Effects of Ragwort poisoning - dead mare!

This mare died of ragwort poisoning!!! and was found lying on the electric fence which was still on and ticking when I first videod the scene. Her yearling colt was still suckling, and was very distressed. The filly in the field was very sick also. she was stood with her head pressed into the hedge, and could only walk away from me when I approached her. She moved awkwardly and was in a lot of discomfort. The foal and the filly were both signed over to the ILPH by the owner, but the filly had to be destroyed not long after arriving at the sanctuary.

Yes this short extract of the original video is disturbing, but I hope it highlights the terrible effects of ragwort ingestion. So many horse owners are unaware of this toxic plant which is common in so many paddocks in the UK. Because the plant is bitter in taste when alive, it is assumed that horses wont touch it. However once dead the plant is palatable, and the toxic accumulative effects on the liver, as the video shows can be deadly!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• mare
• field
• colt
• filly
• ragwort
• poisoning

[dunktheskunk]

Please, if anyone is still unclear as to what the effects of ragwort are, and what the plant looks like in all stages of develpment, watch the video linked here9 by horsecharity) . Its factual and informative, and the message is clear!

I am trying to find the original tape, and will post it uncut!! I am not ashamed of my actions in videoing this tragic event. Not enough is being done to get rid of this toxic plant! The more people who report to ILPH or DEFFRA badly infested field the better.

[Saartjen]

I understand that you are trying to tell people the dangers. But that you ara able to keep filming a dead horse, AND her foal, instead of helping it.... That I do not understand

[dunktheskunk]

@Saartjen

NOT easy to video at all. My friend and I were extreemly distressed. We had had no help from RSPCA and the ponies had been suffering for a number of years. Yearling colt was unhandled, and mare was dead, so no more trauma for her. The need for evidence to prosecute made it necessary to film the scene, before the owner turned up to get rid of the evidence!! Two other ponies had died in previous months and been quickly removed, before welfare organisations could be informed.

[winnielovesyouhh]

ahudson2012 err yes i think most people who own horses have and yes i would rather be out picking it all day than turning up and finding my horses dead thanks

[SophiePatterson]

omg poor horse :'(

[b0bb0btheb0b]

@BlackfoxKitsune

Ragwort and St John's Wort are not the same plant. Common ragwort is Jacobaea vulgaris. Common St John's Wort is Hypericum perforatum. They're superficially similar with clusters of yellow flowers but barely related at all and structurally very different. St John's Wort is not a neurotoxin either and has been used in folk medicine for centuries. Ragwort is only a problem when livestock cannot avoid it (i.e. if a field is totally taken over by it or it's mixed into hay).

[KassCraven]

@ahudson2012 a guy I know had over 1500 horses (was a riding school and eventing place) and the land was insanely huge (i think 30-40km), I think they rotate spray the fields. unfortunately the smaller ones sometimes got ommited, no horses have died to it, this video just shows an unfortunate horse with an unfortunate owner who maybe didn't know or didn't see the poisonous plant.

[breyerhorselover130]

thats terrible how can you just sit there and look at her she is being shocked for pets sake don't you have ant repect for horses at the least. i have to live with that image in my head until i forget it and i dont forget that easy. you sould be ashamed.

[xXeMokiDXxMCRXx]

@SmexyYaoiFTW Have you ever tried to catch a horse that has seen another horse die, they go mad, strike out and will try to kill you if you move the dead horse. I've had to remove a horse after it's best friend died from ragwort poisoning, we ended up leaving it with the dead horse for 2 days as we couldn't get either of them out without alot of help, we managed to get the horse out and it died of a heart attack, we need more videos like this to show the horrors of ragwort, it will save lives.

[xXeMokiDXxMCRXx]

@mightymouth4ever I posted a video in the response about it with lots of pictures of it as a budding plant and as a full grown plant

[xXeMokiDXxMCRXx]

@dunktheskunk The rspca seem to do nothing, I reported a field full or horses who where very sick from ragwort poisoning 3 times! They only seized the land after the horses died! I now report it to the RSPCA & Brownbread Horse Rescue/ World Horse Welfare or the Kent Police

[xXeMokiDXxMCRXx]

Not only is it poisonous to horses. It is ILLEGAL TO HAVE ON YOUR LAND. It is poisonous to all live stock and HUMANS ASWELL. You will be given a chance to clear it, if not, your animals will be seized, if you still do not clear it your land will be seized and you will be a TAKEN TO COURT AND FINED AND BANNED FROM OWNING LAND. I lost my foal to this, so be sure I will call the Police or the RSPCA if I see this in a horses field make sure it isn't yours! Thanks for this video, we need more of them

[BlackfoxKitsune]

My next door neighbour is a horse owner and thanks to her she spotted it in my front garden so I now know what this plant now looks like.

The best thing you can do is get out there with round up weed killer and start killing it back, burn off the field if you need to though you will need a permit for that. other then that its time for some major ground works to dig up every bit of those plants. Local authorities should be able to give advice on this front.

[BlackfoxKitsune]

Hi I just saw your very sad vid on the death of a mare thanks to this toxic plant, We can not get rid of it because it is a native and wild hedgerow plant, and some of our insect life depend on it. :/ Sadly it's toxic to everything else. is also known as St John's Wort in its raw form is a deadly neuro-toxin. The only way to kill it is to dig it up and make sure you have ALL the root and then burn it so the dead flower heads do not go to seed.

[BlackfoxKitsune]

Rag Wart AkA St Johns Wart is Highly toxic to all forms of life save the magpie moths that can eat it, If you own any animal of have children look out for this nasty little plant and kill it, we used to burn it off in the UK i don't know Why we stopped.