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Hemlock
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Hemlock is common in Florida, especially along fence lines and near stables. It is toxic and kills horses every year in the state, according to Orange County extension agent Dennis Mudge. The entire hemlock plant contains toxins that affect the nervous system. Four pounds of hemlock can kill a horse from respiratory failure. There is no treatment.
Lantana
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Lantana is a beautiful flowering plant so pretty that one Florida city is named for it. It is commonly planted as an ornamental shrub. But if a horse eats it, the animal can die within a week. The plant causes liver damage. There is no treatment, but keeping affected horses out of the sun may help.
Oleander
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Horses sometimes like the taste of oleander. But it can cause hemorrhaging from the nose and mouth, bloody diarrhea, red urine and high fever. Medical treatment can save the animal, but it is expensive and is normally done only on the most valuable of animals.
Azaleas
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Azaleas are often planted in front yards throughout Florida. But all parts of the plant are poisonous to horses. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, coma and death. All it takes is a few leaves to cause serious symptoms. After two days, the horse may recover without treatment, or it may go into a coma and die.
Castor Bean
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All parts of the castor bean plant, especially the beans, are poisonous to horses and dogs. Castor beans can cause vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, convulsions and death. The horse will get an early warning of danger because the beans irritate its mouth, but it may be too late by then because ricin, an ingredient in the bean, can cause death in a dose as small as one once.
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Florida Poisonous Plants for Horses
Many plants in Florida are poisonous to people and animals, including horses. Some of these plants grow wild in pastures where horses graze. Others are common ornamental plants, often planted by people who don't know the pretty plants' deadly potential. It is wise for horse owners to know where danger lurks.