What should horses never eat

Come back here to remember your latest viewed ads. When you browse ads, the searches that got you there will show up here. Your saved searches will show up here. Be a contributor. While a bit of gas is no major problem for us as humans, horses can suffer from severe abdominal pains caused by gas-related colic. In serious cases, overconsumption of these vegatables could be fatal.

Related articles. By Caroline Ramsay By Equidiet UK Ltd By Jared - Jelka Popular articles. By Genevieve de Lande Long - Horsemart Horses for Loan. Horses Wanted. Equestrian Jobs. Stallions at Stud. Riding Holidays. Can we help? Rhubarb is known to make horses very sick, and cause injuries to their urinary tract and digestive systems.

This can result in kidney failure. Yes, we have seen some horses take a bit of a cheeseburger, hotdog or chicken nugget and be just fine.

And on farms, horses can sometimes be seen bending down and eating a baby chick gross and sad, yes, but a reality nonetheless. Still, meat products should not be offered to horses, who are naturally herbivores and not carnivores. While persimmons might not be something you consider feeding to your horses, if you have persimmon trees in your pasture, they will gladly eat up the ripened fruits that fall to the ground every autumn.

Lawn clippings consist of cut grass, so many people think they are safe to feed to horses. Another potential problem is mold, especially if the clippings have been sitting for a day or two. Feeding fruits with the pit in them is a choke hazard. Some pitted fruits such as apricots, cherries, or dates are fine to feed, so long as you remove the pit first. Once ingested, bread and other baked goods can become a doughy wad that can possibly cause a blockage in the gastrointestinal system and lead to colic.

Nightshades contain a compound called atropine, which can affect the autonomic nervous system. Adult horses cannot digest lactose, which is present in all dairy products. While yogurt has its benefits for people, it will likely give your horse diarrhea. Feed your horse the wrong thing, and you could end up causing colic, loss of muscle control, respiratory distress, diarrhea, and several other life-threatening problems.

This fatty fruit is great on toast and even on pizza, but it's not so great at the barn. Avocados contain a type of fatty acid called persin that is toxic to horses and other animals. Even small amounts can cause symptoms including irregular heartbeat, respiratory distress, colic, and edema.

In severe cases, animals can die. All parts of the avocado, including the fruit, leaves, and even the bark of an avocado tree are toxic to horses. Never allow horses to graze in areas where avocados grow, and never feed your horse a bite of your avocado sandwich.

As members of the nightshade family, potatoes are toxic to horses. Raw potatoes are more dangerous than cooked potatoes, but potato poisoning is possible will all types of this starchy vegetable. A small bite or two most likely won't have any effects on an adult horse, but regularly munching on potatoes can cause serious gastrointestinal distress. Thankfully, horses generally avoid potatoes due to an off-putting taste.

But with so many delicious forms of potato, that isn't always the case. French fries, chips, gnocchi, and other potato-based foods are all dangerous to horses. Like potatoes, tomatoes are another member of the dangerous nightshade family.

They're related to horse nettle, which we all know is not good for horses. Symptoms of eating too much tomato include colic and diarrhea. Horses usually avoid eating tomatoes and the plants themselves, but it's still important to be vigilant. Don't let horses near the garden, and keep your tomato sandwich away from their curious muzzles.

Most of the fruits you find in the produce section or roadside stand are perfectly fine for your horse to eat, but you have to remove the pits. Pitted fruits including peaches and plums have hard seeds in the middle that are potential choking hazards.

Some of those seeds also contain dangerous toxins. Your safest option is always to remove the pit before you feed your horse a tasty fruit. Some supplemental horse feeds include dehydrated skim milk, dried whey, or cheese rind, but in general, dairy products are not safe for horses.