How to Choose Healthy Horse Treats

Horses love the taste of something sweet. Commercially made treats for horses usually have a lot of sweetening agents to take advantage of a horse’s sweet tooth. There are also many good recipes available to make homemade horse treats with ingredients such as molasses, honey, and oats. If you don’t feel like baking, sugar cubes and peppermints are favorite treats and can be given in moderation, one or two per day.

Fruits like apples and bananas and vegetables that are high in sugar like carrots are often given as positive reinforcement. Pumpkin, celery, and melons may also be preferred by some horses and are safe to give.

Raisins and grapes are safe for horses but are toxic for dogs, so it’s best to keep them out of stables if there are also canine friends. Similarly, a small piece of chocolate may not hurt a horse, but is certainly toxic for dogs, and feeding chocolate could result in a caffeine or theobromine positive if the horse is being tested for drugs at a race or show.

WHICH TREATS TO SHARE

Sliced apples

Pieces of carrot

Banana

Sugar cubes

Commercial treats or baked goods specifically designed for horses

Peppermints

Celery

Melons

WHICH FOODS TO AVOID

Grass Clippings

Dried Leaves

Ornamental flowers

Kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts

Livestock feed

Any fruit or vegetable that's rotten or wilted

Your horse may have different preferences; there’s nothing wrong with a horse that doesn’t like apples. Horses are herbivores, meaning they don’t eat meat, so usually any food item is made from grains, vegetables, or fruit. Try a few different types of treats to see which one your horse likes best.

What Are Safe Treats?

Most horses chew their food, but a very excited horse may swallow a treat whole when offered. Therefore, it is important to cut or break pieces of carrot or apple into bite-size pieces to prevent esophageal obstruction, or choke. 

Horses are big animals, so the calories of a sugar cube or cookie won’t make as much of an impact as on dogs and cats. However, horses are also quite good at breaking down even complex sugars; they’ve evolved to get nutrition from grass and hay! Therefore, keep treats small and monitor your horse for an appropriate weight and body condition.