Welcome to this week’s edition of the a-z of plants that don’t like your horse. Today’s plant is one everyone knows & it seems quite strange that something we eat every day can be such a problem. While yummy for us, Mustards aren’t so kind to horses.
A Little About Mustards
Brassica is also called Mustard. This is a large family of plants containing annuals, winter annuals & biennials. Leaves are lobed or toothed, flowers are yellow or white & have four petals. Fruit grows in tubular capsules.
How Dangerous Is It?
This plant isn’t especially palatable to horses & not generally only a concern during drought conditions. The toxin is in the oils of the plant, mustard oils are released when moistened. Luckily, the irritant is not very concentrated & not likely to be fatal.
The seeds, stems & leaves of this plant are toxic to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Mustard toxicity symptoms include loss of appetite, drooling, diarrhea, stomach pain, paralysis & photosensitization.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Mustards page to learn more about the plant & while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?
*It should be noted that we’re not veterinarians. This information is written specifically for horses & should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.