As a horse owner or lover, you probably already understand that they can eat a wide range of foods. However, some foods can be quite harmful to horses, so you should carefully check before giving your horse a new treat. Even if you are certain that a new food should be safe for horses, it is a wise practice to serve minimal amounts when you are testing it.
Horses adore rewards and even want a late-night snack. Your horse will be ecstatic if you occasionally give them a wonderful assortment of various treats. Horses enjoy eating fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, carrots, pears, and lettuce, but do they also enjoy cucumbers?
Cucumbers are a fantastic snack for your horse. They are a special vegetable with few calories that many horses adore eating. They are a very flexible reward because there are numerous ways to feed them to horses.
Although horses can safely eat cucumbers, it's still crucial to limit their intake. Digestive issues, such as diarrhoea, might result from eating too much cucumber.
Can Horses Eat Cucumbers?
Of course, cucumbers are edible to horses. Offering your horse cucumbers occasionally, especially as a reward, is undoubtedly a wonderful idea because they receive healthy minerals and vitamins from them, and many horses adore cucumbers. It's a fantastic way to add variety to your horse's diet. However, moderation is key!
With their vitamins, minerals, low sugar content, and low-calorie content, cucumbers are an ideal food for horses that have issues with weight gain and insulin resistance. But just like other vegetables, there are similarities and differences between horses and cucumbers that horse owners must be aware of.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are attractive garden vegetables since they are tall, slim, and bright. They are technically fruits, belonging to the same category as watermelons and pumpkins, but most people regard them as vegetables.
Cucumbers are native to India. However, they are now found on most continents. Cucumber, a yearly plant, has three primary varieties: pickling, seedless, and slicing, each of which has multiple varieties. They come in a variety of colours and are incredibly delightful. Because they contain aldehydes, they have a distinctive faint melon-like flavour and scent. Cucurbitacin, which is present in cucumber skin, is what gives cucumbers their little bitter taste.
96% of a cucumber's weight is water. They are excellent for detoxifying the body and reducing dehydration. Cucumbers are abundant in vitamin K and phytonutrients. Additionally, they are an excellent source of fibre and pantothenic acid. They also contain vitamin B1, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and potassium.
The Benefits of Feeding Cucumber to Horses
Rehydration
The majority of the cucumbers are made up of water. This is beneficial for horses that are not getting sufficient water or may be dehydrated since they contain more than 90% water.
A wonderful strategy to get your horse to drink water on a hot day is to have cucumbers, so give this strategy a try, especially if your horse doesn't appear to care for water.
Low in carbohydrate and sugar
Cucumbers are a fantastic snack if your horse is gaining weight and you're controlling it's weight because they're low in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar.
Also, keep in mind that they are acceptable for horses with insulin resistance as well because of the reduced sugar content. Cucumber is an excellent alternative since other snacks could be more difficult to get.
Dietary fibre
Fibre serves as a water reserve, keeping the stomach full and the horse hydrated. It promotes continued digestive health.
Promotes blood clotting and bone health.
Cucumbers are a good source of vitamin K. The main role of vitamin K in horses is to promote blood clotting/coagulation which helps to control bleeding.
Recently, it has also been shown that vitamin K plays a part in the activation of a variety of different proteins, some of which have been explicitly linked to skin and bone health.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are effective at reducing inflammation in horses because they eliminate free radicals from the body. A great source of antioxidants is cucumbers.
It contains vitamins A and C.
The immune systems receive a big boost from vitamin A, which also supports their reproduction and vision.
Vitamin C primarily helps horses' immune systems by being an immune system booster. Additionally, it maintains a horse’s health throughout stressful situations and aids in wound healing.
Rich in mineral elements
Minerals including magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and manganese, which are all essential for horses' everyday activity and health, are found in cucumbers. Horses who are deficient in these nutrients will benefit particularly from cucumber consumption. If you sometimes add it to your horse's diet, you can be sure your horse is getting a boost in minerals to help keep it in good condition.
The Dangers of Feeding Cucumber to Horses
Despite being usually regarded as quite healthy for horses to eat, cucumbers can sometimes have certain undesirable side effects.
A gas build-up in the stomach
Cucurbitacin, a compound in cucumbers, can make certain horses develop gas accumulation.
Horses cannot belch, which can make them uncomfortable or possibly develop colic. Even worse, since horses lack a back-and-forth food transport system in their oesophagus, which makes it difficult to burp or vomit, a gas burst may happen in your pet.
Cucumber treats should never be given to horses if they experience any sort of pain after consuming them.
Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP)
There are some horses who may experience HYPP, which is a serious ailment that necessitates diligent diet management on the part of the horse owner.
When the horse eats anything rich in potassium, paralysis occurs. So, horse owners with HYPP-afflicted horses should stay away from cucumbers and other high-potassium foods.
How to Serve Cucumber to Horses
First things first: always rinse your cucumbers and make sure they are free of any chemical, pesticide, or other substance. They must also be fresh.
A cucumber that has turned soft or begun to grow mould shouldn't be fed to horses. It may be risky.
Slice the cucumber into small pieces. You want your horse to properly chew it up instead of swallowing it whole, so don't shred it.
Consider blending up a cucumber and giving your horse only the cucumber juice if your horse is not eating well or has dental issues.
Final Words
Cucumbers are undoubtedly edible to horses, and they will profit much from their occasional consumption of them. Nevertheless, you should only give them as a reward in small amounts and give them gradually.