Are your horses foaming at the mouth?

[StarRidgeAcres]

Goodness, I had NO idea how much clover I have in my pastures. I don't ever recall having this much of a "problem" with the clover. I've used these same four pastures for years and I don't think I've looked out my window to a whole group of horses standing there drooling like they've just had a seizure!

It's almost a constant stream with some of them. I guess the clover (mix of red and white) is just "ready" all at once this year? Or maybe (I'm guessing here from just looking at the pasture) they've eaten all the fescue so all that's left is the clover? Some of them are even blowing bubbles!

I'm making light of this, but should I be concerned?

 

[eagles ring farm]

Ours are done drooling now we did it a couple weeks ago

ours did last year too but not all of them

just some of them

I think its clover and buttercups that cause it

although we have use the same pastures for 12 years and

the last 2 are the first we saw it

Our vet said if they seem to feel fine otherwise no problem

and when the go in their stalls at night its gone within a couple hours

Just my vets outlook on it, we have had no problems although its

not pleasant to see them slobber

 

[targetsmom]

This happened once with my riding horse - he would drool a puddle while I was saddling him to ride - and I thought my vet said it was from a fungus that grew on the clover???? But in that particular case, he said it wasn't anything to worry about. The ONLY effect was the drooling.

 

[Carolyn R]

This happened once with my riding horse - he would drool a puddle while I was saddling him to ride - and I thought my vet said it was from a fungus that grew on the clover???? But in that particular case, he said it wasn't anything to worry about. The ONLY effect was the drooling.

Y'ep, thats what it is from. Glad we're all horse people, otherwise we'd be panicing thinking there is a rabies outbreak!!!

 

[Miniv]

Ours are done drooling now we did it a couple weeks ago

ours did last year too but not all of them

just some of them

I think its clover and buttercups that cause it

although we have use the same pastures for 12 years and

the last 2 are the first we saw it

Our vet said if they seem to feel fine otherwise no problem

and when the go in their stalls at night its gone within a couple hours

Just my vets outlook on it, we have had no problems although its

not pleasant to see them slobber

Lori,

I noticed you mentioned buttercups. We also have buttercups and try to kill it off. Our horses don't seem to show any interest in it, but it's supposed to be toxic. It also tends to take over a pasture and kill off the grass.

Ma---

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

We have tons of white clover too and are trying to get rid of it because we read an article once that it can cause liver damage over time. So it is kind of something to worry about plus in the really hot days it can dehydrate your horses really fast.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

We have tons of white clover too and are trying to get rid of it because we read an article once that it can cause liver damage over time. So it is kind of something to worry about plus in the really hot days it can dehydrate your horses really fast.

Thank you for posting this. I will see what I can find out tomorrow from the vet. I wondered about the dehydration part and it makes sense. Thanks again.

 

[Marty]

Happens here every year too. Just make sure they are drinking.

Those buttercups really took over a couple of my fields too. They look pretty but dang it, they are in abundance.

 

[AppyLover2]

Parmela about 2 weeks ago I had the vet out because my big horse colicked. Vet said white clover is "the worse thing in the world for horses". He said the colic was because of the clover and too much lush green grass and that it (the clover) was a real problem for laminitis and founder. Don't know exactly what he meant by all of that but I got the message and have my horse limited to the length of time he's out in clover covered pastures.

 

[Minimor]

Alsike clover is the one that will cause liver damage. It also causes photosensitivity--if the horses are eating alsike clover and they have white on their faces you will often see those white areas turn yellow or orange.

I'm not sure which clover it is that causes the drooling--we've never had alsike clover in our pastures and though we have had the white & yellow clovers (the tall ones) in our pastures we've never had our horses start drooling from it. For the most part our horses don't even like the tall clover--they will eat a bit & then leave it.

 

[Annabellarose]

What is the best way to get rid of those little yellow flowers?

 

[Reble]

I did find this information for these two plants.

