses. Some poisonings have occurred when horses were pastured on wheat stubble in contaminated fields.

Cirrhosis causes hardening and eventual metabolic shutdown of the liver. The liver can no longer filter out toxic wastes which, among other things, produces disturbances of the nervous system. Affected horses have been known to walk aimlessly for miles, running into objects in their path rather than go around them, pressing their heads into solid objects and occasionally becoming frenzied when they cannot continue. Oftentimes death results from the horse getting hopelessly entangled in a fence or literally walking over the edge of a cliff or ravine.

Other behavioral abnormalities include recklessness, charging, lack of coordination, circling, staggering, "dragging" of the hind limbs, which have been described as the "sleepy staggers". The horse may also appear listless, hang its head and acting sluggish or depressed. Signs of colic may be present, which may include straining, diarrhea and rectal prolapse. Small foul smelling ulcers may appear in the mouth.

The chronic patient will become a poor keeper, show yellow membranes around the eyes and mouth, produce a rough coat and eventually become anemic and die. Fortunately healthy horses need to consume amsinckia plants over a period of time before enough liver damage occurs to produce symptoms. Unfortunately, once cirrhosis of the liver develops, it is for all practical purposes irreversible.

Crotalaria Species
Crotalaria, predominantly found in the south and southeast, has been the cause of many horse losses. Known as wild pea, rattle box and rattle weed, crotalaria has been intentionally planted as an agricultural cover crop to enrich the soil from the Atlantic seaboard, west into Texas. Two species, crotalaria sagittalis and crotalaria spectabilis, are particularly toxic and produce the same effects as fiddleneck.

Senecio Species
Senecios comprise one of the largest genre of plants in the midwest and western US.Not all species are poisonous, and of those which are, only a few contain enough alkaloids to cause problems in horses. Those which do can produce the same kind illness as fiddleneck. Senecio jacobaea is particularly toxic. In the Nebraska region, "walking disease" is caused by senecio. In the Pacific Northwest, the disease is commonly called "Hard Liver Disease" or "Walla Walla Walking Disease."

Other species such as ragwort, common groundsel and "Stinking Willie" are generally considered toxic, however their alkaloid content seems to be less than senecio jacobaea.

Chokecherry and Wild Cherry (Prunus)
Chokecherries, growing in bushes up to 12 feet high, are popular for their jelly producing berries. They are common throughout the US, often found along roadsides or creek bottoms. Unfortunately the leaves, which are particularlytoxic when stressed or wilted, as well as the bark from chokecherries and wild cherries are cyanide producing. Death in horses can occur literally in minutes after the horse has ingested the leaves. The horse will appear to have trouble breathing, show flared nostrils and lose bowel and urinary control. Lack of coordination and trembling may also appear, along with agitation. A severely poisoned horse will drop to the ground, kick a few times, then die. Poisoned horses can be saved, however usually veterinary help cannot arrive in time as the effects of cyanide poisoning progress rapidly.

Sorghum and Sudan Grass
Sorghum and Sudan Grass, both of which can be effective as livestock feed when grown, harvested and cured correctly, can produce cyanide poisoning when improperly managed. After a hard frost or trampling, prussic acid can build up in new growth which grazing horses are likely to seek out. The effects of this poisoning is the same as with choke cherries.

Other problems associated with grazed or improperly baled sorghum and sudan grasses include urinary tract complications, causing thick and viscous urine and bladder infections. Signs of such problems may appear as buildup inside the horse's hind legs. If left untreated, the infection can become fatal. Pregnant mares may abort or give birth to deformed foals.

There are species of sorghum which are developed especially for animal feed, and we have fed them with great success. However, when feeding sorghum to horses, one should be certain what kind of sorghum is being grown and that the grower knows how to properly manage, cure and bale the crop. Unless you really know what you are doing, letting your horse graze on growing sorghum or sudan grass can be a risky proposition.

Bermuda Grass
Berumuda grass can be good feed for horses, however in certain climates a harmful fungus called ergot can be present and which appears as small brown or black nodules on the bermuda grass or dallis grass seed heads. When consumed, a condition known as "Bermuda Grass Shakes" or "Dallis Grass Tremors" can occur, producing such symptoms as lack of coordination, tremors, strange head movements and tongue rolling, and in severe cases, paralysis.

Once the tainted forage is discontinued, horses may recover rapidly, virtually overnight to several days. Pregnant mares, however, may abort.

Black Locust
Horses tied to black locust trees or black locust posts and who have chewed on the bark can become poisoned, becoming very ill in just a few hours. Symptoms include loss of appetite, general weakness and depression.Symptoms of a mild colic may also be present. Horses can ingest enough bark to prove fatal, although most recover after several days or weeks.

Oak Trees Horses have been known to binge on acorns, particularly if they are hungry and are not used to having them around. Acorns and many oak leaves are high in tannin. It is relatively easy for a horse to ingest several pounds of acorns in a relatively short period of time leading to an unfortunate overdose. Well, that’s it from me on poisonous plants. I would suggest that you keep all 3 of these newsletters handy just in case. In fact I have printed them off and am going on a walking tour of my fields and local pastures and see what I can spot that is potentially dangerous. Then I will report it to owners, and if its in my pastures, take appropriate action to ensure that my horses aren’t hurt by it. I would suggest that you find time to do the same.

