Can Horses Eat Cabbage, Celery, Carrots and Other Vegetables?

Can horses eat vegetables other than carrots? Absolutely! Horses enjoy celery, corn, lettuce, squash, sweet potatoes, and turnips. Vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, too.

For example, carrots are high in Vitamin A and celery is a good source of Vitamin K. Feeding these items in limited quantities is fine and your horse may actually enjoy the variety!

Good Vegetables for Horses

Carrots: Of course, carrots may be the most popular treat that horses are fed. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (carotene), low in saturated fat and cholesterol. To feed carrots to your horse, either cut the carrots longwise or cut each into small pieces. Most horses love to eat carrots, but like other treats, do not feed them too many.

Celery: Celery contains a number of vitamins such as Vitamin K, potassium, manganese, Vitamins B2, C, B6, and A. It is also a good source of fiber. Horses can eat both the celery and the celery leaves. Like feeding other vegetables to horses, cut the celery into smaller sized pieces. 

Corn: Most corn that is fed to horses is either cracked or rolled and is typically mixed in with other grains or mixed feed. Corn is an excellent source of Potassium, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, and Iron. However, corn is also very high in starch that can be problematic for a horse’s digestive system. When fed as part of a balanced diet, though, corn is a good choice.  

Pumpkin:  You would not think to feed pumpkin to horses, but some horses enjoy the taste of it. Pumpkins are very high in Vitamin A. Made up of ninety percent water pumpkins have a sweet taste, which is probably why some horses enjoy eating it. To feed horses pumpkin, take a pumpkin and slice a whole in the top. Scoop out the flesh and the seeds. Separate and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into small chunks.

Vegetables Not Safe for Horses 

These vegetables are absolutely NOT safe for your horse to eat: avocados, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, regular potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. Avoid feeding horses these vegetables at all costs!

Feeding Vegetables 

When feeding vegetables to your horse, make sure to wash them first. Then, cut vegetables in long strips or in small pieces. Feeding horses chunks of food may cause your horse to choke.

Remember that a horse cannot throw up/vomit. Food that gets caught in a horse’s oesophagus can be very serious. If the horse is unable to dislodge the item of food by itself, it will be necessary to contact your veterinarian immediately.