There are some owners out there who have the will power to refuse their horses treats, and then there are the rest of us. We enjoy giving our equine friends treats just as much as they enjoy eating them. When it comes to giving horses treats, it's important to strike a balance. Too many treats at the wrong times can cause health and behavioral problems. In this guide, we're going to take a look at treats, we'll explore the best horse treats to feed your horse and the right time to give them.
Should I Feed My Horse Treats?
The reason that some owners avoid giving their horses snacks is because horses quickly learn to expect them. This can then lead to problems when you don't have a horse treat on hand.
Another reason that an owner may choose not to give their horse treats is for health reasons. This is why you mustn't feed someone else's horse a treat without permission. If a horse is on a strict, specialist diet for medical reasons, then giving them snacks can be bad for their health.
Don't feed your horse extra snacks if it's overweight (average horse weights), prone to laminitis, or has any gastric or digestive conditions. Always seek advice from your vet first.
If you have a healthy, well-mannered horse, then giving it treats at the right time and in the right moderation shouldn't be a problem. Some snacks can even be a good way to supplement your horses' diet with extra vitamins and minerals. They also make a fantastic training aid and a tasty reward for good behavior.
What Type of Treats and Ingredients are Good for Horses to Snack on?
For your horse to get the maximum nutritional benefit from its treats, you should pay close attention to the ingredients and feed only healthy snacks.
Look for treats that are made from natural ingredients with flavors that your horse will like. Molasses is a popular natural sweetener in treats and horses love the rich taste. Beet pulp is another popular, healthy ingredient to look out for in healthy horse treats. Treats that contain added vitamins and minerals are a great way to add extra nutrients to your horses diet.
Pre-made, packaged treats are nutritionally balanced however there are lots of fresh snacks, aside from apples and carrots you can give to horses. Always make sure that you do your research before giving your horse fresh treats, some fruit and veg can be poisonous for horses.
Examples of safe fruit and veg snacks to feed your horse include orange, strawberries, blueberries/blackberries/raspberries, raisins, melon, parsnip, turnip, bananas and grapes. Fresh snacks won't keep well on a day out at a show or on the trail so this is why pre-made snacks can come in handy.
What About Sugar Cubes?
Horses love the sweet taste and crunch of sugar cubes so they'll be happy to know that sugar cubes are safe to snack on. But because they are pure sugar, they should certainly be fed in small amounts.
Don't give your horse more than 2-3 sugar cubes a day.
What Types of Treats and Ingredients Should be Avoided?
Because horses can't vomit, it's important that you don't feed them anything that could upset their stomach and cause colic. If you're not sure if something is safe for a horse to eat then don't give it to them.
Avoid giving them heavily processed foods that contain artificial colors, additives and flavorings. Never feed a horse, chocolate, meat, dairy, lawn clippings, caffeine or moldy treats. These can all make a horse seriously ill.
When it comes to giving your horse fresh fruit and vegetable as a treat there are several things that you should avoid. These include onions, potatoes, tomato, and cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts.
Make sure that all fresh snacks like apples are cored, and stoned fruits pitted, before feeding them to your horse. Fruit stones and seeds can cause choking.
How Many Treats and How Often?
The first and most important thing about giving a horse treats is to do it in small amounts. They should only make up a tiny part of your horses' diet. This includes fresh fruit and veg too, they're healthy but some contain sugar, like apples for example.
Giving your horse many treats at a time will potentially cause colic and health problems. It's better to only give it one or two at a time. When you're using them as a training aid, reward horse treats one at a time.
Packaged equine snacks will usually come with suggested feeding guidelines. Always follow the feeding instructions and don't give your horse more than is recommended.
How to Give Treats to a Horse
You can either feed horses a treat with your hands or by leaving it in their stable or regular food. Giving treats by hand makes a connection between owner and horse and is the best way to feed a treat during training.
Giving Treats By Hand
When you're feeding treats by hand, it's important not to make it habitual. Don't feed your horse a treat every time he comes to the field gate for example. If you do this then your horse will expect a treat every time it comes to the field gate. This will lead to behavioral problems if there isn't a treat waiting for it at the field gate.
