What treats can horses eat safely? Plus, what should you avoid?

Everyone knows that most horses are partial to an apple or carrot, but did you know there are a whole host of other tasty foods that horses can eat safely, too? We’re talking about when fed in moderation, of course.

We spoke to some expert nutritionists to find out what horses can eat, what makes the best treats for horses and what should really be avoided.

When is it safe to feed a horse?

You should only be feeding a horse if they belong to you or you have specific instructions from their owner.

Members of the public feeding horses that don’t belong to them, without the permission of the animal’s owner, is a significant welfare risk.

It may be tempting to feed or care for a horse that you believe is not being tended to properly, but this is something that welfare organisations strongly advise against. Instead, here is how to report an equine welfare concern.

What horses can eat

• Carrot
• Apple
• Banana
• Strawberry
• Watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe melons
• Celery
• Turnip
• Parsnip
• Beetroot
• Some herbs, including fenugreek, chamomile and mint
• Some hedgerow plants, such as hawthorn, hazel, cleaver or rosehip

Studies have shown that horses prefer fenugreek and banana flavours over what you might consider more traditional flavours, such as carrot or peppermint.

Independent equine nutritionist Fiona Watkins highly recommends celery as a healthy treat for your horse.

“Celery is really low in sugar and a great alternative to carrots, which are 20% sugar,” she explains. “It is good because the texture in celery is high in cellulose, which makes it very good for chewing. The more your horse chews, the more saliva it generates. Saliva is alkaline and can help guard against gastric ulcers”.

Fiona adds that the main concern when offering solid fruits and vegetables is choke.

“Typically, for harder fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, apples or turnips, it is best to slice them into batons or sticks. Equines have a narrow oesophagus – approximately 1 inch in diameter – and because many horses and ponies tend to bolt or hurry when eating, the shape of the food item definitely makes a difference.”

“If your equine is elderly or has limited dentition, then I’d recommend grating instead as these equines are restricted by how effectively their teeth grind down hard feedstuffs. Grated treats can also be added into a bucket feed in order to encourage ‘fussy eaters’ to eat what's in their bowl,” she suggests.

How many treats is safe to feed?

Whatever treats you choose should always be fed with sugar content in mind.

Fiona explains that “too much” is defined as exceeding 5–10% of your horse’s their total daily dry matter intake.

“In other words, giving more than approximately 200g, usually about two handfuls, of high sugar or starch snacks per day would be considered more than ‘in moderation’.

“Remember that equines are trickle feeders that have evolved to metabolise fibre over 16–18 hours per day. Overloading their sensitive gastro-intestinal tract with fruit, vegetables or commercial treats can trigger severe metabolic issues and lead to clinical nutritional diseases,” she warns.

Food horses cannot eat

Horses have really sensitive digestive systems – sudden changes to safe foods can upset the balance, and there are some foods they cannot tolerate at all, including:

• processed foods, including bread, sweets and chocolate
• dairy products
• meat and animal by-products
• grass cuttings
• mouldy forage
• expired, mouldy or dusty feed
• plants from the nightshade family, including tomatoes and potatoes
• plants from the allium family, including onions and leeks
• cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
• avocado
• rhubarb
• anything containing caffeine
• poisonous plants, including yew, bracken, ragwort and wild parsnip

Horses also can’t tolerate excessive amounts of normal foodstuffs, H&H veterinary advisor Karen Coumbe reminds us.

“Bear in mind, ponies are often ‘stomachs on legs’ and will eat anything when given any opportunity to do so – hence the need for secure food stores.”

What to do if your horse eats something unsafe

If you’re made aware that your horse has ingested an unsafe food, Karen advises that you contact your vet and monitor your horse closely, particularly watching for signs of colic.

“There is little to do in the form of immediate first aid as horses cannot vomit,” she explains. “Once the substance is consumed, you’re undertaking damage limitation.

“Prevention is far more important, so ensure your horse does not have access to toxic substances.”

Best treats for hot weather

In hot weather, it can be nice to provide horses with homemade ice lollies to help keep horses cool and provide enrichment.

You can make them with a variety of ingredients to make them smell interesting and appealing. Try grating safe treats from the list above and adding suitable herbs to water or sugar-free cordial before freezing in a cake or jelly mould (like this one).

Safe herbs can also be added to water buffets for horses to prevent dehydration.

What competitive horses should not eat

If you compete in affiliated competitions or under FEI rules, then you need to take extra care to ensure your treats will not cause your horse to return a positive test for a prohibited substance.

Ingesting some foods, such as chocolate, could lead to a positive test for a prohibited substance. This was the case for Rylee Morgan and I’m A Lopin Sensation who lost $11,000 (£9,140 at the time) in winnings from the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) World Show in July 2022 after eating peanut M&Ms and testing positive for caffeine.

If you compete under rules, you can choose treats manufactured by companies that participate in the BETA NOPS scheme, which aims to reduce the risk of naturally occurring prohibited substances in equine feed.

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