Do Not Toss Yard Waste Over the Horse Fence
- presents a risk of choke, or feed getting stuck in the horse’s esophagus, which requires veterinary assistance to resolve.
- Piles of wet grass clippings may mold and ferment in warm weather, increasing risk of colic.
- If you have a horse with a metabolic disorder such as insulin resistance or equine metabolic syndrome, the lawn clippings may be far too high in non-structural carbohydrates (sugars, starch, fructan) and could trigger an episode of laminitis.
- Lawns may be treated with chemicals that are not approved for use with grazing animals. Pasture managers must pay careful attention to product selection and grazing intervals when using these chemicals, but your well-meaning neighbour may not consider this. Lawn/turf herbicides have not been tested for safety with grazing animals.
- Yew - The greatest risk comes from a very common evergreen shrub called yew. This plant is highly toxic to both animals and humans. As little as a half a pound of yew can be fatal to a horse. There is no known antidote to yew poisoning.
- Rhododendrons and Azaleas - Two related common ornamentals that are toxic to horses are rhododendrons and azaleas. These are less toxic than yews, but two pounds has caused poisoning. All parts of the plant are toxic, especially the leaves.
- Other common ornamentals that are toxic to horses include box shrubs, monkshood, milkweed, jimsonweed, day lilies, wisteria, oleander, foxglove, hydrangea, lupine, daffodils, and many more. Several trees are also toxic to horses.