From the author: Roger Bourdon has written a book on Introduction To Horsebackriding and Horse's Health. (Article Adapted by All About Horses)

Learn All About Horses Here:

• Learn Horse Training Breaking Secrets. Five Horseback Riding Video Lessons Teach Natural Riding Without Bouncing, Safely Controlling Your Horse And Riding Bareback And Bridleless.

• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder Exposed

Horses Health - Toxic Plants Part 2

Plants That Can Seriously Damage Your Horses Health

As I said before, it’s lucky that horses don't find most poisonous plants very palatable. However, there are exceptions and sometimes horses will eat highly toxic or lethal doses of poisonous plants, even when forage is adequate. That's why summer is a good time to explore your horse pasture to be sure toxic plants are kept out of your horse's diet.

This issue will cover:

• Water Hemlock
• Ground Ivy
• Larkspur (Delphinium)
• Bracken Fern
• Horsetail
• Caster Oil Bean
• Red Maple
  
• Buckwheat
• Alsike Clover
• Rhododendron and Relatives
• Potato and Tobacco Leaf Plants

This is the same reminder I gave last time. You need to know that I have not written the following – I am not a Vet or a plants man, so I have copied this information simply to make it easy for you to read. I would not re-write it because I was afraid of getting something wrong that may prove fatal to your horse, so I make no apologies for copying this.

Water Hemlock
All parts of the water hemlock plant, also known as western water hemlock, contain a toxin called cicutoxin. Some consider this to be one of the most poisonous plants in the US. Frequenting moist areas such as wet meadows and pastures or the banks of ponds or streams, it resembles the larger poison hemlock, but only reaches a height of two to three feet. Tuberous roots and immature shoots and leaves are particularly toxic and only a small amount is needed to poison a horse. The plant seems more attractive to horses after being sprayed with the herbicide 2,4-D. Common names include false parsley, snakeroot and poison parsnip. Symptoms include muscle tremors which can develop into violent convulsions and respiratory shutdown. Early signs such as excessive salivation and frothing may occur as quickly as 15 minutes after ingestion. Convulsions can be extremely severe, with head and neck thrown back, legs flexed as if running and abdominal pain is generally present accompanied by an associative grinding of teeth. Coma and death usually follow and there is no known treatment. The toxins act quickly and horses are rarely saved, however horses which make it through the first five to six hours after the onset of symptoms have a good chance of survival.

Ground Ivy
Ground ivy, commonly called Creeping Charlie, is present throughoutmuch of North America. Horses must ingest relatively large amounts for fatal consequences to occur, and such events are commonly traced to the plant being baled into the horse's feed. When ground ivy is present or suspected, consider unusually severe sweating accompanied by frothing at the mouth and / or difficulty breathing as signs of potential ground ivy poisoning.

Larkspur (Delphinium)
In the Western US, larkspur is the number two cause of livestock losses. Under natural conditions, horses will sample larkspur but will not eat enough to kill themselves if other feed is available. Delphiniums planted in ornamental gardens should be considered as toxic as their wild counterparts and the same precautions should be taken as with oleander.

Bracken Fern
This plant, also known as the brake fern, is common in wooded areasof the Pacific Northwest. Horses generally avoid it, but some can acquire a taste for it. Toxicity is cumulative and generally symptoms appear after the horse nibbles on this plant repeatedly over a long period of time. Early symptoms include weight loss which can progress to unsteady walking, then staggering with the horse spreading with all four feet to stay balanced, often pressing his head into solid objects. If untreated, death will occur from several days to several weeks after the symptoms appear.

Horsetail
Horsetail, also called mare's tail and scouring rush, poisons the horse in a similar fashion as bracken fern. All varieties of Horsetail are poisonous and they are often found near bogs and streams. The only reported difference in symptoms from bracken fern poisoning is that with Horsetail the animal may become quiet, unresponsive or comatose prior to death.

Castor Oil Bean
The castor oil plant, or palma christi, is grown as an ornamental plant in California and many southern states. It contains ricin, which causes severe irritation to the intestinal tract. (Castor oil is non-toxic because ricin is not soluble in oil.) The seed is the part of the plant which is poisonous - to all animals. As little as 7 grams of seeds have been reported to kill a horse although it is generally considered that about 50 grams (about 150 beans) are necessary to kill a healthy 1000 lb. specimen. Symptoms may not appear until two to three days after ingesting the beans. When signs do appear they are generally acute and progress rapidly. The animal may actdoped up and lose coordination, followed by profuse sweating. Signs of shock are not uncommon. Neck and shoulder spasms may appear accompanied by an extremely profound but ineffective heartbeat which can be easily felt, but which produces a weak and rapid pulse. Early on a temperature may be present up to 107 degrees F (41.5 C). Eventually a profuse, watery diarrhea appears often accompanied by colic-like pain. Finally the horse may go into convulsions and die.

Red Maple
Red Maples are natives in the eastern US and can be found as ornamental specimen trees in many other areas. The dried leaves and bark of the red maple can produce significant anemia in the horse when eaten. Symptoms include general weakness, and increased respiratory and cardiac rates indicating the animal's attempt to compensate for the anemic condition. Please note: Some nurseries have crossed silver maples with red maples to produce more color. These hybrids are also toxic to horses. Check with your nurseryman to make sure you are planting true silver maples!

Buckwheat
Buckwheat contains a pigment called fagopyrin, which when ingested by the horse, causes photosensitive dermatitis. Symptoms include a weepy, itching dermatitis in those areas exposed to sunlight.

Alsike Clover
Hormones in this plant can cause photosensitization of the skin and hypertrophy of the liver (big liver disease). Visible symptoms include increased sensitivity of the skin (especially the nose and lips) to sunlight.

