A Vet-Approved Guide to Equine Treats.
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Giving treats to horses is an important component of training, enrichment, bonding, and even administering medications for many owners.
While sharing treats with your equine is fun and rewarding, it's important to know which popular foods are safe for horses. Read on to review our vet-approved list of safe horse treats to keep your equine companions healthy and happy.
Safe Treats
There are several safe treats available for horses, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and some kitchen staples. Remember to feed these products in moderation and be mindful of the size of pieces you feed.
Fruits
There are many safe fruits for horses, including:
∙ Apples: Ensure apples are cut into small slices to reduce the risk of choke.
∙ Berries: Horses can eat many types of berries, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
∙ Bananas: Many horses enjoy bananas, but horses with HYPP should avoid bananas due to their high potassium content.
∙ Citrus fruits: Some horses enjoy citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines.
∙ Grapes & raisins: Grapes make a fun sweet snack for equines. Raisins are also safe for horses.
∙ Melons: All types of melon are safe for horses, including watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew.
∙ Pears: Pears can be a softer and juicier alternative to apples for horses with dental concerns.
Vegetables, Legumes & Herbs
Safe vegetables you can feed your horse include:
∙ Beans: Some horses enjoy green beans as a crunchy snack, and also soft, cooked beans such as pinto, kidney, and fava beans.
∙ Carrots: Remember to break or cut carrots into small pieces to reduce the risk of choke.
∙ Celery: Some horses enjoy the taste and crunch of celery!
∙ Corn: Corn has been a component of equine feed products for centuries. If you feed corn, ensure that it is removed from the cob before feeding.
∙ Cucumber: Cucumber is a safe and hydrating snack for horses.
∙ Herbs: Horses can enjoy many different types of herbs from the garden, including fenugreek, chamomile, mint, and oregano.
∙ Peas: Snap or snow peas in the pod or loose can be a tasty and safe treat.
∙ Squash: Pieces of pumpkin, squash, or zucchini flesh are safe for horses.
Unsafe Foods
Unsafe foods for horses include:
∙ Acorns: In large quantities, acorns can cause colic, lethargy, bloody urine, and liver damage.
∙ Avocado: Avocado contains cardiotoxins that interfere with the normal heartbeat and can cause cardiac arrhythmias. Horses can die rapidly after consuming the fruit, seeds, or leaves of the avocado plant.
∙ Brassica plants: Plants in the Brassica family, such as cabbage, cauliflower and kale, can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to diarrhea and colic.
∙ Bread products: Bread and related products can be safe in small amounts, but they should not be a regular part of a horse’s diet.
∙ Dairy products: Feeding dairy products can cause digestive upset in horses because adult horses no longer produce the enzyme that breaks down the sugar lactose in dairy products.
∙ Chocolate, caffeine, cocoa, and tea: These products contain toxins called methylxanthines that can cause excessive sweating, muscle tremors, incoordination, and heart arrhythmias.
∙ Nightshades: Nightshades can cause irritation of the intestinal tract, lethargy, and heart arrhythmias. Plants to avoid include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.
∙ Onions, garlic, and leeks: These plants contain compounds that damage red blood cells, resulting in anemia (low red blood cell count).
∙ Oxalate-containing plants: These plants can cause gastrointestinal irritation and induce calcium deficiency. Plants to avoid include spinach, rhubarb, above-ground beet greens, prickly pear, purslane, Swiss chard, and star fruit.
∙ Persimmon: Persimmon seeds tend to compact together in the horse’s stomach, which can cause intestinal obstructions and lead to colic requiring surgical intervention.
∙ Buttercups: Mild exposures can lead to blisters in the mouth or facial skin, swelling of facial structures. More severe reactions include colic, diarrhea, tremors, seizures or paralysis.
About Dr. Madison Ricard, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Dr. Madison Ricard graduated from the University of Calgary F aculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2020, and holds a PhD in Anatomic Pathology from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, SK. Madison’s veterinary health and research interests primarily focus on horses, particularly equine reproduction. Currently, her herd consists of several retired show jumpers, a show jumping prospect, and two goats. s
Source: MadBarn