10 Vegetables Horses Love to Eat - Horses Favorite Food

Did you know that a horse needs 25000 calories per day for moderate work? An average horse of 1000 lb. (500kg) requires a lot of food to carry out its essential activities throughout the day.

But, apart from other foods, what are some favorite vegetables of a horse?

Horses love to eat many vegetables, but apples and carrots remain they’re favorite. Other vegetables include raisins, bananas, peaches, and plums. Always cut the vegetables and fruits into small pieces to prevent choking.

In this blog post, I will discuss the top 10 vegetables that horses love to eat. Let’s dive into the article to update your knowledge.

Table Of Contents

Top 10 Vegetables Horses Love to Eat
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Conclusion

Top 10 Vegetables Horses Love to Eat

1. Cucumbers

First on our list is cucumbers. Yes, they are the best horse treats and are insulin resistant. As cucumbers are round and challenging, it’s essential that you cut them into small pieces before giving them to your horse and avoid choking.

Horses really enjoy eating cucumbers as the standalone treat and when added to their regular diet.

Cucumbers have very high water content and high nutritional value too, thus it benefits the horse health in many ways and rewards them for the job done well.

However, in some horses, it is seen to cause gas. Hence, you should limit the intake of cucumbers to your horses by 1 to 2 cucumbers every week.

2. Carrots

Another treat that is quite famous and best for horses is carrots, and we all agree that it is one treat that horses love biting on. To give a simple and tasty treat, carrot is the best choice for your horses.

Besides, carrots provide essential vitamins to your horses’ health. They are rich in vitamin A, low in cholesterol and saturated fat.

If you want to give carrots to them, just cut them in small cubes or longwise that are easy to chew and digest. Many horses like to eat carrots but don’t feed them plenty like other snacks and treats.

3. Asparagus

Asparagus is one vegetable that your horse can eat. Though it is one of the healthiest vegetables, some horses might probably have a little difficulty digesting it.

So, the safest way to feed your horse raw asparagus will be by collecting the younger parts and cut them down in chunks.

This reduces the risk of indigestion and choking. After talking with several horse owners, it is clear that boiled asparagus is safe for the horses, so consider giving them boiled.

4. Broccoli

Broccolis are one of the favorite foods of horses, and they really enjoy eating them. Broccoli gives them high nutrients, which include minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, and fiber.

Such wide-ranging nutritious will increase their immunity as well as enrich their body.

5. Cabbage

There is a myth that cabbage is not an excellent vegetable to feed your horses. But, cabbage is really healthy for them, providing you feed them in the right way.

Almost every vegetable you feed your horses has some nourishing nutrient present in it, and for this reason, giving them a wide range of vegetables will help them maintain proper health.

Cabbage has vitamin-K1, -K2, -C, -B6, Magnesium, and Potassium. Horses love to eat cabbage. However, feeding them vast quantities of cabbage will affect their health.

So, the right way to provide cabbage will be to mix just one small part of cabbage with your horse and see if your horse really likes its taste.

6. Pumpkin

Pumpkins are yet another healthiest vegetable to give your horse. Just make sure you first cut the stalk of pumpkin before serving them. After that, remove all the seeds you find inside the pumpkin before giving them.

You can provide both the flesh and skin to the horse. Ensure you check the pumpkin for any mold before feeding you do. This generally is not an issue providing no one carved in the pumpkin before.

7. Iceberg Lettuce

Lettuce is a safe treat for horses. Many horse owners add iceberg lettuce to their horse’s diet. Iceberg lettuce is also one affordable treat with higher water content, making it the best option for your horse’s diet.

Horses generally enjoy over 2 pounds of iceberg lettuce every day without any digestion problem.

8. Sweet Potatoes

Though we must never feed our horses a regular potato, you can give them a little quantity of sweet potato instead. You can either give them raw or cook it first before giving.

It’s the best option for your barn as it is easy to store in dry places. The sweet flavor is palatable for horses, so consider including them in their regular diet.

