Question

I was wondering if you could offer any information as to why my gelding would want to eat dandelions. Is this is a result of a mineral or vitamin deficiency? I read that some people believe dandelions are natural detoxifiers, but I wasn’t sure what to offer him as an alternate supplement.

Answer

Horses relish dandelions, likely because of the high water-soluble carbohydrate or fructan content. Some people believe that dandelions are rich in certain minerals and other substances considered by herbalists to be liver tonics.

I don’t think your gelding is consuming this plant due to a nutritional deficiency as long as a balanced diet is provided and access to a salt block is available. It is more likely due to the sweetness of the plant. Assuming the horse is healthy and without any metabolic issues that require limited sugar intake, I would not be too concerned.

While dandelions may be an innocuous weed, a similar yellow-flowering plant called flatweed or false dandelion, which is often mistaken for the common dandelion, can have toxic consequences for horses. Under certain circumstances, consumption of large amounts of stressed flatweed (Hypochaeris radicata) can cause Australian stringhalt. This disease has been recognized in many countries outside of Australia and is characterized by exaggerated hyperflexion of both hindlimbs. It involves a degeneration of the long nerves, and horses have a long recovery period. The disease is seen in late summer and autumn when flatweed is usually the only green plant in the paddock so horses graze it preferentially.

Many horses eat flatweed without incident, but others are affected by Australian stringhalt. Unlike the common dandelion, flatweed has branched stems and several yellow flowers per plant, the leaves are thicker and covered in fine hairs, and leaves don’t have the distinctive shark-teeth points.