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Discussion on Horse friendly landscape ideas....
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Monday, Nov 8, 2004 - 1:39 pm:
I have been wanting to landscape, beautify my yard. And although i have the Poisonous plant list to stay away from, i wanted to know if anyone has done some landscaping research on "horse friendly" plants, shrubs, trees, plants, flowers,etc. In case she gets into them.
I have been trying to find a landscape designer who is horse knowledgeable, but its to no avail. You would think out here in my horsey area they would be more knowledgeable.
I want to make some flower beds. and to beautify the front drive. (inside and outside the fenceline) but don't want to put in anything that might pose a threat. And add shrubs to hide the paddocks.
Does anyone have any idea if succulents and cactus plants are dangerous (outside of the thorny aspect).
what did you do when you landscaped your property? I don't want any more trees. I have enough. and i do have some shady areas. where grass is difficult to grow.
I live in Florida. I am going to try putting in native plants, but will consider all options. and i love cacti.
Any thoughts?
thanks, joj
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Member:
Bethyg2
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Posted on Monday, Nov 8, 2004 - 2:40 pm:
Dear Jojo,
I have often wished for a list of OK, horse friendly plants, but all I could ever find was a list of poisonous weeds and plants! It would be so easy if some horticulturist somewhere would compile a list, but I've never seen one. I do know that certain common Florida landscaping plants are deadly- for example Lantana, bouganvilla, and of course oleander. My neighbors have all of the above but are nice enough to keep them trimmed and well away from the fences. You are so right to assume your horse may one day get into the plants though they are not in her pasture- it is how tragedies happen. Several Lippizaners were killed a few years ago near Orlando when they nibbled on what I think was a Japanese Yew bush that grew around the wash stall of a stable they were visiting-turned into a big law suit(I'm sure the landscapers had no idea that the plant was so deadly.) I am going to do a net search and see if I come up with anything. -Beth G
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Member:
Bethyg2
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Posted on Monday, Nov 8, 2004 - 3:05 pm:
Check this site out- it's from Canada (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food), and looks like someone spent some time on it.I'm not sure any of the recomended plants would live so far south though...
https://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/horses/facts/info_livestock_pastur es_trees.htm
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New Member:
Ejar
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Posted on Monday, Nov 8, 2004 - 4:02 pm:
Check with your poison control center for a list of poisonous plants. WHat's poisonous to us is poinsonous to our horses. Next, check with your vet. He or she will have a few others to add, like walnut, and avocado.
Definitely avoid foxglove, latin name digitalis; hellbore, hydrangea, all jasmines, and all solanums. They may be pretty, but they are deadly.
After you've got your 'no plant list', call your local arboretum or botanic garden, usually associated with a university or college. You'll find interesting plants and knowledgable people who can help you find the best plants for your area.
Erin
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Monday, Nov 8, 2004 - 11:31 pm:
Hi erin, I have a pretty good comprehensive list of poisonous plants. what i would like is to be able to go to the landscaper with a list of approved "horse friendly" plants. This is what is so frustrating. And of course, there are so many varieties of plants that you just don't know if the whole species are poisonous or just a few.. Like vines...
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 9, 2004 - 11:06 am:
Hello joj,
I stumbled across a book that may be of use to you. It is called "Horse Owner's Guide to Toxic Plants" by Sandra M. Burger. Amazon.com carries this book and you may be able to get a used one inexpensively.
Hope this helps  .
Susan B.
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Member:
Ejar
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 9, 2004 - 11:56 am:
Since you have your poisonous plants list, are you looking for a list of plants horses won't eat?
Doesn't exist. I think only goats eat a greater variety.
My horse eats the palm tree that grows wild behind her paddock. I figure it's as good as adding psyllium to her diet for how indigestible those fronds are!
If you want vines, honeysuckle would be good, because it isn't poisonous, it's evergreen, it smells good and it grows like a weed (the better to fend off foraging!) Bamboo is awesome as a screen, and the horses will keep it nicely trimmed up on their side.
