Bread and Potatoes...

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H-J

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Are these ok for horses to eat?

I dont feed these to my horses but there is a lady who used to loan a horse in the next block who has just brought a horse and is moving into my block. And apparently she used to feed all the horses next door lots of bread and potatoes!!

I will be telling her and putting signs up saying DO NOT FEED!! But just wanted to know if it could cause any damage?
confused.gif
 
a girl at my yard feeds her horse slices of bread all the time, hasnt done him anyharm yet, she feeds it to bloss if shes in, however Archie wont eat it (he dosent understand, he only knows what to do with carrots and hay, anything else he chews and then spits out!)
 
My two adore bread and they eat all leftover bread and veggies from the house. I do not feed spuds, but I can remember reading an article about a top eventer who gave her horses mashed spuds before an event - was years ago.

Cairo's idea of horsey heaven is a small loaf of bread left to go rock hard and then put in his stable to be kicked and munched or hung on a rope for him.

He is a big horse so a small loaf is not that much to him.

Like all things a couple of slices as a treat or on top of a feed is ok but I wouldn't feed a couple of loaves at a time. My horses have good guts and eat anything.
 
A lady on my yard has been feeding her horses bread and potatoes for donkey's years however I wouldn't take the risk as I have heard it can lead to colic.

If you think about it - when you mix bread with any form of liquid (i.e. stomach acids) it swells and although our stomach are designed to cope with this I'm pretty certain a horses stomach isn't! The S shape of the horses stomach and lack of gag reflex is essentially a 'design default' in the horse which can lead to colic. That's why I don't feed it.

Hope this is of some help!

Holly x
 
We used to feed lots of bread and I don't recall ever having problems. I wouldn't feed it now however as I would be concerned with it being over refined and full of yeast.
I also wouldn't feed potatoes. Though I do ffed other root veg.
 
I have always been told that potatoes ferment in horses stomachs and are therefore bad for horses to eat. Not sure about bread, i think its ok in small quantities as i know people who hide wormers in Jam sarnies!
 
my understanding this that potatoes aren't good for gg's as their system can't cope with breaking down the starch...in potatoes
As for a little breadas tit bit will not hurt. As mine have the corner of sandwich, one loves and other one hates!!!
 
I dont think the odd potato would make much diiiference as long as it was the odd poato, however you cant be sure if your horse is not getting a potato with green on it as this would be bad for sore stomachs dont no why but it just is.
 
Im guessing bread is ok as Bailys no 1 smells and looks like dry bread crumbs and so does Badminton conditioning meal. Dont think ill try potatoes though!
 
Potatoes shouldnt be fed at all....not good. Bread, decent stuff in tiny amounts used to be fed for the yeast benefits but I wouldnt want anyone feeding it to mine.
 
Yeah potatoes can ferment like just cut grass. They are really starchy and not a good idea.

Bread is fine in moderation but it can stick in their throats.
 
My two get all our left over bread crusts in their feed. I think you have to be careful to break them up rather than feed whole slices as they can get caught in the roof of their mouth.

I am sure that you shouldn't feed raw potatoes but I can remember my mum used to feed cooked peelings with bran to the ponies in winter. This was about 22 years ago - I am sure its a nutritional no no now!
 
Potatoes aren't great to feed as they have too much startch in them!And large amounts of bread are not good either as horses can digest the wheat! It's okay in small amounts occasionally! But beware of too much and the risk of colic!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Potatoes aren't great to feed as they have too much startch in them!And large amounts of bread are not good either as horses can digest the wheat! It's okay in small amounts occasionally! But beware of too much and the risk of colic!

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand that bread is no good either a case of don't do it, nice horse by the way...
 
I am not sure about potatoes, ie causing excess gas. Again with bread people do give it horses but because of yeast I would'nt.
 
A friend of mine lost one of her highlands after someone feed it a potatoe, she got colic within hour of eating it and it was that bad she had to be PTS a few hours later. The vet said it was the potatoe was the reason for the colic and also the reason it got so bad so quickly his words were the reason I've just had shoot a young healthy mare because someone feed her 1 tattie! ******** ***** people!!! so no I wouldn't feed potatoes
bread well my highland gets a Marmite sandwich every afternoon and he is healthy and happy.
 
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