Hurricane Irene -- RED MAPLE LEAVES

[Jill]

For those of you who have downed trees, limbs or extra leaves in your paddocks due to the recent weather event on the East Coast, please check what's going on in your horse areas and confirm you do not have red maple leaves in your paddocks or pastures. Those are DEADLY to horses if they fall from the tree and wilt. This is not what happens in the fall (when they are not dangerous if fallen due to the fall shedding of leaves).

I have a friend near me who has had horses on her property for 20+ years, but a few years ago, she lost her only (much loved and enjoyed) miniature show gelding due to red maple leaf poisoning. I've read that as few as FOUR (4) leaves can kill a full size horse... simple math tells us that ONE (1) could kill a mini.

Some insight into what red maples look like... they are only red in the fall: RED MAPLE <<< link

Applied knowledge is power. Very sadly, forum members here have lost horses due to red maple leaves.

 

[targetsmom]

Yep, I posted this danger on the first "Hurricane thread". I also have a friend who lost a horse to red maple leaf poisoning when a red maple branch fell into the paddock during a storm. Of course the horses ate them and some did survive after much expense and worry. That is a main reason we do not let our horses "out" during storms.

 

[Becky]

And it's not just red maple leaves. Most of the ornamental plants in our yards are poisonous to horses, so if any of those or their leaves blow into horse areas during storms, the risk is there.