Well, I have always read that, about the toxins. We have enough land that I could plant it away from everything I want to live, but that is good to know about horses b/c although we don't have any now, we may someday, we have a big field and that is where I was thinking of planting the walnut trees, around the edge. I just think though that there is a reason they don't grow around here...we had them all over at our other house but the soil here is different. I'll think about it...maybe I'll just eat em. Hickory is a good wood to sell, too, and that is what we are banking on, if we ever need to.