# Cherry trees and toxicity



## stimpy (13 May 2016)

How toxic are cheery trees to horses?  I am looking at a paddock that is a mixed orchard of cherry and apple trees and a friend mentioned that cherry tree leaves are toxic in some conditions but I don't seem to be able to find much authoritative info on this.


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## lizzi2 (13 May 2016)

I think it depends on type of cherry tree. See this article from a veterinary website (that I usually find is good) - http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/top-5-trees-poisonous-large-animals?pageID=4

If you're still unsure, maybe worth giving your Vet a call for advice?


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## Makemineacob (14 May 2016)

We have 20+ flowering cherry trees surrounding our land and the horses have never had an issue with them (horses have grazed the land for 18 years with the trees. We also have an eating cherry.  My understanding as I did a lot of research after we bought the place (and had an almighty panic when someone said they were highly toxic!), we researched and asked lots of questions far and wide from horticultural people, vets etc.  The issue apparently is when they are in their wilting stage, I.e if a branch falls from one of the trees and the leaves are wilting, at wilting stage they contain cryanide, however, they apparently have to eat quite a lot of leaves to Do any harm.  When the leaves do finally fall in Autumn we just either sweep them up or run the ride on mower around on a high cut setting to collect them. 

In three years we've had one small branch come down in the paddock and where we live is extremely exposed and exceptionally windy! 

However, our trees are mature trees with the lowest branches being around 6/7ft from the ground, our horses do eat them occasionally from the tree - my mare has does a very good impression of the dinosaur from Jurassic park and stands on her hind legs to eat the branches (even when we have grass left!) and also sometimes feeds what she pulls down to the old boy! &#65533;&#65533;


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## stimpy (19 May 2016)

Thank you very much lizzi2 and Makemineacob 

I'm afraid I am very ignorant about types of cherry (though getting more informed!) so Makemineacob when you say that your trees are flowering cherry trees do you mean that they are ornamental tress that don't fruit?  I had been thinking about how practical it would be to gather the leaves, your approach sounds very workable.


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## EQUIDAE (19 May 2016)

I'd be more concerned about the apples


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## Makemineacob (20 May 2016)

Yes, the majority are ornamental, non fruit trees. We do however have one fruit tree amongst them and never had issues with this either.  I guess it depends on how big the trees are in terms of easy access to them if they are directly in the paddock? Ours are in the Hawthorne hedging around the perimeter of all of our fields.  How many apples trees do you have? Having access to lots of apples isn't good as equi rightly points out.


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