# Mushroom Poisoning a warning



## paulineh (5 October 2013)

Following on from my post about my friends Arab stallion that is in O'Gormans vet hospital.

What they thought was a classic case of Tetanus is now a case of toxic poisoning . After a search of the fields and talking to the Poison Control people they believe it is a Mushroom that has caused the problem.

They Stallion is very very slowly improving.

If you can I would walk your fields and get rid of any Mushrooms (burn them) My friends Stallion was caught early, if he had been seen in the dark he may not be here today.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (5 October 2013)

Destroying angel is v v toxic & can look like a breakfast mushroom to some, also the yellow stainer (tho not as toxic) is also similar.
Am surprised a horse has been in contact enough to ingest toxins, as its not something I've heard of 

Hope your friends horse comes out of this okay


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## paulineh (5 October 2013)

The ones they think it is are very small and right down in the grass


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## hnmisty (5 October 2013)

Hope your friend's horse makes a speedy recovery.

If I'm thinking of the ones you mean, then they look totally harmless. Sneaky


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## Rose Folly (5 October 2013)

I'm really sorry to hear about your friend's horse. However, to destroy every 'mushroom' is impossible - and unnecessary.

We have 10 different fungi types in our field which are edible for humans. There are about 4 other varieties which either are unpleasant to eat or, in large quantities, could possibly give mild poisoning. The 20+ horses I have had here over the years have all grazed happily among them, with no ill effects (though they do like to knock the puffballs over.

If you are really concerned, the best thing you could do would be to ask someone in your area with a good knowledge of fungi - a mycologist - to walk over your land occasionally and tell you what types he/she has found.

For what it's worth, these are some that we have on our land. Common Field Mushroom; St George's Mushroom,  Meadow Blewitt, Giant Puffballs,  Fairy Ring Champignons, Japanese Umbrellas, Jew's Ear, Parasol Mushrooms, and one with a name like Melanobia Grammaphobia (Sorry I'm not near my fungi book). All these are edible. Then there are the ones I don't eat, that grow on dung heaps, and various fungi that grow on the trees surrounding the field. My next door neighbour was very knowledgeable, and taught me what I know.

Destroying Angel is one of the famous 'killer' fungi, but your friend's stallion being poisoned by them was, I think, a 10,000-1 chance.

I do hope he improves.


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## paulineh (5 October 2013)

My friend has grazed her land for the last 18 years and never had a problem.

There were 7 different types that they collected and have been sent to the Poison control lab. The vets have only ever know of one other case BUT it does happen. All her other horses are fine.


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## charlie76 (5 October 2013)

Sounds more like atypical myopathy. we had it at my old yard last year. they originially suspected mushrooms. 
does your friends horse have any scyamores in his field or other seed producing trees?


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## paulineh (5 October 2013)

Charlie76
No Scyamore trees or others only Oak which is fenced off.

Each day the boy is improving.


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## weebarney (5 October 2013)

i bought a mushroom book of the national trust£4.99, too lazy to go and identify whats in my field though!  if anyone has a pic i can try and identify what it is.


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## vieshot (5 October 2013)

Omg mushroom person! I've got tonnes I want to know if I can eat!


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## kerrieberry2 (5 October 2013)

vieshot said:



			Omg mushroom person! I've got tonnes I want to know if I can eat!






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my dad says if you eat this one, it would kill you!! so don't eat that!


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## Sleipnir (5 October 2013)

That's an amanita muscaria. It takes about 3kg of them to actually kill a grown, healthy man, however, it can take a very deteriorating effect to your heart, can cause hallucinations and are quite poisonous. Do NOT eat them!


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## Spottyappy (5 October 2013)

Surely, anyone with any countryside  knowledge knows NOT eat any plant or berry that is red, red in nature is a warning-  stay away,and definately do not eat red mushrooms!


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## AdorableAlice (5 October 2013)

All our field mushrooms are eaten before day break by the vast amount of rampaging badgers we have on the farm.  I sincerely hope they eat enough to kill themselves.  They are fussy though they eat the tops and leave the stalks.


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## vieshot (5 October 2013)

There are loads of red things that grow that are perfectly safe to eat. There are also red mushrooms which are safe to eat so long as they are cooked correctly. Not quite as simple as just avoiding anything red!


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## 4x4 (5 October 2013)

Strawberries, raspberries, rose hips.


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## lhotse (5 October 2013)

I wouldn't be wanting to eat any of those mushrooms. Many poisonous mushrooms are very similar to edible ones, and unless you are one hundred percent sure of what they are, then don't take the chance. Take milkcaps for instance, some are deadly and some are not, but it's very hard to tell them apart. If you want to go mushrooming, then boletus mushrooms are a good start, they are  not like any other mushroom genus, having pores rather than gills, and the poisonous ones are easy to spot, they are red!!

