Cantaloupe is also known as musk melon, it's a deliciously sweet summer fruit. And we all know that our equine friends just love sweet fruits right? So you might be wondering, can horses eat cantaloupe?
But before you give your horse a new food or treat, you need to make sure that it’s safe for them to eat first. So in this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about feeding your horse cantaloupe.
Can Horses Eat Cantaloupe?
If you’re looking for a tasty summer treat for your horse, the good news is that horses can eat cantaloupes.
They’re non-toxic, making it a safe fruit for a horse. And as long as you don’t give your horse too much all at once, cantaloupe makes a very healthy addition to a horse's diet.
Is Cantaloupe Healthy for Horses?
So long as you feed it to your horse in moderation, cantaloupe is a great way to add some vitamins and minerals to your horse's regular food. And overall, it's good for your horse's health.
Vitamins and Minerals
Cantaloupe contains vitamin C and a range of B vitamins. Vitamin C will help to strengthen your horse's immune system. And B vitamins are good for your horse's mood and general health and well-being.
Cantaloupes also contain vitamin A which is converted into beta carotene and this is good for your horse's eyes.
As well as this, cantaloupe is a good source of potassium and folates. Together these help to strengthen your horse's bones and red blood cells. Which is ultimately good for your horse's health.
Fiber and Antioxidants
And just like all fresh fruits and vegetables, cantaloupe is a great source of fiber and antioxidants.
Fiber will help to keep your horse's digestive system in optimum function. And antioxidants help to keep all of your horse's systems healthy.
Sugar and Calories
Cantaloupe is a low-calorie fruit, however, it contains quite a lot of sugar. So this means that you should give your horse cantaloupe in moderation. And you should avoid feeding it to equines with metabolic conditions such as laminitis.
Can Horses Eat Cantaloupe Flesh?
Horses certainly can eat cantaloupe flesh. And this is the best part of the fruit for your horse. It’s soft and easy to chew so as long as you cut the flesh into small pieces before you serve it to your horse, it won't become a choking hazard.
Can Horses Eat Cantaloupe Rinds?
Technically, cantaloupe rinds aren't toxic for horses. But this doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to feed your horse cantaloupe rinds. This is because it's hard for horses to chew cantaloupe rind, so it could cause your horse to choke.
In addition to this, cantaloupe rinds are heavily textured. So this means that it can harbor all kinds of unseen mold or bacteria. And if your horse eats these harmful microbes, it may become ill.
Can Horses Eat Cantaloupe Seeds?
In small quantities, the seeds of cantaloupe and other kinds of fruits are ok for horses to eat. However, most owners like to remove them before feeding cantaloupe to their horse.
This is because there are lots of seeds in cantaloupe and just like all seeds, they're highly concentrated in nutrients. And overall, it’s not good for your horse to be fed large amounts of concentrated food as this can be bad for its health.
Warnings About Feeding Horses Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe isn’t suitable for equines with Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP). This is because, just like bananas, cantaloupes are high in potassium.
And if a horse with HYPP eats too much potassium then this can aggravate their condition.
You should also avoid feeding cantaloupe to equines with any kind of health or metabolic issues such as insulin resistance or laminitis.
This is because cantaloupe is a fruit that contains lots of sugar. And horses with metabolic conditions shouldn’t eat too much sugar. They should be fed low sugar fruits and vegetables instead.
When it comes to horses eating cantaloupe, they should never eat fresh cantaloupe in large quantities. Because too many treats all at once will upset its stomach and potentially cause colic.
This means that you shouldn’t feed your horse more than a quarter of a small cantaloupe at any one time.
And just like all other fruit and treats, you must introduce cantaloupe into your horse's diet slowly. This way, your horse's digestive system will have time to get used to the new treat.
And it also allows you to make sure that your horse isn’t allergic to cantaloupe.
Tips on How to Prepare Cantaloupe to Feed Your Horse
When you prepare a cantaloupe for your horse to eat, first make sure that it’s fresh and firm. Old, mushy cantaloupe contains lots of bacteria so it isn’t good for your horse.
Next, it's a good idea to peel the cantaloupe and remove the seeds and rind. And cut the flesh into small bite-sized chunks. If you don’t cut it up into chunks first, potentially, it can cause your horse to choke.
You can then serve your horse chunks of fresh cantaloupe as a reward for good behavior. Or you can add it to your horse's cereals to make them a bit more interesting.
Conclusion
As part of a healthy diet, it’s good to give your horse small quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables now and then. And once you've removed the rinds, cantaloupe makes a very refreshing treat for your horse in the summer.
But remember, cantaloupe should only be fed to your horse in small quantities. And if your horse has a metabolic condition of HYPP, you should avoid feeding it cantaloupe altogether.
So in answer to your question “can horses eat cantaloupe?”, I think it’s safe to say that horses can eat cantaloupe. And it makes a great change from eating the usual apples and carrots.
