Can Horses Eat Sunflower Seeds?

I always love to carry snacks and treats for my horses when I go to see them.

You should never stop bonding with your horse and we all know that food is almost always a great way to do that.

Recently I was walking down to my pasture with a friend and, when we arrived, he pulled out a little bag of sunflower seeds and my horses went mad for them.

I had never given sunflower seeds to my horses before, and they seemed to really enjoy them, but I still wanted to do some quick research and check they were safe.

So, can horses eat sunflower seeds?

Yes, sunflower seeds are very safe for horses and make a great snack for them. They pack a great crunch and, although you always need to be careful of moderation, they provide a great many health benefits on top of their tastiness.

Better yet, pretty much any kind of sunflower seed is safe for your horse to eat.

The important thing with feeding snacks and treats to your horse is that you balance out this in the rest of their diet.

Horses do have quite particular needs, so it’s important not to overfeed them on sunflower seeds.

That said, let’s get into what the health benefits are, how much you should feed them, and which types.

What kinds of sunflower seeds can horses eat?

There are a few different kinds of sunflower seed that you should be aware of.

Classic sunflower seeds, such as those most commonly seen at sporting events as a snack, are non-oil seeds that aren’t typically fed to horses.

Black oil sunflower seeds are much more commonly fed to horses as they have a higher oil content, and are much more digestible.

Though passing undigested sunflower seeds might be less of a problem for us, it can cause pain and discomfort if overfed.

Black oil sunflower seeds have thinner hulls much more tightly held to the kernel, as compared with classic seeds.

Ideal feeding rates haven’t been studied, and though they seem very small and low in caloric content, you should still only see sunflower seeds as a treat for your horse.

Overfeeding them could easily become a problem.

Small amounts of between 2-4 ounces a day are typically fed without complications, but always be mindful of your individual horse’s reactions.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at how sunflower seeds might benefit your horse in the right amounts.

What do sunflower seeds do for horses?

Oil-rich sunflower seeds are rich in omega-6 fatty acids.

These fatty acids are important for the inflammatory immune response as well as cell integrity.

To properly balance out the omega-6, feeding your horse fish oil supplements can provide the necessary amounts of omega-3.

They’re also rich in vitamins E, B1, and B6, all of which promote a healthy immune system and digestion.

Sunflower seeds are also high in minerals like iron, copper, and manganese, which support healthy blood and bones and can reduce inflammation.

Additional fat in their diets can also improve coat condition.

Giving your horse a sleek, shiny coat with these fats is a great way to see how healthy your horse really is.

Beyond all the specific health benefits, sunflower seeds are also just a great snack for your horse!

Horses have to eat a lot of grass and hay, so they’re always thankful for the treat.

We’ve talked a lot about oil, so let’s look in particular at the benefits of sunflower oil.

Can horses eat sunflower oil?

While you obviously shouldn’t just give your horse pure oil, it is often advised to add oil to their feed for a few reasons.

As I said, you want the sunflower seeds with the highest amount of oil as they’re much better for your horse.

That said, it’s also common practice to add oil to a horse’s feed for a few reasons, such as for that essential fatty acid content which I mentioned.

As I said, the oil from the seeds is a great source of the omega-6 in their diet, and then you can add fish supplements or fish oil to their feed for the omega-3.

In terms of pure sunflower oil, one issue is that cooking oil in supermarkets is often heat treated, which can destroy those essential fatty acids.

If you are just feeding for body and coat condition, though, supermarket oils are fine.

Sunflower oil is actually one of the much better options, as it’s a pure oil rather than a blended oil.

Vegetable oil, for instance, is a blended oil which you probably ought to avoid.

Corn oil is another great choice of a pure oil.

Ultimately, sunflower seeds are probably a better option to get the fatty acids into your horse’s diet than oil.

They provide a more rounded benefit while making a great snack, and without having to make time to provide the sunflower oil, you can balance out their fatty acids with fish oil instead.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent, healthy snack for your horse that they will almost certainly love.

Getting in everything in their balanced diet is essential, but feeding them sunflower seeds is not only a great way to get them a treat, but they are also packed with many benefits.

Get down to the store and buy your horse some sunflower seeds today.