Can Horses Eat Apples?

Can Horses Eat Apples?



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If you care about your horse, you will undoubtedly enjoy giving him treats sometimes. Are you debating what kind of treat you should give your horse? Apples could simply be the solution to your problem! Many horses like the healthy and nourishing pleasure of apples.

Apples are a favourite food of horses and are generally safe for them to consume. As long as they are properly prepared and eaten in moderation, horses can enjoy apples as treats.

When riding or training their horses, many individuals use apples as a reward for excellent conduct. For many years, apples have been considered a delicacy, and you won't find many horses who don't like to chew on some tasty apples.

But how often you feed your horse apples and how you prepare them will determine if it upsets his stomach or not.

Giving apples to horses may offer some nutritional advantages as well, but there may also be drawbacks to giving them apples.

Can Horses Eat Apple?

Yes, horses can eat apples. As long as they are fresh, clean, and provided in a moderate amount, apples are a safe and healthy treat to offer your horse occasionally.

Apples are a common treat for horses. When given the chance, horses often choose one kind of apple over another, even though apples can taste anything from very sweet to very sour.

In addition to potassium and fibre, apples also provide vitamins C and A. They also have antioxidants, which help get rid of damaged molecules in the body that can cause inflammation and other health problems.

The Benefits of Feeding Apples to Horses

Some of the best fruits for horses are apples. They are abundant in several necessary nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.

Vitamin A will help to improve your horse’s vision and also give it better reproductive performance. Vitamin C helps to boost the immune system. Potassium strengthens weak muscles and improves feed and water intake by your horse.

Also, apples are a great source of fibre, which is crucial for your horse's digestion and keeps it running as smoothly as possible.

Furthermore, apples are a good source of antioxidants, which assist your horse's body in fighting inflammation and eliminating damaged molecules.

How Do You Prepare Apples for Horses?

Make Sure it is Peeled

Have in mind that it is possible that a lot of fruits and vegetables were treated with pesticides or other substances that may be toxic. Even while an apple peel is perfectly safe for your horse to eat, it could still have some pesticide residue on it.

Therefore, you can peel the apple before giving it to your horse if you want to be cautious. If not, you can give it a good wash.

Cut them up into smaller pieces.

Unlike human beings that have the ability to immediately vomit up anything that becomes caught in their throat, due to their unidirectional digestive system, horses are unable to do this.

Even though the majority of horses can consume entire apples, they might choke.

So, to keep your horse from choking, you should cut the apples into small pieces before feeding them to him.

Take Out the Seeds

Apple seeds, like the seeds of many other fruits, contain minute amounts of amygdalin. This amygdalin transforms into the potentially fatal chemical cyanide when consumed by a horse. For your horse, it is best to remove apple seeds.

Cook the Apple

Horses love baked apples, especially elderly horses that have trouble chewing fresh apples. Baking apples is simple and delightful.

The best course of action, though, would be for you to first confirm that any agent or ingredient you use is safe for horses. Also, try to limit the sugary additives.

How Many Apples Can You Feed Your Horse in a Day? 

Apples are typically safe for horses, but you should still only give them a small amount. Since apples are usually given to horses as treats, they shouldn't make up a significant portion of your horse's diet.

Therefore, it would be preferable to offer your horse no more than two apples every day. To prevent injuring your horse in any manner, the majority of veterinarians and industry experts advise doing this.

Some Drawbacks to Feeding Apples to Horses

Choke

Due to its size, giving your horse a whole apple could cause a blockage in its digestive tract. This could lead to choking, which could kill the horse.

An entire apple should not be provided to your horse; instead, it should be divided into smaller portions and supplied as needed. This should be done to reduce the danger of choking.

Dental Problems

Your horse's teeth may also be a problem. Apples may contain what is referred to as "healthy" sugar, but sugar is still sugar, and too much of it might harm your horse's teeth. If your horse has any dental difficulties already, you should be extra cautious.

Also, older horses may develop a more complicated dental problem when fed apples as a result of their already weak teeth, with which they might find it hard to chew the apple.

Stomach Ache

Horse owners occasionally feed their horses too many apples at once, which is the main problem with giving apples to horses.

Avoid offering your horse too many apples as this might result in a severe stomach upset known as colic, which could pose a severe threat to a horse’s life. It is preferable for a horse to eat no more than one or two apples each day, but preferably one every other day.

Hyperkalaemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP)

A condition known as Hyperkalaemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) renders horses incapable of handling potassium; as a result, potassium seeps from their muscles, leading to serious problems.

Since apples have a lot of potassium, horses with this condition shouldn't eat them because it could cause more problems.

Concluding Words

The majority of horses adore apples, which are a totally safe and healthy treat to give your horse. Nevertheless, moderation is essential since too much of a good thing may rapidly become unhealthy and lead to colic and other stomach issues. Your horse is absolutely safe to consume one or two apples every few days, ideally chopped into smaller pieces.



Dr Matthew Adeiza, DVM

Ohiani Matthew is a one-health enthusiast, pet lover who enjoys writing. He currently owns a bright Alsatian dog named Rex.

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