Beware Falling Leaves

[Turn and Burn]

Hey all,
I saw this article in Equus and thought I'd pass it on, since it's that time of year.


"Be vigilant this fall in looking for wilting leaves of red maple trees(Acer rubrum), which contain a toxin that causes deadly organ damage. Fresh red maple leaves aren't harmful, but once dried they remain toxic for as long as 30 days. The exact amount needed to be fatal is still unclear, but 50 to 75 percent of all horses who develop toxicosis die or are euthanatized. Remove red maple trees from horse properties or fence horses far enough away that they cannot reach fallen leaves or branches. Your local agriculture extension agent can help you identify these trees if you are uncertain."


I am definitely going to watch out for those:huh:

[Arrow]

Thanks for the heads-up!

[WashingtonBay]

I close off my back forty during this time of year because of the falling leaves. Several large maples back there. Not even sure if they're the bad kind, but this time of year, there isn't much that's good to eat back there and plenty that probably isn't good at all so I close them out to be on the safe side.

[PoniesRock101]

Thanks for the article!

[Diane of Buck's Hollow]

This is good to post.

I had Sunday's Man cut down 6 ...3year old...Red Maple Trees in the front of our pasture. The previous owner had planted them along the inside of the fence ...next to the road.

I just couldn't...knowingly...leave them there and take the chance that our 2 sweet horses would get poisoned!!!!!! He wasn't too happy about the work that it took, but I think he understands the danger of leaving them there....Even tho the previous owner who planted them had 2 horses in that pasture the whole time they were planted there.

We actually were able to dig one up and give to a cousin to plant in her yard..but the roots on the others were just too large.

We have to find something to replace them now....Any suggestions?
Something along the fence that is next to the road..that would grow fast for privacy.

[WashingtonBay]

If you want it for privacy, I guess something evergreen. Can't know what you have down there as options. Our stuff from up here probably wouldn't make it. ;)

[Diane of Buck's Hollow]

If you want it for privacy, I guess something evergreen. Can't know what you have down there as options. Our stuff from up here probably wouldn't make it. ;)


Yep, I realized, once I posted, that it would have to be something that grows in the Southeast. lol

I was thinking about Pear Blossom Trees or something evergreen like Cypress. I just don't like the look of a straight line of the Leland Cypress Trees but another kind maybe.

[Flair]

Avocado leaves are also bad too.

[cloedoll]

We have red maples in my front yard (which is in front of the barn, roundpen and my house), so I don't worry about those too much. But good post! xD

[oursarge]

This is sort of weird. When my old horse died I never planned on having another horse here. I wanted to burn the barn but that's a whole other story. Our neighbor said maybe we should plant a tree in his memory so we planted a red maple. I never knew that the dried leaves were toxic. He is buried in the lower pasture where he wanted to be, he trotted down there before he collapsed and where he was put down. I guess that was his choice of a resting place. I wish I could stop crying about all of this.

The tree did OK the first yr but not great. I got another horse because my husband thought I should have another one but I did not want him home, he was boarded. I was very happy with that situation. Then he got his own horse [she's mine now he works too much to give her the attention she needs] also boarded. Then we got Relampago the Colonial Spanish, also my man's idea.

At that point the tree was dying and eventually did die. Then I read about how toxic the leaves were. It just gave me a weird feeling like Dommie [my old horse] thought we should have horses here, he knew that tree would hurt them and it died. We have only lost 3 trees in the hundreds that we've planted and that was one of them. We also had Dommie's grave all fenced off, that lasted all of a couple days with these guys, they ripped the fence down. First they both walked right to the grave and stood there then the next thing we knew they were running with parts of the fence and playing. I like to think that Dommie is playing with them in some way.

We have the boys here now because we couldn't afford to board 3 and Sarge has eye issues that have to be watched closely. So they are here whether I wanted them here or not. I love them but I would rather they were boarded. I like the boarding facility our mare is at, I ride more there than here but they are here running and playing and having a great time. They truly are happier here than in their previous homes. Our mare loves the stable she's queen bee there but my little guy was picked on so he's thrilled here and Rompy is so happy. When the truck that brought him left he never looked back. I am happy that they are happy. It made me sad when Dommie's tree died but I think that it was meant to die so these guys could be here. I would have had to rip it out if it didn't and that would have been so sad so it was good it died on it's own.

I guess there are other toxic leaves but I'm not sure what they are.

[Remali]

Good idea about posting about poisonous trees..... I think the shrub, Japanese yew, is also toxic to horses.

[SedonaThunder]

Just thought I'd post a couple of links to pictures of the Red Maple (Acer Rubrum) as so many people confuse it with other species. It is not red year round - it is a green tree and looks like many other maples but you can usually type it by the leaves that only have three lobes and/or the little red flowers it has in the spring. In the fall it does turn red - like many other maples. My pasture is lined on one side by maples - half turn red in the Fall... but all have five lobes and no red flowers. :)
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/poison/plants/ppredma.htm
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.missouriplants.com/Redopp/Acer_rubrum_leaves.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.missouriplants.com/Redopp/Acer_rubrum_page.html&h=450&w=450&sz=20&hl=en&start=5&sig2=dho7-Rdvi2yQTdxj_esxAw&um=1&usg=__42ud_S0AXUv6dC4Qlau0W7kUu_U=&tbnid=piiU-dQbRFKjmM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=127&ei=AUYLSd3_B4uksAP_tImNDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dacer%2Brubrum%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Dactive%26rlz%3D1T4GWYG_en___US254%26sa%3DX

[shynbvs]

thats scary, wow

[missdixie]

Wowzers. I don't think we have any of those around but I will keep an eye out on the trails, thanks!