Last Updated on February 19, 2022 by Allison Price
For horses with insulin disorders or Cushings, it can be hard to find safe treats. Even though horses love a good scratch, it is nice to reward them with a snack.Carrots are rich in sugar and not suitable for horses who are on low-sugar diets.Don’t worry if your horse has a restricted diet. There are still treats that you can give him that won’t cause any problems. Remember that horses with metabolic problems can still receive traditional horse treats in small amounts. This means that your horse will only get one treat per day. Not one at the barn, not after you ride him, and not one after you groom him. Many owners are unaware of how many treats their horses receive each day.
Even a small amount of carrot or alfalfa cube will not cause your horse to become laminitic. However, any amount of these can cause a laminitic episode so it is best to be cautious.Get our weekly Enewsletter about horses
You should not feed a horse with metabolic problems.
- Apples and apple sauce
- Carrots
- watermelon
- Flavored yogurt
- Pretzels, chips, and most cereals
- Cookies, human and horse
- Candy, such as peppermints and jelly beans,
These are some of the best snacks:
- Beet pulp without molasses
- strawberries
- Cherries (The pit is toxic, make sure you remove it)
- Peanuts in the shell
- Pumpkin seeds
- Celery
- Sugar-free candy (eliminate anything sweetened with Xylitol).
- Hay cubes broken into pieces
- alfalfa pellets
- Apple peels
Source: Equine Surgical Associates
Many products have been available in stores for those who prefer store-bought treats. These are some of the most popular choices:
