Feeding carrots - fattening?

[yvonne36]

Are carrots fattening for horses? I normally slice up three or four to mix with feed but someone said they were fattening and as my two are very good doers then maybey I should stop them from having them.

 

[*hic*]

IMHO three or four carrots really won't hurt him. If he's a good doer and you're worried then adjust the amount of feed down.

 

[MochaDun]

Without a doubt horses find them "sweet" and very palateable and I know when this has been asked on here before many people won't feed carrots as either their horses find them too much or they are of the opinion they are fattening but personally I don't think 1 or 2 are a problem, mine's a good do-er and gets 1-2 with his chaff. A high percentage of a carrot is water. The only breakdown of what is in a carrot I can find on the interweb seems to be with regard to human consumption and calories...

Calories in 100g of carrots

Calories 22.0kcal
Carbohydrate 4.4g
Protein 0.6g
Fat 0.4g
Fibre 2.3g

 

[ossy]

not sure about fattening but they do contain quite abit of sugar and they send my horse absolutly doolaly.

 

[Tickles]

Well, they are quite sugary.
If yours is a good doer then perhaps consider reducing both the carrot allowance and the hard feed. Forage all the way...

 

[tallyho!]

If you are worried then consider other members of the vegetable family except of course legumes and beans!

Broccoli
Cabbage
Swede
Turnip

Any of those take your fancy?

These have less sugar and more fibre - bargain.

Carrots are also high in soluble vit a which horses need very little of unlike cows.

I give peelings from home (Sundays only ), at least I know they are not getting lots of unnecessary nutrients.

 

[Randonneuse]

I don't feed carrots to my pony anymore as he puts on weight easily BUT the other reason is because the peel is also full of pesticides!!!(especially if you buy value carrots...)
;-)

 

[tallyho!]

I don't feed carrots to my pony anymore as he puts on weight easily BUT the other reason is because the peel is also full of pesticides!!!(especially if you buy value carrots...)
;-)

Moral of the story__________________

 

[bryngelenponies]

I don't feed them to my good doer because of their sugar content- she has a no sugar diet (as close to it anyway!). I doubt the odd carrot would make any difference though.

 

[Randonneuse]

Moral of the story__________________

Moral of the story...don't give peelings to horses :-D