We hope we are speaking for everyone here when we say that peanut butter has become an important part of our household. It’s like an ageless, timeless snack that goes well with almost anything and is well-loved by people of all ages (except they have a nut allergy, of course). Peanut butter might be a high-calorie food, but if consumed appropriately, it can keep your energized all day. However, today, we are here to talk about its popularity among the members of the animal kingdom. Let’s talk about horses.
Can horses eat peanut butter? Yes, horses can eat peanut butter if fed occasionally as a treat. Peanut butter is rich in a number of nutrients that add to the health of your horses. All you need to ensure is to feed them these treats in moderation.
Indeed, peanut butter is not a part of any animal’s natural diet, be it cats, dogs, or horses. However, ever since these animals became domesticated and began to live in human company constantly, they picked up a taste for some human foods from here and there, which is only natural.
The prime concern of all horse-owners is: is peanut butter healthy for their pet? This article will tell you everything you need to know about feeding peanut butter to your horse.
Do horses like eating peanut butter?
Yes, horses absolutely love the taste of peanut butter. If your pet is not jumping all over the place at the sight of it, they have probably never had a taste of it before. Horses go crazy about the crunchy peanut butter that has bits of roasted peanuts in them.
Is peanut butter healthy for horses?
So, now you know that there isn’t a chance that your horse wouldn’t like peanut butter. The more pressing question is: how is it healthy for your pet?
To find that out, you need to know more about which nutrients are present in peanut butter and how are they beneficial for your pet friends:
Health benefits
Protein: Protein fulfills several important functions in horses: to strengthen their immune system, for the regulation of their metabolic functions, to transport nutrients into their bloodstream and cell membranes, etc. A single serving of peanut butter contains about 7 grams of protein, ideal for their nutritional requirements.
Vitamin B3: Peanut butter is rich in Vitamin B3 (niacin), which helps in your pet’s nervous system’s smooth functioning.
Vitamin B6: Pyridoxine, also referred to as Vitamin B6, is a vitamin that promotes hemoglobin production and digestion in horses. Peanut butter contains pyridoxine in moderate quantities.
Phosphorus: A single serving of peanut butter contains about 107 milligrams of phosphorus, which repairs the cells and tissues in all animals, including horses.
Zinc: Zinc is essential for the maintenance of your pet’s hooves and skin health as well as their bone development. The mineral is present in peanut butter in moderation.
Magnesium: Peanut butter contains about 57 milligrams of magnesium per serving, a mineral which is vital for maintaining your pet’s calm. The deficiency of magnesium in horses can lead to wariness, muscle tremors, excitability, and nervousness.
Risk factors
Although peanut butter evidently has many health benefits for your horse, there are a couple of risks involved as well. These are particularly triggered when you feed them more peanut butter than the recommended amount:
High-calories: 100 grams of peanut butter contains about 600 calories, which is quite high both for humans and horses. We must not forget that horses consume all the calories they need in their daily diet, and anything more than that could be excess.
A high-calorie diet can cause many health issues in them, including Laminitis. It can also make them overweight, which is not good for active animals like horses.
Sugar: A single serving of peanut butter contains about 6 grams of sugar, which can disturb the blood sugar levels of your pet and can lead to many diseases, including obesity.
Thus, we can say that while peanut butter has potential health benefits for horses, it can only deliver these as long as you’re feeding them the treat in moderation.
How often should you feed peanut butter to your horse?
When it comes to feeding peanut butter to your horse, pet-owners, especially those who are new to it and have little experience with their pets, are often confused about what quantity should be considered “moderate”.
To make it simpler for them, there are two rules every horse-owner should stick to:
- Feed them peanut butter, not more than once a week.
- The amount of peanut butter fed should not be more than two tablespoons.
If you are careful about following these rules, peanut butter will never affect the health of your horse negatively.
Is it safe for colts to eat peanut butter?
Peanut butter is not any safer for the young ones of horses (colts) than it is for the adults. In fact, while the adults can handle it in strict moderation, the colts’ fragile digestive systems probably can’t. In any case, it is best to keep peanut butter far away from your little pet.
Is organic peanut butter safe for horses?
Yes, organic peanut butter is about 10 times better for the health of your horse than the inorganic one. This is because organic peanut butter contains only peanuts, sugar, salt, and not the various chemicals, additives, and preservatives added in the inorganic peanut butter to make them last longer and appear tastier.
If you are keen on feeding your pet peanut butter, your best choice is to prepare it yourself. You can find plenty of video tutorials on the internet that will guide you through the simple process of it.
Can horses eat a peanut butter sandwich?
Certainly not. Both peanut butter, as well as bread are not good for your horse’s digestive system. Together, they could be a nightmare for them. Every chance your pet might want to take a bite, but you have to be stern about not feeding them any.
Can horses be allergic to peanut butter?
Horses are known to eat nuts. Thus, it is hard to believe that any kind of nut could trigger an allergy in them. But what if we told you that peanuts are not nuts at all?
Yeah, you read that right. Although they have “nuts” in their name, peanuts are actually the seeds of a legume crop. Therefore, you must consult with your veterinarian about feeding your horse peanut butter to find out whether or not they have an allergy. If they do, you should never feed them peanut butter or even peanuts.
When to avoid feeding peanut butter to horses?
Other than an allergy, there is one another thing you need to be careful about. Although it is rare in horses, some horses suffer from a metabolic syndrome, wherein their bodies become resistant to insulin. In this case, feeding them peanut butter could prove to be lethal since it contains sugar in a considerable quantity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are other, healthier options that I can feed my horse in place of peanut butter?
There are many safer and healthier alternatives for peanut that your horses will love equally, if not more:
- Snow peas
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Hawthorn berries
- Mint leaves
Can my horse eat watermelons?
Yes, horses can safely eat watermelons and do so lovingly. They can eat watermelons whole, along with their rinds. The rind of watermelons is in fact very beneficial for their health as it is rich in Vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as in amino acids.
Can I feed celery to my horse?
Yes. Celery is not only safe for horses but also very healthy for them. They love eating the leaves of celery as well. Just chop it into smaller pieces before feeding it to them.
Which fruits can I feed my horse safely?
Horses can eat a number of fruits, including oranges, bananas, grapes, pears, strawberries, apples, mangoes, cantaloupes, etc. You only have to be careful about feeding them avocados and persimmons, the rest of the fruits are pretty much safe for them.
Will my horse eat lettuce?
Yes, horses love eating lettuce, as it is a healthy snack with high water content.
Conclusion: Can Horses eat Peanut Butter?
To conclude, let’s take another look at our first question: can horses eat peanut butter? Yes, they can eat peanut butter, which is not outright lethal to them. However, just because your pets can eat something doesn’t mean that you should feed it to them without a second thought.
Before feeding horses any kind of processed food, including peanut butter, you must remember that their digestive system is not designed to digest them. Therefore, peanut butter should be fed to them in moderation. Feeding them any more than recommended could lead to a number of health problems, including Laminitis, obesity, etc.
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