Rhododendrons and relatives
These plants, along with azaleas, laurels and mountain pieris contain grayanotoxin. Symptoms include an excess of green, frothy salivation which is generally associated with gastrointestinal irritation and colic.

Potato and Tobacco Leaf Poisoning
Nicotine and its related compounds are toxic to horses. The stems and leaves of many types of potato plants contain high concentrations of this alkaloid, as do the wild varieties of tobacco which grow in the western United States and Hawaii. Horses have also been known to be poisoned by domestic tobacco which has been harvested and within their reach, typically when stored in barns where they are stabled.
Nicotine affects the autonomic nervous system. In minor cases the horse may shake, shiver or twitch, particularly around the neck and shoulders. As the symptoms advance, staggering, prostration and paralysis may be evident. The heart may beat violently but produce a weak, rapid pulse. The horse may show an elevated temperature, yet the extremities will feel cold. Sometimes colic and / or labored breathing may be present.
Severe cases will usually produce a rapid onset of symptoms, followed a few minutes later by death, although some horses have been known to struggle with nicotine effects for up to several days. There is no known treatment for nicotine poisoning.

From the author:
Roger Bourdon has written a book on Introduction To Horsebackriding and Horse's Health. (Article Adapted by All About Horses)

Learn All About Horses Here:

• Learn Horse Training Breaking Secrets. Five Horseback Riding Video Lessons Teach Natural Riding Without Bouncing, Safely Controlling Your Horse And Riding Bareback And Bridleless.

• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder Exposed

Horses Health - Toxic Plants Part 1

Plants That Can Seriously Damage Your Horse's Health

Fortunately, horses don't find most poisonous plants very palatable. However, there are exceptions and sometimes horses will eat highly toxic or lethal doses of poisonous plants, even when forage is adequate. That's why summer is a good time to explore your horse pasture to be sure toxic plants are kept out of your horse's diet. Perhaps I should have done this earlier in the year but, hey I didn’t think to. I have only covered it here because I was hit on the head by a load of acorns as I walked my dog the other day and that reminded me just how many plants and trees can be poisonous for horses. So, apologies for the lateness, but as the English say – better late than never!

It's important to know what plants to look for in each season. Different plants grow and become toxic at different times of the year. For example although red maples are toxic when green during the growing season, the wilted or recently shed red leaves in the fall are most potent in causing anemia and kidney damage in horses. Other poisonous plants are most toxic as young sprouts in the early spring or when toxic seeds are produced late in summer.

Sometimes, what is safe for a person to eat can be toxic to a horse. Cabbage, broccoli, onions, chives, kale, elderberry, pokeweed, and rhubarb can be toxic for herbivores such as horses. So be careful what you toss over the fence to the horses!

The Solanaceae family of plants provides a good example. Though it includes the infamous deadly nightshade, we put several of nightshade's relatives on our dinner plate. Luckily, tomato's fruits and mature potatoes aren't toxic to us. But, the green parts of these and many related plants of this family contain atropine or atropine-like substances, and these are bad news for horses. Atropine will slow the gut. That's the last thing a horse wants because it will cause colic, which can kill a horse. Other toxic members of this family include ground cherry, henbane, and jimsonweed.

Some plants contain saponins, which are detergents, or soaps, and present another danger for horses. Soapy substances can irritate the digestive system and cause diarrhea, cramps, and colic, Plants that contain saponins include pokeweed, bouncing bet, corn cockle, and English ivy.

Horses don't normally get sunburn, but if you notice blistering and cracking on any white areas of your horse, he may have been munching on large amounts of prairie groundsel, rattle box (Crotalaria), and kochia (fireweed). Though members of different plant families, they all kill liver cells. When plant toxins damage the liver, photoactive substances derived from chlorophyll build up in the blood. These substances are exposed to the sun only in the white areas, so that's where you'll notice blistering, cracking, or loss of outer layers of the
skin.

Other photoactive substances, such as wild parsnip or St.-John's Wort, cause the
same skin lesions without first damaging the liver.

Milkweed, dogbane, oleander, yew, lily-of-the-valley, white snakeroot, azalea, and other Rhododendron species and purple foxglove all contain substances that may affect a horse's heart. These plants can hit the heart really hard and cause heart failure. Japanese yew can stop the heart suddenly. One or two leaves of oleander, a plant found mainly in California, Arizona, and Florida, can kill a horse. White snakeroot causes scarring in the horse's heart and may decrease performance and cause severe heart failure.

Horse owners should learn the list of plants, including many popular ornamentals, whcih can cause the biggest problems and even death in horses. A few castor beans or one little potted hydrangea can kill a horse. Larkspur, a plant sometimes found as an ornamental in the Midwest, can cause paralysis and respiratory failure. Wild black cherry, chokecherry, plum, and peach contain cyanide poison in the leaves, and especially in the seeds, which can be rapidly lethal. Sorghum can also be a source of cyanide. Socrates demonstrated the
deadliness of poison hemlock, a plant that is widespread in the Midwest.

If a poisonous plant is consumed by your horse, another animal, or a human, take a sample of the plant, estimate the quantity eaten, note the time of onset of signs, and call a veterinarian or physician immediately.

