As a horse owner, it’s important to know which foods are safe for your horse to eat and which ones aren’t. And because you can find cheese in most homes across the globe, it might seem like a very convenient snack for your horse. But feeding your horse the wrong thing can be very bad for its health. So, can horses eat cheese? Read on to find out
Can Horses Eat Cheese?
Cheese is made from milk. And all dairy products are bad for horses. So this means that horses can’t eat cheese. Even though horses might love the taste of cheese, if they eat it, then it can be very bad for their health. So this means that you should never feed your horse cheese.
Why is Cheese Bad For Horses?
Horses can’t eat cheese because they’re lactose intolerant. This means that if they eat cheese or any other dairy products, it will upset their digestive system. And this can lead to bloating, diarrhea and colic.
Aside from this, cheese isn’t a healthy snack for your horse. It’s full of salt and fat which are both bad for a horses diet.
Better Treats to Feed Your Horse
Horses can't eat cheese but there are plenty of healthier snacks you can give to them instead. We all know that horses love apples and carrots, but did you know that they can safely enjoy a whole range of other fruits and vegetables too.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a fantastic way to enrich your horses diet with vitamins and minerals. As well as this, they’re a good source of fiber and antioxidants. And your horse will love having fresh snacks in its diet.
Fruits and vegetables that are safe for horses include strawberries, bananas, cucumbers, grapes and watermelon. But you should always check the best way to serve different fruits to horses. Because if you feed them whole fruits or vegetables then they might become a choking hazard.
This is especially true when comes to feeding horses pitted fruits such as plums and peaches. These are also safe for horses to eat but you must remove the pit first. Large pits are the perfect size for getting lodged in the horse's windpipe. And if you don’t remove them, then your horse could choke.
Treats You Should Avoid
Because horses can't vomit, feeding them something that’s not good for them can make them very ill. Not only can the wrong types of food cause colic, but some foods are extremely poisonous to horses and you should avoid feeding them at all costs.
You should never feed your horse tomatoes or other plants from the nightshade family including potatoes and aubergines. These are very toxic and potentially fatal for horses.
As well as this, you should never feed your horse chocolate, caffeine, bread, grass cuttings, avocado or onions. These are also very poisonous to horses.
If you think your horse has eaten any of these foods or is showing signs of colic then you should call your vet immediately.
Warnings About Feeding Your Horse Treats
If your horse has any kind of health issues, particularly metabolic ones such as laminitis, you should always check with your vet first before giving it new treats. Some fruits and vegetables are high in sugar so they aren’t suitable for horses with metabolic issues.
And whatever treat you choose to give your horse you should only ever feed it in small amounts. If you feed your horse too many treats all at once then this can lead to colic.
And always introduce new treats into your horse's diet slowly. This gives your horses digestive system time to adapt to the new treat. And this way you can also make sure that your horse isn’t allergic to it.
Conclusion
Even though horses have a very sensitive digestive system, they can eat a whole range of fruits of vegetables. In fact, the list of things they can’t eat is quite short. But cheese, along with all dairy products are on the bad list. So you should never feed your horse cheese. Instead, you should give them a healthier treat.
I bet you’re glad you asked the question, “can horses eat cheese?”. Because every horse owner needs to know that feeding cheese to a horse is very bad for its health.
