question on falling leaves ?

[ibquackers20]

My minis are eating the leaves that have fallen on to the ground - will this cause colic if they eat a lot of it.

Their area is full of leaves on the ground and to many to rake up, they are dried and crinkled up , my minis are

7 year old momma

2 1/2 month old filly baby

2 year old gelding

1 1/2 year old stallion

I keep them right now in their dry lot and since the grass is now looking yellow I do not let them eat it any more but feed them - timothy/alfalfa/brom mix hay.

My 2 year old has had a mild case of colic and so has the baby - they seem to be eating well and pooping and drinking - but they all do have bigger bellys - and it is not time yet for worming - wet but no frost. They seem bloated ?could it be the leaves or their feed/hay mixture doing it ?

 

[tuffsmom]

Geez, I hope they won't colic, we have dried leaves everywhere around our place. Tuff likes the green ones still on the trees, he walks around with his head in the air, and even stands on his hind feet to try and reach the "fresh" ones....but I have seen him eat the crunchy dried ones on the ground, and he's completley fine.

Our big horses also eat the dried and fresh leaves, none of them have problems either.

Also, if it's damp around there, the leaves may be moldy and that could cause a bellyache. I know around here it's dry as a bone, though.

 

[ibquackers20]

Well it does not know if it wants to rain or snow here - we have had both today so far and the ground is very wet and in some places white - eeeeewwww I hate the thought that summer is what seems to be over here. And I still do not have my barn done yet

. It does say it is going to be sunny this weekend but I sure hope it is so the men can pour in the cement for my barn poles.

As for the leaves - well if it continues to snow/rain then there will not be any more leaves - the snow will cover that.

I just hope that my baby filly is over her colic now - she seems fine but hates not being out in the larger area.

 

[Jill]

Well, I worry every single year since 1999 about my minis eating the fall leaves. So far, they have not gotten sick from them but I do worry each year. Our paddocks have many shade trees and were in fact deep woods until we had it cleared but for some big trees in 1999. And, they are surrounded on two sides by woods. I have one mini I call "Hoover" this time of year.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I had fallings leaves in my horses' area, and then I had a slew of colic cases in all my horses. I gathered the leaves and found out what kind they were - some were rubber tree leaves (euphorbia) and some were loquat leaves, along with loquat fruit. Found out that euphoribia is a stomach irritant, and the loquat seeds has cyanide in it.

You may want to find out what kind of leaves they are, and then find out whether or not they have any known toxic/irritant qualities associated.

 

[js1arab]

I believe red maples may be toxic after the leaf dies and falls from the tree as well. Also watch your water sources as some leaves may have toxins which could leak out into the water as well, so even if you clean the leaves out of the tank, the toxin is still there.

 

[Marty]

I believe red maples may be toxic after the leaf dies and falls from the tree as well. Also watch your water sources as some leaves may have toxins which could leak out into the water as well, so even if you clean the leaves out of the tank, the toxin is still there.

100% DITTO and I do rake my leaves and do not let them eat them.

 

[littlehorse2]

Cherry leaves and red maple. They cause colic and even death. I had a freinds big horse colic from eating too many cherry leaves. We stayed up all night walking and feeding him milk of magnishia(sp?). It wasn't fun, but he pulled through.

Mine eat regular maple leaves and ar efine.

Christy