Can Horses Eat Dates?

I was having dinner in a restaurant the other day, and when it came time to order dessert, my eye was drawn by a date cake that was on the menu.

I had a slice, and it was absolutely delicious.

Naturally, I’ve been buying a lot more dates to use at home, for cooking, baking, or just to snack on!

They have a good shelf life, but I may have gone a bit overboard, and now I have too many.

Whenever I have excess food, the first thing I wonder is whether I can share them with my horses.

I wasn’t sure dates were safe, so I decided to look into it first.

So, can horses eat dates?

Yes, dates are great for horses in moderation. Horses need fairly consistent diets of grass, hay and forage, but fresh fruit as treats is always a great way to introduce some additional nutrients into their diet. Moderation is always key, as you could easily overfeed them, so be careful with quantities.

Dates are rich in all sorts of vitamins, minerals and healthy nutrients, so they make a great treat for your horse.

There are some caveats, of course, but let’s first look at the benefits of eating dates for horses.

What are the benefits of dates for horses?

Dates are packed with nutrients, and they’re a really healthy treat for your horse.

First of all, they’re rich in fiber, a 3.5 ounce serving containing almost 7 grams.

Fiber is one of the most important parts of your horse’s diet, since most of what it eats is almost pure fiber—grass and hay.

Fiber is fantastic for digestion, and keeps your horse’s gut happy and comfortable.

Dates are also rich in antioxidants, which do a great job of fighting all sorts of disease.

Antioxidants protect bodily cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.

Dates in particular are packed with three main types of antioxidants: flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid.

These reduce inflammation, promote heart health and even lower the risk of cancer.

Dates’ sugar content makes them a great sweet snack, and can help to regulate blood sugar levels.

Dates have even been known to aid in natural labor, as eating them in the weeks leading up to labor can promote cervical dilation.

So, dates are rich in all sorts of benefits for your horse.

However, it’s always still important to be very vigilant when feeding your horse, and dates should only ever represent a treat—not a staple of their diet.

Let’s look at some of the caveats associated with feeding dates to your horse.

Are dates safe for horses?

Fundamentally, yes, dates are totally safe for horses.

The first and most glaring problem to mention is the large pits that dates contain.

Horses may be big animals, but they can still choke on these little pits—your best bet is always to buy pitted dates, or to pit them yourself before feeding.

Other than that, the sheer nutrient content is the main reason dates could be unsafe if fed in quantities too large.

They’re so nutrient rich that horses get all they need out of them from only a few.

A couple of times a week at most is how often you should feed your horse a handful or two of dates.

They’re very high in sugar, which is great in small amounts, but could cause pain and digestive discomfort in larger amounts.

Furthermore, it’s really best if dates only represent one treat of many that you feed to your horses.

Change them out with other things in order to keep your horse happy and prevent it from becoming bored.

All different types of fruit and vegetables are great options.

Of course, there aren’t just one kind of date, either.

So, which is best to give to your horse?

Can horses eat soft dates?

Horses certainly can eat soft dates, and they are usually considered the best choice.

Soft dates are easier to chew and digest, and may be more palatable to your horse for that reason.

Some of the most popular dates available in the U.S. are soft dates like the king date, a large, juicy variety which your horses will love.

Any soft date will be a good option, although you should be mindful of the sugar content.

Can horses eat dry dates?

Dry dates, too, are totally safe for your horse.

Different horses will have different tastes, and some may prefer soft or dry; likelihood is, however, that your horse will eat them regardless of if they are soft or dry.

Dry dates are usually lower in sugar and in overall nutrition, since a lot is lost in the process of drying.

That said, they’re still a great snack, but the better option is likely to be soft dates.

Dates are packed with all sorts of health nutrients, then, and your horse will love them.

They are so nutrient rich, however, that this makes it all the more important to be careful of how much you allow them.

Overfeeding is easy when it comes to snacks, and could cause your horse some discomfort.

As an occasional treat, though, they are a fantastic option.