1. Oak

There are a lot of reasons to love oak trees: they’re tall, majestic, and they possess large leaves that offer perfect shade for any lawn or park. But one place you might not want oak trees is in or alongside your horse pastures. Oaks leaves contain tannic acid, which can cause colic and other digestive problems in horses. The buds and twigs of oak leaves also contain tannins, as do the acorns. The risk in the leaves probably decreases as the leaves decompose, so fresh spring leaves are likely more potent than old brown leaves on the ground from last year. Oak trees are common all over the U.S. and tend to leaf out a little later in the spring than some tree species.

2. Red Maple

Unlike oak leaves, in which the toxins decrease as the leaves wilt, the leaves of red maples are troublesome because they become highly toxic to horses after the leaves have separated from the tree. It’s not known what the toxin is exactly, but wilted red maple leaves can be fatal to horses who consume them. The unidentified toxin causes the destruction of red blood cells, leading to anemia. The bark of the tree is also problematic.

Other maple species may also be toxic, though not as severely as red maple. Maples in general are native to the eastern half of the U.S., but may be cultivated in other regions.

3. Walnut

Walnut trees are an oddity in that they affect horses in ways you wouldn’t suspect. There are various types of walnut trees around the U.S., but the most problematic is the black walnut. Always check with your shavings supplier to make sure that it doesn’t have black walnut in the product because horse bedding contaminated with it can cause laminitis. The branches, leaves, pollen, and nut hulls of the various walnut trees can also poisonous and can cause respiratory problems or even liver cancer in horses. The problem is thought to be a chemical produced by the walnut tree called juglone, which can also affect other plants growing in its vicinity.

4. Yew

It’s true that yew is an attractive evergreen shrub/tree, and for this reason, it’s planted for decorative purposes in landscapes around buildings. At the same time, it’s also true that yew is very poisonous and very dangerous to horses (as well as people and other types of livestock). If horses consume yew—perhaps by gaining access to clippings or a shrub near a building—the results are often quickly fatal, so it’s critical to ensure that your horses never have access to these toxic trees. Yews can grow for hundreds of years, and are poisonous all year long, but more toxic in the winter.

5, 6, 7, and 8. Cherry (and Chokecherry), Apricot, Peach, and Plum

You probably haven’t planted any orchards in your horse pastures, but there might be fruit trees incorporated into your farm’s landscaping, or orchards on other areas of the property. There are some fruit trees that are toxic to horses that you need to avoid—those of the prunus family. This group includes familiar fruit trees like cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, and others. They’re all poisonous to horses in basically the same way; leaves from prunus trees become more toxic after they’ve fallen from the tree and begun to wilt, because it’s at this stage that the leaves contain cyanide. The bark and young shoots are also poisonous, as well as the fruit pits. Horses that ingest these parts of the tree will no longer be able to extract oxygen from their blood, leading to increased respiration and bright mucus membranes. If caught quickly enough, a veterinarian can sometimes intervene successfully.

You may also find undomesticated cherry and plum trees growing wild along the edges of your pastures, particularly in the eastern half of the U.S. The problem here is that the leaves may blow into the pastures and into the reach of your horses, or summer storms might break branches off, and they land inside the fence. Periodic culling of small trees may be necessary to keep your horses safe. Also, watch out for the similar chokecherry, common throughout the northern half of the U.S. The berries have been used for hundreds of years by various Native American tribes, but the seeds and leaves are poisonous to horses.

9. Oleander

Oleander is a small evergreen tree (or it may be shaped into a shrub) that is planted for decorative purposes and found in the southern U.S. It’s an attractive tree with beautiful flowers, but it’s quite toxic to horses — the tree’s sap is even utilized in rodent poisons! Horses that consume oleander — and it only takes a handful of leaves — may show colic-like signs within a few hours, and the poison may be fatal fairly quickly after that. Summer and fall are times of greatest concern.

10. Horse Chestnut

Also known regionally as “buckeyes,” the leaves, seeds, and sprouts of horse chestnut trees are poisonous to horses and can cause multiple digestive ailments, and, if severe enough, some nervous system issues. Though horses may be able to recover with veterinarian aid, horse chestnut trees are nevertheless quite toxic; even the nectar can be poisonous to bees. You’ll find horse chestnuts growing throughout most of the U.S., except for the far southern and far northern regions.

