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[RC] lupine - heidi sowardsEd, I know I've read that lupine is poisonous, however, a nat. geographic horse special showed wild horses that ate the lupine at certain stages of their flowering. I have a gelding that was pretty much raised wild, til the age of 5 anyway. I ride in some Weyerhauser clear cuts and there is one trail that goes by a particularily large lupine plant. My gelding will dive into this plant to grab a huge mouthful of flowers, ripping reins out of my hands!! He's also particularily fond of the tiny purple thistles, stopping to happily munch the tops off, even when the are brown and seemingly unappetizing. I think they are milk thistles? Anyway, I've let him eat the lupine, he's so intent on having some, not at any time of the year, only when flowering. (Not sure at exactly what stage of the flowers though.) The only horse I have that does this as well!!!! Any medicinal purposes to these plants that my horse may know about? Heidi --- Ed & Wendy Hauser <ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: "...I know my horses are happily scarfing up this pinnately leaved weed with little purple flowers that "I" have never seen living for 17 years in Poway, but is all over my 2 acre pasture in Ramona 5 miles away. I don't know what it is - despite having a fairly extensive knowledge of Southern California native plants..." Have you taken a sample to your county Agriculture extension agent?? Your mystery plant may be one of the weeds introduced from other continents. These weeds should be eradicated or at least controlled to save our western wild spots for future generations. There are native and not so native plants that do harm livestock. I am in the process of getting rid of Lupine and Buttercup in my hay field. Both are not a real problem with horses, because horses normally do not like them. Cows are another matter. I also have some Spotted Knapweed. Not poisonous, as far as I know, but a real problem weed in the west. I am working on that also. In the last I have attended 6 hours of formal extension classes to learn about pests (animal, insects and plant) and their proper control (chemical, biological, and agricultural). While a person may feel that ignorance of the plants in their pasture is a good defense against a violation of Rule 13, a prudent person makes it their business to find out what they are feeding their horses and the effects of those plants. It is our duty to protect our animals from themselves. Just as it is our duty to protect our children from the effects of alcohol, caffeine etc. Ed Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875 ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx 406.642.6490 ============================================================ One of the great joys of being a pompous idiot is that you can do and think whatever you want. ~ Homer Safferwiffle ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================ ===== Heidi-aerc#M20935 /\_/\~ http://www.synjinarts.com ~~/~~ \\~~~~ (Wildlife/Western & Equine / O> ) \~~~~~ Art) / __/ \~~~~~~ (_@_/ | \~~~~ | \~~~~~~ | \~~~~ __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam http://mail.yahoo.com ============================================================ ...but then, I do ride my horses a lot more than most people ~ Karen Chaton ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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