Can Horses Eat Kiwi?

As summer season came around again this year, I wanted to try some new fruit and vegetables that I didn’t normally eat or hadn’t tried.

One thing I tried, and absolutely loved, was kiwi.

Juicy, tasty and with a little bit of tanginess, I just found them irresistible.

Naturally, I pretty soon had a lot of kiwis and was beginning to wonder how I could share it around.

I’m always looking for new and exciting things I can give to my horses, as well, so that was one of the first places my mind went to.

I always like to make sure it’s safe before feeding them a new snack, though, so I decided to do some research.

So, can horses eat kiwi?

Yes, kiwi is perfectly safe for horses. They’re a fantastic, tasty and nutritious treat that your horse will almost certainly love. The thing to remember with fresh fruit in your horse’s diet is moderation. If they eat too much it can quickly be a problem, and kiwis are no exception to this rule.

So, kiwi is certainly totally safe for your horse.

Some horse owners have reported that kiwi just wasn’t to their horse’s tastes, but most of the time they will love it.

Let’s look at how to prepare it and what different varieties of kiwi fruit there are.

How do you feed kiwi to horses?

One thing that a lot of horse owners often report is that their horses will turn their noses up at a whole kiwi.

They won’t want to chew up the whole thing, and at first they may be somewhat put off by the rind.

Not to mention, a whole kiwi would present quite a choking hazard.

So, the best option is to slice the kiwi up and offer it to the horse that way.

This way, it will be able to see the juicy green flesh and not just the hard, outer rind.

You should also make sure to wash the skin thoroughly, as it is actually a great source of fiber when the horse eats it.

What are the health benefits of kiwi for horses?

Kiwi are loaded with all sorts of beneficial nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Firstly, though, the fiber content is fantastic for your horse and helps with digestion and gut health.

They’re also a great snack for after a workout with your horse, because of the antioxidants and mineral content.

These help to replenish the body, since physical exertion creates more oxidants. Kiwis help provide balance and homeostasis.

It is for this very reason that moderation is so important.

A food so nutrient rich will quickly cause problems if not fed in proper moderation. So, what about the different varieties of kiwi?

There are three, let’s look at each of them on its own.

Can horses eat grocery store kiwi?

The most common type of kiwi is simply referred to as the grocery store kiwi, and is the largest, most edible and most widely available.

These are the best types of kiwis to feed to your horse, as they have the largest amount of edible flesh, and the strongest content of antioxidants and minerals.

You should always make sure they’re good and ripe first, but grocery store kiwis are the best and most well-rounded variety to feed to your horse.

Can horses eat hardy kiwi?

Hardy kiwis are quite a lot different.

They’re much smaller and, you guessed it, harder.

They obviously get softer as they ripen, but a ripe grocery store kiwi is going to be much softer and juicier than a ripe hardy kiwi.

They don’t pose any specific issues for your horse as compared with grocery store kiwis, except for the issue of choking.

Their size presents a major choking hazard were you to feed them whole, so if you do have some spare hardy kiwis, again, be sure to chop them up.

That said, your best option will still be regular, grocery store kiwis.

Hardy kiwis are much smaller, and lack the nutrient content of the larger, juicier, ordinary variety.

If you want to feed kiwis to your horses, ordinary kiwis are the way to go.

Can horses eat super-hardy kiwi fruit?

There is an even harder variety of kiwi, if you can believe it, and the name pretty much sums it up.

It’s much smaller even than hardy kiwis, and again smooth skinned and can even handle extremely low temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit, growing high in the mountains in some areas.

Given my answer to the last point, I’m sure you can imagine where this is going.

Super hardy kiwi fruits lack much of the benefits of bigger, juicier varieties, so the better option is always to go for the regular kiwis.

Super hardy kiwis pose no specific problems, but again, ordinary kiwis are advantageous in many ways.

So, there are one or two caveats to the question, but the basic answer is yes.

Kiwis are packed with lots of benefits and nutrition, and in moderation they will make a great addition to your horse’s diet. Overfeeding will quickly become a problem if you aren’t careful of this, and it could cause your horse considerable discomfort.

So, in careful moderation, and in the right variety, kiwi is a great treat for your horse.