equusmagazine.com/article/how-toxic-is-this-weed

Well, it looks like the dried, ripe berry stage is the least toxic and they'd have to eat a bale of it to get any effect.

Those little boogers will sure sting you hand when pulling them in the garden.... :((( Now I know what to call them.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

For the most part, I doubt, given a choice, a horse would eat enough of the nettles themselves for the solanine to cause ill effect if the nettles are few and far between, mainly because it tastes pretty bad and horses are selective eaters. But solanine is toxic and, if berries are present, they contain concentrated amounts of this toxin. Bear in mind, horse nettles (Solanum carolinense) are not true nettles, which are part of the genus Urtica (the most common being stinging nettles), so if you start researching "nettles" make sure this is clear. Some folks feed their equines stinging nettles for medicinal purposes and those are a different plant altogether.

This being said, the nettles themselves from any genus with their prickly spines can have ill effect on a horses mouth and throat, ranging from pain to an allergic reaction. If it were me, and mind you this is just my opinion, I'd reject the hay even though it was already in my barn. Most hay folks will take back bad product and good grass hay isn't supposed to be full of weeds, especially from the nightshade family. I know. It'd be a lot of work. But if the whole batch is full of horse nettles it'd bother me every time I feed and I'd end up sitting there picking out the nettles before I put out a bale. Then I'd still fret I'd missed something.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

If you were a one time buyer of five bales I can understand his shrugging his shoulders. But if you have a history of buying hay from him and paying him on time and he has this "attitude" towards your concerns, I would be looking for a new hay supplier. As you stated, it is the same fields but definitely different stages of maturity and time it was cut. If he is that lacksadasial (sp?) about your horse's health, time for a new hay supplier. I am glad to see the toxicity isn't real bad due to another poster's information, but it is your money and your horse's health. Hindsight is 20/20 and this gives you an insight to the lack of importance you and your horse are to him. Give your money to someone that has a little more professionalism in their demeanor and pride in their product.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Yes, Brian, that's my problem... I pick through the hay to remove the nettles, which are far more numerous than I can tolerate.

Jonathan, the problem is that this hay provider is part of my local community and known for the excellent quality hay and fairness in dealing with his customers. I have been buying hay from him for years and he has always come to my rescue without gouging if I ran out early. His price has remained steady and fair. I pay him cash as soon as the hay is stacked in my barn. I think he values me but was ignorant as to the toxicity of the horse nettles just as were my horsey friends, which, frankly, makes me wonder about them.

This has been a difficult year for making hay since it rained every third day well into late summer. I bought the other half of my hay from someone else. His hay was also cut late and is extremely stemmy and so long that the baler folded it several times. While it does not have the mature horse nettles, it does have quite a lot of pig weed seeds that the horses do leave behind. I still have a lot of hay in the barn so the problem is not immediate. But winter has a long way to run yet.

BTW, the first guy just had open heart surgery not a month ago and is still recovering. He farms pretty much alone. Of course, money is always a consideration. I should have returned his hay immediately last fall. My bad... Thanks to all who responded.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum