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The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team are set for CSIO3* action in the Nations Cup of the Andaluca Sunshine Tour tomorrow. Chef dEquipe Michael Blake has chosen a team of Mikey Pender, Jason Foley, Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Cian OConnor for the Spanish three star competition, where they will face 17 other nations. The Irish team has been drawn 11 of the 18 teams to jump and Blake is hopeful of yet another strong showing in what has been another fantastic season. He said: Its a strong team we have chosen to compete here, Mikey and Cian have been performing very well for us in Nations Cups and have been showing excellent form around the world in 2024. Seamus and Jason have also been in great form and always do their best when chosen to wear the Charles Ancona green jacket so Im looking forward to it tomorrow. The []

Tune in to this Ask TheHorse Live event to learn how to provide your horse with proper nutrition whether hes under- or overweight. Sponsored by Purina Animal Nutrition. The post Managing Your Horses Weight Through Thick and Thin appeared first on The Horse.

The horse lived in Hastings County. The post Ontario Gelding Positive for WNV appeared first on The Horse.

Good to see one of our graduates winning the 140 in Spain today This guy masserati (etoulon x lupicor ) sold to @steph holker and @mark barnard as a 3yo now with joe Whitaker in the saddle ..

The pony lived in Haldimand County. The post Ontario Pony Euthanized After Contracting EEE appeared first on The Horse.