If you are not sure what certain poisonous plants look like, the University of Illinois even has a virtual tour of its garden at http://www.library.uiuc.edu/vex/vetdocs/toxic.htm

That was just a quick summary but for those of you who want to know more I have cover some of them in more detail below and in the next 2 issues. Today we cover:
• Yew
• Oleander
• Yellow Star Thistle
• Locoweed
• Timber Milk Vetch
• Lupine
• Poison Hemlock

Over the next 2 issues we’ll cover a lot more.

Now you need to know that I have not written the following – I am not a Vet or a plants man, so I have copied this information simply to make it easy for you to read. I would not re-write it because I was afraid of getting something wrong that may prove fatal to your horse, so I make no apologies for copying this.

Yew

The yew is a small evergreen tree found in the Pacific Northwest. All parts of the yew, along with many of its cousins, are extremely toxic and contain taxine,

a cardiac depressant. Symptoms include trembling, a slowing of the heart rate and cardiac failure which can occur in as little as five minutes after ingesting the plant. Some deceased horses were found with yew leaves or twigs still in their mouths. There is usually no time to initiate treatment and there is no known antidote.

Oleander

Oleanders are a common ornamental shrub in the west and south, often growing along roadways and used as a visual barrier or wind screen. All varieties are extremely toxic. The horse's first signs of oleander poisoning will often be profuse diarrhea which may be bloody. Immediate veterinary intervention and a lot of good luck is required to prevent death, which often occurs within 8 to 24 hours after ingestion. Administration of laxatives to purge the remaining oleander from the horse can sometimes save the horse.

Yellow Star Thistle
Eating yellow star thistle and Russian knapweed brings on nigropallidal encephalomalacia, commonly called "chewing disease". Typically horses eat the plant over an extended period of time before

symptoms appear. The ingested toxins actually cause a softening of parts of the brain and once symptoms appear, the animal will likely die.

The horse will not be able to eat or drink, although he may attempt to do so. He may chew food only to spit it out when he cannot swallow, often acting as if something is caught in his throat. (Symptoms resemble the early onset of rabies, so you should consider rabies also as a possibility and not go reaching into the horse's mouth to look for obstructions.)

The horse may chew without having anything in his mouth, move his tongue and lips in unusual fashions, yawn frequently and assume unusual postures such as head hanging or pushing against solid objects.

Because this disease damages the brain and prevents the horse from eating, there is no recovery. Clinical experiments where poisoned horses were fed through stomach tubes have shown that even after extended periods of time, affected horses will not regain the ability to swallow.

Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name for plants which fall into two genera; Astraglus and Oxytropis. While there are hundreds of species of these plants, only about 20 are considered poisonous. These plants range from low growing ground covers to two foot tall clumps of flowers. They can be found throughout the west from Canada to Mexico in semi-arid foothills and plains. Some of these species are very similar to each other, so even experienced botanists can have difficulty differentiating between a poisonous and non-poisonous specimen.

Horses typically avoid locoweed, but once they have sampled it a few times, they can become addicted to it. They have to graze on it for a period of time before symptoms appear and the most obvious symptoms may not appear until well after the horse has stopped eating it. These symptoms include altered gaits, aimless wanderings, sometimes in circles, impaired vision (to the extent they bump into things or fall into arroyos or other depressions) and erratic behavioral changes. They may appear listless or complacent, then wildly overreact to some unexpected event.

Locoweeds can have such an alkaloid content that one Nevada species has even poisoned the bees which were pollinating the plants. Alkaloid poisoning has a cumulative effect which can be absorbed over long periods of time until symptoms appear and the effects in many cases are irreversible. Horses found eating locoweeds who have then been confined away from the plants prior to showing advanced symptoms, and who have been fed good quality hay and feed, have experienced a slow but successful recovery.

Timber Milk Vetch

Like the Locoweeds, this group of plants falls into the genus Astraglus although the symptoms of poisoning are different and their onset is much more rapid. When excited, the horse will often produce a roaring sound when exhaling. Other symptoms include salivating and staggering. Death is usually sudden from asphyxiation.

Lupine
Lupines involve a large genus of plants, many species which are not poisonous. They typically display bunches of white, blue, purple or pinkish pea-shaped flowers on upright stalks. They are found in a wide variety of landscapes from ocean beaches to high mountain pastures. Like locoweeds, it is difficult for even the experts to distinguish the toxic from the non-toxic, so one should assume that all lupines are harmful if eaten.
While poisonous throughout the year, young lupines and those going to seed are the most toxic. Fortunately the effects are not cumulative so a lethal dose must be consumed over a short period, otherwise if removed from access to lupines and if symptoms are properly cared for, a poisoned horse should recover.

Symptoms include gastrointestinal irritation accompanied

by diarrhea. The horse's gait may change; the horse being reluctant to move and lifting his feet higher than normal when he does, acting nervous and displaying leg twitching. Loss of muscle control, prostrations, convulsions and coma may follow. While the "one time ingester" of lupines may completely recover, continuous consumption can produce toxic hepatitis. This can result from lupines being baled in hay cut from poorly managed fields and being fed to horses over time. Other than separating the horse from the toxic plants and treating the visible symptoms, there is no published treatment for lupine poisoning.

Poison Hemlock
Poison hemlock, a relatively common range plant, kills a number of horses sheep and cattle each year and is extremely toxic to humans. All parts of the plant, commonly known as deadly hemlock, spotted hemlock, poison parsley, European hemlock, California fern and Nebraska fern, are poisonous. In the spring until the plant flowers, the leaves are especially poisonous.