A friend of mine ate a Fly Agaric once, he was tripping for days!!

Hope the horse makes a full recovery, sounds like he's on the mend


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (5 October 2013)

I was always taught that if you can peel the skin off anything that looks like a "field" mushroom, its OK to eat. I personally don't know enough to go foraging for anything else; unfortunately a lot of TV chefs are giving people who don't know anything about what to check for, the idea that "foraging for fungii" in the countryside is a good idea.

It isn't, not if you don't have a clue WTF you're doing.


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## weebarney (5 October 2013)

oh yeah please dont eat anything i take a guess at what it is!


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## Mike007 (5 October 2013)

Had a very polite argument the other day at the horsepital .Brought a horse in for colic , Aparently there has been a spate of colics associated with the warm wet weather. The vetnrys reconned it was the change in the grass, but my thoughts are that these are the classic conditions for fungal growth and !sporeing , Remember ! Many grasses also carry saporophyticic fungi inside their stems . A sudden rush of neuro toxins could easily disrupt the gtt (gut transfer time) and cause colic.
    In Romania at this time of year there are no end of mushroom poisonings.The local gypsys (a sad bedraggled lot )suffer because even though they know the supposedly safe ones ,even the "safe" ones are poisonous in sufficient quantities. (and these people dont have much money for decent food)


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## weebarney (5 October 2013)

vieshot said:



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you are supposed to take into account the hole mushroom to properly id but i'll have a shot with whats here. This looks like Fly Agaric, a poisonous hallucingen but rarely fatal


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## weebarney (5 October 2013)

vieshot said:



			Omg mushroom person! I've got tonnes I want to know if I can eat!









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this looks like horn of plenty, edible but best used in soups and stews.


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## Rose Folly (6 October 2013)

With that variety of fungi you could invite a local expert out to have a look. From the photos it's impossible to tell, but I wonder if the red one with lots of spots is possibly Fly Agaric, and the red rounded one could be The Sickener (russula emetica). Both these fungi are poisonous. Do take heed of the old adage "If you don't know, don't eat!"


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## Booboos (6 October 2013)

Horses don't eat mushrooms so I suspect something else is going on here. Try to get a consultation with an equine toxicologist, poison control won't really know what applies to horses.


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## paulineh (6 October 2013)

I am not trying to frighten people . Yes this may be an isolated case but how may horses are misdiagnosed. The Stallion had every classic signs of Tetanus. The only difference is he seems to be getting better not worse.

If people eat something that is not right they know it but a horse does not so they rely on us and the vets to help them. As humans if we wake up feeling ill then we get a doctor or go to A&E , if a horse in a field seemed fine at 7pm but was taken ill at 10pm would we know a about it or would it be too late.

This year there has been a glut of Mushrooms and some I have never seen before.

This post was to warn people that there are things out there that we do not know are poisonous and if we are unsure to get rid of it.

If my friend had not been so on the ball then she could have lost her boy

Booboos- there has been a recorded case of Mushroom poisoning in horses.


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## Booboos (6 October 2013)

paulineh said:



			Booboos- there has been a recorded case of Mushroom poisoning in horses.
		
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Could you give me the reference please? I have a horse with an undiagnosed muscular degenerative or possibly neurological disease possibly from poisoning and the specialist equine toxicologist was adamant horses don't eat mushrooms. It would be very helpful to look at other possibilities as we're struggling to find out what is wrong with him.


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## FionaM12 (6 October 2013)

Booboos said:



			Horses don't eat mushrooms so I suspect something else is going on here. Try to get a consultation with an equine toxicologist, poison control won't really know what applies to horses.
		
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Do you mean they never eat them, even the edible ones? Because I know someone who said he actually feeds his horses mushrooms. :confused3:


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## madmav (6 October 2013)

weebarney said:



			i bought a mushroom book of the national trust£4.99, too lazy to go and identify whats in my field though!  if anyone has a pic i can try and identify what it is.
		
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As you're now the mushroom person!, what's the third one down in vieshot's pix? I had a ton of them in my garden. Tried to ID off internet. Can't remember name now that I thought they were, apparently safe, but was too scardey-cat to risk it.


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## weebarney (6 October 2013)

madmav said:



			As you're now the mushroom person!, what's the third one down in vieshot's pix? I had a ton of them in my garden. Tried to ID off internet. Can't remember name now that I thought they were, apparently safe, but was too scardey-cat to risk it.
		
