I do know … If you aren’t sure if the wood you want to … Like in aspirine. I used to get willow branches in early spring for my horses. Horses can browse the trees and shrubs while they grazing in the pasture or you can cut the branches and carry it to their pastures or stables. It is similar to coppicing which cuts a low stump (near ground level), but pollarding is where you cut it higher (about shoulder height) so … horse safe trees. Once the tree is five or more years old they tend to leave it alone. I would put fencing around it but I know they grow fast & eventually the horses would be able to get to the leaves. Many farms used to have willows growing around/in fields where the water course runs. Willow does have a small amount of salicylic acid, related to aspirin, in the tissues, but not to the point of bothering a horse. To help us all stay safe, here's a list of trees that are highly toxic to horses. On newer trees I put fencing around as they like to eat the young tender bark. I'm thinking of planting a weeping willow tree in my pasture & I read on line that they are safe for horses. Since shade is important for all animals as protection against summer's heat, removing poisonous varieties of shade trees like red maple, oak, cherry and plum trees from your pastures or paddocks can leave you with a dilemma. They also loved " stripping" the Xmas tree( without decorations or snow sprays of course). Hmm I don't know about that as aspirin is a synthetic drug. Willow has salicylic acid which is similar but not the same as aspirin. Discussion on Pasture Shade Trees Author: Message: Member: silly Posted on Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 - 9:10 pm: I'm in the beginning stages of planning a horse pasture and want to plant shade trees for a 3 acre lot and was considering a weeping willow. I have Ash with several of my pastures, which the Horses, Cow's and Sheep have used. Animals have eaten willow for centuries and gain value from willow. I do have 1 Weeping Willow by a Pond but haven't had any livestock with it. Long story short, I am looking for a longer term plan. One of the best trees you can plant for both you and your livestock is a deciduous hardwood called the Royal Empress or Empress tree. I am rather curious where you read that willow is supposedly bad for horses -- I have always been told by vets and extension agents that it is a SAFE pasture tree, and a quick google seems to bear that out. “Some safe native plants include Oregon grape, Rosemary, camellia and hemlock tree,” Johnson said, “but remember native plants are specific to climate zones.” Rain Gardens. Asked July 22, 2017, 11:17 AM EDT. Unfortunately, there are many large shade trees that are harmful to livestock like horses, cattle, sheep, goats and swine. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) For these trees, poisoning usually occurs in late summer and autumn, when their leaves fall and drift onto pasture areas. I have an acre residential horse property in West Haven, Utah and I am looking for trees that are horse safe. For smaller trees that are safe around horses, plant a Western redbud (Cercis orbiculata) or California ash (Fraxinus dipetala). Pod legumes and seed can be collected and fed separately or mixed (for better digestibility you can crush or boil seeds) into the (hard) feed of your horse. How to feed fodder-trees and shrubs. Good options: mulberry, willow, poplar Pollarding is cutting your tree down and leaving a tall stump to regrow. Rain gardens and bioswales are two types of gardens that are gaining in popularity, even on horse farms. Even trees that are not toxic still have to be fenced to prevent the horses from eating the leaves and bark and killing the trees. If given the chance, she'll most likely kill the trees if they're still small, so fencing them off and " rationing" them that way might be a good idea. Willow has been known to be safe for animals for years.