ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance] thisles etc...

Re: [endurance] thisles etc...

WarholNW (WarholNW@ccmail.apldbio.com)
Tue, 05 Dec 95 14:24:16 PDT

The "big purple flower" you mention is not a star thistle. It is some
kind of big thistle that grows like wildfire in Northern California.
It stands about one to 4 feet high, and produces big, thorny, green
(then purple) thistles. My guess is they taste like artichokes to
horses, since my old Arabian just loves those purple things. I can't
believe how he can eat them without hurting himself.

Star thistle is a nasty, little yellow thistle that grows close to the
ground. The "flower" is a small, round very yellow thistle that hurts
to touch. (the heads look like small yellow stars, and are about the
size of a dime) These grow more like ground cover, but can get very
dense. They are not supposed to be bad for your horse if he eats a
few bites. You don't want this stuff in your pasture, because horses
will eat it, and one source I read said a hundred pounds of the weed
can put a horse in trouble.

By the way- at the Race of Champions in Utah this year, the state of
Utah required every visitor have his or her hay inspected by a state
agriculture guy. I asked him what he was looking for, and he said
(loudly) STAR THISTLE! Utah does not want it to take over their
state, like it has in California.

Nick

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [endurance] thisles etc...
Author: PLOUGH1@ix.netcom.com (PLOUGH ) at CCMAIL
Date: 12/5/95 1:37 PM

Please advise me on when and how much poison are in star thisles....

Are there more than one type of thisles... Are they poisonous during
certain stages if growth?

I've seen the herd eat and relish the big purple flower during their
green stage... or are these not "star thisles"? Yet this lady freaked
out on me this weekend when Mystery grabbed a bunch of grass and there
was a drie
d out thisle in it. Told me it was "poison directly to the brain"....

By the way, since my training question, we've gone out with strange
horses and ones we know and have practiced staying in the rear, calmly
and leap frogging on the trail with the willing participants. He is
coming along
very well and thanks again for the excellent input.

We will probably practice with No. Am Trail Riders before trying
Endurance rides... What is the major differences between the two
anyways?

Thanks, Kimberly (& Mystery the Morab)

(Who people also claimed "acted up because he is half arab" ..of course
they all have quarter horses! )