To avoid behavioral problems, always be very spontaneous when you're giving snacks by hand. Try to feed them at different times and locations each day.
Other Ways to Feed Horses Treats
It's because of these potential behavioral problems that some owners prefer to give their horses treats in a way which doesn't include feeding them from the hand. This way the horse doesn't associate the human hand, or pocket with treats and won't be as demanding about them.
An alternative way to feed your horse a snack is by doing it from a bucket or mixed in with their regular food. You can also feed treats directly from the floor or use them as a boredom breaker in the stall or pasture. There are many treat-dispensing equine toys on the market which can be used with horse treats.
How to Feed Treats Safely
When you're feeding treats to your horse, always make sure that they are a good size for your horse to eat and don't pose a choking hazard.
When you're feeding fruit and vegetable treats such as apples and carrots to your horse, always prepare them beforehand. Chop them into small pieces, ideally sticks instead of large chunks or cubes. Packaged snacks are designed specially so they won't get stuck in a horse's throat.
It's important to consider your own safety too. Horses can become easily excited by treats and may easily mistake them for your fingers. Always place the treat in the center of your palm with your fingers outstretched, bending them away from the horse's mouth. This way your horse is less likely to mistake your fingers for a treat.
How to Choose Healthy Horse Treats
A good treat should be both healthy and appealing. To help you choose the most healthy ones, we've outlined the most important things to consider before you make your purchase.
Type of Horse Treat
Treats will generally come in four different types, that includes wafers, nuggets, cookies and muffins.
Wafers are large, thin and square, with a crunchy texture and they can be broken up into smaller portions.
Nuggets and cookies are smaller sized treats that can be carried around in your pocket. These are the perfect treats to use as training aids.
Muffins are the largest type of treat and provide your horse with a substantial reward. Their size and texture make them great for concealing medication.
Flavor and Texture
Your horse will have it's own personal preferences when it comes to flavor. It's a good idea to try several different types to discover your horses' favorite one.
Avoid buying treats with artificially produced flavors like “custard apple” for example. These will usually be high in preservatives and chemicals which aren't healthy for your horses.
Snacks are available in a variety of textures too including, crunchy and soft. For older horses who have trouble chewing, always choose soft snacks.
It's important that your horse likes the flavor and texture of the treats otherwise it won't eat them!
Packaging
The packaging of treats is another important thing to consider. You should choose the packaging depending on where you plan to store the treats.
If they'll be kept on an open shelf, exposed to rodents and insects then it's better to go for a lidded, plastic container. These are tough and airtight, and treats will generally keep longer in containers with lids.
Treats are also available in plastic packets. These usually have a seal or zip-lock closure for fastening and to keep them fresh. If you have a safe cupboard to store your treats in, then it's safe to choose treats in sealed packets.
Nutrition
The nutritional content of the horse treat is one of the most important things to consider. Especially if your horse is overweight or has health problems such as laminitis. If this is the case then the best treats for horses with laminitis or weight issues are low sugar, low calorie treats.
Avoid buying treats that have artificial ingredients and colorings and choose the most natural treats available. These are generally more nutritious and better for your horse's health.
Shelf Life
A treat will taste better when it's fresh so it's important not to buy more than you will realistically use. If you have one horse and only feed it 1-2 treats a day, then it's better to buy several smaller bags rather than one large bag or container. This way, your horse can enjoy fresh treats each time you open a new packet.
If you have many horses or use a lot of treats for training, then buying a large container or bag will be more cost-effective. If you're using the treats up quickly then they won't be left to go stale or moldy.
Reviews of the Best Healthy Treats for Horses
With so many equine snacks on the market, we’ve reviewed 6 of our favorites below to help you in your search.
1. Mrs. Pastures Horse Cookies 32oz
These delicious, crunchy horse cookies are made in California USA and they’re the top choice for horse owners. They’re made with all-natural ingredients including oats and cane molasses and they don’t contain preservatives. These are fully dehydrated cookies which means they are hard, crunchy and won't fall apart in your pocket.
