Tough for me to understand it but I know squat about riding.
I know little about riding, as well, but I don't use my own opinions when I discuss riding. I use those of people who know, people like Steve. I checked out Websites and hunted down historical evidence, the best being the Luce letter to DuBois. Luce was in the Seventh Cavalry
and he was a veterinary officer. What more could you ask for?
Best wishes,
Fred.
I have it upon reasonable authority that Edward S. Luce was not a veterinary officer.
Source He was what is considered today a vet but that does not make him a veterinary officer. I say this because Elwood was.
Horses should never eat or be fed leeks. Leeks are toxic to horses and can kill them even in relatively small quantities. Leeks are part of the Allium family, which contain a chemical which damages blood cells and can be fatal. Never feed your horse leeks.
This can happen!If you feed horses the wrong thing, it can cause them a lot of discomfort and pain, lasting damage to digestive and urinary systems, and lead to fatality. These foods can cause your horse digestion problems and could result in them becoming severely unwell.
Tomatoes - As a member of the toxic Solanaceae plant family, tomatoes are related to deadly nightshade, horse nettle and other toxic plants, all of which contain tropane alkaloids. The leafy green parts of the tomato plant contain atropine, which slows gut function and can cause colic. The tomato fruit itself contains hyoscyamine, which increases heart rate, decreases saliva production and intestinal motility, and causes severe constipation and/or diarrhoea that can be potentially life-threatening.
Onions & Garlic - Along with leeks, shallots and chives, onions and garlic are members of the Allium family, which if ingested are toxic to horses. This plant family contains the chemical N-propyl disulfide, which damages red blood cells, and in turn can lead to anemia.
Chocolate - Chocolate contains theobromine, a toxic chemical that can be fatal to horses when consumed in large quantities. Chocolate consumption can cause many health complications, including colic, seizures, metabolic derangements and internal bleeding. Chocolate also contains varying amounts of caffeine, which could cause a competition horse to fail a drug test resulting in disqualification.
Dairy Products - It’s best to avoid all forms of dairy produce as horses, like many other animals, are lactose intolerant. Feeding dairy to your horse could cause severe diarrhoea, and prolonged feeding can lead to more serious problems with digestion, including colic.
Bread - Bread products fall into the category of proccessed foods, which horses aren't able to break down properly. This can lead to an obstruction in their digestive tract, which in turn can cause colic.
Meat - Horses are herbivores, meaning their teeth and digestive systems are not built to eat meat. Their liver isn't designed to get rid of the residues of meat products, and there is no evidence to suggest what long term side effects this could have. It's therefore best to steer well clear of any meat-based products or even products containing small quantities of meat.
Rhubarb - Due to the high levels of calcium oxalates contained in rhubarb, it is toxic to horses, as well as many other animals. Ingesting rhubard can cause tremors, and if consumed in higher quantities, can damage their digestive and urinary systems, leading to potential kidney failure.
Potatoes - As another member of the toxic Solanaceae plant family, you should not feed potatos to your horse, especially raw, but all forms should be avoided. Green or rotten potatos pose the biggest risk as their chemical composition can cause toxicosis. Plus, if eaten whole, they can be a major choking hazard.
Bran - Despite once having been considered good for horses, bran has since been proven to cause a mineral imbalance which negatively impacts their digestion and will likely cause diarrhoea.
Cabbage, Broccoli & Cauliflower - As members of the cruciferous family, these foods all contain a type of sugar called raffinose, which causes intestinal gas. While a bit of gas is no major problem for us as humans, horses can suffer from severe abdominal pains caused by gas-related colic. In serious cases, overconsumption of these vegatables could be fatal.
Fruit Stones & Seeds - Many fruits contain stones / pits or seeds which can contain arsenic or cyanide compounds that are toxic to horses when consumed in high quantities. Large stones can also pose a choking hazard, so should be removed before offering certain fruits to your horse.
Avocado - Every part of the avocado fruit and tree is poisonous to horses, including the skin, stone, leaves and tree bark. Consumption can cause a very irregular heartbeat, along with restricted breathing, colic, and in serious cases, death.
Caffeine - Caffeine can cause an irregular heartbeat and, as mentioned above, if your horse competes it can cause result in failure of a drug test.
Lawn Clippings, Garden Cuttings & Compost - While horses are grazing animals, they should only eat fresh grass. The moment grass is cut it begins the process of fermentation, so when eaten it will continue to ferment and expand in the horse's stomach, a process which doesn't usually start until the grass is a lot further through the horse's digestive system. This expansion can lead to colic and even potentially rupture the horse's stomach. There are also a munber of plants that can be deadly to them if consumed, and these could easily be hidden in garden waste.