Trees Not to Have in Your Horse Pasture

Losing a horse is heartbreaking and it’s especially so if all it would have taken is

 a little knowledge to prevent the loss. Losing a horse to tree poisoning is devastating, partially because we see trees as part of our horse’s natural surroundings.

Anything in your horse’s pastures is fair game for tasting. If there is plenty of other food, such as grass or hay available, your horse probably won’t touch any of the trees within its reach. But, if it gets bored or hungry, to satisfy its need to graze, your horse might try chewing on tree barks, branches, or leaves. Some horses love the taste of willow, staghorn sumac, and a few others. Others nibble out of habit or curiosity, rather than hunger or taste. But, what this all means, is that any tree that’s growing within a horse pasture should be safe to eat.

Generally, horse owners don’t plant trees in pastures for this reason. Saplings have a good chance of being aggressively pruned by horses--to the point where you’ll be left with nothing but a ragged stick. If you do plant trees, you’ll need to find a way to safely protect them, until they are large enough that they are no longer a tender snack. The protection needs to be safe for both horses and the tree. If you plan to plant for a windbreak, it’s probably best to plant the trees on the outside of your pasture fence, just beyond your horse’s reach.

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HORSES  HORSE STABLES & EQUIPMENT
Trees Not to Have in Your Horse Pasture
By KATHERINE BLOCKSDORF Updated on 03/08/22