Grapes are grown all around the world and they come in many different, colors and sizes. Some of us like the taste of sharp bitter grapes while others like sweet ones. But what about horses? We all know that they like sweet treats too. Can horses eat grapes? Let’s find out below.
Can Horses Eat Grapes?
One of the best treats that horse owners can give to their equine friends are healthy, fresh ones. So the good thing to know is, yes, horses can eat grapes. As long as they don't eat too much, they're safe for horses to eat and they love the taste of them. Grapes make a sweet and healthy addition to a horses diet.
Are Grapes Healthy for Horses?
Apples aren’t the only sweet, healthy treats for horses. Many fruit and vegetables are good for horses to eat, including grapes. Below, we’ll discover how grapes can benefit your horse's diet and health.
Antioxidants and Fiber
Grapes, like many fruits, are full of antioxidants which are great for your horse's health. Without antioxidants, your horse can't cleanse its body from toxins that build up during exercise. If too many toxins build up in your horse's body then it will affect your horse's health and performance. Antioxidants could potentially have an anti-inflammatory effect too. So grapes may help your horse recover after exercise.
Horses need a lot of fiber in their diets and that's why they like eating grass and hay. They need fiber to absorb vitamins and minerals from their food. Just like most fruits and vegetables, grapes are a great source of fiber. Feeding your horse a few grapes a week can help with digestive function.
Vitamins and Minerals
We all need essential vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies functioning, and horses are no different. Feeding your horse fruits and vegetables is a great way to provide them with vital nutrients.
Grapes contain lots of vitamin C, which we all know is good for immunity. They provide your horse with lots of vitamin K and B6 too.
Valuable essential vitamins that grapes provide include magnesium and potassium. These minerals help to regulate blood pressure and improve muscle function.
High in Sugar
Horses love grapes because they taste sweet and contain lots of sugar. But because of the high sugar content, you should be cautious about feeding them to horses with metabolic issues, such as insulin resistant horses.
Even though grapes have lots of sugar in them, they’re almost fat-free.
How Many Grapes Should you Feed your Horse?
The main part of a horses diet should be made up of roughage such as hay or grass. Grains and treats, including fruits, should only be given to horses in small quantities. Even though grapes are safe for horses, it's best not to overfeed them.
When you’re giving your horse grapes as a treat then you shouldn’t feed them more than ten at any one time. And even though your horse will love grapes, they should only be fed once or twice a week.
Warnings About Feeding Your Horse Grapes
Just like with all horse treats, there are some warnings to consider when feeding your horse grapes. We’ll take a look at them below.
Introduce Them Slowly and Don't Give too Much all at Once
If you want to start rewarding your horse with grapes then it's best to start slowly. Give your horse just one small grape at first and monitor it for any digestive discomfort. After 24 hours, if your horse seems fine then you can try feeding it two grapes. Build up the rations over the course of a week or two.
It’s important to do this with all new foods. Firstly, to make sure that your horse isn’t allergic to it, and secondly, because you don’t want to overwhelm your horse's sensitive digestive system. Feeding a horse a large amount of any new foods will inevitably cause colic.
If you feed your horse more than the recommended feeding guidelines for grapes, this could cause health problems. If your horse eats too many grapes it may be too full to eat its regular, balanced diet. This can cause nutritional deficiencies as well as colic.
Don’t Feed Moldy Grapes to Horses
Because horses have such delicate digestive systems then they will react very badly if they eat moldy food. The harmful bacteria found in moldy food can make a horse very ill. This is why you should never feed horses moldy or rotten grapes. They're not safe for horses.
Be Cautious About Giving Grapes to Horses With Health Problems
If you have a horse who is insulin resistant, then you should always check with your vet before giving it grapes or any other new food as a treat. Because they’re high in sugar, grapes can cause problems for insulin resistant horses or horses with laminitis. Grapes are high in potassium too so you should also be cautious about feeding them as a treat to horses with HYPP. Horses with this condition cant have too much potassium in their diets
Tips on How to Prepare Grapes for Horses
As far as fruit and vegetable treats go, grapes are pretty easy to prepare for your horse. Unless they’re particularly large, you can feed your horse a whole grape, seeds and all, as a treat. Because of their small size, they're unlikely to pose a choking hazard. In the case of large grapes, you may want to cut them in half before feeding them.
You should always wash grapes before horses eat them as a treat. This will remove any harmful pesticides or bacteria that are commonly found on fresh foods.
And as for grape seeds, they’re safe to give to your horse too. Grape seeds aren't toxic and won't pose a choking hazard. Even though seeds are safe, some owners like to buy seedless grapes for their horses out of personal preference. Horses may also have a personal preference for grapes with or without seeds.
Conclusion
Let's look back on the question “can horses eat grapes?”. Grapes are not only tasty but they’re super healthy and provide lots of antioxidants. This makes them a particularly good treat for active horses. The important thing to remember as a horse owner is not to feed your horse too many grapes all at once. And always check with your vet first before feeding them to your horse if it has health problems.
