Horses thrive in the wild on a diet of grass and other plants.
But the problem?
They can’t decide which is good for them and which isn’t. Some herbs contain elements that are poisonous to horse health, and Buttercup is one of them.
So, are buttercups toxic to horses?
Yes, buttercups are extremely toxic to horses and other livestock. They contain a poisonous element, namely ranunculin, which will create blisters inside the mouth. After having some buttercup leaves and flowers, they will have blisters, skin problems, colic, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Today, we will talk about how poisonous, the side effects on horses and the symptoms of Buttercup poisoning, and most importantly, how to get rid of buttercups in the horse pasture.
Let’s begin the journey!
The types of buttercups and their toxicity levels
Buttercups belong to the Ranunculus family and could be annual, biennial, or perennial. They grow with yellow flowers having some beautiful leaves. However, nowadays they grow everywhere as garden or field weeds.
So what’s the origin of this wildflower?
In North America, you will find more than 400+ species of ranunculus. Among them, the buttercup is one. These herbs also have different types with different names. Interestingly, all these herbs are toxic to both humans and livestock.
Here are the top 4 types, which are famous for their harmful elements for horses. They are:
- Tall buttercups: You may find some that are 2 feet tall and have yellow flowers. These are called tall buttercups containing harmful elements called ranunculin. If your horses eat them or chew a little, they will suffer from salvation, skin irritation, vomiting, and other severe health problems.
- Cursed: The cursed or celery-leaf buttercups also belong to the same toxic family, Ranunculaceae. This family member has toxins in its leaves and flowers that can damage your horse’s health. If you have an open field or garden, you will find this buttercup here & there. Therefore, you must be careful about your horse. Otherwise, the extremely poisonous level of this herb will damage your horse with blisters.
- Creeping: Skin irritation, blisters, vomiting, and other internal health issues are the great toxic reaction of creeping buttercups on grazing livestock. If you don’t remove this weed, it will cover the entire garden or your field. You won’t find a single place to graze your horses safely. So, remove them from your garden or mow them.
- Littleleaf: The little leaf is also poisonous to horses. Although the leaves are mildly toxic, they can still damage the horse’s health. It will damage the stomach and create blisters if your horse eats a lot of little leaf buttercups. If you notice such poisonous herbs in your garden, you must cut them off or mow them down.
How to identify toxic buttercups?
Ranunculus repens, Ranunculus acris and Ranunculus sceleratus species are the most often seen types that are poisonous to horses.
These species of buttercups can be identified by their bright yellow flowers and their long, thin stems. Additionally, the leaves of these species of buttercups are usually divided into three leaflets.
The distinction between toxic and non-toxic buttercup species must be made since not all buttercups are poisonous to horses.
Can Buttercup burn horses? What part of buttercup is harmful to horses?
Yes, the buttercups can burn horses severely if they graze too much of this toxic leaves and stems.
As we mentioned earlier…..
This plant contains the toxic element ranunculin, which creates the blistering element protoanemonin. If your horse chews the buttercup leaves for a long, this element will come off as oil. Eventually, it will burn your horse after a few days or damage the lips inside the mouth within a short time.
Beyond that……..
Usually, this happens when your horse doesn’t find anything else to graze and eats the buttercup leaves for a week or so. In that case, it can also damage the horse’s skin, mouth, and other parts.
Ok, I know what you are thinking – Are all parts harmful?
Well, although this entire herb is a toxic plant, it has two crucial or most dangerous parts:
- Leaf
- & Stems.
These two contain the most toxic elements that damage your horse’s health. If your horse eats the entire plant and stems, it will suffer from allergies, burning, and blistering problems.
So the moral of the story?
Almost every part of the buttercup is toxic to horses. If they eat any of these parts, they will surely be sick and suffer from blistering problems. So, it’s better to protect your pony from grazing on the field where the buttercups grow.
See also: Did you know that horses can eat pickles? It’s true! In fact, horses love pickles and they are a healthy snack for them.
