Can horses eat bananas? The answer is yes, and they are actually an excellent source of potassium.
However, although bananas are perfectly safe for most horses, that may not be the case for all of them. If you want to feed your horse a banana, introduce the food slowly into their diet and closely monitor how they react. If you have any medical concerns after your horse has eaten bananas, contact your vet.
How many bananas can a horse eat?
Although bananas are packed full of potassium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and magnesium, feeding too many of them can become dangerous.
A good option for feeding your horse bananas is using them as a reward or a treat to help curb the number you feed. As a rule, you should only give a maximum of a few bananas a week.
Can horses eat bananas peels?
Horses can eat banana peels, but not all of them will be interested in eating them, owing to their bitter taste.
The peels are just as healthy for your horse as the banana itself, also containing potassium and vitamin B.
(Image credit: JOANNA PRESTWICH)
Are bananas good for horses?
Feeding bananas to horses can offer benefits due to them containing:
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Potassium – As well as helping muscles and nerves to work, potassium will also help to keep your horse’s heart healthy
Vitamin B6 – This helps your horse’s body turn carbohydrates and fats into energy
Vitamin C – Not just an immune booster, vitamin C will also help your horse to stay healthy by assisting with repairing any cell and tissue damage
When fed in moderation, bananas can aid digestion and may help with some minor gastrointestinal problems, plus they can be a good source of energy.
Can eating too many bananas make your horse unwell?
It is recommended that you give your horse a maximum of three to four bananas per week as more than this might make your horse unwell.
If your horse finds and eats multiple bananas in one sitting, they will most likely experience digestive issues and possibly sugar spikes.
A sugar spike can cause your horse’s insulin to become dangerously high, especially in horses with pre-existing insulin issues. It can also cause hyperactivity because of the excess sugar, making your horse more excited and active than normal, which could lead to them causing harm to themselves or the people around them.
How should you feed bananas to horses?
While some people feed whole bananas to their horses without any adverse effects, it is recommended to either chop the banana into smaller chunks or mash it up before feeding it to your horse. The smaller pieces will reduce the chance of choke.
Is it OK to feed a banana to a horse I don’t own?
Please do not feed anything to a horse that is not in your care without the owner’s permission. Your intended kindness in giving the horse a treat could make the animal very sick, or even result in their death if they have any underlying conditions. In addition, if there is a group of horses in a field and you start feeding them, this could result in a horse being injured as the herd squabble or fight over the food. Both sickness or injury from unauthorised feeding could result in an expensive and unavoidable vet bill.
Is your horse partial to an unusual form of treat? Let us know your stories by emailing hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your letter published and you might win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
