Black Walnut - Wild Cherry

[Jane Cox <mossycreek3@earthlink.net>]

    Black walnut is definitely toxic under certain cicumstances
to certain species.  You do NOT want any black walnut in wood
shavings used for stall bedding.  But if having black walnut trees
in the pasture was lethal to horses, mine would have been dead by now! 
I have even had branches from a neighbors dead black walnut tree blow or
fall into my paddock (dry lot - NO grass) with bored horses who sometimes
even chew on the board fence and have had no issues whatsoever.
    My understanding of the wild cherry is that it is
only dangerous in a wilted stage when it apparently releases cyanide. 
Fresh leaves or dry ones don't seem to be a problem.  We have tons
of it around here in Virginia, and I do go out of my way to try to keep
it out of the pasture.  The birds do a good job of reseeding these
trees everywhere, but I usually spot them when they are small enough to
pull up by the roots and dispose of AWAY from the horses.
    So please don't cut down your black walnut trees! 
They make nice shade and if you have the patience to deal with the mess,
the nuts are quite delicious- although a little goes a long way. 
Some people get ulcers in their mouths from eating black walnuts.