Are horses allowed to eat strawberries?

Strawberry season is one of the most beautiful of the year!

Strawberries are delicious, sweet and can be used in many ways. Not only on a cake, also to an ice cream or in the form of jam they make a good figure.

But are strawberries also suitable for horses?

In this article we tell you whether horses can eat strawberries, in what quantities this is advisable and what you should pay attention to when feeding.

Are horses allowed to eat strawberries?

Yes, horses are allowed to eat strawberries, because they are very healthy not only for us humans, but also for our four-legged friends.

Because of their sweet, fruity taste and high water content, strawberries make an ideal snack during the hot season.

Don’t be put off by the high sugar content of the fruit, as strawberries are not harmful in small amounts.

Why are strawberries good for horses?

Strawberries have large amounts of vitamins and fiber, as well as antioxidants.

These ingredients will get your horse’s cardiovascular system going, boost digestion, and strengthen the immune system overall.

Another great benefit of strawberries is that feeding them regularly can even reduce the risk of cancer.

Despite the high sugar content, strawberries are relatively low in calories, which is why even overweight horses may occasionally enjoy a sweet strawberry as a snack.

Only diabetic patients as well as EMS horses and laminitis candidates should not be fed strawberries.

You can choose to feed dried or fresh strawberries. However, keep in mind that the dried variety is usually higher in sugar and your horse will not benefit from the high water content of the strawberry.

In the next section we would like to introduce you to some alternative treats that you can feed your horse.

Keep in mind, however, that these are always snacks that do not replace your horse’s feed and are also completely unsuitable as a complete feed!

What are the alternatives to feeding strawberries?

1. peaches

There is nothing against sharing your peach with your horse in the future.

There are many diverse nutrients in peaches that are beneficial to your horse’s health. However, before feeding, be sure to remove the pit and quarter the peach to make it easier for your horse to eat.

Peaches, however, are only healthy in very small amounts and should therefore be fed very irregularly.

Otherwise, the strong fermentation of the fruit in the horse’s stomach can cause severe digestive problems, which in the worst case can end in colic!

By the way, the same applies to cherries, plums and other stone fruit.

2. watermelon

Watermelon is rich in vitamins as well as other nutrients. Due to its high water content, it is also the ideal refreshment on warm or even hot summer days.

Your horse can benefit not only from the fruit itself, but also from the rind, because it also contains some nutrients.

However, you should not feed too much of the peel, because it is much more difficult to digest than the pulp itself.

You don’t have to worry about the seeds either, because they can always be fed without hesitation. They are much too small to get stuck anywhere in the horse and are usually not bitten.

If your horse should bite the one or other kernel, there will be no problems because of the small size.

3. lettuce

The feeding of salads, such as lettuce or iceberg lettuce, has many advantages, especially in winter, because they are similar to the ingredients of summer grasses and are therefore very healthy.

Of course, you can also feed your horse lettuce in summer or in other seasons, because lettuce is not unhealthy.

However, as with all vegetables and fruits, you should always make sure that they are organic and not sprayed. In addition, it is advisable to wash the head of lettuce thoroughly before feeding.

4. garlic

Yes, you may feed your horse garlic in small amounts.

Garlic not only tastes great to most horses, but also has a remarkable effect on the health of the four-legged friend. For example, the administration of garlic can lead to the fact that your horse is not so plagued by flies in the summer.

Garlic is also said to have antibacterial, antifungal, lipid-lowering and antiviral effects, which have been proven in many studies.

Feed small amounts of garlic continuously over a month or two and be amazed at what happens.
What’s the best way to feed strawberries?

Add some strawberries to your horse’s feed or feed them as a snack during training or in between.

Make sure that the strawberries are organic so that you do not feed your horse any toxins!

Strawberries from Spain should be avoided at all costs!

If you follow this rule, your horse will benefit greatly from feeding the snacks and will be happy about the treat!

FAQ – frequently asked questions

1) Are there any health disadvantages for my horse if I feed strawberries?

If you feed strawberries as a snack from time to time and pay attention to the origin and quality of the fruit, there will be no health disadvantages, but only advantages for your horse.

However, you should not feed strawberries in large quantities, but only as an occasional snack, because in too high a dose strawberries have a laxative effect and can therefore upset your horse’s digestion.

2. May I also feed the stalk of the strawberries?

It is better for your horse if you remove all the greens from the strawberry before feeding and also wash the strawberries thoroughly.

While your horse will not suffer any health damage if you feed the greens, it will make the strawberries more difficult to digest and will not provide any benefits.