Can Horses Eat Grapes?
My family and I visited a vineyard recently and as we were walking through the sweet aroma of a million grapes, we got talking about how much our horses would enjoy grapes.
Horses love pretty much all fruits and very little causes problems for them, but we always prefer to do our research before giving our horses a new snack.
Grapes come in countless varieties and types, but I had to assume that almost any would be fine for horses to eat.
Nonetheless, I decided to look into and do some research on the question.
So, can horses eat grapes?
Yes, horses will love grapes and they are completely safe. Grapes are a sugary treat for your horse, and the thing to remember is moderation. Don’t overfeed them on grapes. Otherwise, grapes will make a great, healthy treat for your horse and even a bonding experience since they are small enough to be fed by hand.
There is very little fruit that horses won’t eat, but you should always remember that most of their diet is going to come from hay.
Any fresh fruit should be fed in relatively small quantities since it’s so high in sugar.
You should also carefully observe when your horse chews the grapes, as they do represent a minor choking hazard.
Other than that, grapes are completely safe for your horses.
How many grapes can a horse eat?
Horses are big animals, but they still need to take things in moderation, like we do.
Given their size, you might want to think about feeding them grapes by the pound.
A pound of grapes at a time, depending on the size of your horse, should be fine.
This is a good amount for an average-sized horse.
A bigger horse could eat more and a smaller horse could eat less.
Just remember, they shouldn’t be eating them every day.
Grapes have quite a high sugar content, so they should not be overfed with grapes.
10-12 at a time is usually a good amount and won’t leave your horse unsatisfied.
Switch them out with other fruits on other days, so they don’t get bored of grapes.
Feed them grapes perhaps twice a week, supplying other treats at different times.
If your horse is a smaller horse, you should probably let the horse eat the grapes one or two at a time out of your hand.
As I said, the only actual hazard with grapes is choking as they are quite small.
Most horses will chew them up before swallowing and have no trouble, but just keep a close eye as they eat.
Can horses eat white grapes?
White grapes are the most common, and your horse will love them.
Again, being careful to make sure your horses don’t choke, white grapes are a great option and will be a good treat for your horses.
White grapes have a slightly less bitter taste than other varieties and might be more palatable for your horse.
Can horses eat red grapes?
Red grapes are completely safe for your horses, too.
As I said, red grapes can be a little bit more bitter than white grapes, so you should probably watch out for how your horse reacts to red grapes.
But they pose no more danger than any other grapes, except for the possibility of choking.
How should I prepare grapes for a horse?
It might be a good idea to chop the grapes up, depending on the size of your horse.
Larger horses won’t have a problem wolfing down grapes whole, but, as I mentioned, they could pose a choking hazard for smaller horses.
Should horses drink wine?
Horses should not drink wine.
Alcohol is very dangerous for a large animal like a horse, who could easily fall over and hurt itself.
Grapes may be fine for your horse, but fermented grapes are not.
Don’t let your horse have alcohol.
What foods are toxic to horses?
So, grapes are completely safe, but what foods are dangerous for horses?
Firstly, you should avoid giving your horse anything with caffeine in it.
Small amounts wouldn’t be a problem, but there is no point in taking the risk.
Caffeine can cause issues with a horse’s heartbeat, as indeed it does with our own hearts.
Though horses love most vegetables, there are some that can cause painful digestive issues.
Avoid feeding your horse cauliflower, cabbage or broccoli. Potatoes, as a general rule of thumb, aren’t good for horses.
Horses eating potatoes can result in toxicosis, or, again, they could even choke on a piece of tough potato.
Mold on potatoes causes big problems.
You’ll also want to avoid any meat products, bread products, dairy, chocolate, and some other vegetables like onions and garlic.
Horses might seem like digestive powerhouses, but they have their sensitivities just like us.
What fruits are bad for horses?
Avocado can also be harmful for horses, as it can with many other animals.
Avocado contains a fungicidal toxin called persin which in large enough quantities can be deadly for horses.
This applies to both the flesh of the fruit, the seed and the leaves of the tree.
Any fruit with a stone should, really, be avoided, as they all present a choking hazard.
A horse’s airway is much smaller than you might think.
Things like whole peaches, plums and cherries can all be very dangerous for horses and should be avoided.
Apples contain trace amounts of cyanide which, in large enough quantities, could cause big problems for your horse.
Give your horse apples but monitor exactly how much they eat.
Tomatoes can also present a number of digestive issues for horses, including increased heart rate, constipation and other problems.
Fruits in general make a great treat for your goat, and grapes certainly fit into that category.
The seeds in grapes are much too small to present any kind of problem, though the fruit itself could.
So, you have nothing to fear in feeding grapes to your horses.
They will love them and enjoy them as a snack.
Grapes do have a high sugar content (indeed, most fruit does compared to their regular diet), so you’ll always need to remember moderation.
Very few things are directly toxic or harmful to horses, though, and grapes are certainly not, so you can absolutely feed your horses grapes and, as I said, it even makes a great opportunity for bonding through hand-feeding.