Sycamore tree poisoning

[kc]

As some of you already I know I lost my wonderful pony Oscar a few weeks ago to sycamore tree poisoning. There have been horses on our land for 60 years (it was a riding school before we bought it seven years ago) and none have ever gone down with this before.

I noticed on the Sunday morning he just wasn't looking himself, and although he was still eating and moving around I called the vet out. I actually thought he’d tweaked his back and wanted to get some bute so he wouldn't be in any discomfort. Initially the vet thought it was maybe a virus but then Oscar weed and it was red and so we got him straight up to the Rainbow horse hospital. I spent the next three days at his side at Rainbow (at night time they sent me home). For the first couple of days he was still eating and moving and because I’d caught is so early we thought he had a good chance, but on the third day he went downhill.

The horses were in the same field they are always in at this time of year and had plenty to eat. I have now arranged to get all of our sycamore trees taken down. Having had this happen to us once I will do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen again. Our companion pony Tinky is currently on the lawn!

Oscar and I had just had a fantastic year. We’d been to the Midlands Dales Show and the Performance Show and come home with lots of ribbons and trophies (which I still have to get engraved – that’s going to be a toughie). We’d done riding club, trec, EGB rides, mini ODEs and I’d just been brave enough to take him out riding with the hunt, something I never ever thought I'd do and it was fantastic. But best of all we’d had lots of quiet moments together just pottering out on hacks, or watching the stars at night when I'd go and check on him in his field.

I wanted to put this post up to make people aware so that hopefully it will help to prevent any other Dales ponies getting this awful disease. The vets say that cases are on the increase and once a horse comes down with it there is literally nothing they can do.

Kirsty x

[harveydales]

Oh Kirsty, I am so very sorry. What a horrible and unexpected shock. My heart goes out to you.

I must go and read up more about this awful disease. I had it in my mind that it was the spring time when it was more of a risk and it is eating the seedlings which cause the problem. We don't have any sycamores but do have field maples and I wonder whether these have the same effect?

So very sorry for your loss.

[cadeby]

Oh Kirsty, that's terrible news. I'm so sorry for you.

Thank you for being brave enough to post a lovely tribute to Oscar and for warning other owners of the terrible potential consequences of these trees

Run free Oscar xxx

[Debbie]

OMG I am SO sorry to hear you've lost your lovely Oscar to this thank you so much for having the heart to post on here so others can be aware that yes, this is a thing and yes, ponies can die from it.

We've had warnings in America that the trees are called Ash, or Box Elder (I think they are a sycamore, or the same genus) and can be as deadly.

Run free Oscar

[Fi]

Oscar was a lovely pony, Kirsty, I can't begin to imagine what a horrific time you had. He had a wonderful life with you, run free Oscar.

We lost a mare on our yard last year too, again land where horses have been for 40 years with no problems. I would reiterate how important it is to know what trees surround your fields.

[tinkerdorisalison]

It is such a shock, and totally unexpected, and you have no way of knowing if or when a horse has eaten these seeds/seedlings

I wondered if it was like ragwort, and you can eat so much with no symptoms, then they eat that next bit and it kills them. I've just noticed there is a sycamore tree on the field border with my mums garden,, ponies don't often graze there but you never know

Run free over rainbow bridge Oscar, xx

[ikklecob]

I am sorry to hear this. I too have lost a pony to this awful condition. She was in a field with others and Now I think she actually picked up a few seeds when I was hand grazing her after she came in from her holidays. She fought it for several weeks and had a couple of relapses. In the end we had to say farewell to her a few days before Christmas.

[NFK Dumpling]

I didn't know that was poisonous so thanks for posting

[5natives]

So sorry to hear that your pony died.

[maggie]

So sorry Kirsty, Oscar was a stunning pony

[dalesnfellfan]

So sorry to hear this Kirsty, RIP Oscar, what an awful thing to happen you must be heartbroken.

I live in dread of this terrible disease, I have 2 sycamores bordering my winter field and had to fence a wide strip off last year and try to pick up leaves and seeds, obviously not very successfully as I had thousands of seedlings this spring which I had to spray off. This year however there were no seeds on the trees at all so haven't needed to fence off, if it was my land I'd have them cut down.

Like Pam I also have lots of field maples in the hedge and I do wonder whether their seeds carry the same toxin, I've not been able to find any information one way or the other. I believe there are 2 danger periods, in the autumn when the seeds are on the ground and in the spring when there are seedlings.

Thank you for being brave enough to post this warning, my thoughts are with you.