If you went to look at a horse

[brighteyes]

and the fields were full of ragwort, would you still buy? I know that even if you buy from responsible homes where none is in evidence that the previous home may have had it and the horse already be affected, but turning up to a place and seeing a horse you were potentially buying, grazing knee-deep in the stuff...

Would you have a blood test done to check liver exposure to the toxins - of just buy anyway?

 

[amzy]

I walked away from a pony who was knee deep in ragwort. Pity because he seemed ideal in every way but I didn't fancy taking the risk.

 

[ester]

I would prob walk away, if really interested though I would speak to my vet because am not sure if the liver toxins would show up straight away or take time to build up. If they would show up straight away I might blood test. I might wonder what other flaws in their management there might be too.

 

[Weezy]

If there was plenty of grass too then I wouldn't overly worry, horses will never choose to eat it. Also you never know where a horse has been grazed before, so buying any horse is a lottery in that respect!

 

[eggs]

Like Weezy I would not be too worried as the horses tend not to touch Ragwort if there is grass. I am far more worried about Ragwort getting into my hay.

My concern would be if there were any other management issues that could cause a more immediate problem eg. neglected feet, etc.

 

[RSL]

I wouldn't give up what could be my dream horse for that, surly if the horses were/have eaten it they would be dead with in a few days? isn't something like 48hours? the chances are they have been living with it for ages.

But I would say something to the owner, whether they know how deadly it is or not.

 

[Mavis Cluttergusset]

I dont think horses die quickly after eating it in the course of normal grazing, any toxins from ragwort build up in their systems and slowly destroy the liver. I know someone who lost a staggering number of horses due to ragwort poisoning, they first 'noticed' something when the horse became photosensitive (happened to one horse at a time - youd have thought after the first they might have taken measures to help the other horses). It was too late, their livers broke down irrepairably. Not a nice thing to witness.

Wouldn't particularly put me off though, but then I (naively!) assume a certain 'type' of horse to be grazing in ragwort infested fields, and that 'type' is cheap and cheerful, so I guess you take your chance!