{"id":194,"date":"2020-09-06T18:56:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-06T18:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horseycounsel.com\/?p=194"},"modified":"2021-09-21T10:30:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T10:30:08","slug":"what-kind-of-food-can-horses-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horseycounsel.com\/what-kind-of-food-can-horses-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What Kind of Food Can Horses Eat & What Food Is Bad for Them?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Feeding a horse is not the most complex or difficult thing in the world. After all, a horse’s diet mostly consists of grass and hay, with the occasional treats thrown in from time to time. However, what is important is to keep in mind that not all types of food are beneficial for horses. Indeed, some of them might actually do more harm than good.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, a horse will be able to eat pretty much any fruit and vegetable safely, as long as they are cut into little pieces in order to prevent choking. You can safely feed your horse carrots and apples, as well as pumpkin, raisins, and even good old sugar cubes. Just don’t give it too many snacks and you’ll be fine.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Delving deeper into the subject, I wanted to answer some of the most common questions regarding horse food and what kind of food can horses eat. I think it’s important to know the benefits of each food type, as well as the effects that it can have on the horse’s health, mood, and behavior. First off, though, let’s answer one of the most popular questions:<\/p>\n
How many treats should a horse eat?<\/h3>\n
Horses rarely feel full, and that’s mainly because they have evolved to eat constantly, in short amounts. They will nibble on grass for an entire day if left to their own devices. You could say it’s their main pastime when they’re not working. They’ll always look for something to nibble on the ground.<\/p>\n
Their digestive system is made to be in constant motion, which is why feeding your horse constantly is incredibly important. They need constant food in order for them to maintain a healthy bone structure, strong muscles, and a good mood.<\/p>\n
There’s nothing wrong with feeding your horse treats from time to time, but keeping in mind that they’ll always want more, you should limit the number of fruits and vegetables that you provide. After all, you wouldn’t want your horse to get a stomach ace, right? Two pieces of each fruit or vegetable will be more than enough per feeding session. All of these horse treats will add extra calories. Probably not enough to make your horse fat if used in moderation, but they can definitely upset the delicate balance in the equine’s stomach, which could lead to serious complications down the road.<\/p>\n
Now that I’ve given you proper warnings and guidance, let’s have a look at some popular horse snacks and figure out what are their benefits and downsides.<\/p>\n
Can horses eat celery?<\/h3>\n
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Celery is a great source of fiber, and this makes it a very good treat for horses. Yes, horses can eat celery, and they can take full advantage of its cornucopia of vitamins such as Vitamins B2, C, B6, A, and K. Celery also includes a fair amount of potassium and manganese.<\/p>\n
You can feed your horse the celery leaves as well as the celery root itself. Make sure to cut the treat down into small pieces, as some horses will sometimes swallow their snacks whole without chewing them first.<\/p>\n