How is Ragwort Poisonous?
When a horse eats Ragwort, depending on the quantity eaten and the time period over which it has been eaten; a horse can get Ragwort Poisoning. When a horse eats a large quantity of Ragwort in a short space of time; for example if a bad batch of hay contains plenty of dried Ragwort which is then eaten freely by the horse due to it having no bitter taste like fresh Ragwort, the onset of the ragwort poisoning can be rapid. This is known as Acute Ragwort Poisoning. On the other hand, if the horse or pony just picks up odd leaves and stems here and there, but on a regular basis, this will, if allowed to continue, still lead to Ragwort Poisoning, but due to the longterm basis, this is refered to as Chronic Ragwort Poisoning. Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids Ragwort contains compounds called Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids. In fact there are 8 different types. They are stored throughout the plant, in the sap. In fact, Ragwort isn’t the only plant to contain these pyrrolizidine alkaloids. It is believed that
