A lot of horse owners, at some point or another, will find themselves wondering “can horses eat apricots?”. This juicy fruit is sweet and delicious so horses will love it right?
But there are some safety concerns when it comes to horses eating apricots. But don’t worry, we’ve highlighted them all for you in this helpful guide. So if you want to know the truth about horses and apricots then keep reading to find out.
Can Horses Eat Apricots?
The good news is that horses can safely eat the juicy flesh and skin of apricots. However, apricot pits are very toxic to horses. As well as this, the huge, hard pit can also pose a choking hazard for your horse. So you must always remove the pit before feeding apricot to horses.
Are Apricots Healthy For Horses?
As long as they’re fed in moderation and prepared correctly, apricots make a very healthy treat for horses. And we’ll take a deeper look at the nutritional benefits of apricots below.
Fiber and Antioxidants
Apricots are a great source of fiber and antioxidants for your horse. The essential fiber in apricots will help your horse’s digestive system to absorb nutrients and function smoothly.
As well as this, the antioxidants found in apricots will help your horse cleanse its body of harmful free radicals that can build up during exercise.
Vitamins and Minerals
Apricots are high in vitamins A, C and E. So this means that they’re good for your horse's eyes, skin and immune system.
They also contain essential minerals such as potassium, copper, magnesium and iron. This means that they’re great for your horses, blood, muscles, nervous system and bones.
Sugar and Calories
Apricots are a low fat and low calorie treat for horses. However, they do contain sugar so be cautious about feeding them to horses with metabolic conditions such as laminitis or insulin resistance.
Warnings About Feeding Apricots to Horses
The main thing to remember when it comes to feeding your horse apricots is that you should always remove the pit. An apricot pit is very hard and it’s the perfect size for getting lodged in your horse's windpipe and causing choke.
As well as this, apricot pits contain traces of hydrogen cyanide. And this is highly toxic for horses and humans. So, if your horse eats too many apricot pits, this can cause apricot poisoning which can be fatal for horses.
Apricot trees, especially young ones, also contain hydrogen cyanide. So you should never let horses have access to apricot trees.
As well as this, apricots contain potassium and sugar. So this means that you should be cautious about feeding them to horses with HYPP. Or horses that have any kind of metabolic issues such as insulin resistance or laminitis.
And just like with all snacks and concentrated food, you should introduce apricots into your horse's diet slowly. And never feed your horse too many apricots all at once because this could cause colic. You should never feed your horse more than two apricots at a time and you should only give your horse apricots once or twice a week.
Tips on How to Prepare Apricots for Horses
Before you feed your horse apricots, you must wash them first. This will remove any harmful pesticides and bacteria. While you’re washing the apricots, check them for any moldy or rotten parts and remove these. The bacteria in moldy fruit can make your horse very ill.
Next, you need to slice the apricot in half and remove the large pit. And even though apricots are pretty soft, you should cut them into small bite-sized pieces so that they don’t pose a choking hazard for your horse.
You can feed apricots to your horse by hand as a reward for good behavior. Or you can add them to your horse's concentrated food rations to make its main meal more tasty, nutritious and appetizing.
Conclusion
So, can horses eat apricots? They certainly can, so long as you remove the large pit first. This pit is very dangerous for horses and they shouldn’t be offered it under any circumstances. The flesh, however, makes a very nutritious snack for your horse so long as it’s fed in moderation.