Horses love to eat grass, browse hedgerows and pick at branches, however there are several plants that they shouldnt eat, because they are poisonous for them. It is vital that you as a horse owner recognise and safely remove any poisonous plants that are growing in their field as part of your everyday management and horse care plan.Plants that are poisonous for horses include buttercups, ragwort, hemlock and foxglove. There are also certain trees that can be troublesome, including oaks and sycamores. All of these (and more) are discussed and pictured below, to help you keep a safe field for your horse to graze all year round.Poisonous plants for horses: buttercupsButtercups are commonButtercups are small, pretty flowers with five bright and shiny yellow petals. They are often described as being little drops of sunshine. Buttercups come intoflower in earlyspring and favour fields, pastures,lawns and meadows. The creepingbuttercup is the most commonvariety. It thrives in dampconditions and soil with poordrainage, and it also spreads rapidly.Eaten in large quantities, freshbuttercups are poisonous to grazinganimals like horses as they contain a chemicalcalled protoanemonin in their sap.However, they taste bitter and arelargely avoided by horses. Driedbuttercups in hay are harmless.Buttercups are difficult to pull up asthey are so widespread. The bestway to get rid of them is to outcompetethem through effectivepasture management so that they stop growing in your field.Poisonous plants for horses: ragwortNext time youre travelling in a car, have a look at the verges, the middle of roundabouts and the central reservation on the motorway. Chances are, they are filled with ragwort it gets everywhere. This infamous weed has daisy-like yellow flowers andgrows up to 1m tall. It favoursgrasslands, verges, neglected land andovergrazed pastures.Ragwort flowers in its second year of growingSeedlings appear from autumn toJune and, for the first year, they growin a rosette form, with spade-shapedleaves that have jagged edges. In theirsecond year of growth, flowers appearin June and the seeds ripen over July andAugust, before being shed in September.A single ragwort plant can produce 50,000-60,000 seeds, so it spreads incrediblyquickly once it goes to seed.Dealing with ragwortThere is a ditch separating two fields on yard and every spring I pull out multiple ragwort plants (including roots) in their early rosette form. This stops it spreading to the other fields, although I keep an eye out for any others during the spring and summer.Ragwort is particularly toxic tohorses and cattle. Eating between just 1-5kgof ragwort over a horses lifetime cancause liver failure and be fatal. It isntparticularly tasty and horses largelyavoid it. When dried in hay, it is morepalatable, however, which is one the reasons it shouldnt be allowed to grow in fields that will be cut for hay.Ragwort seeds can lie dormant in a field for years, so if you see any plants make sure you pull them up straightway. Not dealing with the problem now will just make it worse in the long run.What are the signs of ragwort poisoning in horses?Ragwort rosettes are the early stage of growthLook out for:DiarrhoeaWeight lossAbdominal (stomach) pain, such as colicPhotosensitisation (this is sensitivity to UV light)Jaundice (this is a yellow tinge to the eyes and gums)Depression/lethargy or aggressivenessNeurological problems such as seizures, losing coordination, continuously moving in circles, head pressingRagwort contains Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids, whichleads to toxic by-productsin the liver when ingested (eaten) by a horse. A horses liver can function until around 70% of it is damaged, so if youre seeing signs of ragwort poisoning, its very serious and requires emergency veterinary attention. Ultimately, damaged liver cells cannot regenerate and at this advanced stage treatment is very unlikely.How to remove ragwortRagwort is covered by the Weed Act1959 and Ragwort Control Act 2003,and landowners have a duty to controlits spread. The best way to do this is tomanually dig up the plants when theyare still at the rosette stage, ideallywhen the ground is damp. They havedeep roots, so use a special ragwort fork and wear gloves to minimise anyskin irritation.You must safely dispose ofthe ragwort too, ensuring that horses cantaccess the wilted plants, and avoidtransporting it and inadvertentlyspreading the seeds. Burning or rottingit down are options. Never leave pulled ragwort in the field. The BHS has lots more advice aboutsafe disposal.Poisonous plants for horses: horsetailHorsetail can be up to 90cm tallThere are two different types of horsetail. In the spring, light brown, vertical stems with a small, scaled cone on the top grow up to 25cm high. In the summer, green, fir-tree like shoots grow up to 90cm tall.Horsetail is a poisonous plant with a deep, strong root structure and it spreads quickly to form a carpet of foliage. Fresh plants arent that palatable for horses, but horsetail remains toxic when it is dried in hay. Removing it from the ground is difficult by hand and so the best approach is through careful, long-term pasture management to prevent it growing in the first place.Poisonous plants: hemlockHemlock is a tall, upright plant with fern-like leavesand tiny white flowers that bloom in thespring and grow in an umbrella shape. It is most likely to be found inwet areas, such as in ditches, alongriverbanks, and on poorly-drained soil.Hemlock can be fatal in tiny amountsHemlock is easily confused with thebenign cowparsley, which looks similar. My first pony used to love grabbing some cow parsley out of the hedge to munch on when we were riding! To distinguish between the two,look at the stems. Hemlocks is smoothand round with purple splotches; cowparsleys has ridges on it. Hemlock alsohas an unpleasant, mousy smell.Although it is largely avoided by livestock, it ishighly poisonous and only a tiny amountcan prove fatal to horses and humans. In fact, legend has it that it was used as a formof execution in Ancient Greece. So if you see hemlock around your yard or fields, get rid of it immediately.Hemlock has to be pulled upmanually from the root before the plant goes toseed and disposed of appropriately. Dontburn them, as this releases their toxinsinto the air. Wear protective clothing when handling hemlockand wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.Poisonous plants for horses: foxgloveFoxglove: pretty but deadlyFoxglove is a tall plant (up to 2m tall) withpurple-pinktubularflowers thatbloom in thespring. They are pretty, but dont be fooled this plant is poisonous for horses. Most wont choose to eat foxglove, however it is more palatable in hay and eating just a small amount could be fatal for the horse.Foxglove contains cardiac glycoside toxins and symptoms of poisoning in horses include changes to their heart rate, breathing difficulties, diarrhoea, dilated pupils, body/muscle tremors and fits. It can be fatal in just a few hours as the toxins immediately damage the horses cardiovascular system.Contact a vet as soon as you suspect your horse may have eaten foxglove. If caught early enough, they may be able to use activated charcoal and mineral oil to flush the toxins out of the horses system.Poisonous plants: deadly nightshadeDeadly Nightshade poisoning isnt always fatal in horsesDeadly Nightshade grows up to1.5m, withbrown-purpleflowers and ashiny black,berry fruit. This poisonous plant contains toxic alkaloids, including atropine.Despite its name, eating it isnt usually fatal for horses in early and mild cases, providing they are seen and treated