Mango is a sweet, tropical fruit that’s native to India. They’re rich and delicious, and they’re packed full of nutrients. And if you’re tired of giving your horse the same old treats, you might find yourself wondering if mango is safe for horses. So, can horses eat mangos? Read on to find out.
Can Horses Eat Mango?
For the most part, mangos are safe and not toxic to horses. So this means that they make a very tasty and rewarding treat for them. However, you should never feed a whole mango to your horse. This is because the large pit has the potential to get lodged in your horse's windpipe.
Is Mango a Healthy Treat for Horses?
Overall mango is a very healthy fruit for humans and horses. They’re packed full of essential nutrients. And they can have a very positive effect on your horse's health.
First of all, mangos contain lots of vitamins. This includes vitamin A which is really good for your horse’s eyes and skin. They also contain high levels of vitamin C which is great for your horse overall health and immune system.
Mangos also contain beta carotene which is a powerful antioxidant that’s also found in carrots. This means that mango will help to cleanse your horses body of harmful toxins. These toxins can build up a lot, especially after exercise. So antioxidants are particularly beneficial to performance horses.
And mangos contain a good range of essential minerals too. They’re high in copper, iron and potassium. These minerals are all great for your horse's blood and circulatory system. And as well as this they can help with muscle function and recovery.
Just like most veggies and fruits, mangos are a fantastic source of fiber for your horse. And horses need lots of fiber in their diet. Not only does fiber help to keep the digestive system running smoothly, but it also helps your horse to absorb nutrients from its food.
Can Horses Eat All Parts of a Mango?
When it comes to feeding mango to your horse as a treat, it’s important to know that not all parts of the mango are safe for horses to eat. So let's take a look at the different parts of a mango below.
Stone of a Mango
The large stone of the mango is the perfect size for lodging into your horse's windpipe. So you should always remove the stone before you feed mango to a horse. Otherwise, the stone could cause a choke.
Dangers of Choke
If your horse has choke then the signs are quite obvious. Your horse will be coughing, sneezing and spluttering and finding it hard to breathe. A choke will usually cause lots of mucous, foaming and saliva at the mouth too.
Choke looks very distressing but a lot of the time your horse will be able to dislodge the blockage. Nevertheless, you should call your vet immediately if you think your horse is choking. While you’re waiting for the vet don’t let your horse eat or drink. And try to keep your horse calm to help stabilize its breathing.
The Skin
There is some debate about whether or not the skin of the mango is safe for horses to eat. Just like the skin of most fruit and vegetables, mango peel is highly concentrated in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, the skin of mango can be toxic to humans in some cases. And this is because it contains Urushiol, which is the irritating compound that’s found in poisoned ivy.
So this is why you should be careful when feeding mango skin to your horse. To be on the safe side you should peel a mango before feeding it to horses.
The Flesh
The flesh of the mango is the safest part of the mango for the horse to eat. It’s relatively soft and tender. But you should always cut the flesh into bite-sized chunks before you feed it to a horse.
Warnings About Feeding Mango to Horses
Horses are grazing animals which means that they’re designed for eating small amounts of grass or roughage, regularly throughout the day. This is why we always feed horses grains and concentrated foods in small amounts. If they eat too many concentrated foods all at once, this can overwhelm their digestive system and cause colic.
The Dangers of Colic
Horses can't vomit so which makes colic potentially life-threatening. Especially if the horse is rolling around a lot in pain. When they do this, they run a big risk of twisting and therefore blocking their gut. And the only way to remedy this is through major surgery which isn’t always a success.
If a horse has colic then it will show obvious signs of digestive discomfort. This means that it might be looking at its flanks a lot. Or it might be kicking at its belly with its back legs or pawing the ground with its front. Excessive rolling and sweating is also a sure sign of digestive pain. Additionally, your horse might be straining but failing to pass droppings or urine.
If you think your horse has colic then you need to call your vet immediately. Don’t let your horse eat or drink, and try to keep your horse gently walking on a rope until the vet arrives.
Don't Feed Too Much
When it comes to feeding horses mangos as treat, you should only ever feed them in small amounts. Mangos come in a range of shapes and sizes. So as a rule you shouldn’t feed your horse more than 500 grams of mango at any one time. And you shouldn’t feed mango more than once or twice a week.
Another reason why you shouldn’t feed mango in large amounts is because it’s really rich and filling. So if your horse over indulges on mango, it may not eat its regular meals. And this is bad for your horse's health.
Introduce it Slowly
When you’re introducing mango to your horse's diet you must introduce it slowly. This is to make sure that your horse isn’t allergic to it and that it doesn’t upset its digestive system.
Start by giving your horse just one small chunk of mango at first. If your horse seems fine after 24 hours then it’s safe to increase the portion size. If your horse shows digestive discomfort on the other hand then you shouldn't give it anymore mango. Try feeding other types of safe fruits and vegetables instead.
Horses with Health Issues
Mangos are a potassium-rich food which means that you shouldn’t feed them to horses with HYPP. Horses with this condition are sensitive to potassium and if they have excessive amounts in their diet then it will make their condition worse.
Mangos are pretty high in sugar too. So this means that you shouldn’t feed them to horses with any kind of metabolic issues such as insulin resistance, laminitis or Cushings. If horses with any of these conditions eat sugar then it can make their symptoms much worse.
Tips on Preparing Mango for Horses
Before feeding any fruits or vegetables to your horse you should always check them for moldy or rotting parts. You should remove any moldy parts from a mango before feeding it to your horse. This is because the bacteria from rotting food can make your horse very ill.
If you choose to leave the skin on the mango then you must wash it to remove any pesticides before feeding to your horse. Most owners prefer to peel the mango before feeding it. So, in this case, you don’t have to wash it.
Even though mango flesh is quite soft, it’s a good idea to cut it up into chunks before you feed it to horses. Even though mango is fairly soft, some keen horses don’t chew their food properly. So by cutting the mango up first you prevent it from becoming a choking hazard.
When you’ve chopped the mango up, you can feed it to your horse in chunks as a reward for good behavior. Or you can put some chunks in its concentrated food to make it a bit more appetizing.
In the summertime, you could even freeze some mango chunks in a bowl of water. Remove it from the freezer once it’s frozen and let it defrost a little. Turn it out, and you have a delicious mango popsicle for your horse. You can serve it in a food bucket and it will keep your horse cool, refreshed and entertained for a little while.
Conclusion
So in answer to your question “can horses eat mango?” the answer is a definite yes. However to feed mango safely, you should be aware of the following things.
Horses can’t eat mango stones, these should always be removed first. Some owners also prefer to remove the mango skin. And just like all fruits and vegetables, mango is only healthy for your horse when it’s fed in moderation. And finally, always introduce mango to your horse's diet slowly and don’t feed them mango every day.
