Do horses eat meat seems like a silly question right? Because we all know that horses are vegetarian. But actually, our grass, grain and hay loving, equine friends have been known to eat meat and fish over the years. One author even went so far as to call horses "murderous meat-eaters" in a book they wrote about the subject.
So if you want to know the full truth about horses eating meat, then read on to find out.
So Do Horses Eat Meat, Ever?
In the book “Deadly Equines - The Shocking True Story of Meat-Eating, Murderous Horses”, CuChullaine O'Reilly describes lots of gruesome stories about horses killing small creatures and eating meat.
However, these are all examples of extreme cases and most of the time, a horse won't eat meat.
Do Wild Horses Eat Meat?
Even though horses generally eat a plant-based diet, a starving horse will try to eat things that are outside its normal diet range. So in the wild, especially in the winter when food is scarce, it’s not unknown for wild horses to scavenge on meat.
And horses aren’t the only wild herbivores to eat meat, wild deer and other animals that usually only eat plants, have also been seen nibbling on dead animals.
Do Horses Eat Other Animals?
As a general rule, horses don’t eat other animals. Horses are a prey animal which means that they are the ones that are usually eaten by dangerous predators.
We know that horses are a prey animal because they have eyes on the side of their head. And this gives them almost 360-degree vision around their whole body. So they can easily see when a hunter is about to attack.
On top of this, every horse owner can tell you about a horses sensitive flight response. If a horse feels threatened or in danger, it will very quickly remove itself from the situation without a second thought.
And on top of this, horses simply don't have the right kind of teeth for chewing meat.
Overall, the evidence suggests that horses don’t eat other animals. However, they might be forced to for survival, in exceptional circumstances when they cannot find any other food.
Are Horses Omnivores Carnivores, or Herbivores?
Generally speaking, there are three main types of diet among the animal kingdom. Animals are considered to be either carnivore, omnivores or herbivores. We’ll find out more about these eating habits below. And we’ll also discover which of these categories a horse fits into.
Carnivores
A lot of hunting, meat-eating animals such as lions and wolves are carnivores, and their diet is made up mostly of meat. And this meat is usually herbivore, prey animals.
A carnivorous animal will have quick reflexes and a strong hunting instinct. As well as this, it will have sharp teeth and claws that are good for killing and ripping apart raw meat.
Carnivorous creatures have a short digestive system so the meat passes out of their bodies pretty quickly. And often, carnivores can go days without eating.
Herbivores
Herbivores are creatures whose diets consist mostly of grass and plant matter. They’re flighty, sensitive creatures who are always on the lookout for danger.
Herbivores have, flat, blunt teeth for grazing and eating, a long digestive system and sometimes they have more than one stomach. So this means that their body will extract the nutrients slowly from food. Herbivores will spend most of their day grazing. And examples of herbivores include cows and sheep.
Omnivores
Omnivores are a mix between a herbivore and a carnivore. They enjoy eating meat, plants and a range of fish, fruits and vegetables.
Omnivores teeth and digestive systems are aptly designed to deal with both meat and plants. And omnivores will eat regular snacks and meals throughout the day. Humans are a good example of an omnivore.
Are Horses Omnivores or Are Horses Herbivores?
Even though horses will sometimes eat things aside from plants and grass, such as grains, fruits and vegetables, overall, they’re herbivores. And this is why horses love eating because they need to have food in their stomach all of the time. This is also why a horse's digestive system can only deal with concentrated foods, such as grains, in small amounts.
Overall, herbivores shouldn’t eat meat because their gut isn’t designed to deal with it.
Opportunistic Carnivores?
At a push, you could describe horses eating meat as opportunistic carnivores. They generally won't hunt for meat, but if they’re starving, they won't say no to a piece of leftover carcass.
Sometimes horses might attack small animals in their pasture, but this is because they are defending their territory, not because they want to hunt and eat them.
The Horse's Digestive System and Meat
Horses are renowned for having a sensitive digestive system and one of the main reasons for this is because they can’t vomit. The reason why they cant vomit is that their digestive only flows in one direction. And this means that tummy aches can easily lead to colic.
So once horses have something bad inside of them, it has to pass through the whole gut before it gets out. Unlike meat-eaters and omnivorous who can vomit to get the bad food out quickly when they’ve eaten something toxic or rotten.
On top of this, horses have a long digestive system, so there’s a chance the meat might go bad inside the horse in the time that it takes before it is passed out. And if this happens then, it will release dangerous toxins and there’s a high risk of Botulism. This is a very dangerous and distressing disease that will paralyze your horse and it's often fatal.
And horses don’t have a gall bladder either. This means that a horses liver doesn’t produce the right chemicals to digest meat, especially the fat and protein.
