50 Things To Know About Feeding Horses
John Campbell 
Whether you have a horse or you are thinking about getting one, there are some things that you should know about what you can feed a horse as well as what you should never feed a horse. There are some foods that animals are not supposed to eat mainly because it can get them sick or can lead to their death. So, if you want your horses to be strong and healthy, then you need to know what foods you can safely feed them.
Toxic and Dangerous Foods To Never Feed A Horse
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Bread
- Yogurt
- Dairy Products
- Persimmons
Here are 50 things to know about feeding a horse
1. Can horses eat cherries?
A horse can eat cherries. Horses need a good source of vitamins A and C. Cherries have these vitamins, which makes them good for a horse to eat. Also, cherries are sweet; it’s good to let your horse get something sweet to eat every now and then. Feel free to feed your horses some cherries if you want to.
2. Do horses eat lettuce?
Horses can eat lettuce; it is completely safe for them to eat without any health issues. Horses need a balanced diet, so giving them lettuce once in a while is actually a good thing. Lettuce also has nutrients and vitamins that horses need.
3. Can horses eat barley straw?
Yes, horses can eat barley straw. If you give barley to your horse, your horse will eat it. However, you don’t want to feed your horse too much barley straw or even make it the main part of their diet. Barley straw doesn’t have the sufficient amount of protein and fiber that horses need to stay healthy and to also live longer.
4. Can horses eat beetroot?
Yes, horses can eat beetroot without any complications. In fact, your horse will love the taste of beetroot. You can give your horse raw or cooked beetroot if you want to.
5. Can horses eat biscuits?
Yes, horses can eat biscuits. However, it’s not something that you want to feed them on the regular because biscuits don’t have any nutritional value. So, if you decide to give your horse a biscuit as a treat every now and then, then that should be fine.
6. Can horses eat butternut squash?
Yes, horses can eat butternut squash. However, you need to ensure that you don’t give your horse an excess amount of butter not squash because that won’t be good for them as it pertains to their health.
7. Can horses eat cabbage leaves?
Yes, horses can eat cabbage leaves. However, the main problem with making your horse eat a lot of cabbage is that it can result in them having internal gas. This gas can cause a lot of pain and discomfort for a horse. So, you don’t want to give your horse a lot of cabbage leaves because it can also be fatal to them.
8. Can horses eat candy canes?
Horses can eat candy canes without any issues to their health. It’s all about eating in moderation. So, if you let your horse eat candy cane, it’s not going to affect them at all. Just make sure that you don’t overdo it.
9. Can horses eat canned pumpkin?
Yes, horses are able to eat canned pumpkins because it has essential nutrients and vitamins that horses need to stay healthy. It’s fine to let your horse eat canned pumpkin’s once in a while.
10. Can horses eat carrot tops?
Carrot tops are perfectly fine for horses to eat. Carrot leaves or tops don’t have any toxins or poisonous attributes that would hurt or harm a horse. So, it’s OK for them to eat it in moderation.
11. Can horses eat chicken feed?
No, it is not good for horses to eat chicken feed because it can be toxic to them. And there are additives in chicken feed that are dangerous to horses. In fact, if your horse eats a lot of chicken feed, it can lead to heart damage. So, it’s best to not feed your horse chicken feed at all.
12. Can horses eat cooked potatoes?
It is OK for horses to eat cooked potatoes. You should let your horse eat cooked or raw potatoes in moderation because there’s always the risk for it to be toxic to the horse. So, as long as you don’t feed them too much of it, then it should be OK.
13. Can horses eat crackers?
Generally, it is safe for a horse to eat crackers. Crackers can be sweet, so you have to limit the amount that you give to your horses to eat.
14. Can horses eat dog treats?
In a sense, dog treats can be similar to the foods that a horses eat. So, generally speaking, it’s OK to let your horses eat dog treats. You would just have to ensure that you feed your horse small portions and in moderation.
15. Can horses eat fertilized grass?
It is actually best if you don’t let your horse eat fertilized grass. The reason for this is that fertilized grass has chemicals, toxins, and poisons that can be deadly to a horse. So, if you let your horse eat grass that mis fertilized, it can be fatal to them.
16. Can horses eat freshly cut hay?
Horses are able to eat freshly cut hay; if you want, you can wait a few days to gradually start feeding your horse fresh hay to avoid any potential issues. Generally, it should be absolutely OK.
17. Can horses eat goat feed?
No, you should not let your horse eat goat feed because it contains an ingredient that can be very lethal horses.
18. Can horses eat green bean plants?
Horses are more than capable of eating green bean plants. You simply need to make sure that you cut up the plants into chunks that they can’t eat without the risk of them choking on it.
19. Can horses eat haylage?
It is definitely not safe to feed your horse Haylage. The reason why you should not let your horse eat Haylage is due to the risk of botulism. So, it’s best that you avoid doing this at all costs.
20. Can horses eat horse chestnuts?
No, it is not safe for a horse to eat chestnuts because they are poisonous to the horse as well as many other animals. So, refrain from letting your horse eight Chestnut.
21. Can horses eat jelly beans?
It’s not a problem at all if you let your horses eat jellybeans. It’s not going to affect them health wise. So, you can definitely give them a few to eat if you want to.
22. Can horses eat milk thistle?
Yes, horses can eat milk thistle. In fact, milk thistle can help improve the liver of your horses. So, you can definitely add some to the daily food that you gave your horse.
23. Can horses eat millet?
If your horses eat millet, it’s not going to be a problem because it’s generally safe for them. Also, they don’t cause acid poisoning, which is a good thing.
24. Can horses eat moldy hay?
It would be in the best interest of your horses if you don’t feed them moldy hay. You don’t want to feed a horse moldy because it can result in respiratory diseases and other health issues. There are also toxins that can be in the hay that can make a horse sick.
