Arsenic toxicity in horses

Gilbey

Gilbey

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I have just had a hair test done on one of my horses for minerals, heavy metals etc. It has come back with a huge peak' well off the page, for arsenic. He is a big lad, 17.2hh and we have had him since a foal (now 17). We do however live in Cornwall, mining country and fear that the soil may be heavily contaminated. I fear for my other horses too. We have always had a tendency for lami horses here over the years, and they do VERY well on limited grazing time out. We have never been short of grass even with over 25 horses at one time. Just wondering if any of you have ever had a problem with arsenic and what have you done about it? I do intend to discuss the findings with my vet next week. I can't find much written on Google about this subject other than Phar Lap died of an overdose in the 30's :(
 
Next step would be to get your grazing and hay analysed by a company such as forage plus to confirm the source, and then to find an alternative source of forage without high levels. If it is the soil and you can't move (big ask!) I would suggest restricted grazing and source your forage from further afield; for convenience of supply perhaps use a branded hay or haylage.
 
Thanks for your reply Naturally. We are pretty much doing all you suggest already. Moving is really out of the question as we can't find anywhere a nice as this :). We have sourced hay and haylage from a different area altogether, The horses are out for two hours a day on a very small paddock which includes the school!!
 
Why don't you ask around the area to see if other local horses have had problems? I'm guessing you are maybe in the Camborne/Redruth area? Cornwall has all sorts of hazards - go up towards St Austell and half the population must glow in the dark!! You could ask the local vets too if they have heard of any problems. Arsenic is funny stuff as in humans at least, its the tiny doses that kill. Larger doses just made people violently sick.
 
If they are crib biters there might be a problem in the timber as I believe (could be wrong here)arsenic was a part of the tanalising treatment. Could be worth looking into.
 
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