06/01/2024
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SAFE TO FEED TO HORSES OR NOT? 🥦🥕🧅🍅
A few of you have been asking me lately about what veg you can feed your horses safely; perhaps dealing with either leftovers from the Christmas season, or due to the huge influx of veg and fruit into your household for the January healthy eating binge!
YES
Apple/pear (slice if small), banana, oranges (chop if small), melon, grapes, dried fruit, fresh berries, peaches/nectarines/plums/mango/dates (stones taken out), coconut, carrot/parsnip (sliced longways not chopped), turnip/swede/beets (sliced if small), celery, cooked potato, sweet potato, pumpkin (peeled), courgettes, tomatoes (not the plants!; chop if small), green beans, peas, fresh seaweed
NO
Broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower (all safe only in very small quantities, so best to avoid), onions, leek, garlic (more than a few cloves daily), avocado (skin and pip are poisonous), spinach, chard, potato and tomato plants, aubergine
🍀 Always introduce all new feeds gradually
🍓 Keep in mind using fruit and veg as treats e.g. under 200g daily is quite different to using the above as feeds e.g. 1-2 kg daily
🥕 Horses can easily choke on chopped carrots or small round fruit or veg e.g. apples or beetroot, so always slice
🍒 Don’t assume a fruit is safe because the plant or tree it grows on is and vice versa (e.g. stoned cherries are safe, cherry trees are not)
🍄 Natural does not always mean safe and every year there are cases of horses poisoned by eating natural plants e.g. hemlock, acorns, ragwort, laurel, bracken, horsetail, sycamore seeds
PLEASE, NEVER FEED ANYTHING TO A HORSE THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU OR WHOM YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO FEED
I've heard of two cases of colic recently from people throwing hay into the fields of horses who look like they don't have much to eat. If you would like to help, the best option is to find the owners and kindly ask them about their horses and whether or not they (the owners) are struggling and would like some help. For example, the horses/ponies might be overweight and on restricted rations, they might have poor teeth and not be able to eat hay. If the owners are disagreeable and you're worried about the horse's welfare, contact the RSPCA, the BHS Welfare Dept or any other reputable charity who can help.
Please share to spread the word! Thank you
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