Last Updated on May 31, 2020 by Allison Price
Out in the pasture and thinking of feeding my horse with mushrooms. Are you also hesitant to allow your horse to eat mushrooms? We want to feed our horses with only what’s good for their health. It’s always best to stick to a regular feeding routine with mainly grass or hay. But sometimes we want to give them a treat on top of their regular food. With that, we have to know if these treats will not harm them including mushrooms.
What You Can and Can’t Feed Your Horse
It’s okay to give your horse a treat every now and then. Horse owners may feed them treats without realizing that it can be harmful to them. Some foods may surprise you because they are actually okay for your horse to eat. It’s important for you to know what these foods are. Feeding them with wrong foods may cause discomfort and pain. It may even damage their digestive and urinary system.
Foods You Should Not Feed Your Horse:
The following are the foods to avoid feeding your horse. These foods can cause your horse to become very ill.
- Tomatoes. Tomatoes can cause constipation. They also contain hyoscyamine which decreases saliva production and increases heart rate.
- Garlic and Onions. These are members of the allium family and they can kill red blood cells.
- Chocolate. It contains theobromine that can cause colic, seizure, metabolic derangement, and internal bleeding. It has also caffeine which can cause a horse to fail a drug test.
- Bread Products. These products can choke them.
- Rhubarb. It can damage digestive and urinary systems which then can lead to kidney failure.
- Dairy Products. Horses are lactose intolerant. It’s better to avoid these products.
- Bran. Bran can cause mineral imbalance and throw off digestion, causing diarrhea.
- Meat. Horses belong in the herbivores. They are not designed to eat meat. We may be unaware of the long-term side effects this could have.
- Stone Fruits. These fruits can cause your horse to choke.
- Potatoes. If the potatoes are green or moldy, they can cause toxicosis. If eaten whole, they can cause choke.
- Avocado. It is poisonous to horses.
- Lawn Clippings and Compost. This can cause your horse to choke. It may also contain poisonous plants.
- Cabbage, Broccoli & Cauliflower. If these foods are eaten in large amounts, they can cause severe gas.
- Caffeine. If your horse is competing, it can cause your horse to fail a drug test. It can also cause an irregular heartbeat.
Foods You Should Feed Your Horse:
- Carrots
- Apples
- Watermelon
- Pears
- Melon
- Plumbs
- Apricot
- Peach
- Grapes
- Mango
- Strawberries
- Green Beans
- Raisins
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Pineapple Pieces
- Celery
- Peppermints
- Sunflower Seeds
Mushroom Madness
Not in the list of the foods you should feed your horse is the mushroom. We want to give emphasize this because maybe some of us are hesitating to do so and we are not talking about magic mushrooms of the 70s or the poisonous ones you hear about in news. We don’t suggest horses go around their pastures picking mushrooms and eat them for dinner. What we are talking about are special mushrooms.
Mushrooms have a root layer; it is called the mycelium. These roots in the ground allow them to share nutrients and fight bacteria and disease. Horses around the world have been eating this powerful mycelial layer. They have been recently used in horses for many different ailments as well as general health. Many horses enjoy these products.
Specific mushrooms are used for different properties. The Reishi mushroom, for example, can help horses process their stresses better. This mushroom will give you a horse that is easier to train and enjoys his job more. Also, being able to process stress more efficiently has physical benefits. Stress can cause many different health issues such as equine gastric ulcers.
The blend of mushrooms used is important when it comes to performance horses. A different blend of mushrooms is an advantage to animals that need to run long distances. The cordyceps mushroom has a history of building muscle mass. It helps with muscle recovery as well. It helps athletes recover faster from strenuous training. Thus, allowing them to train harder. This is also true for horses.
Benefits from Head to Toe
Another beneficial aspect of mushrooms in horses is hoof health. Farriers have tried many other products on the market. They are often dissatisfied with the results. But increasing hoof health and growth are seen while using them.
A lot of people don’t think about supplements for their horse’s mouths or teeth. Improved dental health is another surprising and powerful effect given by these mushrooms. Horses develop dental issues as they get older. Mushrooms work to support horses with dental disease.
There are a lot of ways mushrooms are being used to help horses all over the world. If you are looking for a natural way to increase their health and well-being, consider mushrooms. They are your solution. Whether they are sick, performing, or just for their benefit, mushrooms are good.
Feeding Your Horse with Treats
We all love a treat every now and then and so do our horses. Oftentimes, we feed our horses with treats in return for good work or praise when training. And that is fine. Some of us give our horses a little treat each day. Most of the time we do it because it makes us feel good. It’s good to treat your horses once in a while. But there are some guidelines that need to be followed.
The right fruit and vegetables are a good treat for your horse. Because they taste great and are usually like the food your horse eats in their regular diet. It means that the chances of upsetting your horse’s digestion are less.
Treats should also be fed moderately. Feeding them too much can cause a bad affect on their balanced diet. Treats are only treated for horses when they are fed little and often.
Summary
One of the reasons why mushrooms are effective is because they are the ultimate “antis”. They have strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. These aid treatment of many health issues. Feeding mushrooms to your horses is a great way to maintain their health. This helps a lot during times of heavy stress. It also helps during other immunity-suppressing events like allergic reactions and virus outbreaks. It can also help a lot of horses with metabolic issues. In general, mushrooms are not toxic for horses to eat. In fact, they can get a lot of good things from mushrooms.