25. Can horses eat nettles?
Yes, it is OK for horses to eat in nettles because they are rich in iron as well as a vitamin C. So, if you decide to give it to your horse, they will definitely eat it without a question.
26. Can horses eat nuts?
Studies have shown that you can safely feed your horses nuts. There are different kinds of nuts, either way, it’s OK for your horse to eat them. There aren’t any toxins or anything dangerous in nuts that would hurt a horse.
27. Can horses eat onions?
You should never feed your horses onions. If you let your horse eat onions, they can get sick because onions have toxins in them that can be deadly to a horse. So, you should not let your horse eat onions.
28. Can horses eat popsicles?
It’s OK if horses eat Popsicles in moderation. Popsicles aren’t something that should be a part of your horses daily we diet because it does not have nutritional value that they need. However, if you give your horse a popsicle every now and then, then there’s nothing wrong with that.
29. Can horses eat potato chips?
There are some foods that a horse should not eat. In this case, horses should not eat potato chips because it can result in the horse being sick due to the toxicity of chips.
30. Can horses eat potato skins?
No, a horse should not eat potato skins. In fact, you should avoid feeding your horses any kind of potatoes because they are toxic and dangerous to horses.
31. Can horses eat pumpkin seeds?
Pumpkins are actually safe for horses to eat. A horse can eat the seeds of a pumpkin without any issues at all. So, feel free to feed your horse pumpkin seeds if you want to.
32. Can horses eat quaker oats?
Horses can eat quaker oats that is for humans. The greens and oats are very safe for a horse to eat. It is very common for people to let their horse eat oats.
33. Can horses eat raw sugar beet?
Horses can definitely eat raw sugar beets. In fact, a lot of horse owners, have been feeding their horses sugar beet for a very long time. Sugar beat is a root vegetable that is perfectly safe for a horse to eat. They can eat the sugar beat raw or cooked. Either way, it’s completely fine for them.
34. Can horses eat red peppers?
No, horses can’t eat red peppers or peppers in general because they are toxic to horses. In fact, it’s not just the pepper itself that is toxic to a horse. The stems and also the leaves of a pepper are toxic to horses as well. So, make sure that you don’t let your horse eat peppers.
35. Can horses eat romaine lettuce?
Romaine lettuce is safe for horses to eat. Thanks, horses love to eat lettuce in general. So, horses can definitely eat Romaine lettuce.
36. Can horses eat rotten apples?
Horses can eat apples including a rotten apples. So, if you have a bunch of rotten apples, you can definitely let your horse eat them. It’s not going to get them sick. However, keep in mind that too much of anything is never good for animals or even humans.
37. Can horses eat strawberry tops?
It is safe for horses to eat strawberry tops. Also, strawberry tops can help a horse better digest it’s food. They are also known to help with pain as well. So, it’s safe for a horse to consume strawberry tops and leaves.
38. Can horses eat wheatgrass?
Horses are able to eat wheatgrass. However, you have to keep in mind that wheatgrass has a lot of non-structural carbohydrates. So, you don’t want to feed your horse a lot of weed grass because that will result in them eating a lot of sugar and starch.
39. Can horses eat whole corn?
Even though horses can eat all the corn, you’re better off not feeding a lot of it to them. Cracked or whole corn is not always good for a horse to eat. It can result in them having issues as it pertains to digesting the corn.
40. Can horses eat whole oats?
Horses can eat whole oats without having any digestive issues or health problems. In general, it is safe for horses to eat oats.
41. Can horses eat wild garlic?
It’s OK if you feed a horse garlic but you don’t want to let them eat too much garlic because that won’t be good for your horse at all.
42. Do horses eat scorpions?
Horses can eat scorpions. It’s not likely that a horse is going to go looking for a scorpion to eat. However, if your horse happen to come across some scorpions, then it’s possible that they could end up eating the scorpions.
43. What do horses eat for treats?
There are many different treats for horses to eat. You can safely let your horse eat melons, pumpkins, bananas, strawberries, and more.
44. What do horses like to eat and drink?
Horses love to drink water. They will also eat most fruits and plants.
45. Why do horses eat bark off trees?
Sometimes horses can get bored or develop bad habits. One of these habits is for them to eat tree bark. There’s nothing wrong with this because the bark of a tree is usually non-toxic so it’s not going to hurt them.
46. Why do horses eat grass?
Horses naturally love to eat grass, so that is the main thing that they will actually eat on a daily basis. Grass is also great for a horse’s digestive system. Grass has lots of vitamins and nutrients that horses need. So, that’s why horses love to eat grass.
47. Why do horses eat manure?
There’s not exactly a specific reason why a horse ears manure. However, it can be because they are bored or because they don’t have an actual diet or routine for eating other foods. So, this can cause them to eat manure from time to time.
48. Can horses eat alfalfa?
Yes, horses can certainly eat alfalfa. It is common for horses to eat up to 10% off their body weight as it pertains to hay. So, as long as they’re not eating an excess amount of alfalfa hay, then they should be OK.
49. Can horses eat almonds?
Almonds are a good treat for horses to eat. Almonds are tasty and have numerous nutritional benefits for horses. So, yes, horses can eat almonds.
50. Can horses eat avocado?
It is very risky to let your horse eat avocados. It is not the avocado itself that is dangerous to a horse. However, it is the skin, leaves, and pits of the avocado that is very toxic to a horse. So, you’re better off not taking the risk of letting your horse eat avocado.
Conclusions
It is important to know what horses can eat and also what they should not eat. You want your horse to be in the best health possible. The only way to do this is to feed your horse the right foods. Make sure that your horses eat grass, fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients.
