Toxic plant awareness call after horse close to being put down

The owner of a mare, who was believed poisoned by eastern black nightshade, wants to warn others

- ELEANOR JONES

THE owner of a “horse of a lifetime”, who was moments from being put down owing to an illness likely caused by a toxic plant, is sharing her story in hopes of raising awareness and saving other horses.

Lisa Lane's Irish Draught mare, Hazel, was first thought to be suffering from grass sickness or colic when she became very ill weeks after her first foal was born in autumn 2023. She underwent gastric surgery, during which failure of normal motility was diagnosed.

Then Lisa found out about eastern black nightshade, a plant that is poisonous to humans and animals – and found it growing in Hazel’s field.

“I'd had a call saying I needed to go and say goodbye to her,” Lisa told H&H. “She had the surgery on Monday, then by Tuesday lunchtime, I'd found the plants. I said to the vets, ‘I think it might be this.” Within hours, she was looking better - and she lived.”