Poison hemlock is often found along roadsides and creek beds. Humans are poisoned when they confuse poison hemlock roots with wild parsnips, or the seeds as anise seeds. This plant is so deadly that whistles made from the plant's hollow stems have been known to kill children. Fortunately, the toxin is relatively neutral after the plant has cured, so poison hemlock accidentally baled into properly dried hay has not posed a problem.

Symptoms of poisoning will appear within a few hours after ingestion and may range from sudden, unexpected collapse to nervous trembling, salivation, lack of coordination, especially in the hindquarters, and dilated pupils. The horse's pulse may be weak and he may appear cyanotic (bluish appearance of the mouth and gums), and he may be disoriented or unaware of his surroundings.

In serious cases, death occurs within ten hours of the onset of symptoms due to respiratory paralysis. Less serious poisonings, which still may include periods of coma, can sometimes benefit from early use of stimulants and stomach tubing with mineral oil. If respiratory shutdown can be avoided and the horse can pass any remaining ingested leaves, full recovery is possible without any long term ill effects.

From the author:
Roger Bourdon has written a book on Introduction To Horsebackriding and Horse's Health. (Article Adapted by All About Horses)

Learn All About Horses Here:

• Learn Horse Training Breaking Secrets. Five Horseback Riding Video Lessons Teach Natural Riding Without Bouncing, Safely Controlling Your Horse And Riding Bareback And Bridleless.

• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder Exposed

Horses Health - Green Tea And Animals

Nature’s Miracle That Is Green Tea

Tea (aka Camellia Sinensis), traditional beverage of the Brits has three main varieties, green, black and oolong. The black variety is the stronger flavoured one we drink the most of in European counties and the USA, either with, or without milk. Its full of antioxidants and is said to lower LDL Cholesterol amongst other things The oolong variety we hear little of, is beloved of Japan and China, and said to have obesity controlling properties as well as a generous dose of antioxidants.

But its the green tea variety that I want to cover here. The green varieties, taken without milk, are the traditional favorite of the far eastern countries, Japan, China and the Russia's being avid consumers, although I must say that its now becoming very a fashionable beverage for the health aficionados of the West. And there is a reason for that. When it comes to preventative health care, this is one of natures finest.

The list of health benefits derived from this simple source is quite amazing. I am only going to cover a few of them below, but you can clearly see that its amazing properties are beneficial to animals and humans alike. A lot more research goes into the benefits of each type of tea nowadays but its still in its infancy, so you can expect to hear a lot more about these wonderful substances. But starting right now I am adding more green tea into my daily tea consumption – which I am afraid to say is quite significant, and yes most of it is black (I am a tea caffeine Queen rather than a coffee one!). Writing about the health benefits for animals has reminded me to take a bit more care of myself as well. I would encourage you to do the same, but please do take the time to read my little warning at the end about mixing tea with some medicines or health complaints.

There's one more thing I want to explain before we look at the health benefits because its what makes the biggest distinction between the types and I didn't know what it meant, so you might not either: oxidization. Black tea is fully oxidized before drying, green tea is unoxidized; and Oolongs are somewhere in the middle. To oxidize tea, the leaves are put into troughs or laid out on tables. Oxidization occurs when enzymes within the leaves react with the air and takes from between 30 minutes and two hours at about 26 degrees centigrade. It is during this process that the tealeaf changes from green, through light brown to a deep brown. Once the tea has reached the desired level of oxidation, light for a light liquoring tea and dark brown for a stronger liquoring tea, the leaves are dried (otherwise known as 'firing the tea'). Phew, that is the science bit over.

By the way, about 78% of all the tea we drink is black, 20% is green and Oolong makes up the rest.

So, what about those health-giving properties for animals? I do not think this list is exhaustive, but here are the main conditions it can help.

High cholesterol
Green tea has demonstrated an ability to lower total cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol in both animals and people. Results from one animal study suggest that polyphenols in green tea may block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and promote its excretion from the body.

Cancer
Recent animal and clinical studies are beginning to suggest that substances in green tea known as polyphenols may play an important role in the prevention of cancer. These substances act as powerful antioxidants. Researchers also believe that polyphenols help kill cancerous cells and stop its progression.

Breast cancer
Studies in animals (and believe it or now some animals, like mice, are prone to breast cancer) and test tubes suggest that polyphenols in green tea inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

Esophageal cancers
Several animal studies have found that green tea polyphenols inhibit the growth of esophageal (throat) cancer cells. However, results of studies in people have been conflicting, so more work is needed here. However I would say some of the conflict, it was suggested, could be down to the heat at which green tea is consumed. This of course would not affect animals because it would be given cold, so I think it is worth a try.

Diabetes
We know that some animals are very prone to diabetes, especially if we have been over feeding them! Green tea has been used traditionally to control blood sugar in the body. Animal studies suggest that green tea may help prevent the development of type 1 diabetes and slow the progression once it has developed. Therefore, Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body.

Liver disease
Animal studies have shown that green tea helps protect against the development of liver tumors in mice. Results from several animal and human studies suggest that one of the polyphenols present in green tea, known as catechin, may help treat viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver from a virus). In these studies, catechin was isolated from green tea and used in very high concentrations.

Weight loss
Studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat, but there have been no specific studies of this herb in overweight or obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect. You will often see ‘weight loss’ described as a benefit of green tea and there is no reason why, if it is actually true, this would not apply to animals as well.

