For many of us, chocolate is a luxurious family treat so it’s no wonder that we want to share this delicious food with our equine family members too. But before feeding a horse new treats, you need to know that it's safe for them to eat first. So, can horses eat chocolate? Let’s take a look at the facts below to find out.
Can Horse Eat Chocolate?
Even if your horse loves chocolate, unfortunately, it shouldn’t eat it. Though it might seem like the ultimate food for horse owners to give to their equine friends, it's important to know that it can have many severe effects on a horse's health. Even when it's fed in a small amount it's known to be dangerous. If a horse is fed large amounts of chocolate it can cause internal bleeding, seizures and even death.
Why Can’t Horses Eat Chocolate?
Horses have a very sensitive and complex digestive system that's programmed to eat only grass and roughage. This means that they have a hard time digesting heavily processed, chemical foods such as chocolate. Chocolate is made with large amounts of sugars and is high in calories and fat too which makes it an unhealthy treat for horses and people.
Theobromine
The big problem when it comes to feeding chocolate to horses comes from the chemical, Theobromine, which is found in cocoa beans. Just like in dogs, we know that this chemical is toxic to horses too when it's fed in large amounts. Theobromine is a mild stimulant that’s very hard for horses to digest and it will build up in horses' digestive system over time. Potentially, if too much builds up then this can be fatal to your horse.
Caffeine
Chocolate also has caffeine in it which can have a bad effect on your horse's well-being even when it's fed in small amounts. Just like theobromine, it’s a stimulant so it will get your horses' heart racing and may cause it to become a bit twitchy and unpredictable.
Are all Types of Chocolate Toxic to Horses?
If you're asking can horses eat chocolate, then it's worth noting that not all chocolates are the same, some contain more theobromine than others. That said, pretty much all types of chocolate aren't safe for a horse to eat. We’ll take a look at the reasons below.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate will usually contain less sugars than other types of chocolate but it has the highest levels of caffeine and theobromine. This is because theobromine is found in the cocoa solids and dark chocolate contains the most solids. This means that dark chocolate is the most poisonous type of chocolate that you can feed to a horse, even when it's given in a small amount.
Milk Chocolate
Although milk chocolate is made with fewer cocoa solids and therefore has less caffeine and theobromine, you still shouldn't feed it to your horse. Even when theobromine is fed in small quantities, it will still accumulate in your horse's body.
White Chocolate
White chocolate only has a very small amount of theobromine in it, but this doesn’t mean that it’s safe for horses to eat. This type of chocolate is full of fatty butter and it also contains lots of sugar and calories. Which makes it a very unhealthy treat for a horse.
Theobromine and Caffeine with Competition Horses
We know that theobromine and caffeine are chemical stimulants so this means that chocolate can give horses a physical and mental boost. This is why the Equestrian Sports Federation and The Association of Racing Commissioners International list them as banned substances when it comes to horse sports and competitions.
If your horse tests positive for banned substances then this will lead to disqualification. Even small amounts of theobromine can be detected in urine and dung tests. And because it isn’t easily broken down in the horse's body, small traces can still be detected up to a week after it's been ingested. Never feed your horse chocolate before a competition or in the weeks leading up to one.
Warnings About Potential Problems That Can Arise from Horses Eating Chocolate
Because horses have such sensitive digestive systems then many human foods have the potential to upset their stomach. Horses can’t vomit so eating even the tiniest piece of chocolate can result in a serious case of colic. On top of this, there’s a whole load of other risk factors to consider too, especially if your horse has a health condition. Below we´ll look at potential problems that can arise when a horse eats chocolate. This is essential information that all horse owners need to know, to keep their horse safe.
Theobromine Poisoning
This is when the levels of theobromine reach a toxic level in the horse's body. This can cause severe and unpleasant symptoms including, seizures, internal bleeding and heart attacks. In the worst case, theobromine toxicity can kill your horse. This is why it's best not to let small amounts of it build up in your horses body.
Laminitis and Overweight Horses
Because chocolate is high in calories then you should never feed it to overweight horses or ones with laminitis. Giving chocolate to a horse with laminitis can worsen the condition. It can even cause laminitis in an overweight horse.
Equine Metabolic Syndrome
This is a condition that is similar to diabetes and is also known as insulin resistance. Because it has lots of sugars in it, it's not safe to give chocolate to a horse with this condition, the effects could be fatal.
Behavioral Issues
Because chocolate is a stimulant then it can have negative behavioral effects on a horse. When a horse consumes it, the result will be dilatated blood vessels, and the horse going into full flight mode. This can be dangerous for you as the owner as well as other horses and people.
Conclusion
As much as you might like to treat your horse to some chocolate, you should avoid it at all costs. It's not safe and can cause severe digestive complaints, behavior issues and in worst cases, it can cause fatal poisoning. There are lots of healthier foods to treat your horse with, including fruit, so why take the risk of feeding it chocolate? With all of this in mind, when we look at the question “can horses eat chocolate?” I think we can safely say that the answer is no.
