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Can Horses Eat Apples?
Yes, Horses can eat apples, including the cores and seeds. However, there are some conditions that should be followed when feeding your horse these delightful treats. Just make sure you cut them up into small pieces before giving them to your horse.
If you’re wondering if your horse can eat apples and if it’s safe for horses to consume them regularly, then this article was written for you. We will answer all your questions, including can horses eat apples.
Many people use apples as a treat for good behavior when training their horses. Apples have been a delicacy for many years, and you won’t find many horses that don’t enjoy munching on some delicious apples.
But how often you should feed your horse and whether or not it will impact your horse’s digestive system is another story.
Keep reading to find out!
What Type Of Apples Can Horses Eat?
Horses can eat many different types of apples. The two most frequently fed horses are the Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples.
These can be found year-round in most grocery stores or local markets.
Here is a list of some more types of apples that you can feed your horse:
- Cortland
- Fuji
- Gala
- Golden Delicious
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- McIntosh
- Pink Lady
- Red Delicious
- Suncrisp
Can Horses Eat Apple Whole?
You should never attempt to feed your horse an entire whole apple. Instead, you should cut the apple into smaller pieces that make it easier for your horse to swallow.
When a horse tries to eat a whole apple, they run the risk of choking. It is your responsibility to make sure that the foods you give your horse are easily digested and swallowed.
Trying to get horses to eat apples has never been an issue, so just make sure you are giving them the recommended amount each day.
How Many Apples Can Horses Have A Day?
It is never a good idea to feed your horse a large amount of fruit in one day, including apples. It’s better to give an apple as a treat in small amounts. Feeding your horse large quantities can give them an upset tummy and probably include a visit to the vet.
However, you can safely feed your horse one apple a day. It’s recommended to cut the apple up into small pieces and then give some early in the day and save the rest for later on. This helps eliminate any digestive issues they might have from consuming it all at once.
Some people who have a larger horse might want to feed their horse one to two apples a day, and this is okay as long as they are not all given at the same time. You could even make some baked apple treats and provide a few throughout the day if you wanted to.
Just make sure that you are always careful with the quantity and do not overfeed your horse with apples or any other fruits that are high in sugar.
Can Horses Eat Apple Seeds?
Typically it is safe for your horse to consume the apple seeds, although it should be done in moderation. The old saying ‘too much of a good thing can become a bad thing’ is also true when it comes to your horse eating the apple seeds.
Most experts agree that even though the seeds contain amygdalin, which becomes hydrogen cyanide when chewed or crushed, the small amount found in apple seeds should not be a concern. It would take a considerable amount to make them lethal.
With that being said, it is crucial to feed your horse in limited quantities and be mindful of any unusual behaviors after consuming an apple with seeds.
Can Horses Eat Apple Cores?
Yes, horses can eat the core of an apple as part of their regular horse diet. Consuming the core does not pose any threats to their health.
However, we do recommend cutting it up so that it doesn’t get lodged in their throat when trying to swallow it.
Can Horses Eat Applesauce?
Yes! Applesauce is an excellent treat that many horses thoroughly enjoy eating. This is also a great way to feed older horses or a horse that is prone to choking. If you are not making the applesauce yourself, make sure you only purchase sugar-free options.
If you choose to buy your applesauce, consider getting single-serving packages since having an open jar in your barn could cause some issues with its freshness and other pests.
Can Apples Kill Horses?
If your horse were to consume an entire bucket of apples, it could kill them. In fact, just eating several apples at one time could potentially cause serious harm, including death.
It’s imperative to make sure that your horse does not have access to an apple tree or any apples gathered or laying around. It is only safe for a horse to consume one to two apples per day, and regularly it should just be one.
If your horse is quite large, you could probably get away with feeding it two apples a day, but you should never do this at the same time. For example, one for breakfast and then the other later on as a treat is recommended.
If your horse has a tummy filled with apples, it can cause colic, which leads to founder. Make sure you are only giving your horse one apple a day to avoid any of these issues.
It’s also essential to make sure that you are not feeding your horse a whole apple; it needs to be cut up into several pieces and fed accordingly. This is done to avoid any choking risks.
How To Prepare Apples For Horses
You can safely feed your horse raw apples straight from the store or picked off the tree. However, you should always wash the apples prior to feeding them to your horse.
Some horse owners like to get creative and make different kinds of treats for their horses using apples and some other healthy fruits and foods.
You can bake your apples and make them softer for older horses or ones with any dental issues to chew more easily.
You can also make some baked apple oatmeal; just make sure that all of the ingredients are low in sugar since apples already contain a decent amount in them.
Use your imagination and you can create all kinds of wonderful treats for rewarding your horse for good behavior.
Conclusion
Horses can eat apples, but they should be fed in moderation. They shouldn’t have access to apple trees or any apples that are laying around as horses will consume more than is healthy for them if left unattended.
Horse owners need to make sure their horses don’t chew on the seeds of an apple as it could lead to unfortunate consequences such as colic and founder.
However, horses love eating applesauce which makes a great treat! If you want your horse’s food dish to stay fresh and pest-free, consider buying single-serving packages instead of leaving out open jars at all times.