So, to the dosages

Now there we have a problem because that’s not clear from any of the research I have looked at – because its all based on human consumption. It seems clear that you cant actually overdose on it, so just try to get the animal to take it. Some horses I know are very happy to drink any kind of tea but others are quite reluctant. Serve it cold or tepid and obviously no sugar please (although a teensy bit of honey may make it more palatable and that wont de any harm at all. Also, remember the same warning goes for animals as it does for humans. If the animal is already on medication, check out that the green tea wont interact badly with it.

Finally I promised you a little health warning for my human readers who may be on their way to get some in for themselves.

Adult dosages can look like this. Three cups of green tea per day (3 g soluble components, or 240 to 320 g polyphenols) or 300 to 400 mg per day of standardized green tea extract (extracts should contain 80% total polyphenols and 55% epigallocatechin) is the recommended dosage.

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, either under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of botanical medicine or your own Doctor.

People with heart problems, kidney disorders, stomach ulcers, and psychological disorders (particularly anxiety) should not take green tea. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid green tea. So if you have any of these make sure that you contact your Doctor or medical advisor before even thinking about taking green tea. As herbs do interact with other medicines, if you are taking any other form of medication I would always make sure that you find out possible side effects before you start taking it – especially if you are thinking of taking a concentrated extract of green tea.

From the author:
Roger Bourdon has written a book on Introduction To Horsebackriding. (Article Adapted by All About Horses)

Learn All About Horses Here:

• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder ExposedLearn Horse Training Breaking Secrets.
  

Horses Health - Do Horses Need A Dentist Too?

Horses Health Issues Matter.

Next Time You Go To The Dentist Make An Appointment For The Horse Too! Horse dental problems can lead to major health problems yet some owners never think to get a proper dental inspection carried out. We may be able to wear dentures if our teeth fall out, but what can horses do?

The expected life span of a horse or pony is approximately twenty to thirty years. Although according to the Guinness Book of Records Old Billy believed to a Cleveland Bay, cross-eastern horse, foaled in 1760 and lived to the incredible age of 62. Now by then, even with regular dentistry, most of us would have lost some of our teeth. So how can we help our horses to keep their teeth into old age?

Horses' teeth grow continuously until some time between the ages of 25 and 30. Grass, their natural food, contains silica which is an abrasive and which constantly wears down the horse's teeth. The fibers of heavier grasses require a bit of grinding on the part of the horse. Additionally the horse reaches down to bite off grass and then raises his head to chew which changes his jaw position constantly. A horse living on natural grass will be more likely to naturally polish off the surfaces of his molars into a level. Thus, the horse's mouth and teeth are pretty well adapted to his natural diet.

In order to efficiently grind their food, horses' upper molars are spaced a little farther apart than their lower teeth. While important in the wild, this offset can produce problems in the domestic horse. Horses on alfalfa and less fibrous feeds tend to chew less and their food is generally less abrasive. This being the case there will be surfaces which do not get polished off evenly. Raised edges may appear along the molars; typically along the outside of the upper set and the inside of the lower set. When these "unground surfaces”, get large the horse cannot rock his lower jaw laterally as he chews due to his teeth being locked between the opposing ridges. Thus, the problem gets worse; the ridges slowly appear larger as they are no longer being worn down, and as the horse rubs these ridges when chewing, he's actually wearing down the sides of these ridges into sharp points. He’s in the typical catch 22 situation.

Regular dental care is not only essential for dealing with problems like this, it helps them chew and digest their food and they are more likely to be happy with the bit in their mouth. A Horses Health depend on it.

What kind of dental problems do they get?

Signs of possible dental problems that may also be signs of other illness are as follows.

• Lack of appetite or reluctance to eat
• Drooling saliva – or a discharge from the mouth or nose
• Sores and swellings around the mouth
• Pain or swellings in the throat and along the jaw-line
• Really bad smelling breath
• Loss of body condition

If there is a dental problem when eating you might see:

• Chewing more slowly than normal or on one side of the mouth only
• Spilling food from the mouth or deliberately dropping (quidding) balls of partially chewed food
• Sores and swellings around the mouth
• Swellings along the jaw-line or cheeks

If his mouth is hurting while you are riding you may see:

• Aggression or reluctance to be bridled
• Resisting the bit
• Head shaking
• Reluctance to move forward
• Rearing or bolting

Therefore, what can you do?

Horses Health -Yearly Dental Check up

The teeth of adult horses should receive routine professional attention at least once per year, even if you cannot actually see anything wrong. As I said in the title – when you book your own check up with the dentist book one for the horse as well.

Younger horses like young children, require more frequent dental inspections, to ensure that the adult teeth come down properly, and to confirm that the milk teeth have been lost successfully. If he’s still hanging on to some of them waiting for the tooth fairy to arrive, he may need help to deal with this.

As we get older we all need more frequent dental inspections. Older horses are more prone to dental problems and may suffer from loose or damaged teeth, decay or infections from trapped food. Like any animal, bad breath is a good sign of this. If you want them to keep their teeth into old age you’ll have to help them along a bit. Let’s face it; toothache is bad enough for us let alone an animal that can’t tell you why he’s in such a bad mood.


This article was written By Roger Bourdon, Author of e-book Introduction To Horsebackriding
(Adapted by All About Horses)

What You Really Need To Know To Feel Safe And Confident The First Time You Sit In The Saddle……

If you are just starting out with horseback riding, you want to focus on the information you need to get you in the saddle and to keep you there safely as you ride. And let's face it, when we are learning something new it is so difficult to take in all the information we are given verbally. If you have it written down, and can read it through several times before you get to the first lesson, how much better would that make you feel? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to take what the Instructor is saying because it is familiar to you – so that you can concentrate on staying in the saddle.