Have you have any problematic or toxic trees that you’ve had to remove from your horse property? Let us know in the comments.

Further Reading

◆ Ten Plants Toxic to Horses
◆ Managing Buttercups in Horse Pastures
◆ Poisonous Plants to Horses from the University of Tennessee

The post Ten Trees Toxic to Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Just about any region in the U.S. can experience a hot summer day, and some areas struggle with heat for much of the year. In light of that, why not consider planting your property with some trees to provide shade around the pastures, particularly positioned to provide afternoon shade for the horses? It might be just what you need.

The tricky part may be choosing the right trees for the job. Not all trees are equal for providing shade, and not all trees are healthy for horses to be around. There is also the matter of growth speed—if you’re starting absolutely from scratch, you might want to select trees that grow quickly.

There is also the possibility that you’ll need to remove trees from your horse property if they are potentially poisonous to horses. It’s definitely a regional issue, so a local extension office is an ideal place to get some advice on horse- and livestock-safe trees for your area.

To help you get started, here are a few ideas for trees that grow well across most regions of the U.S.

Trees for Excellent Shade

Hackberry/sugarberry trees: These trees grow to about 50-70 feet, so they fit well with the pastures and buildings of your property, but they have a nice, leafy crown that provides plenty of helpful shade—and they’re safe for horses to be around.

Magnolia trees: Magnolias, along with the related tulip poplars, are popular in southern regions and also don’t grow terribly tall.

Willow trees: While short, willow trees have a nice look and provide good shade while being safe for horses.

Eastern cottonwoods: These are impressive specimen trees, grow quite tall, and they’re also equine-safe.

Quick-Growing Trees

If you’d like to create a shady spot quickly, you’ll probably want to look at some sort of softwood tree. These trees tend to grow faster because they put less density into their wood (hence the name “softwood”) and this allow them to reach for the heights quickly.

These include conifers—like spruces or pines—that are native to your region. Conifers provide a nice rural evergreen appearance and can make significant height in just a decade or less. You should be able to find a pine variety that will fit just about any U.S. climate (but check their specific toxicity), though spruce trees may not thrive too far south.

It should be noted that consuming conifer needles in any great amount would not be healthy for horses, so that’s something to consider in some situations. Another downside to these trees is that their branches can be more breakable in wind.

There are some quick-growing hardwoods, too—green ash is an excellent option. It’s an attractive tree with unique compound leaves and a classically shaped crown. While prone to insect attack from the emerald ash borer, regions that don’t have this insect can grow impressive ash trees that offer great pasture shade.

Trees to Avoid Near Horses

Red maples: There are quite a few different species of maple trees, but red maples in particular are well known for the extra toxicity of their leaves, particularly when they are wilted, like from a freshly broken branch. You want to avoid red maples for shade in your pastures, and might consider removing the trees from around your pastures and horse property in general. In the early fall, red maple leaves turn a very bright hue of pure red, and the leaves are more “spiky” looking than other maples.

Walnut: Walnut trees, along with related species in the Juglandaceae family, produce juglone, which is a toxic substance that the tree uses to discourage plant growth around it. The radius of juglone is as much as 80 feet from the tree. Juglone is also harmful to horses—there are even examples of it causing laminitis—so these are definitely trees to avoid planting intentionally. Walnuts can sometimes be found on old farmsteads, so if your current horse property sits on an old farm, scout for walnut trees and consider removing them.

Oak: Sadly, as beautiful and shade-providing as a grand oak tree is, the leaves and acorns contain tannic acid, which isn’t safe for horses. Its fresher leaves are more problematic than dried ones.

Keeping Trees Safe Around Horses

It’s important to note that if you have trees directly in your pastures, you may need to fence them off with a small buffer to keep horses from chewing the bark (which, if done excessively, can kill the tree).

Horses with plenty of pasture grass typically don’t waste time with novelties like bark chewing, but a bored horse can become pretty destructive. Fencing the tree off individually is usually a better idea than trying to cover the bark.

Trees and horses can work well together; trees provide shade and erosion control. Plus, they add visual value to your land. Start planting now for beautiful shade in just a few short years!

This article about shade trees for horses is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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