7 irresistible human food treats horses can eat

Combining high quality hay with some other treats found in the human diet could be beneficial for your horses as it reduces their chances of getting an upset stomach. Do you know what human food treats they’ll love and which ones you should avoid giving? 

Generally speaking, healthy horses need around 2 to 2.5 pounds of feed for every 100 pounds of their weight. For example, a horse that weighs 1000 pounds will need 20 to 25 pounds of feed per day. A diet for a horse that is ridden for about an hour, five days a week, would be 2 to 5 pounds of concentrates and 15 to 20 pounds of hay.

Horses’ stomachs are very delicate, and in comparison with their size, they are actually small. This is why horses eat small amounts of food on a continuous basis. Horses should not go more than 8 hours without food and they need 12 gallons of fresh, clean water per day. For this reason, even if they keep asking for treats, it is best to keep it at one or two treats.

1. Carrots

It is well known that horses love carrots, however, for horses with Cushing’s syndrome, equine polysaccharide storage myopathy (EPSM) or insulin resistance, it is best to avoid feeding them large amounts of carrots or other treats with high levels of sugars. 

Carrots are delicious, provide several health benefits and most horses love their taste. Just limit the quantity of carrots as there are cases of horses getting a slight change of coat colour when being fed large amounts.

Related article: The different horse coat colours and patterns

2. Bananas

As curious as it may sound, horses find bananas a fun treat. They get curious about the soft and mushy texture and it is a great source of potassium. As a tip, you can even give them the peel of the banana.

3. Peppermints

The Christmas-time is over but not the love for peppermints! According to Equine Wellness Magazine, peppermint helps horses’ digestive system as it contains a bitter quality that helps stimulate appetite. This is why it can help horses who are suffering from bouts of diarrhoea or loose droppings. When feeding them peppermint candies, a few sugar cubes (one or two) are okay, and so are commercially available horse treats containing peppermint. 

4. Grapes

Although it is dangerous for small mammals, like dogs or cats, horses love grapes and raisins for their sweet taste. Also, they are a safe treat for healthy horses and you can offer them a pound or less per day. 

When feeding large treats, be mindful that horses normally chew treats before swallowing, but some horses could gulp large pieces of fruits or vegetables and have choking hazard risk. For this reason, cut all treats in small pieces before feeding your horse.

5. Pumpkin

While you enjoy a nice pumpkin spiced latte while watching cosy horse shows at home, your horse can enjoy some pumpkin treats. These are safe to eat, and they contain an enormous amount of vitamin A as well as vitamins C and E. Also, it is high in potassium and moderate in calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. 

However, to avoid gastric upsets and digestive problems, feed treats in small quantities and stick to pumpkins sold for carving or pie, avoiding fall squashes and gourds, as some may be toxic to horses.

6. Strawberries

When the weather is warmer, feeding some strawberries to your horse can be a great reward after a hard training day. Strawberries contain antioxidants, vitamins, water and fibre. This is a great way of keeping horses hydrated and healthy. We recommend that strawberries do not grow in the pasture where your horse roams freely, as they contain a lot of sugar and should be consumed in limited quantities.

7. Watermelon

A great summertime treat is watermelon and other melons like cantaloupe. Although at first your horse might be put off by its smell, once they try it they are sure to love it! As a precaution, remove the seeds of the piece you are going to feed them and limit their intake to one or two pieces.

Best to avoid

Amongst the list of food you should not offer your horses we find: tomatoes, potatoes, onions, Brussel sprouts, cabbage and other food that can produce intestinal gas or is part of the nightshade family. 

Some horses enjoy chocolate, and a small piece will not hurt them. However, if your horse competes in events, substances in chocolate can cause a positive test when drug testing.

Horses enjoy their treats fed by hand or in a bucket, but horses that are hand-fed tend to become nippy. Using a bucket is safest, but if you want to feed by hand, put the treat in the middle of your flat hand and push it slightly towards the horse’s mouth. 

Also, avoid the habit of feeding horses treats every day or on a regular basis, like after a lesson. This could cause him to expect a treat at a certain time and if he does not get it, he might start misbehaving. 

To end, Equine Helper has uploaded this very handy video on horse treats and how their horses react to them: