The Mane Point: Mistletoe + Mares = Merry Christmas?

Mistletoe + Mares = Merry Christmas?

Don’t try this at home … but it sure is cute.

Check out this vintage Budweiser Clydesdales television spot, featuring a pair of doting draft horses in their Christmas-decked barn.

Homer and Kitty are absolutely adorable in this 2007 video, as they meet one another under the mistletoe on a wintry night.

Mistletoe is poisonous to horses.

Peppermint candy canes may be a favorite equine holiday treat, particularly when broken into bite-sized pieces (to prevent possible choking). So go ahead and give your favorite horse a minty candy delight this Christmas.

But hold the mistletoe.

Mistletoe is also toxic to cattle, dogs and many other animals.

This white-berried leathery-leaved plant is commonly known as “thief of the tree” (for its parasitic qualities). Perhaps ironically, mistletoe is part of the plant order known as SANTAlales. Even so, this poison plant has no place around ponies (or other equines).

So, although mistletoe may be the kissing plant at Christmastime, it can also be the kiss of death for horses and a host of other creatures.

For more information:

Many Plants and Flowers May Be Fatal to Felines

Beware of Flowers that May Poison Your Dog

What Plants Are Most Poisonous for Horses?

Image/s:

Mistletoe – US Government Photo – Public Domain