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• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

Horses Health - Structure of a Horse Hoof

Horses Health Matters. Knowing the proper names of the parts of the horse hoof may help you diagnose a problem quicker.

You call the Vet because your horse has a hoof problem, and he asks for some information. What do you say? Do you know how to describe the parts of the horse hoof so that he might recognize the problem before he even gets there – thus saving a call out fee?

An army may march on its stomach but a horse definitely marches on its hooves. What are the different parts of the hoof called.

I had the vet out the other day doing a routine check on my old boy and he had a good poke around in the hooves. Although he said they were in good shape for the horse’s age, it did make me wonder how much I knew about the hoof, because he started using terms that I didn’t recognize. So I had a little anatomy lesson on the spot but he did mention that few private owners (and I’m not talking riding stables here) could describe a hoof problem in other than the simplest terms, which meant he could seldom diagnose without a visit.

A Horses Health Lesson For You -What are the different parts of the horse hoof called.

The Wall

The walls are the protection for the softer internal tissues of the horse hoof- it’s like the human toe nail. They also provide grip on different terrains. They are elastic and very tough keratin-based substance, similar to a Teflon layer, the thickness is approximately 6 mm - 12 mm. It takes 9-12 months for the hoof to grow from the coronary band to the toe. In order for the horn to grow correctly and form a healthy foot, the horse must be provided with a good diet and be in good health. These factors must be checked if the horn starts to become brittle and weak or if the foot looks badly formed. A feed supplement of biotin may be helpful to promote good horn growth.

Three different layers make up the Wall: the pigmented layer, the water line and the white line.

The coronet band at the top of the hoof wall actually grows this pigmented (colored) layer of horn that makes up the outer wall of the hoof. Although this layer is for protection it does not like sustained contact with the ground, which can cause it to break and flake away.

The water line is built up by the coronet and by the wall's corium (the living tissue immediately beneath the walls). It is thicker than the pigmented layer and increases its thickness, as it gets further down and away from the coronet band. Unlike the pigmented layer, this one is much hardier and is very resistant to contact to the ground so it is for support and protection of the underside of the hoof.

The white line is the inner layer of the wall. It is softer and fibrous in structure. Its color is yellowish. You can see it, in the underside of the healthy horse hoof, as a thin line, joining the sole and the walls. Since the white line is softer than both the walls and the sole, it wears fast where it appears on the surface and it appears as a subtle groove between the sole and the walls, with some debris or sand inside.

The three layers of the wall merge in a single mass and they grow downwards together. If the wall doesn't wear naturally, from sufficient movement on rough ground, then it will over-grow, much like a toenail that is not filed down and it then becomes prone to breakage. This means that a healthy hoof will self-trim, by breaking or chipping off. When a horseshoe is applied, it is fixed to the wall. The nails that are used to hold the shoe in place are hammered in at an angle so that the points come out of the front of the hoof wall.

The Frog

The frog is a triangular structure clearly visible if you look at the underside of the horse hoof- it’s like the human fingertip. It extends forwards across about two-thirds of the sole. Its thickness grows from the front to the back and, at the back; it merges with the heel periople. Down its middle, it has a groove, the central groove (sulcus) that extends up between the bulbs.

It is dark gray-blackish in color and of a rubbery consistency, which makes it great to act as a shock absorber and grip tool, on hard, smooth ground. In the stabled horse, it doesn't wear but it degrades with bacterial and fungal activity to an irregular, soft, slashed surface. In the free-roaming horse, it hardens into a callous consistency, with a near-smooth surface.

The Sole

The sole has a whitish-yellowish, sometimes grayish color. It covers the whole space from the perimeter of the wall to the bars and the frog, on the underside of the hoof. Its deep layer has a compact, waxy character and is called the 'live’ sole. Its surface will vary according to the type of ground the horse spends his time on. If there is no contact, as in shod hooves or when the walls are too long or the movement poor, the lower surface of the sole has a crumbly consistency and it is easily abraded (scratched off) it with a hoof pick. However, it has a very hard consistency, with a smooth, bright surface, when there is a consistent, active contact with the ground. The front portion, beneath the front of the pedal bone, is called the 'sole callus'.

The Bars

They are inward folds of the wall, starting from the heels at an abrupt angle. The strong structure built up by the extremity of the heel and of the bar is named the 'heel buttress'. The sole between the heel walls and the bars is called the 'seat of corn' and it is a very important landmark used by natural hoof trimmers to evaluate the correct heel height. The bars have a three-layer structure, just like the walls. When overgrown, they bend outwards and cover the lower surface of the sole.

Coronary band

You’ll recall this is found at the top of the horse hoof and is responsible for creating the horn that makes up the hoof wall.

Periople

This is the outer layer of the horse hoof that forms a protective covering on the hoof wall. It is responsible for regulating moisture content in the horn, secreted from the perioplic ring above the coronet.

Sensitive sole:

This is found underneath the pedal bone, within the insensitive sole. It produces the new cells that replace lost layers of the insensitive sole.

Digital cushion:


The digital cushion is found between the pedal bone and deep flexor tendon. An elastic, fibrous pad absorbs concussion from ground impact. It also helps to push blood back up the leg.

Lateral cartilages

These are attached to the pedal bone and serve to protect the coffin joint. They also help absorb concussion.

