Life span of sycamore seedlings

[StoptheCavalry]

Over the weekend I discovered quite a lot of sycamore seedlings in my horses field. They literally seem to have appeared over night after some warm rainy weather. It is my first spring at this yard so hadn't realised there was a tree nearby. Thankfully the majority of the seedlings seem to have blown out of the field onto an unused grass patch.

Anyway my question.. Do the seedlings have a life span? I ask as when I first noticed them there were a lot of healthy green looking seedlings, I went round and picked as many as I could. I came back to do another search and pick the following day and the seedlings that are left seem to be browning and look like they're dying. Is this what happens to them? Do they eventually just shrivel and die? If so are they then safe? I'm obviously trying to still pick them where I can see them and am confident there are very few if any within reach now so fingers crossed everything will be fine. Also from what I have read about sycamore poisoning, it doesn't make it clear if the horse would have to eat a good quantity of the seeds/leaves/seedlings to be affected, can just a handful be as harmful?

I am now completely paranoid about it so hoping to get as much info as possible.

Thanks

 

[Sandstone1]

Think the big problem is that no one seems to know the answer to these questions.

 

[Merlin11]

Doesnt answer all your questions but came across the article below which may help. It states that the seedlings become less toxic as they grow and gives some tips on managing the risk.


http://www.celticequinevets.co.uk/news/

 

[StoptheCavalry]

Think the big problem is that no one seems to know the answer to these questions.

That's what I am realising the more I read. No one seems to know anything about it. Hopefully I have done what I can do and the horses will be safe. I have a million questions about what to look out for, how quickly can symptoms appear, how much needs to be eaten, are they safe once saplings die? Very frustrating, fingers crossed everything will be fine.

I did read that the worst time is in autumn when the leaves and seeds actually fall which suggests it's the actual seeds themselves are most harmful as it suggested the risk lowers once you get to spring summer when surely the saplings would be growing. We have also noticed they seem to grow thicker where the grass is shorter so around the gateways..