You mentioned cacti, and there is nothing poisonous about them - out here (in CA) the wild animals eat them for food and water.
Do a google search for Florida Botanic Garden, and you'll get a list including Maria Selby BG, Fairchild BG, University of South Florida BG, a site called floridagardener.com, and lots of others. Go visit the one closest to you, tell them what you need, and they will be able to identify the best choices for your garden.
Erin
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Member:
Lhenning
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 9, 2004 - 1:23 pm:
If I were doing this, I would first put together a list of plants I like that grow well in my conditions, and then look them up in the book to see if they are toxic. There are just so many varieties to choose from, it is easier to narrow the list this way.
Good luck,
Linda
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Monday, Nov 15, 2004 - 1:32 am:
No I know the horse will probably eat anything. I do notice she stays away from certain items in the yard. But, hopefully if she gets into it, it won't cause a colic or any kind of upset.
She has eaten my palm fronds, too. It seems i taught her (bad) that when she goes for the palms, i will come out of the house, yell at her and then throw down some hay. What is this? negative reinforcement? 
I am glad you said bamboo, my neighbors have a patch that is starting to stray in to my property.
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Member:
Ejar
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Posted on Monday, Nov 15, 2004 - 2:27 pm:
Here's what I have planted around my house (So. Cal.) As a plant hobbyist, I know every poisonous plant on my property, weed or not.
The only poisonous weed we have at this time is bindweed, a type of morning glory, which has seeds that can produce hallucinations. Luckily, my goatlike horse won't eat that one, or the wild geranium that grows rampant - not poisonous, but a pain to remove.
In the back yard, near the horses, I have palm, eucalyptus, pine, and sycamore trees; bermuda grass along with the So. Cal. weed typicals: vetch, goosefoot, wild geranium, wild rye. There are no bushes or vines near the horses, simply because I don't want to have to keep them looking good through the nibbling.
In my "people yard" which is next to one turn out space, I have a fescue lawn, tomato patch, angel's trumpet tree - poisonous seeds; pittosporum (ugly, I hate it, but it screens my neighbors); fruit trees, petunias, bulbs, and apple trees. The horses can't reach any of these, and the trumpet tree is planted in such a way that the seeds can't get to the horses, and vice versa.
My front yard has more variety, with lots of CA natives: arctostaphylos, cercis, cercidium, toyon, ceanothus, lavatera, salvia, verbena, lantanum, penstemon, erigeron, eriogonum, artemisia, encelia, zauschneria, galvezia, calliandria; and non-natives including roses, bulbs, snapdragon, african daisies, bouganvilla, asclepias, lavender, buddleia, oenothra. All the front yard plants are chosen for color, smell and adaptability.
In the back yard this year, between the horses and the pine trees, I will be adding denDrOmecon, a 6'x8'CA native with showy yellow flowers; near the fruit trees, rosemary; and in the "chicken yard" I'm planting an elderberry bush, because the chickens come running like little dogs when you pick the berries for them! It's really funny.
Have you found a botanic garden or arboretum near you?
Erin
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004 - 3:06 pm:
Forsythia is beautiful (yellow spring flowering shrub) but unfortunately my horses love it causing havoc with the flowering schedule since the bushes get severely pruned every year and not intentionally.
Valerian (herb that grows on stony ground/ditches, comes in pink, a sort of murky red and white flowered varieties) is supposed to put them to sleep but they don't like the taste of that one so it's safe and colourful.
Wisteria is unfortunately extremely attractive to my hunting horse. Clearly it can't be poisonous or she'd be dead by now...
You can nearly guarantee that if it's a nuisance weed your horse WON"T want to eat it, unfortunately.
New Zealand bottlebrush bushes are nice and colourful and I can guarantee you horses do not like the sharp edged leaves.
Ferns of all descriptions, particularly bracken which is a little toxic not to say carcinogenic to humans too, are relished by both my horses.
They are unfortunately also fond of abutilons which are probably slightly poisonous. I feel sure that somewhere around there is a website which will add to these few.
G'luck
Imogen
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