horsey likes poisonous stuff!!!!

[BRAMBLE]

:eek:
Well when we go out on hacks, other horses will go for grass, but he will eat acorns (when mum is on - she isn't amazing rider)
and oak leaves, so i have to charge at him, and shove my hand down throat befor he swallows them.
he always seems to go for poisonous stuff instead of the grass that is right in front of him!!!!
why!!!????

he hasn't actually swallowed any - as i am supercareful and my mum hasn't ridden him for AGES - and i won't let him near, but he always goes for them????!!!!

help!!!!:eek:

[neen]

Who knows why, but all the ponies at our yard go mad for acorns. They're like pony heroin. They even sniff about for them and dig them out of the mud! Could be that they have a very strong taste and that's what they go for -- in the same way that they love mint.

[bellazebra]

Acorns are very, very addictive. They are only poisonous if consumed in big quantities, but that's what happens - horsey eats a few, thinks "mm.. yumm!" and before you know it he's an acorn junkie. :D

[becs]

Have heard same as above - that horses acquire a taste for acorns then hunt them out! But they need to eat a fair quantity to do significant harm, so the odd snatched mouthful on a hack shouldn't matter, IMHO. (But continuous access to them on the ground in a field _does_ , as we learnt the hard way).

[Mareish]

They say that horses won't eat what is bad for them :rolleyes: rubbish, Lily became addicted to the horse chestnut tree at our old livery yard, she wouldn't leave it alone. I would be out there for hours this time of year raking up the falling leaves and she got liver damage because of it.

Once they get a taste for things they do get addicted unfortunately