Can horses eat peanut butter?. Peanut butter, a firm kids and adults favourite, has numerous health benefits. This heavenly food spread is made from dry roasted peanuts. Peanut butter sold in the USA contains 90% peanuts and 10% other ingredients. The ingredients in peanut butter help in boosting heart health and sugar levels. It is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals if used in moderation as it is high in calories.
As we all love and treat our pets like our own kids. This bounding makes this relationship a little dangerous sometimes as not everything that is beneficial to us is beneficial to them as well. Peanut butter is one another thing we want our pets to try as we love it and we want them to have this as a treat too. But, one second is it safe?
Can horses eat peanut butter?
Yes, they can eat as an occasional treat. But like humans, only a “the recommended amount” is okay for them to eat. Just because horses love peanut butter so you can feed with peanut butter if your horses are suffering from metabolic syndrome than do not feed peanut butter. Some horses have a nut allergy, so do not feed in this case too.
Do horses love Peanut Butter?
We all love it and horses are no exception. They love peanut butter as much as we do. The face they make to get more is going to tell you how much they enjoy having it as a treat.
The right way of feeding peanut butter
Feed in moderate quantity (two tablespoons maximum) and not more than once a week. It is advisable to keep the quantity as low as possible. Following these two rules of feeding will make it safer to consume.
Wondering how is it beneficial?
You might have never thought about how it is secretly boosting your health and have only focused on its taste yet. Let’s see how beneficial it is for us and for horses if we both consume it in moderation. It contains:
- Protein
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Niacin
- Vitamin B6
And why are they needed:
Protein
It contains almost 7.02 g protein per two tablespoons. Horses need protein for a bunch of things to work properly. They need it for the regulation of metabolic function, stronger immune system, nutrient transport in the bloodstream, and across the cell membrane. So a moderate quantity of it can be a health booster.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is no doubt an important mineral for horses and other animals. It is needed for the proper functioning of the enzyme system. It repairs cells and tissues in the horse’s body. And peanut butter contains a decent amount of phosphorus(107mg per serving).
Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency in horses is a threat to nervousness, excitability, muscle tremors, and wariness. It helps in the nerve and muscle function. It contains 57 milligrams of magnesium per serving. And it is enough to bring your horse in a calm state.
Zinc
Zinc aids in bone development and the health of hooves and skin. Besides these two important functions, it also helps in metabolizing carbohydrates and protein.
Niacin
Niacin makes the normal functioning of the nervous system possible. It promotes digestion in both animals and humans.
Vitamin B6
This vitamin helps in various little functions in the horse’s body from digestion to hemoglobin production.
Now you know, not even a single element in peanut butter is unrequired. They are all important for your horse to live a healthy life but this does not mean you make peanut butter a dominant part of their diet. It is just an “occasional treat” remember that even if it sounds beneficial.
Peanut butter sandwiches for horses. Yay or nay?
Nay. A big no for insulin resistance and horses with metabolic syndrome would lead to laminitis and founder. Bread is never a healthier option for horses; it is not actually that toxic but still not healthy. Peanut butter and bread both will both go hard on horses so it’s a bad idea. Do not combine these two ingredients if you still want to feed peanut butter anyway.
But you can make it a little safer for them to consume
Do not get disheartened. Organic peanut butter contains peanuts, sugar, and some salt only. Choosing an organic brand over the other available option makes it a few steps safer for horses to have. Avoid inorganic one at any cost.
Take this as a red signal
After feeding peanut butter if you notice that your horse is not eating properly take it as a red signal. Say goodbye to peanut butter for the health of your horse. To avoid complications, discuss it with your vet.
When should you avoid feeding peanut butter to horses
Try avoiding peanut butter in these two conditions:
- In the case of metabolic syndrome:
If your horse is resistant to insulin do not feed peanut butter even a tiny bit of it as it contains sugar.
- If your horse has any sort of nut allergy:
Peanuts do not truly belong to the family of nuts; it is actually a legume. But when it goes into the body, the body reacts in a similar way as it reacts to nuts. So, it should never be fed to horses in this condition even if they are begging for it.
Best alternatives to peanut butter for horses
No doubt, horses deserve to at least taste this heavenly food spread at least once in their life. But it is not healthy but the healthier options you are overlooking are:
- Hawthorn berries
- Mint leaves
- Apples
- Carrots
- Strawberries
- Snow peas
- Celery
- Pumpkin
- Cantaloupe
- Banana
your horse is going to love these as well and they are proven to help horses with digestion and stamina. They are also helpful in easing the symptoms of laminitis, navicular syndrome, and rheumatism.
Taking Care of Horse Feed
Thee are some treats that should be ignored. You should avoid chocolate as a treat for horses. Chocolate has theobromine which is not good for the digestive system of horses. In Fruits flash of Avocado is toxic to horses. Leaves and peel can be used as a treat. Persimmons also cause blockage of the digestive tract. Peanut butter is also not good for horses.
Other Treats for horses
FAQ’s
Can Horses Eat Peanut?
Yes, horses can eat peanut but again as a treat. Make sure your horse is not nuts allergic. Horses have large esophagi so peanuts can not block their throat. Clumps of peanut can block throat but easily fixable.
Yes, Peanut and Peanut butter are safe as a treat. Both have a high amount of potassium while peanut butter sometimes include salts and sugar. A little spoon is enough but a large amount can cause a serious issue.
Conclusion
Horses can eat peanut butter but it is not healthy for them. Though it contains all necessary vitamins and minerals horses need to live a balanced life but it is still, it is not that healthy. Quantity above two tablespoons is extremely dangerous for them. Keep the quantity even lower than two tablespoons if possible if you want them to know how delicious peanut butter is. Horses with metabolic syndrome and nut allergy should be excluded from this practice.
