Common Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Horse
No known risk
Remove access and monitor the horse; call at the first sign. Not applicable
Equio informs, it does not diagnose. When in doubt, call your vet.
What to do now
- Antidote
- Not applicable
- Time to signs
- Not applicable
- Prognosis
- Excellent, as the plant is not toxic.
Its ID card
- Height
- 10-30 cm
- Flowering
- March to October
- Toxic parts
- No parts are considered toxic to horses.
- Toxin
- None
- Habitat
- Meadows, lawns, roadsides, waste ground, gardens.
- Soil indicator
- Indicates disturbed, compacted, or nutrient-poor soils, but adapts to a wide range of soils.
- Regions
- Europe, North Africa, North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand
- In hay
- Not reported
- Palatability
- Moderate to high. Horses often consume the leaves and flowers.
When the risk rises
Year-round, but most visible and consumed during flowering.
Spotting it in the field
No common plant is sufficiently similar to cause dangerous confusion. — smell : slightly bitter, but not unpleasant.
- Basal leaves in a rosette, deeply lobed or toothed.
- Hollow, leafless stem bearing a single bright yellow flower.
- Flower composed of numerous narrow ray florets.
- Seed head is an achene topped with a pappus of white hairs, forming a fluffy ball.
Who is affected
Other species : None
In pregnant mares : no known risk.
Getting rid of it
Method : Regular mowing to prevent flowering and seed production, manual pulling.
- Maintain healthy, well-managed pasture to encourage grass growth.
- Avoid overgrazing.
Frequently asked questions
Can Equio identify Common Dandelion from a photo?
It can help organize visual clues, but plant identification must remain cautious when horse health is at stake.
Is Common Dandelion dangerous in hay?
Hay risk is not always reported for this entry, but suspicious forage should still be isolated until checked.
This page is informational. If ingestion is likely, if signs appear, or if the horse is fragile, contact a veterinarian immediately.