9. Turnip Leaves

Next comes turnip leaves. They are again low-calorie and low-sugar foods. Thus you will feel excellent feeding them to your horse. Many horses enjoy eating turnip leaves for their crunchy green taste.

Such threats are straightforward to provide as they’re similar to your horse’s natural diets that include greens, soft stems, and leaves. They’re rich in minerals, vitamins, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

10. Zucchini

Just like cucumbers, zucchinis also make healthy, tasty, and hydrating snacks. The zucchini is relatively safe to give to your horses. Make sure you wash this vegetable washed before feeding it to your horse. You can dice it, slice it, or provide it with the whole.

Some horses enjoy its excellent and fresh taste. Zucchini is one vegetable that many horse owners do not think about, but it can be your horse’s favorite food!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can Horses Eat Tomatoes?

Tomatoes are plants having trouble for both humans and horses. Tomatoes belong to the Solanaceae family and contain several alkaloids, including atropine, solanine, and hyoscyamine. All these toxins are very harmful to horses, and one must avoid tomatoes at any cost.

Generally, you won’t see any horse eating tomatoes because the taste will not ease them, and they will stop eating only after some bites. But if a horse had enough tomatoes, it might contract some infections and have an upset stomach, diarrhea, and colic. That’s why tomatoes should be avoided at any cost.

Can Horses Eat Lettuce?

Horses can have many safe vegetables, and one of them is lettuce. Mature horses can eat lettuce without having any problem. Lettuce serves mainly as a water substitute but does not contain many vitamins and minerals like other veggies or shrubs.

So it is okay for horses to have lettuce, but you should watch for mini-horses before giving them lettuce. Carefully observe the reaction of horses on mini-horses and then decide if everything goes well. But generally, lettuce could be a great meal for your equine friend.

Can Horses Eat Cabbage?

If you are thinking of feeding cabbage to a horse, think Why is cabbage bad for horses?

Horses might like the taste of cabbage but won’t get any benefit from eating it. As cabbage belongs to the nightshade family, it would make the process of digestion difficult. Cabbage causes intestine gas and also causes colic and sometimes diarrhea.

That’s why you should never let your horse eat cabbage and provide emergency medical assistance to the horse if it ever ate the cabbage.

Can Horses Eat Sweet Potatoes?

Should horses eat sweet potatoes? Potatoes and sweet potatoes are different, but sweet potatoes are okay for the horses, whereas potatoes (Solanumtuberosum)are poisonous.

Sweet potatoes are very nutritional food items. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and sugar. That is why they make a great breakfast or lunch for horses.

But there’s one precaution to consider: don’t feed the sweet potatoes excessively to horses, as they might not be perfect because of the starch. So sweet potatoes are suitable for horses but don’t feed them too much of it.

Can Horses Eat Pumpkin Seeds?

Are pumpkins poisonous to horses? Pumpkins are among the fruits that are safe for horses. But people might be concerned about which of the pumpkin parts are safe?

Pumpkin seed and the skin are generally safe for horses and are a good meal for lunch or breakfast. The seeds and the skin can also be bought online and at different stores.

One thing to notice about pumpkin is that you should make smaller pumpkin pieces and feed only one slice in one sitting. You should also not give more than two to three pumpkin slices a day.

Can Horses Eat Broccoli Leaves?

Horses have many vegetables which are safe for them, but broccoli leaves are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

It would help if you were careful while feeding broccoli leaves to your horse; too many leaves might not be suitable and will serve an excellent food when taken in small quantities.

Conclusion

If you doubt feeding something different to your horse and you are not very sure if it is healthy and safe for your horse to eat, then don’t offer them. It is better to give them food that they like and do not experiment with new foods.

But try to add new flavors and tastes to their diet, broaden their menu, and give a wide range of fresh and healthy vegetables and fruits, particularly ones in seasons and available in abundance.

Also Read :

10 Vegetables Horses Love to Eat – Horses Favorite Food