If you’re looking for ways to support your horse’s health, you might have stumbled on a bunch of guides that describe how garlic might help towards that end. In truth, the great debate on garlic for horses has drawn out for quite some time. But at present, the majority seems to accept the vegetable’s advantages for equine health.
If we’re being honest, garlic offers quite a number of health benefits for horses. But just because a clove now and again might help boost your steed’s wellness, there’s a fine line that separates its benefits from its potential risks.
Benefits of Garlic for Horses
For humans, garlic is more than just a tasty culinary staple. According to studies, garlic may help improve human health in a variety of areas, including but not limited to cardiovascular and immune wellness.
But what about horses? Interestingly, some researchers have tried to explore the benefits of garlic for horse health. And through their studies, we’ve discovered that the common cooking essential may in fact prove advantageous for horses.
Improves Respiratory Health
One study showed that supplementing dried garlic in controlled amounts to horses with respiratory issues may help clear mucus from the airways.
Treats Ringworm Infections
Areas that are in constant contact with saddles and straps are prone to ringworm infections. This study showed that topical treatment with garlic works as a suitable treatment against infection.
Controls Common Pests
Most animals are prone to various forms of pests. For horses, supplementing with garlic may help keep away common pests like flies, gnats and mosquitoes. Researchers claim that the effect comes as the result of the vegetable’s high sulfur content.
For more pest repellents check out some of the best fly traps for horses and horse fly sprays. Also consider a good pair of horse fly boots.
Addresses Infections
It’s no secret that garlic possesses strong antibiotic properties when used for humans. But some researchers assert that its antibiotic benefits extend into equine territory. Some literature claims that garlic can help treat various infections and even clean the blood.
Enhances Immune Response
Of over 350 horse owners surveys in one study, more than half claimed to supplement garlic to their horses all year round to boost immune response. This strongly held belief prevails among majority of owners who leverage garlic’s protective effects against illness.
Is Garlic Safe for Horses?
Can horses eat garlic without risks? It’s hard to imagine a strong, powerful horse succumbing to something as simple as garlic. But while the vegetable might be safe in small amounts, experts strongly recommend against giving your horse more garlic than its body can take.
Multiple studies have uncovered the potential dangers of giving your horse too much garlic. These studies claim that in large amounts, garlic may lower hematologic values. In layman’s terms, garlic supplements can cause anemia in horses.
When horses eat too much garlic, they accumulate a toxic substance called N-propyl disulfide in their system. This chemical compound interacts with an enzyme in the blood cells, in turn disarming the compound that protects the cell against oxidative damage.
Simply put, garlic makes blood cells weaker and prone to damage. As the blood cells die, the horse’s RBC numbers go down, which thus results to anemia. In the long run, chronic anemia can cause a number of health problems including but not limited to pregnancy complications, heart problems, and even death.
It’s important to note however that the compound that causes anemia in horses after excessive garlic supplementation only exists in raw garlic. Garlic supplements developed specifically for horses do not contain allicin, or at least they shouldn’t, and should be safe for horses even in higher doses.
How Much Garlic Should You Give Your Horse?
Garlic toxicity in horses is a very real threat that owners should carefully consider before giving any garlic supplementation to a steed. Leveraging the benefits of garlic without inviting its risks all depends on how well you measure the proper dose for your horse.
So how much garlic are we talking? The National Research Council of The National Academies in their book Safety of Dietary Supplements for Horses, Dogs, and Cats indicate that the maximum garlic dose rests at about 13 grams.
But measuring the ideal amount of garlic supplement for your horse depends mainly on the horse’s weight.
| HORSE WEIGHT | CORRESPONDING GARLIC DOSE |
|---|---|
| 300 to 600 pounds | 1.5 to 3 grams |
| 601 to 1,200 pounds | 6 grams |
| 1,201 to 2,000 pounds | 9 grams |
Note that these numbers represent weights of crushed garlic. The book makes no mention of garlic supplements in other forms.
Fact or Fiction: Garlic for Horses Repels Insects
A study investigating the reasons why horse owners supplement with garlic revealed that close to half of respondents use garlic to repel pests like flies, gnats, and mosquitoes. But exactly how effective is garlic at achieving that end?
While studies exploring the benefits of garlic for pest control in horses might be scarce, many studies have detailed the benefits of garlic-infused oil for pest control for humans. According to multiple studies, the topical application of garlic may effectively keep mosquitoes and other pests away at an efficacy rate of up to 97%.
Other studies use orally ingested garlic as their method of repelling pests for humans. According to researchers, prolonged, routine intake of garlic may cause changes in sweat chemistry and body odor, working to keep pests away.
In the equine world however, evidence to support garlic’s benefits against insects remains largely anecdotal. Nevertheless, if you’re following the doses indicated above, there’s no harm in trying to use garlic to protect your horse against the common pests.
Do Horses Like Garlic?
Garlic’s strong and lasting flavor and aroma might make it offensive to some humans. But anecdotal evidence supports the idea that horses seem to enjoy the vegetable. Of course, there are a few exceptions, since horses may have unique personalities and preferences.
In case your horse doesn’t seem to enjoy the taste of garlic, mixing it in with a treat or with their feed can make it easier to give them their daily dose without triggering their radar. For the most part however, majority of horse owners have no issues feeding garlic supplements to their steed.
Tips for Feeding Garlic to Horses
Some horses that don’t take well to change or those who simply don’t like the taste of garlic might attempt to avoid the supplement when offered. So to make sure your trusty stallion takes their recommended daily intake, you might want to try these tips:
- Crush the garlic and mix it in with feed to mask its aroma and texture.
- You can start off with a smaller amount and increase gradually so as not to overwhelm your horses’ senses.
- Bore a hole in an apple or a carrot and stuff it with their garlic dose to provide an inconspicuous dose.
- Purchase garlic supplement for horses from approved brands. These products use natural garlic and come in granulated or powdered form for easy dosing.
Warnings When Feeding Garlic to Horses
You would think that a vegetable probably wouldn’t cause too much harm to a horse. But in the case of garlic, real risks are at play.
So aside from getting the right dose, it’s important to consider these fair warnings before deciding on adding garlic to your horse’s daily supplement routine.
- Not all horses need garlic. If you’re considering supplementing with garlic, always consult your vet first. In some cases, they may be able to prescribe a safer supplement for the end you’re hoping to achieve.
- Do not supplement garlic to a horse with sweet itch. As detailed here, garlic improves the immune response. But horses suffering from sweet itch already have an overactive immune system. Ditch the garlic and opt for brewers yeast instead.
- Garlic may cause blood problems that could result to birth defects in newborn horses. If your horse is pregnant, do not provide garlic supplements during the horses gestation period. If you’re planning to breed your horses, make sure you stop garlic intake at least 2 weeks prior.
- Garlic is in no way an accepted treatment for any sort of medical condition aside from ringworm. That said, garlic supplements can’t and won’t cure any form of disease in your horse. Always seek a vet’s advice if you suspect that your horse might be dealing with a health problem.
- Raw garlic presents more dangers that garlic supplements developed specifically for horses. If you want to curb the risks, you might want to consider using actual garlic supplements instead of the real deal.
Laying the Debate to Rest
There’s more than enough research today to draw some pretty solid conclusions on the garlic for horses debate. Definitely effective as a supplement for various reasons, garlic in moderation can help protect your horse against a variety of health concerns.
But just as any responsible horse owner, the due diligence is up to you. Talk to your vet, read up on the research, and ask the right questions. By weighing the pros and cons, you should be able to incorporate garlic into your horse’s diet without having to deal with its possible downsides.
