Pinon tree nuts/ Pine nuts

[MinisOutWest]

Living up in the mountains, we have Pinon trees all around. Every 3-4 years, we have a huge crop of nuts and this year is one of them, I am not exagerating by saying we have millions of nuts all over the ground everywhere. So my question is , can the horses eat them? I go out with a broom and sweep all the nuts in the outside pens out, but throughout the day, they fall from the trees and the horses want to gobble them up, they just discovered them today, because the horses just arrived 2 days ago to their new home here.. Is this safe? I called the vet but had to leave a message, she is preg checking the ranchers cows, but will be here this afternoon.

 

[MinisOutWest]

My vet was out and gelded all three boys! whooppee. But I asked her about the nuts and she has never heard of anything either. But Duke is not allowed in that pen anymore, he is pigging out on them and wont eat hay in his hay bucket. so no more nuts for Duke, might effect his waist line. ha ha ha

 

[wpsellwood]

jeez Angela you have that many??? Cant you scoop them in a bag for me and bring down the mtn????

Sorry have no idea if they make them sick.

 

[iloveappys]

About 10 years ago I lived at a house that had an English Walnut tree.Huge walnuts!!

I'd get out the wagon and start picking them up,when the wagon was full I'd go into the house to warm up.

I'd come back outside and the wagon would be empty

.....hmmm....dang squirrels.

I'm working on the next wagon load...crunch,crunch,crunch.....I turn around....there were four little pinto squirrel wannabees

eating all my walnuts OH!

At the time,I was getting $19.00 a pound for them

.

I'll bet they ate close to $400.00 worth of nuts

.......bad..bad.....BAAD horses

 

[iloveappys]

Kinda funny.........

About 10 years ago I lived at a house that had an English Walnut tree.Huge walnuts!!

I'd get out the wagon and start picking them up,when the wagon was full I'd go into the house to warm up.

I'd come back outside and the wagon would be empty

.....hmmm....dang squirrels.

I'm working on the next wagon load...crunch,crunch,crunch.....I turn around....there were four little pinto squirrel wannabees

eating all my walnuts OH!

At the time,I was getting $19.00 a pound for them

.

I'll bet they ate close to $400.00 worth of nuts

.......bad..bad.....BAAD horses

P.S....They're still alive

 

[rubymtminis]

After growing up in Salida on a ranch, and all the other horse people in the area, no one ever had a problem., But then, that wasn't miniatures. Just like the mesquite beans they probably have to be limited, just like overdoing anything. IMO.

I just priced some pine/pinion nuts at the store and couldn't believe $14.95 a pound! Man, I sure miss gathering, roasting, and eating them during the holidays!

 

[Carolyn R]

I would imafine they are relatively safefor them in moderation, they are derived from exactactly what the name says "pine" nuts. All pine trees that have cones produce some kind of seed from the cone, and they are safe to eat. (Pines are a pretty safe bet for horses, the needles are actually high in vitamin c) The variety you have just produces the larger plump seeds we love to use in our italian cookies around here. Wish we could go out and just scoop them up!!!!!

I would worry more about the ill effects of a high caloric and high protien content of a horse eating too many rather than a toxin type of issue with these types of nuts.

Carolyn