Toxins in Your Horse’s Environment: What You Need to Know.
As horse owners, we do everything we can to keep our equine friends healthy from quality feed to regular vet checks. But one area that often gets overlooked is the environment they live in. Subtle toxins in paddocks, stables, and even hay can have a real impact on your horse’s health over time.
Weed Control Chemicals: A Hidden Risk
Many horse owners use chemical sprays to control weeds in paddocks and on hay crops. While these products can be effective at keeping pastures looking tidy, they contain chemicals that may be harmful to horses if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
Some risks include:
- Digestive upset: Horses may develop colic, diarrhea, or other gut issues after consuming plants treated with certain herbicides.
- Liver and kidney stress: Many weed control chemicals are processed through the liver and kidneys, potentially leading to long-term organ strain.
- Behavioural changes: Subtle neurotoxic effects from repeated low-level exposure can sometimes result in restlessness, irritability, or changes in appetite.
Even hay that looks clean can contain residues if it has been harvested from sprayed paddocks. Horses are very sensitive, so small doses over time may still be harmful.
Mould spores can have a serious impact on a horse’s health, particularly affecting their respiratory system
When inhaled, especially in dusty, poorly ventilated stables, mould spores can trigger conditions like Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), also known as heaves. This is a chronic condition that causes coughing, laboured breathing, nasal discharge, and reduced performance. Milder respiratory issues, such as Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD), may also develop, particularly in younger horses, often presenting as intermittent coughing and mucus buildup.
In some cases, horses may develop allergic reactions to mould spores, leading to symptoms like coughing, watery eyes, skin irritation, or hives.
Additionally, if a horse consumes mould-contaminated hay or feed, it can suffer from mycotoxicosis, which is a form of mould poisoning. This can cause colic, diarrhoea, tremors, appetite loss, and in severe cases, can be fatal.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Horse
- Ask about paddock management – if you buy hay, check whether the paddocks were sprayed with herbicides. Prefer hay from farms that use organic or low-tox methods.
- Feed only clean, dry hay and grain, and consider soaking or steaming hay to reduce mould spores.
- Provide good ventilation in stables and proper feed storage to reduce risk of mould.
- Avoid spraying around your horses – if you do need to control weeds, consider mechanical removal, pasture rotation, or non-toxic options instead of chemical sprays.
- Always remove horses from sprayed pasture for a few weeks, even if the label says otherwise.
- Read product labels – if chemical sprays are unavoidable, make sure you follow the label carefully, noting safe re-entry times and grazing restrictions.
- Monitor your horse closely – watch for changes in behaviour, appetite, or digestion, and give a detox herbal blend routinely to help cleanse toxins from their body.
- Natural alternatives for weed control:
- Regular mowing and pasture rotation
- Mulching or targeted manual removal of weeds
- Using natural, horse-safe herbicide alternatives where possible
A Final Thought
Your horse’s environment is just as important as their diet or exercise. Being aware of potential toxins especially weed control chemicals and taking steps to reduce exposure can make a significant difference to your horse’s long-term health.