In addition to this, like most herbivores, horses have blunt, flat teeth. These teeth are designed for chewing grass and plants and not for chewing through tough meat.
Overall, a horse can usually eat a small amount of meat without any problems. But if they eat meat long-term then this can harm their health.
History Of Horse Nutrition and Eating Meat
When it comes to nutrition, modern-day horses have never had it so good. These days horse owners will carefully plan and organize their horse's diet to perfection. They’ll give their horses a diet supplement and mineral licks as well as healthy snacks and treats. And plenty of these are readily available on the market.
But in the past, sometimes horses have struggled to survive through harsh winters with no grass, hay, or grain, particularly in times of war and famine. And in circumstances like these, meat has helped to keep horses alive. Cases of horses eating meat have been documented by humans throughout history.
During the early Antarctic expeditions, ponies were commonly fed fish meal and dried fish to give them extra sustenance in the cold. And during the harsh winters in Iceland, it’s standard practice to feed Iceland horses salted, dried fish for extra protein. As well as this, in the barren mountains of Tibet, Tibetan horses are regally fed grain mixed with animal blood.
Why Might a Horse Eat Meat?
If you offer a horse meat, then chances are, it’s going to eat it. Anyone who knows horses will also know about their keen appetite. Most horses will eat almost anything you offer them. Especially if it’s part of a snack that you’ve been eating too.
Evidence suggests that if a horse has been raised on meat, then it could develop a taste and even a tolerance for it. But feeding horse meat regularly will inevitably be bad for its health.
Most well-fed horses won't have a strong appetite for meat. Most of the time, when horses are fed meat it’s mixed with something else such as grain. And horse might be drawn to the salt found in some meats. As well or the sauces and dressings that meat comes coated in.
If a horse is starving, then it will try to eat anything in order to survive. So if they find a dead body when food is scarce, the chances are that they will eat it for nourishment.
And another circumstance where a horse might eat meat or animal products is in the form of dietary supplements. Some types of horse supplements, particularly the ones focused on hoof growth, often contain bone meal and beef gelatine.
What Kind of Food Should Horses Eat?
As we’ve discovered, horses are herbivores and they're also known as grazing animals. So this means that they should have access to grazing and roughage for large parts of the day. This is because they need large, regular amounts of low-calorie food, such as roughage like grass and hay, as opposed to small amounts of concentrated food such as grain.
If horses don’t have regular access to grass, hay or forage, then this can have a very bad effect on their digestive system and overall health.
When horses have an empty stomach they’ll try and eat anything they find to supplement their diet, including dirt. And if horses eat lots of dirt then this can cause sand colic.
As well as this, if horses aren’t allowed to eat grass or hay for most of the day then they are prone to developing bad habits out of boredom. This includes things such as crib-biting and weaving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when horses eat meat?
When a horse eats a small amount of meat, it should pass through the gut with no problems. However, if it eats a large amount of meat or meat on a long term basis, this is bad for a horse's diet.
Horses can't digest meat fat properly. And on top of this, the toxins in meat can lead to all kinds of health problems such as Botulism. So you should refrain from feeding a horse meat.
Why would a horse eat meat?
Generally, horses won't consume meat and they don't hunt other animals. But, if they're in harsh conditions where there’s no food available, they might pick the meat off the bones of dead animals to nourish themselves.
Do horses eat birds and mice?
Horses usually won't eat mice or birds. But it’s not uncommon for a mouse to get caught up in the hay bailing process. So sometimes, dead, dried-up mice might end up in your horses hay so your horse might eat a mouse by accident without realizing it.
Are all horses vegetarian?
As a general rule, all horses are herbivores and therefore vegetarian. But if a horse is starving, with nothing else to eat, then they may eat meat if that’s the only thing available.
What do horses eat in the wild?
In the wild, horses will eat different types of grasses and plant matter. They will eat everything in an area before moving on in search of new pastures. But in the winter, when food is scarce they may consume things that are usually outside of their normal diet.
Can chicken feed kill horses?
You should never give a horse chicken feed because it can kill horses. This is because poultry feed generally contains lots of additives that are harmful to horses. As well as this, chickens are omnivores so their feed is designed for omnivore digestive systems so it’s not suitable for herbivores such as horses.
Conclusion
So, can horses eat meat? Even though meat technically isn’t toxic to horses, overall, it’s not very good for them. Some horses may try and kill small animals in their pasture but this is for territorial reasons, not because they want to eat it.
So the final word in answer to the question “do horses eat meat?” is yes, horses can eat meat when it’s vital for survival. But ultimately, their bodies cannot process meat, so you should never feed a horse meat.
