Can Horses Eat Almonds?

I was out at a restaurant with my family the other day and for dessert I ordered a slice of almond cake.

It was delicious and I realized how much I used to love almonds, but don’t really eat them anymore.

I bought a big bag to snack on the next day, and I quickly got to thinking about whether they would make a good snack for my horses.

They’ve always loved all sorts of nuts, so I thought it made a great option.

I always like to be sure they’re safe, though, so I decided to do some research first.

So, can horses eat almonds?

Yes, almonds are safe for horses. They make a great, healthy treat that your horse will love. The thing to keep in mind is that your horses’ diet always needs to stay balanced, and almonds must be seen as an occasional treat and not a staple food.

So, almonds in moderation are certainly safe for your horse.

And this is always the key with introducing treats into a horse’s diet.

They need to be just that, an occasional treat and not an every day food.

Not only will it be bad for your horse’s health, they’ll just get bored.

That said, let’s look at the health benefits of almonds for your horse.

 

What are the benefits of almonds for horses?

Almonds are a really healthy snack in a small package, packed with nutrients in an easily digestible form.

Almonds boast an incredibly impressive nutrient profile.

They are very high in fiber, for example, which is possibly the most important thing in a horse’s diet.

A horse’s diet should consist mostly of fiber from hay and grass, and extra bonus fiber from other places helps boost digestion.

They are also a great source of protein, which is essential for the strength of your horse’s muscles and bones.

They contain large amounts of vitamin E, manganese and magnesium, essential vitamins and minerals which can help everything from the health of your horse’s coat and hooves to its immune system.

The minerals also benefits blood pressure levels.

Almonds are also loaded with antioxidants, which help prevent oxidative stress.

This can damage molecules in your cells and contribute to inflammation, which can be a very big problem for horses.

Since they’re so packed with nutrients, they also reduce hunger easily, which will mean your horse won’t want to overeat and will be satisfied.

Overeating for horses can be a big problem and can cause considerably intestinal discomfort, so let’s look at the potential problems of almonds.

 

Are almonds safe for horses?

Almonds are packed with countless benefits, then.

But, for this very reason, you need to be careful of moderating them in your horse’s diet.

Overfeeding will quickly become a problem.

And, despite their size, you really shouldn’t overestimate how many a horse can eat.

We would only recommend and a handful or so of almonds in a day, and its best to switch treats around day to day so your horse doesn’t get bored.

Think about using almonds as a treat once or twice a week.

Almonds, despite what you might think, aren’t actually nuts.

They’re seeds.

Many nuts are toxic to horses and cause a few problems, so don’t think that because your horse can safely eat almonds, they can safely eat any nuts.

Almonds aren’t nuts.

So, almonds are totally safe for your horse in appropriate moderation.

But what about almond products?

There are so many of them out there nowadays, let’s look at whether your horse can eat almond products.

 

Can horses eat almond butter?

Almond butter and butter replacements in general have become a lot more popular over the years, and many have been wondering about giving these to your horse.

Almond butter is much, much different from whole almonds, since it’s a product and not an actual food in itself.

For that reason, you need to be a lot more cautious of products like butter.

As a very occasional treat, some almond butter on the end of something else might be a great treat for your horse.

However, this should definitely not be a common thing.

Almond butter is likely to be full of other products that you can’t know the effect on your horse.

Another thing to mention is that many horses will simply not like almond butter.

They won’t like the texture of most butter, in fact, and mine certainly don’t. If your horse doesn’t want to eat the almond butter, don’t try and force it.

 

Can horses eat almond flour?

Almond flour is a bit different, since, in general, it just consists of ground up almond meal.

This can actually be a great nutritional support to your horse, and it doesn’t have to digest the actual almonds.

This can be a great way to support your horse’s nutrition, and some even recommend as much as ¼ cup of almond flour a day as part of a healthy diet.

 

So almonds are a great treat for your horse, and they will love them.

The important thing, just like with your own diet, is moderation.

They won’t love eating tons of almonds every single day and will get bored very quickly.

Always keep that in mind and make sure to swap out your horse’s treats regularly, and almonds will make a great addition to their diet.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!