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I got tired last night so only ended up doing the easiest ones, I'll have a look when i get home from work and see if i can find it. You would be suprised at how many varietries there are and they have a tendency to look the same!. Are they as slimy as they look in the picture or are they just wet from rain?


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## paulineh (6 October 2013)

Booboos. It was the vets at  the Donnington Vets Practice that told my friend (The Stallion Owner).    

Will PM you the address and name of the vet treating my friends horse.


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## mandwhy (6 October 2013)

I am envious of that selection of cool mushrooms! We've only got a couple of types. Sorry to hear about the horse, it sounds like he is on the mend though! 

I don't see why horses wouldn't eat mushrooms, especially if not much else around, good source of protein etc.

It's not really that difficult identifying things, you just need to compare the characteristics in full rather than saying 'yeah that one looks like the picture' there are all kinds of differences to bare in mind.


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## weebarney (6 October 2013)

mandwhy said:



			It's not really that difficult identifying things, you just need to compare the characteristics in full rather than saying 'yeah that one looks like the picture' there are all kinds of differences to bare in mind.
		
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Dont know if thats aimed at me but i can only go by what i can see and i already stated you need to look at the whole mushroom for a definite id.


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## vieshot (7 October 2013)

Found more


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## Booboos (7 October 2013)

FionaM12 said:



			Do you mean they never eat them, even the edible ones? Because I know someone who said he actually feeds his horses mushrooms. :confused3:
		
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According to the equine toxicologist they simply do not eat mushrooms at all. I took that to mean ever, but perhaps she meant unless they are starving? I don't know, maybe she was talking rubbish, but she's supposed to be one of the top experts in equine nutrition and poisoning in the country.


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## cob&onion (7 October 2013)

We had a massive amount of mushrooms in the woods a few years back. There was a sea if red and white mushrooms, all diffrrent types and colors. They looked very pretty but some where highley toxic!
We get the field mushrooms in the field and the small brown toadstool type ones.


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## YasandCrystal (7 October 2013)

Booboos said:



			Horses don't eat mushrooms so I suspect something else is going on here. Try to get a consultation with an equine toxicologist, poison control won't really know what applies to horses.
		
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I beg to differ. My WB loves field mushrooms and will actually stop in his tracks if he spots one to eat it! I have witnessed this on half a dozen occasions and I have plentiful grass and he gets adlib hay so it must be a taste thing to him. Probably like acorns - some horses acquire the taste for them..


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## paulineh (7 October 2013)

YasandCrystal said:



			I beg to differ. My WB loves field mushrooms and will actually stop in his tracks if he spots one to eat it! I have witnessed this on half a dozen occasions and I have plentiful grass and he gets adlib hay so it must be a taste thing to him. Probably like acorns - some horses acquire the taste for them..
		
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Thank you YasandCrystal. Like your horse my friends horses are not starving , there is plenty of grass and they are also fed twice a day. We believe that the Mushrooms are small and can be hidden in the grass. I am trying to get a picture of the ones they think are the problem ones.

It is very much like eating "Ragwort" . There can be a very small amount that is lying on the ground (a leaf that has been left behind when you pull it)  or in some hay.


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## weebarney (7 October 2013)

vieshot said:



			Found more 







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cauliflower fungus


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## luckyoldme (7 October 2013)

Years ago I had some magic mushrooms.
If you have nt ....really don't.
on the upside my dead best friend came to see me and I got to say goodbye.
On the downside I was ill for two days and depressed for a week. 
Not one of my best adventures


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## mandwhy (7 October 2013)

weebarney said:



			Dont know if thats aimed at me but i can only go by what i can see and i already stated you need to look at the whole mushroom for a definite id.
		
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No not at all! Well done for identifying the ones so far and keep em coming I am loving the pictures! Sometimes people make out like it is 50/50 whether you'll find a nice mushroom for dinner or whether you'll poison yourself ;-) obviously some of them are reeeaaally similar but that doesn't mean indistinguishable


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## mandwhy (7 October 2013)

luckyoldme said:



			Years ago I had some magic mushrooms.
If you have nt ....really don't.
on the upside my dead best friend came to see me and I got to say goodbye.
On the downside I was ill for two days and depressed for a week. 
Not one of my best adventures
		
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Oh bless you! That is quite touching, your brain must have been looking for a way to help you grieve.


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## luckyoldme (7 October 2013)

I think so, my mate died in a trucking accident in Canada, her body was never found and there was so many question marks around her death that I could nt bear to think about her. I was listening to one of our songs and at the end I held her hand as she walked away. Magic mushrooms are very very naughty, and I know people who have had terrible experiences with them. That will be my one and only time and despite the illness and depression its a memory I treasure. Having said that would never do it again....it could so easily have been a lot worse going by what other people have said!