Laminae:

The insensitive laminae are supportive structures that attach to the hoof wall and interlock with the sensitive laminae. The sensitive laminae then attach and support the pedal bone. The divide between sensitive and insensitive laminae can been seen as a white line on the sole of the foot.

Conformation

This is term for the basic shape and size for a horse hoof and how fit it is for its purpose. It’s extremely important, as the feet are obviously essential to the horse

They should be even and round in shape and in proportion with the rest of the horse. The fronts should be of equal size and shape and so should the hinds.

The front feet should slope forwards and be at a 45 degree angle to the ground, and on through the fetlock and pastern. The hind feet should be at an angle of 50-55 degrees to the ground. The hoof wall should be smooth and free from cracks. Any lines could indicate poor nutrition or past cases of laminitis.

Poor conformation in the feet can result in strains to tendons and ligaments, tripping and bruising. Many such problems can be improved by a good farrier and over a period of time.


This article was written By Roger Bourdon, Author of e-book Introduction To Horsebackriding
(Adapted by All About Horses)

Learn All About Horses Here:

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder ExposedLearn Horse Training Breaking Secrets. Five Horseback Riding Video Lessons Teach Natural Riding Without Bouncing, Safely Controlling Your Horse And Riding Bareback And Bridleless.

• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

What You Really Need To Know To Feel Safe And Confident The First Time You Sit In The Saddle……

If you are just starting out with horseback riding, you want to focus on the information you need to get you in the saddle and to keep you there safely as you ride. And let's face it, when we are learning something new it is so difficult to take in all the information we are given verbally. If you have it written down, and can read it through several times before you get to the first lesson, how much better would that make you feel? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to take what the Instructor is saying because it is familiar to you – so that you can concentrate on staying in the saddle rather than the instructions that are being thrust at you so quickly. So many instructions all at once can send you into information overload, and then you can't remember a word of it and feel silly – does this make you feel like a failure before you even start? I know it does with me.

After all, how many of you passed an exam or learned to drive without reading the manuals first? Did you pick up a chisel to do woodworking without first getting a book to show you how? This applies to nearly everything you can think of that requires some skill to master. So surely you need to prepare for your horseback riding lessons in the same way to make your new hobby a really enjoyable success right from the start.

Horses Health - Diarrhea

A Horses Health Rely On Their Surroundings

They say you are what you eat and that is equally true of your horse. Horses rely on their surroundings and of course you for their food and supplements to keep them healthy. The task of any person who designs a horse feed is to ensure the feed contains enough energy to maintain body weight under conditions of work load for the horses health. Mare and Foal Horse Feed is formulated on the belief that successful development begins in the womb. For that, special horse feed is needed. To do so, horse feed is measured by weight, not volume. Good horse feed is not laden with exotic weed seed. Although commercially prepared horse feed is heat-treated and represents a safe source of feed.

Good quality forage should make up most of your horses health diet, as they rely on it for a healthy digestive tract. Most people’s idea of a perfect pasture is a smooth even green grassland. Grass is at its richest in the Spring when the protein content can be as high as 28% with an equally high energy content. Whilst the sugar content is good for mares with foals, it is generally too rich for other horses.

Until hay was introduced, horses were largely used only in the parts of the world where grass was available all year round. An important feature of hay is the amount of water associated with it in the digestive tract. For every kilo of hay eaten, around 3kg of water is bound with it. This occurs as a result of the chewing and mixing of the forage particles with saliva and digestive secretions, that is not then easily released for absorption.

Your horse's digestive system was designed to take frequent meals and in very small amounts. That's why horses in the wild seldom get diarrhea as they graze on whatever forage they find in the open country.

While good body condition does not automatically equal good teeth, good teeth will mean a more efficient horse. Because of the unique anatomy of horses' teeth, they do not get dental caries for the same reason humans or dogs do, so their teeth should be regularly examined, at a minimum, once a year. Horse's teeth are vital to effective digestion and the horses health as they grind up their food, form it into a ball (called a 'bolus'), and swallow it for digestion.

But if your horse has bad teeth, he can't grind his food finely enough. So when it reaches his intestines, it can't just slide on through. Instead, it irritates the walls of his intestines, causing a low grade inflammation, which is a cause of horse diarrhea.

That's why you see so many older horses with this problem. They've ground their teeth down so much over the years that they can't digest their food the way they used to.

So you need to get your vet to “float” your horse's teeth, which is a process whereby he files off the sharp enamel points from the outer edges of the upper cheek teeth and then he files off the inner edges of the lower cheek teeth.

All of this results in better contact between the upper and lower sets of teeth which enables your horse to grind his food properly, leaving less chance for his intestines to become irritated.

This article was written By Roger Bourdon, Author of e-book Introduction To Horsebackriding
(Adapted by All About Horses blog)

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• Learn To Grow Gorgeous Horses! Now You Too Can Grow Long, Thick, Luxurious Horse Manes and Tails and Make Any Horse Stunningly Gorgeous Amazingly Fast!

• The Ultimate Guide To Pampering Your Horse provides a gold mine of ideas and inspiration. "For grooming, bathing, and hoof-care suggestions to homemade treats, toys, parties, games (and even costumes!) You'll find step-by-step directions for guaranteed horse-pleasers such as: Slop and Slurp Delight, Homemade Bug-Be-Gone, Edible Christmas Wreath, Mad Hatter Birthday Party and much more!
  

• Think your horse has laminitis? You need to know or at worst your horse could die! Treatment for both Laminitis and Founder are both explored in the content of this one of a kind e-book Liminitis And Founder Exposed