This is not a question.. but a warning !! please read.?

Question

I know most folks ask a question.. but I want to share a warning...

My 6 year old quarter horse mare died today from BLACK WALNUT Poisoning..

Please.. make sure you fence off theses trees from your horses, most of the time it is found in wood shaving used for bedding material.. But my beautiful curious mare, actually munched out on the leaves from the tree... I watched her do it and called the vet.. But the damage was already done.

PLEASE..PLEASE, make sure you do not accidentally use Black Walnut shavings in your bedding.. and keep your babies away from the trees too..

thanx..

grieving Mom..

Answer 1

I'm so very sorry for your lose:(  Thanks for the warning...

This is just awful, and take care.

Answer 2

Okay, thank you so much for letting everyone know! I don't have a horse of my own yet, but when I eventually do, sometime in the future, I will be awear! Thankyou SO much!

And I am so sorry for your loss!

Answer 3

i am so sorry for your loss! I have had horses for years, and didnt know that walnut was poisonous. i will be going out to buy a book on horse-unfriendly plants now, that is for sure! thank you so much for sharing the info, and im sure you have saved many horses in doing so.

im so sorry......

Answer 4

My heart and prayers go out to you during this difficult time.  In the past I have heard about these trees being toxic to horses.  Here in the southwest where I live, we have a variety of walnut trees different from those you described but just as dangerous.  Thanks for your touching message and again you have my deepest sympathy.

Answer 5

I am very sorry for your loss & it was very nice of you to warn others.

The first house I lived in before I got married had 4 black walnut trees in the area I was going to fence off for the mare, foal & gelding I had at the time.  I took a chain saw to all 4 & then cut them up before they leafed out & hauled them off.  Then I got out there & used a leaf rake all over the area to be hopefully sure I got all of the leaves that might have fallen.  Then just to be sure, I fenced the area off, just in case.  People really do need to research poisonous plants & then go over their pastures thoroughly.  If you buy a place that has a fenced pasture, do NOT assume the pasture is safe for your horses.

Again I am sorry for your loss.

Answer 6

This is quite terrible news - and I'm sure all the horse-lovers who see this will send their hearts out to you.

I know that any type of walnut is lethal for the horse.  I would suggest all horse owners purchase book containing pictures and listings of all lethal plants for horses - there are many more that are quite common in our flower beds that will kill them.

There should be no walnut wood in your shavings, no trees in the area of pasture nor ability for the leaves to blow into the horse's area.  Furthermore, where these trees grow, a garden will not grow.  Although walnuts are good for us to eat, where they grow, other things will not.

Other flowers like Foxglove and many other beautiful common ones will kill your horse instantly if they get ahold of them.

Would you mind sharing the things to watch for with the rest of the community?  Things like how to identify these trees or what symptoms yours showed so we might benefit and know if we see such signs what we should do?

Answer 7

I have been so afraid of this that I was afraid to put my horse under a walnut tree that was not a Black Walnut...I think all maples have a similar effect?!

I've fenced off my pasture of all the trees I don't know until I can get the agricultural extension office out..

I am so freaked out on my horses poisoning themselves...

Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us to be vigilant in the care of our horses - that these things DO happen.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your horse - hopefully by your sharing - it'll save other lives.

Answer 8

I'm so sorry for you!

Rosi M posted a great site every horse owner should read!  I was surprised about several!

I learn something every day! so thank you for sharing Rosi and  I will check to see if our barn's bedding contains Black Walnut shavings! here in the desert southwest not much chance of ingesting tress leaves!

Once again I am so sorry for you!

I have a quarter horse too but my old gal is 22 !

Answer 9

Im very sorry about your loss, thanks for posting this about the concerns around our horses.

i hope other horse owners will read this and make sure of their surroundings around their pastures.

So sorry again.

Answer 10

I've had people on this site argue with me about this!!!  Your horse can go lame and slough off the hooves just from walking through a black walnut grove.  Enzymes emitted by the roots are the cause.  Black walnut is to be avoided at ALL cost.  Thanks for sharing, maybe more will listen.  And I'm so sorry about your mare.

Answer 11

http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/Pois...

A link to trees poisonous to equines.....

Am very sorry for your  loss...it is devastating to lose one of your "kids"....my sympathies....!

Answer 12

What a nightmare -I am so sorry that this has happened to you.

Thank you for sharing the experience.

Answer 13

I am soooo sorry that happened to you!!!

Answer 14

I'm so sorry you lost your horse!

I've got a follow-up warning:  in most cases it's safer to leave the black walnut trees there instead of cutting them down.  If you cut them down, then you create a lot of pure walnut sawdust, which is extremely toxic.  The best thing to do is fence off the tree, either while it's still standing, or fence around the entire chainsawing operation area if it's been taken down.  I actually have one or two black walnuts in my pasture, but my horses don't mess with them - they go for the bark from the tulip poplars instead (which apparently are not toxic at all).  Someday I'd like to remove the walnuts, but one is really huge and would need professional removal.  I guess fencing it off would be the best thing to do.

Answer 15

(((Iknowalittle)))  BTDT!  But with me I sent my two horses (1 14 yr old TB and my 8 yr old AQHA gelding to a long time friend when I was trying to sort out my finances and get my life together after I lost my dad.  She talked a good line, but apparently didn't have a clue.

My TB went up there in May of '96, my dad passed the following month and I tried to keep my QH for another year but ended up shipping him up as well.

To make a LONG story short, they couldn't feed the horses the amount of food they needed and they went for the oak trees on the property.  Acorns are VERY additcting and 1/9/'99 a couple of months before my TB was suppose to come home, he was fine, turned out with my QH and playing as I spoke on the phone with my friend.

The next day, I got a phone call from my friend's Boy Friend telling me that they'd just SHOT my TB!  He was acting colicky and they went to load him into a trailer to haul him to UC Davis when he reared up, fell over and went into convulsions.

I tried to bring my QH home for the next 3 years but finding this gal was a whole different ball game, she'd offered to buy the QH, we'd agreed upon a price verbally and I never saw a dime.  Finally with the help of my horsekid, we drove up there, found her property and the horse we saw was a shell of his former self...  To make a long story short, we got him back, the vet went through him and told us it was just a matter of time and to make him "comfy".  45 days later, the vet had to come put him down because his liver and kidneys were failing.

http://www.horsecareonline.net/ToxicPlan...

Here's a link (above) that will give you a list of those plants that are toxic to horses.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss and I KNOW first hand what you are going through.

Answer 16

Oh, dear.  How sad, I'm sorry.

Black walnut is (obviously) VERY toxic to horses and other animals too - this is why it pays for every horse owner (and horse "person") to read up on the poisonous plants of their respective areas.

Answer 17

Oh my I'm so sorry :(... This is really good advice and you taking this time to share this is wonderful.  I fence off all trees, i have always been paranoid just my luck they will eat them...I do have 4 oleander bushes (also poisonous) near a new area i just put corrals and a turnout area.  I have a backhoe coming in to tear those suckers out.  No horses will go in there till they are removed and they are probably 20 feet away...again I'm paranoid.  Again I'm sorry for your loss and thank you for the info you shared.

Answer 18

Oh, im sooo sorry!! :(

I'll make sure to not use it! thanks!

p.s sorry about your horse again.

Answer 19

omg thats terrible! thanks for telling us.. ill be sure to check for these tree! and its in bedding too?! omg thank you soooo much! and im really sry about your loss..