# Red Clover in Hay- Safe?



## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

The hay I got is absolutely full of what I am pretty certain is red clover (pics attached). That's actually what it mainly seems to be. Plus it's kind of stalky. I'm pretty dissatisfied with it but it's all I have right now. I've read that it can make horses slobber but it's safe and horses love it (my boy was gobbling it down). But I also read that it may carry toxicity in some cases? I went ahead and fed it to him but now I'm a little worried.


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

1st pic


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

2Nd Pic


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

3rd Pic


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Some kinds of red clover can cause blood thinning and bleeding, liver damage and neurological problems just like a native mountain grass called 'Red Top'. When I lived in the mountains in Colorado, we always stayed away from it, especially when we were going to castrate calves or horses because they would not clot and they bled substantially. 

There are more than 1 variety of clover that can be toxic and I do not remember all of them. I think it was red clover, alsike and sweet clover.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

My hay usually has some red clover in it, other than causing the horses to drool I've never had any other troubles with it. They eat it well...then just slober all over me...vet said its no cause for concern though.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Just watch for mold since the clover doesn't usually dry very well. It's legume hay (as is alfalfa) and is pretty rich so I wouldn't want for all the horses hay needs to be met by strictly clover but a little mixed with grass hay is fine as long as it is not moldy (which is normally the cause of the problems that are associated with clover).


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

What Cherie said, with Alsike being the worst.

The Yellow Plant is Sweet Clover. The pink fading to a white tip is Alsike clover and the Red is.. well.. Red clover.

Yours looks like Alsike but it is hard to tell. I would not feed Alsike to horses.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

A little clover mixed in grass hay I do not believe is a problem. Hay that is predominantly clover has big problems with mold (because it cures very slowly) and it is a big deal for bleeding if an animal gets cut or has surgery of any kind. It acts as an anticoagulant. 

Sweet clover is a 2-year plant. The first year it has no bloom at all. It is just a very nice and very palatable low growing leafy clover. It blooms and goes to seed the second year and there is white and yellow sweet clover. The clover pictured is yellow sweet clover. 

We have arrow leaf clover down here and I have never heard that about it. Horses do not like it green but will readily eat it in hay. There are many other kinds of clover, but I have only heard of problems (other than curing) mostly in alsike and red clover and some with sweet clover.


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## Folly (Jan 27, 2015)

Derailing the thread for a moment... So, I hand graze my horse occasionally, and her favorite spot is full of clover in addition to fresh grass... any harm in this? Not for more than 5 minutes, and once a week or so. I'm in Oklahoma, and it looks most like the alsike in the picture I think - although it has a whitish arc, leaves are round not pointed (will pay better attention next time).

Never thought about that being a problem.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

With the clovers that cause the slobbers, it is not the clover itself, but a mold that can grow on it, especially when it is hot and humid. It does not harm the horse, but make sure they don't get dehydrated since they can slobber buckets. These clovers are also high in sugars and can cause gas colic in some horses that eat clover all day. 5 minutes is certainly not going to be a problem.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

my grass hay is full of clover and the horses love it. Second the comment about watching for mold but we have had no slobbers with clover. It is usually the white clover that causes slobbers


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## Cherrij (Jan 30, 2013)

We have loads of different kinds of clover everywhere, red clover, white clover, and others.. and we see our horses munching away on it for as long as they want and no effects.. apart from getting fat faster..


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

So it isn't the clover itself which is bad, but the mold that grows on them in hay? I mean, I understand that a legume like fresh clover isn't something you want your horses to be chowing down on all day but otherwise it is okay?


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

That's your main concern but it can also get a fungus in the field which causes slobbers. Mine get it from eating the white clover that grows in the field usually when we have a wet summer. They drool so much they make little ponds in the barn. Like Cherrij said about the only lasting effect is that it makes them fat. Fresh red clover can make pink skinned horses more sensitive to UV rays.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Under normal circumstances the 'bleeding' problems associated with some clovers is not a problem. It would only be a problem if a horse got badly injured or if a person was castrating or planning other surgery procedures. I know race horse trainers stay away from it because of pulmonary bleeding. It is the first thing we think of and mention if we run into someone in the performance horse industry (like barrel racers) that have horses with bleeding problems.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Cherie said:


> Some kinds of red clover can cause blood thinning and bleeding, liver damage and neurological problems just like a native mountain grass called 'Red Top'. When I lived in the mountains in Colorado, we always stayed away from it, especially when we were going to castrate calves or horses because they would not clot and they bled substantially.
> 
> There are more than 1 variety of clover that can be toxic and I do not remember all of them. I think it was red clover, alsike and sweet clover.


This occurs under certain conditions,(spoiling/mould ) and then that colver contains dicoumarol, which affects the K dependent clotting factors, produced in the liver
In fact, that is how that indirect anti clotting medication was discovered

Overview of Sweet Clover Poisoning: Sweet Clover Poisoning: Merck Veterinary Manual
Thus, if that colver has nor spoiled, then you only have to worry about NSC levels


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Cherie said:


> Under normal circumstances the 'bleeding' problems associated with some clovers is not a problem. It would only be a problem if a horse got badly injured or if a person was castrating or planning other surgery procedures. I know race horse trainers stay away from it because of pulmonary bleeding. It is the first thing we think of and mention if we run into someone in the performance horse industry (like barrel racers) that have horses with bleeding problems.


You have to have dicoumarol produced, before that clover acts as an anticoagulant. Dicoumarol is a vit K antagonist, thus affects the vitamin K dependant clotting factors, produced in the liver.
The antidote, is to give Vit K


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

yes, some horses can also become photosensitized from clover, plus, as mentioned, if that fungus is present, create slobber disease.
Hay that is in good condition, no mold, and obviously fresh clover, not touched by frost, don't cause any bleeding effects


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## patebon (Mar 26, 2015)

nice thread, like it


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks everyone! I've been feeding it mixed with some of the bales that have less clover in them. He's already a stocky built horse, doesn't need anything fattening and I'm very unsatisfied with this hay but I am having trouble finding anything else. I've not had any issues with him slobbering though, so that's good!


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