Bracken :(

MrsElle

MrsElle

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Two of our mini Shets are on restricted grazing in a third of an acre. It is well grazed, but there is enough there to keep them on the slightly plumper side of perfect, which is ok getting ready to head into Autumn/Winter.

In a corner of their field is some bracken. I had never really thought about it, it is everywhere round here, in almost every field, and the bigger horses have never touched it. However, today, when ironically I was digging up ragwort, I realised that some of the fronds on the bracken have been eaten :(

I am devastated. How could I have been so stupid? I should have realised that as they are on restricted grazing they would eat anything and everything in there.

How much do they have to eat for it to be fatal? How ill could they get? The fronds look as if they have been nibbled several days ago and at the moment they are both absolutely fine. I am going to ring the vet first thing for advice. Or should I ring them now?

I really can't believe what an idiot I have been :(
 
As far as I am aware Bracken isn't deadly poisonous. I was advised that it can cause sight problems but only if eaten in large quantities and over a long period of time. But I would be interested in what anyone else has to say on the matter.
 
Clava said:
It would seem a large amount needs to be eaten for it to be poisonous. http://www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com/bracken-fern.html
Click to expand...

I hope the info on that link is correct, I have read so many conflicting opinions.

I really could kick myself. As I said, almost every field round here has bracken in, and the other horses and ponies have never touched it, but they are on better grazing. I should have thought that the piggy shets would eat whatever they could to get something in their bellies :(
 
Deep breath, dont panic!
Many native & native types will nibble on the tips of bracken - they love the fresh new bits of leaf.
In most cases its not a prob - just the same as many will snuffle up acorns either a small or large amount & no harm happens to them either.
Its rare cases that stuff acorns or have only the bracken to eat & gorge on it, when you have problems.

Remember, many used to used bracken as bedding around 50+ years ago.

I'd take care to make sure they dont get to stuff out on it, but am sure a small amount will not have hurt in the short term.
 
my idiot tries to eat it on every ride - occasionally manages to grab a mouthful if I am not careful (his mouthful = large quantities) he is fine !
 
Thanks for the reassurance, I feel a bit better now.

I knew the stuff is poisonous, but not how bad it is. The consolation is that as they have eaten more or less what's there so they will have to only eat the grass from now on :) My major concern is that the mare is in foal, but I will ring the vet in the morning and see if there could be an impact on the development of the foal. Initially I hadn't even thought of the foaly, just the impact on the two ponies.

Now off to google the impact of bracken poisoning on unborn foals, give me something else to worry about!
 
Mrs E I am no expert so don't rely on this but I understand it that they need to eat lots and lots of it and eat the roots (tubers?) where the toxins are stored to get ill.
2 years ago someone I know had a very very sick horse after she pulled up huge mounds of bracken and then left it in the field. Horse ate the lot in one night (not much grass available). Horse bacame very very sick a few days later. She was impacted, had low grade colic, dull coat she was very lethargic and had a really odd stance as if her back end did not work. I thought she had grass sickness as she did not seem to be able to eat but it was thought to be bracken poisoning.
The good news is the vet came and after 2 days of tubing with fluid and stuff to make her poo and lots of buscopan she made an excellent recovery and you would never know she had been ill.
I would guess that yours have not eaten the roots or stems so won't come to much harm. Good wishes for them anyway:)
 
Don't panic! As others have said they need to consume a lot for it to cause concern. There's some in mine, which I had noticed, but there's so much grass I didn't think they would bother with it - and they did! Call to the vet and lots of Googleing put my mind at rest :-)
 
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