by a vet quickly.Eating Deadly Nightshade will make a horse unwell, with symptoms includingdilated pupils, muscle tremors, convulsions or seizures. In more advanced cases, serious symptoms may also include acute haemorrhage, diarrhoea, excessive saliva and progressive paralysis.Vets treat horses suffering with Deadly Nightshade poisoning using compound drugs called neostigmine to reverse theatropine-type symptoms.Poisonous plants for horses: ivyIvy is a cluster of dark green,triangle shapedleavesthat growin vines. It is a common plant and youll often see it growing along the walls of houses and winding around tree trunks.Ivy is a common plantIvy containsthe toxins triterpenoid saponins and polyacetylene. If eaten by horses, it can cause reactions such as diarrhoea, colic, irritated skin around the mouth, loss of appetite and dehydration.Oak trees and acornsWhile a tree rather than plant, oak trees belong in a list of poisonous plants because acorns are highly toxic to horses.Acorn poisoning is a bigger threat at the end of a long, hot summer. This is because when grass is scarce, horses are more likely to eat them.Like ragwort, acorns are toxic and horses dont tend to consume them unless theyre hungry and spend a lot of time turned out.If you spot any acorns at all, its best to keep your horse away from them.Acorn poisoning can be fatal. If your horse consumes a large amount and shows clinical signs of poisoning, call your vet immediately, warns equine vet Katherine Hall fromMinster Equine Veterinary Clinic in North Yorkshire. Toxic acid in acorns causes damage to the horses liver and kidneys, sometimes inducing colic.Symptoms of acorn toxicityAcorn toxicity can develop quicklyAcorns fall in autumn and signs of toxicity to look out for include:ColicDehydrationDull coatLoss of appetiteFrequent urinationConstipationSlow or irregular heart rateThese signs may develop extremely rapidly and death can occur within a further 12 to 24 hours.You need to prevent your horse from being able to access acorns that have been blown off trees, so dont turn them out in a field with an oak tree. At the very least, cordon off the area with electric fencing to keep your horse away, advises Katherine.According to BEVA, when a group of horses are exposed to acorns from the same oak tree, only one or two horses will fall ill. This may be because individual horses are particularly susceptible, or that some trees, or even certain acorns, are particularly toxic.If your field has oak trees either inside or around it, consider letting pigs graze it first. Pigs love acorns and can eat them safely. This technique is used in the New Forest every autumn when up to 600 pigs and piglets are let loose to guzzle the acorns and keep the ponies safe. Its a win win!Sycamore trees and atypical myopathyAvoid grazing horses in fields with sycamores in or close bySeeds (also known as masts or helicopters) from the common sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) produce a toxin called Hypoglycin A, which can remain present in high concentrations in seedlings.When horses eat these, either by accident or because they are lacking other forage options, some will develop severe and often fatal muscle damage, called atypical myopathy.Horses with atypical myopathy may present with variable signs, including:Muscle soreness, stiffness and weaknessDifficulty breathingDullness/lethargyMuscle tremblingColic symptomsBrown or dark red urineSuspected cases of atypical myopathy should receive veterinary attention immediately. Around three quarters of affected horses will die, often despite extensive veterinary treatment but those surviving the initial period will usually go on to make a full recovery.The only way to prevent atypical myopathy is to prevent horses eating seedlings. This means being able to identify what seedlings look like when theyre on the ground and in the trees, as well as what a sycamore tree itself looks like.How to lower the risk of poisonous plants for horsesIn the short term, the most effective way toget rid of invasive plant species like thoselisted above is to manually dig them up, butit is important to get the timing right.Pull up and remove poisonous plants when you see themTry to do it as early in the season aspossible when the plants are young, theroot structure is small and the groundis soft, says Amy Trewick, an ecologistat Elms Ecology. However, this isnt along-term solution and it isnt effectivefor weeds like creeping buttercups thathave such a wide spread. To effectivelytackle poisonous plants you need to lookat your pasture management.Invasive plant species flourish indisturbed, poorly managed soil, favouringpaddocks that have been overgrazed,compacted, poached (churned up by heavyanimals), or left bare through drought.Overgrazing is one of the mainproblems, says Kate Still, Head of FarmingProgrammes at the Soil Association.Ideally you need to carefully managegrazing and rotate the paddocks as muchas possible. Let the grass grow a bit longer;even let certain species go to seed. Thisgives them loads of root depth, and thelong fibres are better for the horse to eat,too. If you can leave at least 7cm ofresidual grass and then give the pasturetime to rest you will protect the soil andavoid creating bare, poached areas.In the winter, try to prevent yourpaddock from getting poached by usingmud mats or, if possible, moving fieldentrances and troughs around, adds Amy.How to diversify your horses pastureTo prevent poisonous plants, pasturesneed to be made up of a diverse mixof grasses, herbs and legumes.Having a thick sward of robust,deep-rooting species like Timothy,cocksfoot, yarrow and chicory willout-compete invasive weeds and improvethe soil structure, making it lesssusceptible to drought and water logging.Horses will enjoy eating them, too, andthey will get more nutritional value fromthe grass, adds Kate.Consider sowing a herbal ley made up ofa mixture of grasses, herbs and legumes.To do so, graze the pasture down quitehard in late spring or ideally late summer.Use a spring tine harrow to break up theground and then broadcast a herbal leymix of seed over the top and wait forthe rain to come. This should improvepastures quite quickly and, if well lookedafter, they should only need topping upevery five to six years.Investigate the condition of yoursoil. Take soil samples to see what thenutrient and pH levels are like. You caneasily order test kits online, and the Soil Associationhas lots of advice.Plants like ragwort and buttercups likeacidic soil with a low pH. You can add limeto the soil to bring it up to a neutral level.Weed species also like infertile ground.You can boost the fertility of pastureby including things in the seed mix likeclovers and other legumes which arenatural fertilisers. However, avoid nitrogenfertiliser as this can cause aggressivespecies like nettles and docks to grow, andit will also make the grass too rich.Watch out for shrubsMost poisonous shrubs are more commonin gardens than horse paddocks. However,keep an eye out for privet hedges inneighbouring gardens as they can bedangerous even in small quantities.Similarly, rhododendrons and laurel although rarely eaten by horses arehighly toxic in small amounts. Brackenferns can also be dangerous, but only if theybecome a regular part of a horses diet.Related contentAtypical myopathy: what it is and how to lower the riskPasture management: essential paddock care to do in the springWhat is gassy colic and impactions in horses?What you need to know about horse diet and its essential nutrientsThe post Poisonous plants for horses: can you identify these? appeared first on Your Horse.