Toxic Food and Plants to Horses

 

As pretty as the little flowers above look, they are actually extremely poisonous for horses. The plant above is called Milkweed and it is on the list for toxic plants for horses. You see, there are heaps of plants and foods that are highly toxic for horses to consume. Keep in mind, food only goes one way when it comes to a horse's digestive track, and so owners have to be extremely careful what their horse eats, because whatever goes in, can't come back out the same way. And that is why horses can not vomit, burp or regurgitate. 

Toxic plants for horses:

#1. Deadly Nightshade.

#2. Buttercups.

#3. Bracken Fern.

#4. Horse Tails.

#5. Lamb's Quarters.

#6. Lily of the Valley.

#7. Milkweed.

#8. Pigweed.

#9. Red Maple.

#10. Red Oak. 

#11. St. John's Wort. 

Things horses shouldn't eat:

#1. Fruit in large quantities. It can cause colic. 

#2. Lawn and garden clippings. 

#3. Meat. 

#4. Grassy vegetables. (Cabbage, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts or other veggies in the cabbage family.)

#5. Moldy or dusty hay.

#6. Bran mashes. They affect the gut flora. 

#7. Alsike clover. Causes sunburn, colic, sores in mouth, diarrhea, and big liver syndrome.

#8. Cattle feed.

#9. Silage and haylage. It can grow botulism on it, and that can kill horses. 

Food that is toxic to horses: 

 Meat of any kind

 Chocolate

 Soda, coffee, or any other drinks containing caffeine

 Tomatoes. Are part of the nightshade family. 

 Potatoes. They are a member of the nightshade family. 

 Whole stone fruits such as peaches, plums apricots and nectarines 

 Onions and garlic, leeks and shallots 

 Dairy products 

 Dog or cat feed

 Cattle feed

 Avocados. Will make any horse sick. 

 Bread products. Large quantities can cause a horse to choke. 

 

Now that I've discussed plants and food that is toxic to horses, I now want to list some safe treats that horses love: 

-Raisins

-Pitted dates

-Sugar cubes

-Hay cubes

-Apple pieces

-Carrot pieces

-Sunflower seeds (with or without shells)

-Peppermints

-Purchased pre-made horse treats

When feeding treats to your horse, always remember; don't give your horse a treat when he wants one, give him a treat when you want to. If you give him a treat when he wants one and when he "asks" for one, he will become "pushy," and greedy, and that's bad. This can become dangerous. If your horse is pushy and "asks" for a treat, don't give it to him. Only give a treat when you want to, not when the horse wants it, or else your horse will also develop bad manners, and won't respect you. 

If your horse is suspected with a health issue, consult your vet straight away.  

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