Can Horses Drink Beer?

If you’re anything like me, you’re always curious, always excited for something new to learn about.

Last weekend, I was visiting a friend of mine on her little ranch.

As she was leaving the house to go give her horses their breakfast, she grabbed a couple of bottles of Guinness stout from a pantry.

Thinking they were for us, I extended my hand for one, but she quickly set me straight: these beers were for the horses.

I was shocked. I had not been aware that you could give any type of alcohol to horses.

When I got home the next day, I immediately set out to find out everything I could about horses and beer.

So, can horses drink beer?

The answer to this question is yes. Horses can have beer. Many horses love the taste, and a bit of beer is often added to the feed of picky eaters. And don’t worry about your horse getting drunk, you would have to give your horse upwards of 20 beers very quickly for them to feel any of the alcoholic effects.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty and talk all about booze and horses!

Is alcohol safe for them?

What types of alcohol can you give to your horse?

Are there are any benefits to giving your horse an occasional beer?

While there is not much hard scientific data about giving horses alcohol, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence from horse owners and even veterinarians.

Is alcohol safe for horses to drink?

This is, of course, the most important question to ask.

Your horse’s safety should always be your number one concern.

It seems that, in moderation, it is relatively safe for your horse to drink alcohol.

It is actually common practice for people to give their racehorses a beer as a post-race treat.

Horses have significantly stronger metabolisms than humans do and can process fermented things much better than we can because their livers produce a large amount of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down alcohol.

Horses are also much larger than humans (shocker, I know.)

Due to their high body weight, they would have to drink quite a bit of beer to become intoxicated.

Please do not attempt to get your horse intoxicated, as that is animal abuse.

If you give your horse beer, you should make sure that it is warm and completely flat before you give it to them, as carbonation is not good for horses.

Horses cannot burp or vomit, so the bubbles will hurt their stomach.

This is because they have a super strong valve or sphincter in their lower esophagus that does not allow any food or drink to come back up once the horse has consumed it.

It is not recommended to give your horse anything directly from a bottle or can, as they might get cut.

Beer is most often mixed in with feed, or sometimes given directly from a bucket.

There is also the concern that your horse could be allergic to something in the beer (although this is not likely).

If you’ve never given your horse beer before, give them a small amount first to see if there are any negative effects.

Does beer provide any benefits to horses?

There are no definitive scientific studies on this, but anecdotal evidence shows that there are possible small benefits of beer for horses.

The best type of beer to give horses appears to be a dark beer, such as Guinness.

It is less filtered than a lot of other beers, and thus retains more folate, an important B vitamin, than many beers.

The barley in Guinness is also un-malted, and because of that, it has the most fiber of any beer.

However, your horse would have to drink a lot of beer to get a decent level of those B vitamins, so it isn’t the best way to supplement your horse’s diet.

Beer can be used for finicky eaters, mixed in to entice them to eat their feed.

This is, of course, only if they enjoy the taste.

The final possible benefit to your horse has to do with a condition called anhidrosis.

This condition causes horses to have trouble sweating, or in some cases, stop sweating entirely, which can lead to dangerous overheating.

Beer is used traditionally to treat this condition, but despite anecdotes of it helping, there is no scientific research on its efficacy.

If your horse is suffering from this condition, see a veterinarian before attempting any home remedies like beer.

What type of beer do horses like? 

From what I can tell, it seems horses generally prefer the taste of dark beers such as stouts, although some do like the taste of lighter beers.

Barley and hops, ingredients used in most beers, are related to oats, a staple in many horse’s diets. Stouts, like Guinness, are very hops-heavy.

Can horses drink wine?

There isn’t much information available about this, except that, again, a moderate amount probably won’t have any negative effects on your horse.

Can horses drink whiskey?

A shot probably won’t hurt your horse, but liquor has a higher alcohol content than beer and wine.

It is probably best to avoid giving your horse liquor.

Can horses drink hard cider?

It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for them, as long as the cider is allowed to go flat.

However, hard ciders tend to have more sugar than beer.

Always be cautious about not giving your horse too much extra sugar.

Do not give your horse any type of sugary alcoholic beverage like wine coolers or mixed drinks.

From all the research I’ve conducted, it seems that a beer every now and again will not harm your horse and could even have some slight benefits to their health.

Since their bodies can process alcohol so efficiently, you’d have to give them a ton of beer for them to get drunk.

Stouts and other dark beers are the best options, as they have the most folate and fiber, and horses generally seem to prefer their flavor over lighter options.

As with us humans, moderation is key to keeping your horse healthy and strong.