They come in a plastic container with a screw lid for convenient and safe storage. Mrs Pasture is so confident that your horse will love these cookies that they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Nutrigood Low-Sugar Snax Apple Flavor Horse Treats
These pellets from Nutrigood are one of the best low sugar horse snacks on the market. This makes them ideal for horses on special diets for weight control or health conditions.
They contain up to 80 per cent less sugar and starch compare to other treats on the market. There are no artificial colors in these snacks and your horse will love the natural flavors of apple and beet pulp.
Nutrigood snacks are made in the USA so quality is guaranteed and they come in a handy resealable pack to keep them fresh.
3. Manna Pro Bite-Sized Nuggets Horse Treats
These delicious nuggets from Manna Pro are a bestseller on the market place and it’s easy to see why. These tasty nuggets are packed with vitamins and minerals making them a healthy addition to your horse's diet.
Their small ration size makes them a great training aid that you can keep in your pocket. They are made in the USA and available in four irresistible flavors including, spiced carrot, apple and peppermint.
The durable resealable packet contains 300 nuggets making them a great value for money treat that your horse will find very appealing.
4. Dimples Horse Treats with Pill Pocket
These snacks from Dimples can be used as a regular treat or as a way of concealing medication. Their cookie shape comes with a dimple in the center that will hold pills or powder. The cookie is soft which means that the medication can easily be concealed.
As well as being practical, these cookies are also delicious and nutritious for your horse. Your horse won't be able to resist the taste of beet pulp, ground flax, molasses and whole grains. They come in a handy plastic container with a snap lid which contains 60 delicious cookies.
These horse cookies are suitable for old and young horses alike.
5. Nutrigood Senior Snax Horse Treats with Glucosamine
These heart-shaped Senior Snax from Nutrigood are a perfect addition to any senior horses diet.
They’ve been developed especially for older horses and they contain beneficial supplements including omega 3, glucosamine and Biotin. Together these help to maintain joints, hooves and coat as well as improving the overall health and condition of older horses.
As well as being highly nutritious, an older horse will find these apple snacks appetizing and easy to chew and swallow.
They're made in the USA and come in a durable, resealable bag to keep them fresh.
6. Equus Magnificus German Horse Muffins
These horse muffins from Equus Magnificus are a tasty, well-balanced treat, to give to your horse. They look and smell delicious and are also the perfect size and consistency for hiding medication.
These all-natural muffins are made up of molasses, oats, alfalfa meal, soybean oil and beet pulp which your horse will find irresistible. They’re also fortified with vitamins and minerals including vitamin B12 making them a healthy addition to your horse's diet.
These muffins are sold in a tough, stand-up zip lock bag and they’re available in great value sizes of 1, 6,7 and 14lb.
7. Flix Healthy Flaxseed Treats for Horses
These are a delicious and completely natural treat for horses from Horse Guard.
They're made from 100 per cent flax seed which means they contain no artificial colorings, flavorings or preservatives. Flaxseed can be a very beneficial addition to any horses diet. It's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and full of healthy Omega 3 fats which help with joints, coat and overall condition.
Horse love this bite-sized, cold-pressed, flax seed treat and their nugget size makes them a great training aid.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best treat for your horse then we highly recommend the German Muffins from Equus Magnificus. Your horse will feel spoiled and rewarded with these tasty whole grain horse muffins. We like them because they’re practical too. Their delicious smell and taste will disguise any medication making it easy to administer to your horse. These are great value, natural horse snack that most horse will find appealing.
As long as the treat is well balanced and given in small quantities then it can be a beneficial addition to a horses diet. As much as you may love rewarding your horse for good behaviour, don’t be tempted to overdo it with the snacks, too many can cause behavioral and health problems.
Once you find a treat that your horse loves then it’s a pleasure as an owner to reward it. We hope that our guide has been helpful in your search for the best horse treats.
