This article will spell out exactly what you can and can’t feed a horse. It will answer the questions you have such as can horses eat watermelons, what do horses like to drink and what kind of diet should they have.
Horses are amazing animals. They can do all kinds of things. They can jump and leap. Horses have been ridden into battle and charged enemies. They have a magical aura around them that makes them seem as if they have arrived from another world.
It is why so many people love not only riding horses but owning them as well. Owning a horse is a great responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly. Horses aren’t, as the old saying goes, just for Christmas – they are for life.
A horse is a truly magnificent and beautiful creature and should be treated as such which is why when you own a horse you have to understand how to look after it.
Understanding
Understanding how to look after a horse includes understanding a horse’s diet. Horses don’t just eat the same kind of things you or I might do. They are after all not the same as humans. So if you are looking after a horse you need to know what you can and can’t give them.
This is critically important information if you want to ensure that you have the healthiest possible horse that you can have.
What do horses eat?
First of all, let’s address in general, what horses eat. Horses more often than not prefer to eat grass.
This is because the grass is good for their digestive systems. And because horses evolved to eat grass rather than other types of food. Their stomachs find it easier to eat. Therefore get good vitamins and the nutrients that they need to keep them healthy.
However, whilst horses are naturally inclined to grass or hay. This doesn’t mean that they can or should only eat grass or hay. Horses should be able to eat other things like fruit but only in small doses.
The most important thing when feeding a horse and looking after it is that you ensure that it is getting the right amount of hay and or grass. If the horse isn’t getting enough hay or grass. Then this might make them not nearly as healthy as they should be. You may have to call out a vet to see them.
It is also important that when you are feeding a horse. You take into account the animal’s age and weight. This can be an important factor. Because horses that are older or larger have different feeding requirements than smaller or younger horses.
Younger horses have a tendency to overeat. This means that it is important that you don’t let them do that. They could become ill and or obese.
Similarly, older horses also tend to not eat as much and to not drink as much water as they need. Particularly if they are spending too long in stables. You should make sure you monitor exactly how much your horse is getting.
Can horses eat watermelon?
Now that we’ve established what kind of things horses can eat, let’s be a bit more specific – can horses eat watermelon for instance?
Yes, horses can eat watermelons and they may in fact be good for horses as the vitamins that make a natural part of the watermelon will likely give the horse a boost. It is perhaps mindful to try and deseed the watermelon as well.
This isn’t because the seeds would cause the horse serious harm but if it ate too many of them then the horse might experience a brief period of diarrhea which of course isn’t good for the horse and is somewhat messy.
Not on the menu
However, a horse’s consumption of watermelons should be limited because it isn’t a food source that horses are born to eat. Having too many watermelons might make the horse somewhat sick and should therefore be avoided.
Horses should be allowed fruit because they are often partial to it but like humans with sweet substances, their access to them needs to be limited. A horse’s digestive system isn’t made for too much fruit so their access to it should be controlled as much as possible.
Why your horse’s diet is important
Horses are amazing creatures. If you own a horse or have ridden one you know how incredible they are. To be able to ride a horse across a windswept landscape, feeling truly at one with nature is an experience that very few people can forget.
It is an experience that can change your whole day and make you feel bright and ready to meet any challenges you might face during your day.
However, horses need a great deal of care and attention. They can’t simply be left to get on with things. They need a great deal of love to ensure that they are as healthy and active as they possibly can be. This is why understanding what your horse needs is crucial for ensuring it has a happy and prosperous life.
If you don’t understand what your horse needs to eat, then you might not be able to ensure that it has a great life. This of course is why you need to fully understand what a horse can and cannot eat.
This piece will have hopefully helped you to understand exactly what your horse can and can’t eat. It will have given you an insight into the type of diet your horse has to have to be fully agile and ready to live its life to the fullest.
A horse needs its owner to ensure that it has the best life possible. Horses cannot sadly communicate with us through words which is why we have to understand everything we can about them in order to ensure that they have lives filled with joy and happiness.
Although you shouldn’t give your horse a watermelon every day, knowing that you can give it one if it likes it means you know how to properly treat your animal which is the best feeling in the world.
