Hazel branches

[GreysForDayz]

Hi all. I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but genuinely can't find anything online. We've been cutting some branches down and was wondering if I put a big hazel branch in my horses field to graze on would this be safe for him? I'm not sure if it's similar in the way that you can't feed grass trimmings.

Again, sorry if it's a silly question

 

[teacups]

Not sure! Have you googled? I would suspect hazel is ok - but like you I’d want to check.
Bumping this for you.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

There are some horse owners in Sweden who likes to feed their horses branches with leaves as a supplement, because some leaves can have a very good nutritional value. But sadly I found conflicting info about hazel.

Some info said hazel is safe as a hedge plant for horses, because they can safely eat the leaves. Other info said to be careful with feeding your horse branches with hazel leaves, as I understood it (I could be wrong), they could maybe contain enough tannic acid for it to have a negative/laxative effect if eaten in too large doses.

At the same time some info said a bit of tannic acid can actually reduce the risk of gas formation in the innards. It also said it's easier for a horse to determine if leaves are poisonous when they're fresh, than when the leaves have dried up.

So I don't know what to recommend about the branches with hazel leaves.
However, according to a list I found in the largest Swedish horse magazine, if you have any branches with leaves on from linden, elm, ash or forest maple (note not German maple, they're not good for horses), you can put as many of those branches with leaves on as you like in with your horses. Leaves from those trees have the best nutritional value for horses.

Good, but should perhaps be fed with a little bit more moderation than the linden etc mentioned above, are leaves from birch, aspen, elder, rowan, willow and other willow species.

 

[SEL]

I feed hazel and they're all still standing. I have two twisted hazel trees in the garden at home who need a chop to keep under control. Horses love it.

 

[SEL]

What you want to avoid with any tree is gorging so a few branches to pick at and strip leaves is usually ok (they'd strip them from a hedge)

Mine can help themselves to willow, ash, field maple, Hawthorne, black thorn, birch, hazel & rose

 

[Widgeon]

Mine selects hazel leaves from the hedgerows and given the chance will take off whole (small) branches to munch on as we wander along on summer hacks. Doesn't seem to cause him any problems.

 

[paddy555]

when I prune the hazels in the garden I give the prunings to the horses. I have done this for the past 25 years and they were all fine. They only eat a reasonable amount and then just leave and trample the rest.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Ours used to graze a field with mixed native hedging, which they liked to forage on. I wouldn't think a few branches would cause a problem, just don't give them enough to gorge on.