Re: eucalyptus?

[Luke Steele <horseman@hotkey.net.au>]

Lucy and Ridecampers,

Lucy wrote:
>>>
Did I read somewhere that eucalyptus leaves are poisonous
to horses? Or is it another one of those "if your horse
eats several tons of eucalyptus leaves they can be
poisonous"?
<<<

Well, we have 'several' eucalyptus trees here in Australia, and I have
*never* heard of anyone's horse eating fatal quantities of this type of tree.
My horses snack on the macrocarpa trees from time to time, and that gives
them a lovely sweet breath.
My experience leads me to believe that horses will snack on various
bushes/trees when the 'need' arises. There seems to be no harm in this.
Horses will normally only eat harmful plants if there is absolutely nothing
else to graze. There are always exceptions tho.
Mine seem to like a mouthful of oak leaves from time to time and none seem
to suffer ill effects.

Luke