Broccoli is a healthy vegetable and it’s often referred to as a superfood. It’s green and crunchy and packed with vitamins and minerals, so surely it would make a good treat for your horse? It’s always wise to do your research before giving your horse a new vegetable as a treat. So below we’ll take a closer look at broccoli and find out if it’s safe for horses to eat. Can horses eat broccoli? Read on to find out.
Can Horses Eat Broccoli?
Broccoli is super healthy so the good news is, yes, horses can eat it. As long as it's only fed in small amounts, it makes a tasty and healthy snack for horses.
Is Broccoli Safe and Healthy for Horses?
Not only is broccoli safe for horses to eat, but it’s super healthy too.
Just like with all fruit and vegetables, broccoli is made up of fiber. Vegetables that contain fiber are great for helping your horse digest its food.
Broccoli is also fat-free which means that it makes a great snack for overweight horses.
Broccoli contains a massive amount of vitamins all of which are good for your horse's health.
As well as being high in vitamin c, it also has large amounts of vitamin a, k, d, and vitamin e. It also contains lots of vitamin B6 and B12.
All of these vitamins, especially vitamin c, will help to boost the immune system of your horse, keeping it in optimum health with a shiny coat.
Broccoli also has a good mix of essential minerals and is considered to be a calcium rich food. As well as calcium, broccoli also contains iron, zinc, phosphorous, and iron.
These minerals, especially calcium, are great for building strong bones and maintaining good circulation.
Can Horses Eat Fresh/Raw Broccoli?
Yes they can, and horses like eating crunchy, fresh, raw broccoli. Raw broccoli is better for a horses diet than broccoli that's been cooked.
When you cook broccoli, just like most foods, it loses a lot of its nutrients so it’s more healthy when it’s fed raw.
Can Horses Eat Cooked Broccoli?
Even though cooked broccoli has a lower nutritional value, it’s still ok to give it to your horse.
If you have a horse with dental problems then it may be better to give it soft, cooked broccoli.
Warnings About Feeding Broccoli
If you want your horse to eat broccoli as a treat then there are a few rules that you should always stick to.
Only Feed Small Amounts
You should never give your horse too much broccoli. Excessive amounts of any treats can overwhelm the digestive system of a horse and cause colic.
This is particularly true when it comes to broccoli because too much of it can cause your horse to produce excessive gas.
Apart from causing colic, a build-up of gas can be very uncomfortable for your horse.
You should never feed your horse more than 4 oz of broccoli per day. And you should only feed broccoli once or twice a week.
Introduce it Slowly
Because our equine friends have such delicate stomachs, then it’s always wise to introduce new foods slowly.
This gives your horses digestive system time to get used to it and it also lets you check that your horse isn’t allergic to it.
When you start feeding your horse broccoli, just feed it one small floret or chunk of stalk first. Then you should keep a close eye on it for the next twenty-four hours.
If there are no signs of digestive discomfort then you can feed your horse a larger portion of broccoli. Then gradually increase the portion size over the space of a week.
Tips on Preparing Broccoli for Horses
Just like with all horse snacks, you should prepare them correctly before feeding them. Take a look at our tips for preparing broccoli for horses below.
Wash It
Unless you buy organic broccoli then chances are that it’s going to be covered in pesticides. This is why you must wash broccoli before giving it to any horses or humans.
Cut it Correctly
Broccoli is quite hard so it can easily become a choking risk. This is why you need to prepare it correctly before giving it to horses.
The best way to prepare it is by breaking it into small florets and cut the stalk into 1-inch chunks. This way they won't get stuck in your horse's windpipe.
For Older Horses
For older horses, you can cook the broccoli to make it softer. When it’s soft, you can then blend it into a puree and add it to their food for extra taste
Alternatively, you can shred fresh broccoli and mix it into their cereal's. This way older horses can gain the much-needed nutrients that are found in raw broccoli.
What other Fruits and Vegetables can Horses Eat?
Apart from apples and carrots, your horse can eat a whole range of other healthy fruit and vegetables too. This includes bananas, grapes, raisins, pumpkin, celery, peaches and cherries.
When it comes to feeding fruit to your horse safely, then remove pits, stones and seeds first. In some cases, you may also have to remove the skin.
Even though these fruits and vegetables are very healthy, just like with all snacks, they should only be given in small quantities as part of a balanced diet.
What to Avoid
As long as they're prepared correctly and fed in small quantities then most fruits and vegetables are safe for horses to eat.
However, horses should never eat vegetables from the nightshade family of plants. This includes tomatoes, potatoes, egg plant and peppers. These are all highly toxic to horses and may cause poisoning.
You should also avoid giving your horse snacks that contain chocolate, caffeine, or dairy products. These are also toxic to horses. And never feed your horse snacks that are designed for other animals or humans.
Conclusion
Let’s take a look back on the question “can horses eat broccoli?”. Not only can horses eat broccoli safely but it’s one of the most healthy treats you can give to your horse.
As well as being full of dietary fiber it also has exceptionally large amounts of vitamins and minerals. As long as you don’t overfeed it then broccoli is an excellent addition to your horse's diet and makes a great change from carrots.
