# Carrot greens poisonous?



## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Today my barn owner was picking the carrots in her garden and said she wasn't sure what she was going to do with the tops. I asked her why not give them to the horses. She told me that her farrier(who I think is a complete idiot and cannot stand) told her that carrot greens are poisonous to horses and you should never feed them to them. I think that sounds ridiculous, and she thought so too but she doesn't think he could ever be wrong :? so I told her I would look it up online. I can't find anything online except about store bought carrots sprayed with pesticides. Does anyone know?


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## Tymer (Dec 28, 2009)

Well...People can eat them. I don't know if that's any help.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Whenever we have carrots right out of the garden, our mares eat the tops, too, and have never had a problem.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Load of crap. I've never heard of carrot tops being poisonous to ANYTHING let alone horses. Mine eat them all the time


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## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

That makes no sense, dont you think that since it was apart of the carrot if the greens are poison the carrot would be too? Its all the same plant.


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

nicole25 said:


> That makes no sense, dont you think that since it was apart of the carrot if the greens are poison the carrot would be too? Its all the same plant.


Odd as it may sound, that argument may not hold true in all cases. Tomatoes, potatoes and peppers are not poisonous, but the plants they come off of are members of the deadly nightshade family, and can be deadly to humans and horses alike.

However, carrot tops are quite nutritious for both humans and horses. If carrot tops are dangerous, its only because if your horse eats too much it can cause colic and/or the runs...


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

As a special treat I buy my horses the carrots with the greens still on them. They love them.


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