White clover comes with some special problems, especially if it has black mould in it (whether the clover is fresh or fed as hay). This mould contains a toxin that causes a condition known as ‘slobbers’, where the horse exudes liquid from its eyes and mouth, as excess urine and as diarrhoea. They also typically suffer from bloating colic

Buttercups may seem an odd plant to be considered toxic, and most paddocks carry a few. However, many horse paddocks become infested with them if not managed properly, leaving horses surrounded by a sea of yellow – with little choice but to eat them. Buttercups contain a chemical called ranunculin, which burns the inside of the mouth and the digestive tract as it passed through the gut. This can lead to colic as well as gastric and mouth inflammation. Interestingly, dried buttercup does not appear to have this toxicity – so can safely be consumed in hay or silage.

How to get rid of Buttercups

Fortunately, Ally/Cimarron is a very safe and effective herbicide for controlling buttercups. Ally is a liquid, soil-applied herbicide that moves into the plant through the root system. Ally can be applied in spring or early summer at the rate of .1 to .3 oz per acre. There is no grazing restriction for Ally and horses can be returned to the pastures immediately. It is also possible to tank-mix Ally with liquid fertilizers in spring. Ally should only be applied to grasses that have been established for at least 6 months. For timothy, at least 12 months is desirable and tall fescue should be established for at least 24 months. Ally is very persistent in the soil, therefore crop rotation guidelines must be adhered to. Ally should not be used if you plan to overseed the pastures, since the herbicide will remove new grass seedlings as well as the weeds.

Remember that Ally and 2,4-D/Banvel are broadleaf herbicides that will also eliminate existing clover plants in pastures.

 

[palsminihorses]

Parmela, since I'm in Missouri too, I wanted to let you know that our local farmers here in SW Missouri are saying that they are seeing an abundance of clover in their fields. One of my cousins said that he has never seen this much clover! A couple of my mares were seen slobbering earlier, but they don't seem to be doing it now.

Pam C.

 

[albahurst]

My wonderful brome field is filled with clover this year and we won't be cutting it for hay. We will be buying our hay from areas with no clover. I understand the huge amts of rain may be attributing to the clover 'outbreak'. Parmela- I wouldn't let a horse eat it much. JMO

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Thank you everyone for the responses. I'm trying to figure out what I should do. It's my upper pasture where my post-foaling broodmares and babies go during the day (or night if it's too hot during the day). I've called the vet but she had emergencies today and didn't return my call until 6:30pm and I was outside putting a sold horse on the transports trailer. Ugh!!! So now I wait until morning.

I had to take the Minis out of our small pasture by the house because it is FULL of clover this year.. It was starting to make some of them founder.. They are all fine now in the big pasture and I will have to find a way to get the small pasture rid of the clover.. I miss the Minis near the house but I did not want to see them ill.. Clover is bad!!!

ML, I've seen pics of horses that have foundered but never had one here. Can you please explain to me what you mean by "starting to make them founder" and what you saw that told you that. Thanks!

 

[HGFarm]

It is so weird to read posts on clover and plants and grass, etc.... and what to do with it all. We have rocks.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

It is so weird to read posts on clover and plants and grass, etc.... and what to do with it all. We have rocks.

LOL sounds like your pastures are easier!!!

 

[Connie Ballard]

We too have a bumper crop of clover! One field was so white looked like snow.

Every couple years we spray for clover. We use Pasture Pro from Tractor Supply. It is a graze-on spray, but we keep them off it for couple days.

A guy in our big horse club had a horse become toxic from too much white clover. That poor horses skin errupted with big drippy sores was a mess all over. He had to stay stalled all summer, special diet, in cool shade all the time till he overcame the toxcidity that occured in his system.

I cant stand that drooling from clover...it has to by a systemic reaction...you dont see them do that over hay or grain.

Nice thing with that Pasture Pro spray, gets things like thistle and big ole junk weeds in your fields...yards too.