Toxic plants

Horses, exposed to toxic plants in their pastures, forage and adjacent environments, face increasing risks of plant poisoning. In addition to factors such as changes in use, pasture management and climate change, the public's unfamiliarity with plants is exacerbating the situation.

For example: foxglove, found in many meadows, contains cardiac glycosides. Ingestion of this plant can cause severe heart problems in horses. Aconites, with their toxic alkaloids, cause symptoms such as excessive salivation and neurological disorders.

Belladonna, with its attractive black berries, contains atropine, causing severe neurological effects.

These examples highlight the need to recognize these toxic plants and eliminate them from pastures.

Lack of plant knowledge, coupled with inadequate pasture management, contributes to the degradation of grasslands. Invasive plants such as Jacob's ragwort threaten biodiversity and pose risks to animal health.

Climate change favours the proliferation of plants such as rooted pigweed, responsible for explosions of cases of poisoning. Inappropriate farming practices, overgrazing and poor grassland management expose horses to toxic plants, notably Cerdanya vetch and rooted pigweed.

Identifying toxic plants in forage is complex, increasing the risk of intoxication. Horses, even those capable of normal sorting, can become intoxicated during changes of environment, periods of dearth, or by eating acorns after windy spells.

Understanding the risks of plant poisoning in equines is crucial. Prevention, through regular monitoring of pastures, awareness-raising among forage suppliers and elimination of toxic plants, is essential to ensure equine health. Wise management of equestrian environments, incorporating practical examples, is necessary to minimize the risk of plant poisoning.

Poisonous plants must be removed out of sight of horses. If horses are present in the vicinity, they must be removed beforehand. Similarly, green waste must be carefully collected and never fed to animals. There are also indirect risks of plant poisoning when grazing short grass in the presence of toxic plant elements (seeds, leaves, etc.). By grazing low, the horse cannot sort what it consumes. He could therefore ingest toxic plant matter.