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Coastal Equine

Autumn Reminders - Acorns


Horses have needs at all times of the year but some are season specific.


Acorn poisoning occurs when a horse ingests a large amount of acorns or oak leaves and branches. A horse can naturally consume a small amount of acorns or oak leaves from normal day-to- day forage such as grass and hay but some horses may actually acquire a taste for them and purposely try to find and eat acorns to the point of illness.


Acorns contain tannic and gallic acids which can severely damage the kidneys and the gastrointestinal system.


The occurrences of a horse getting acorn poisoning are higher after a storm or high winds when oak leaves are blown into the field and the horse naturally eats them.


What can you do?


  • Fence off areas under oak trees.

  • Clear up the acorns every day, green acorns are most toxic so clearing them away quickly is important.

  • Put a pig in the field to eat them up! Probably not the best suggestion but pigs don’t suffer from acorn poisoning.


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