Symptoms like shaking, poor coordination and increased appetite signaled that horses may have been including cannabis in their diets

It seems that a several-years-long-mystery involving Icelandic horses, strange symptoms and cannabis has been solved.

Back in 2011, about seven horses fell ill, displaying certain neurological symptoms and unexplained hunger. But thanks to an Icelandic associate veterinarian, Mia Hellsten, who with the help of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), did a little sleuthing and identified the culprit of the horses’ odd behaviour and symptoms: cannabis toxicity.

Several horses became ill, demonstrating poor coordination, shaking and increased appetites. The perplexing change was enough to get the attention of MAST, translated as the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, which investigated back in 2011.

The probe was never concluded, for reasons that remain unclear, but Sigridur Bjornsdottir from MAST’s Office of Animal Health and Welfare, told Visir at the time that cannabis was suspected, The Reykjavik Grapevine recently reported.

Enter Hellsten, who, despite not being a vet for any of the affected horses, came to the case through a series of ‘coincidences.’ Initially, she believed the horses to have some sort of neurological condition that was causing the coordination issues, but remained confused because they weren’t lethargic and had such healthy appetites.

She recorded videos of the horses’ behaviour and sent them to AAEP. Hellsten reports someone at the association recognized the behaviour as being similar to when the person’s dog has ingested cannabis.

“There were all kinds of hypotheses about neurological disorders,” Hellsten told Visir. “When the tests were carried out on the horses, the cannabis test was positive.”

The theory is the horses came into contact with cannabis while roaming wild in the fields of Iceland, but the quantity and origin of the plants ingested is unknown.

In a happy ending to the mystery of the dazed and confused horses, they have fully recovered and have no lasting effects from event.

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