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## paulineh (8 October 2013)

A further update on the boy. The vets rang my friend this morning and said that the Stallion is Blind so they are giving him some steroids to see if it could be inflammation. 

Please please let him have some good vibes. He is only 13 and up to Wednesday he was fit and healthy.


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## flaxen tail (8 October 2013)

poor boy how awful ,sending healing vibes for him may he fully recover from this .


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## paulineh (12 October 2013)

Day 4 of improvement. He is box walking and shouting to the other horses now. I went to see him this morning and he looks a different horse (I last saw him after the day he went in).

On the down side for me is that I'm going to have my 24year old New Forest mare PTS next week.


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## flaxen tail (12 October 2013)

So pleased he is making such an amazing recovery that is such good news and so sorry about the sad news about your mare you are going through a tough time.


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## paulineh (12 October 2013)

My little Honey was PTS this evening. She went down and could not get up


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## FionaM12 (12 October 2013)

paulineh said:



			My little Honey was PTS this evening. She went down and could not get up
		
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Oh I'm so sorry. (((hug)))


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## paulineh (15 October 2013)

The Stallion is home. We collected him yesterday. Took us 2hrs to load him (normally load straight away) He did not seem to want to go into a small space, we think it is due to the fact he was blind at some time and his spacial awareness was affected.

The vets say that will improve and as he lives out 27/7 365 days a year and they have large field shelters to go into that should not be a problem.


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## Booboos (15 October 2013)

paulineh said:



			My little Honey was PTS this evening. She went down and could not get up
		
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I am so very sorry.


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## Ladyinred (2 September 2014)

What the heck????????


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## Lanky Loll (2 September 2014)

Booboos said:



			Horses don't eat mushrooms so I suspect something else is going on here. Try to get a consultation with an equine toxicologist, poison control won't really know what applies to horses.
		
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Years ago we used to keep shires in a field which had loads of field mushrooms - thankfully the edible sort only - and they definitely used to eat them the swines, we had to pick them as soon as we saw them or they'd munch the lot.


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## Lanky Loll (2 September 2014)

Paulineh - so sorry to hear about Honey, fingers crossed for the stallion.


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## onemoretime (2 September 2014)

Could a horse contract E Coli from eating mushrooms.  I have just lost my beautiful 6 year old gelding from E Coli poisoning.  He was fine in the morning, my friend went to ride him at lunch time and he was ill.  Was in hospital for 22 days and operated on, massive inflammation in gut, started to get better once E Coli was diagnosed but too many adhesions and part of gut dying, he started to have small colic sessions again, camera was put inside and adhesions etc. were discovered.  Im devastated as only had him 17 months.


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## 3OldPonies (2 September 2014)

Mike007 said:



			Had a very polite argument the other day at the horsepital .Brought a horse in for colic , Aparently there has been a spate of colics associated with the warm wet weather. The vetnrys reconned it was the change in the grass, but my thoughts are that these are the classic conditions for fungal growth and !sporeing , Remember ! Many grasses also carry saporophyticic fungi inside their stems . A sudden rush of neuro toxins could easily disrupt the gtt (gut transfer time) and cause colic.
    In Romania at this time of year there are no end of mushroom poisonings.The local gypsys (a sad bedraggled lot )suffer because even though they know the supposedly safe ones ,even the "safe" ones are poisonous in sufficient quantities. (and these people dont have much money for decent food)
		
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That's interesting.  I have a few edible mushrooms in my field, and lots of inedible little grey and yellow toadstools that pop up from time to time.  I also have a pony prone to gassy colic - he's had a bad time of it in the past week - I'm starting to wonder whether they've got anything to do with it.  He had the usual gassy symptoms, plus slightly worrying sour smelling diarhhea for about 24 hours.  Hmmm.


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## pennyturner (2 September 2014)

My ponies eat just about everything, but not mushrooms - at least not the ones you can see.

Poisoning of a horse by a mushroom is more likely to be ergot or one of the microscopic fungal infections of trees and plants which are not at all obvious.  There is a school of thought that the active agent in sycamores connected with AM is a fungus.

Ergot grows on grass and grain, and doesn't look like a mushroom at all, so poisoning of livestock and humans (St Antony's Fire) was frequent before mechanised agriculture.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (2 September 2014)

Ladyinred said:



			What the heck????????
		
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Why bounce a yr old thread? :confused3:




Lanky Loll said:



			Paulineh - so sorry to hear about Honey, fingers crossed for the stallion.
		
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Timely warning for some tho.


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## Lanky Loll (2 September 2014)

I totally missed the date on this!


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## onemoretime (2 September 2014)

I have actually found this thread very interesting in view of my recent situation!


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