Hawthorn hedges

racebuddy

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 January 2011
Messages
1,816
Visit site
Hi we have hor thron hedges with berries growing on them along the edges of the field , one of my horses is obsessed with eating them , does anyone know if they are poisonous ?
 

pennyturner

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 August 2006
Messages
2,594
Visit site
'poor man's bread'. Not only edible for horses, but people too in leaner times, both the new leaves in spring, and the flesh of the fruit.
 

Mike007

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 May 2009
Messages
8,222
Visit site
I believe Pennyturner is correct.I would also wonder is the horse is making up for minerals missing in the diet.
 

FubsyMog

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2013
Messages
1,283
Visit site
You can make jelly from it - I think it used to be reasonably popular, but has fallen out of favour now. I recently got some dried hawthorn flake confectionary from an Asian supermarket 9they had loads of hawthorn flavoured stuff) - it was delicious. I'm going to try to make some this autumn. Bit like rosehip, used to be common to make preserve from that, but not so much now. It's nice too. Though when I offered some to the mare I was riding at the time, she looked at me like I was mad!
 

Nessa4

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 February 2013
Messages
510
Location
North West
Visit site
Hi we have hor thron hedges with berries growing on them along the edges of the field , one of my horses is obsessed with eating them , does anyone know if they are poisonous ?

Not only are they not poisonous they are beneficial!! Good as a general blood cleanser, and particularly good for in foal mares.
 

Darbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 December 2015
Messages
634
Location
Worcestershire
Visit site
The massive exposure of horses and ponies in fields surrounded with hawthorn hedges gives a good idea. If there was any negative health issue it would have become clear long, long ago.

Chomp away!
 

Nudibranch

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 April 2007
Messages
7,064
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
They are perfectly fine to eat, as are a whole range of hedgerow plants. However eating something does not necessarily equate with some sinister mineral deficiency. Sometimes they just enjoy the taste. Sometimes there's too much read into these things!
 
Top