Alongside apples and carrots, sugar cubes are one of the most famous treats for horses. But as horse owners become more conscious about their horse's health, the question “do horses eat sugar cubes?” comes up a lot at the barn these days.
In this guide, we’re going to take an in-depth look at sugar cubes and we’ll find out if they’re good for your horse's health. So if you want to know the truth about horses eating sugar cubes, keep reading to find out.
Can Horses Eat Sugar Cubes?
The good news, for horses at least, is that yes, they can eat sugar cubes. Sugar cubes aren’t the most healthy treat for horses, but it’s ok for them to eat a few lumps of sugar every now and then.
Are Sugar Cubes Safe For Horses?
Sugar cubes don’t contain anything toxic to horses and they don’t pose a choking hazard, so technically, they’re a safe treat. But they should always be fed in moderation. Because if a horse eats too many sugar cubes, this could have a bad effect on its health.
And sugar cubes aren’t safe for all horses. Because of the high levels of sugar, they’re not suitable for horses with any kind of metabolic issues, such as laminitis. If your horse has any health problems, to be on the safe side, you shouldn’t feed it sugar cubes.
Are Sugar Cubes Healthy For Horses?
All animals, horses and people included, need some sugar as part of a healthy, balanced diet. It gives us energy and helps our muscles to function. This is why you’ll find that horse food often contains sugar.
Sports and working horses especially need extra energy in their diets. Not only to give them the energy to perform but also to help with muscle recovery afterwards. It’s only when horses eat too much sugar, that it can become a health problem.
One sugar cube contains around 4 grams of sugar which is a teaspoon's worth. To put this into perspective an apple can contain up to 10 grams of sugar. The difference is, apples also contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Sugar cubes, on the other hand, are made up of 100 percent sugar and nothing else. So this means that they don’t offer your horse any kind of nutrition and they aren’t very healthy. But that doesn’t mean that your horse cant have them as a special treat every now and then.
As long as they’re fed in small quantities, sugar cubes aren’t so bad for your horse's health.
Do Horses Enjoy Sugar Cubes?
Most horses love eating sugar cubes and only the fussiest eaters will turn them down. For horses, eating a few sugar cubes is the equivalent of us eating a candy bar. Yes, we know it’s not great for our health, but it’s good to treat yourself, and your horse, every now and then!
Warnings About Feeding A Horse Sugar Cubes
When it comes to feeding your horse sugar cubes, the main thing to remember is not to feed too many all at once. If you feed your horse too many sugar cubes in one sitting, this can cause a spike in glucose levels. And it may also lead to colic.
As well as this, sugar is bad for your horse's teeth. So if your horse regularly eats sugar cubes then this can make its teeth rot.
Additionally, If your horse is overweight or obese, you shouldn’t give it sugar cubes. Excessive sugar isn’t good for horses who are on a diet. If you feed them too much sugar this can lead to more serious health problems.
Equine metabolic syndrome is also known as insulin resistance in horses. And this is a severe metabolic issue that can lead to laminitis. Equine metabolic syndrome is very similar to type 2 diabetes in humans. So this means you should never feed sugar to horses with this condition.
And as well as this, you should never give sugar cubes to horses with laminitis. If horses with this painful foot condition eat too much sugar it will make their symptoms much worse.
Finally, it’s worth noting that horses love sugar cubes so much, sometimes they go a bit crazy for them. So if you notice any signs of food aggression from your horse when there are sugar cubes around, you should stop offering them as a treat.
How Many Sugar Cubes Can A Horse Have Each Day?
Even though your horse could happily eat a whole box of sugar cubes, in reality, they shouldn’t eat more than 3 or 4 a day. And they certainly shouldn’t eat sugar cubes on a daily basis, as this will be bad for their teeth, mood and health. Ideally, you should only feed sugar cubes to your horse once or twice a week or on special occasions.
Tips on How To Feed A Horse Sugar Cubes
Horses love sugar cubes, and they’ll be excited about eating them, so you should always be cautious when you're feeding them by hand. Place the cube in the center of the palm of your hand and keep your fingers laid out flat. And then let the horse take the cube from your palm.
Alternatively, you can put a few sugar cubes in your horse's cereals to make them a bit more exciting. Of you could hide some in its hay rations to keep it entertained for a while.
And because horses love sugar cubes so much, it’s good to reserve them as a treat for exceptional behavior. This could be for traveling or a visit from the vet or blacksmith for example.
Conclusion
Even though sugar cubes aren’t the most healthy treat, they are one of the sweetest, and most horses love to eat them. However, you should never feed them to overweight horses or horses with metabolic issues as sugar can make these conditions much worse.
So, do horses eat sugar cubes? Yes they sure do, but make sure they’re fed in moderation.
