Would a sycamore put you off moving to a yard

[Bumblepony]

I have an opportunity to move to a livery yard which seems potentially perfect in many ways (and this is for a complicated horse with very specific needs, so hard - near impossible - to find that!) but they have a large sycamore. It is going to be cut back at some stage (will ask if it might be possible for it to go completely...) and I'd be poo picking daily so could keep a close eye and gather up seeds/ seedlings, plus the winter paddocks are a little way away from it and I couldn't see any evidence of leaves or seeds blown onto those yet. Horses all mostly live out, there isn't loads of grass but they are fed hay. I'm aware if I don't go here I'll struggle to find a potential equivalently good (apart from the sycamore) option, and even if I did it might also have a sycamore. Do I just have dialogue with YO about it/ work hard to keep on top of any seeds which drop as best I can, or would you be worried about moving there?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think 1 tree is not a massive problem I am surrounded by them here as the woods opposite are full of them, I've lived here 12 years and never had issues I have sectioned bits off that get bad with seedlings but that's all I can do.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I think you just have to weigh up all the probabilities.
We have been here for 30 years with 2 mature sycamore trees, with no illness in any horse attributable to the trees. Admittedly we also have had a few sheep for at least 25 yrs, they are brilliant at hoovering up the seeds and eating any seedlings that managed to germinate.
We have had our trees chopped down this year and replaced with beech, because we keep hearing more about sycamores causing equine illness and the trees are not native to these shores anyway.

 

[paddy555]

I have an opportunity to move to a livery yard which seems potentially perfect in many ways (and this is for a complicated horse with very specific needs, so hard - near impossible - to find that!) but they have a large sycamore. It is going to be cut back at some stage (will ask if it might be possible for it to go completely...) and I'd be poo picking daily so could keep a close eye and gather up seeds/ seedlings, plus the winter paddocks are a little way away from it and I couldn't see any evidence of leaves or seeds blown onto those yet. Horses all mostly live out, there isn't loads of grass but they are fed hay. I'm aware if I don't go here I'll struggle to find a potential equivalently good (apart from the sycamore) option, and even if I did it might also have a sycamore. Do I just have dialogue with YO about it/ work hard to keep on top of any seeds which drop as best I can, or would you be worried about moving there?

a bit like Russian roulette. It would be a no for me. When all this came to light, about 10 years or more ago I took the chainsaw and they were all gone and I cut down any saplings which have grown since each year. To my mind too much of a risk and a lot don't survive AM let alone the cost and stress for the horse.

I would wonder what "cut back at some stage" meant ie how much and when. They regrow very very quickly. I would check if they are even able to get rid of it completely.

Depends on where you live but down here the strong winds haven't really started yet. When they do, especially if we have a windy Autumn, there will be a lot of seed dispersal and will you really be able to keep up with it and possibly over a large area. Is it feasible to clear all those seeds.

A lot of horses have lived with sycamore for many years. Some could have been affected and it put down to some other cause. Obviously a lot haven't. OTOH some have died. Take your pick, difficult decision for you.

 

[hairycob]

Having experienced AM and my horse being a survivor, no way would I risk it. We're my 2 got it there'd been horses for over 40 years with no known issues and we got the unlucky year. It's a week I would do anything to avoid experiencing again.

 

[maya2008]

No. Three years nothing, fourth year a healthy horse in their prime died. I would not use that field again for anything.

 

[IrishMilo]

No, the worry and extra faff would be a deal breaker.

 

[starbucker]

would be a no from me aswell, why doesnt the yard owner not get it cut down if they want to have equestrians on the field it baffles me. Strong winds have blown seeds over onto our yard and one has ate enough to need an overnight in the nearest hospital on a drip! Sycamore poisoning can come on as quick as 24 hours. Perhaps they havent noticed and you could mention it ?

 

[Bumblepony]

Thanks all, I'll have a chat about it with them again and see if there is a possibility of taking it down. I'm not sure if they are completely aware of the risks. Such a difficult one, as with what's available to me where I am there's a chance I might end up turning this one down and ending up only finding another place with even more sycamores

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

We have sycamore and honestly the worry and stress about it and the time it takes to remove them before you can use sections of land, no I wouldn't knowingly move to a place with sycamore.

 

[Bumblepony]

Thank you so much all for your kind input and so sorry to hear of your experiences I didn't move! There were other reasons too in the end, but it's a relief not to have to worry about the tree.