Buttercup poisoning: What happens if my horse eats buttercups?
Buttercup poisoning refers to the cursed effect of this herb. What are the symptoms of eating buttercups?
- Blister on Lips & Other Areas: If your horse eats in small amounts for a few days, you will find blisters on lips and other soft areas inside the mouth. As we said above, the poisonous elements will get through the entire mouth and damage the taste and soft tissues. Consequently, the blisters will develop there. And your horse will fail to eat anything.
- Skin Irritation: If your horse eats some buttercups, it will face different skin irritation problems. You may notice burning skin on your horse’s face or other areas, which will be so visible that your horse can’t hide them. They will show you the irritating experience of different abnormal behaviors.
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea is another poisonous effect. If your horse eats many buttercups, it will surely face diarrhea problems. Sometimes, you might notice some blood along with the regular potty. Therefore, diarrhea is the biggest poisoning effect of buttercups on your horse.
- Dizziness & weakness: Once your horse takes some buttercup with stems, it may feel dizzy & weak. Sometimes, the dizziness will be visible on its face. In that case, you should let your horse rest for a while. Also, be careful about other poisoning symptoms.
See also: Horses are usually very careful about what they eat, but have you ever wondered what would happen if they ate something like gummy bears?
Treatment for buttercup poisoning in horses: How do you treat buttercup poisoning in horses?
Before explaining all the treatments, I’d recommend consulting with a veterinarian.
Let’s get through some common treatments.
- Antibiotic Cream: If your horse is suffering from blistering issues inside the mouth, you must use an antibiotic cream to get through all the bacteria. Typically, you will get some soothing antibiotic cream for animals to treat blisters in their mouth. These creams are edible and won’t damage your horse if you swallow some.
- Demulcent Medicine: When your horse eats many buttercups, it might damage the throat and other soft tissues. Sometimes, it might lead to serious stomach issues. Therefore, a demulcent pill will be a perfect solution for these issues. This medicine can lessen the pain and irritation within 30 minutes.
- Botanic Healing Cream for Buttercup Burn: Sometimes, the buttercup poisoning effect might burn your horse’s skin, which will be irritating and itching that will be discomfort for any horse. You may apply some botanic healing cream solution for buttercup, and it will reduce irritation and help your horse recover from burn issues soon.
Should you mow buttercups in horse pasture?
Yes, for safety- it’s a must.
Not only this one, but you also remove all the poisonous treats. Mowing is the best option to remove the buttercups, although it may remove some necessary grass. Still, if you use a manual mower, you can eliminate the buttercups if you have many.
Sometimes you may find a particular area where these buttercups grow.
In that case, you may bring your lawn mower and start mowing carefully. You need to identify where they grow most; then, you should mow that entire area.
If you find a field full of buttercups, you should mow the entire field to get quality grass for your horses. Otherwise, the seed will be mixed up and will eventually mix up with other pastures.
How do you get Buttercup out of horse pasture?
Broadleaf herbicides are the most popular method to eliminate buttercups.
This controller comes with MCPA ingredients which are fruitful in removing or eliminating without damaging the horse pasture. You should use this herbs controller carefully and only spray on buttercups.
What else?
Another controller might be the Metsulfuron which can also damage the growth and eliminate the buttercups. It can damage the natural growth of your horse’s pasture or healthy grass. So, it would help if you avoided it or used it only on buttercups rather than spraying the entire field or garden.
Another ingredient is Glyphosate which can also eliminate buttercups and other herbs. You may buy a pest or herb controller containing glyphosate to get buttercup out of your horse pasture.
See also: Did you know that horses are actually capable of digesting chicken? It’s true! The myth is that horses can’t eat chicken.
In summary……..
Horses or other livestock tend to not eat buttercups if they have other food or grazing options. So make sure that you are providing your ponies with sufficient food.
But what we always say is that prevention is better than cure.
You should check your field or horse pastures to see if there is any buttercup growing. Use the herbs controller if you find any toxic herbs, and try to protect your horse from the toxic elements.
