Further silly question about fruit and veg

[MereChristmas]

According to the replies on my ‘banana’ thread many people feed bananas to their horses and some have mentioned other fruit and veg.
I don’t give any fruit or veg to my pony and I don’t feed treats. I do feed him cleavers if I remember but that’s about it.

What else do you feed and why?
How do you ‘serve ‘ it?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

They get a carrot in the feed sometimes swede or parsnip peelings also if I have any.

By hand they get a few fibre nuts, polo's or herbal treats.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Apples and carrots. He didn’t like bananas, parsnips, pears or swede. I picked cow parsley for him, he loved that. I think you aren’t supposed to give them lots of brassica type veg. I tended to give by hand, he wasn’t nippy.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Mine get a sliced apple or carrot in a feed twice daily, the piece of sliced apple in little A's bucket is 90% of what she gets lol. (5 or 6 nuts and a pinch of chop)
B Fuzzy adores slightly over ripe pears.
I havent found anything (yet) that little A doesn't eat, tho she did pull faces at a proffered radish, before hoovering it.....

 

[poiuytrewq]

Not a lot!
Cleavers and willow in summer when I think of it. I’ll get a bunch and tie it to the fence. They love it and it’s anti inflammatory.
Carrots now and then.
They pretty much just eat their regular feed and hay though.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Mine used to love my leftover sprouts after Christmas (uncooked)

 

[ponynutz]

I didnt “feed” her these two obviously but since we’re years past the colic panic they’re hilarious:

1) Eating a sausage roll for lunch. I set it down (she was tied up and I THOUGHT she was far enough away), turn back around and it’s gone.

2) Packet of strepsils I left on the mounting block while I free schooled.

Might I add the strepsils packaging was also gone… and then passed out…

 

[Zoeypxo]

Mine loves sugar free polos and carrots with the green tops still on as her favourite choices.
Will pretty much take any vegetables or fruit bar bananas !

 

[TGM]

Husband is a ‘treater’ so buys carrots which they get in their feed and by hand. I use food treats to reward desirable behaviour occasionally. I hate waste so banana skins are fed to the old pony in her feed bucket as she loves them. In season we give them cow parsley and hazel twigs (when hedges are trimmed) also.

 

[Vermeer]

Pony gets carrots as a special treat. Also can't walk down the lane in a straight line through spring to autumn as she is too busy in the hedges stuffing her face with hazel leaves. She is also partial to fruit tea.

Definitely not fruit or veg, but once bought a slice of Victoria sponge between classes at a show, only for pony to hoover it straight off the paper plate before I had even had a chance to look at it. Same result with a packet of Worcester sauce crisps. I now eat my lunch a good distance away

 

[fidleyspromise]

If I go shopping I get a mix of veg just as a little extra. Less than once per month.
Apples, carrots, pears generally.

I either put it in buckets or more likely throw it in field - 2 ponies both happy to go hunting veg and not so impressed when my aim is terrible and carrot etc hits their side, bounces off rump lol.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I keep Herb treats in the lorry - they don't get them any other time.
About a pound of carrots sliced in each feed daily or a sliced apple when in season.
Yes, they are spoiled - they deserve it.

 

[criso]

I'll share any fruit I'm eating, the only one I know they can't have is Kaki (type of persimmon). He likes all fruit and will eat banana peels, whole satsumas including the peel and rind of watermelon. Only refusals were pomegranate and kiwi fruit but I didn't peel the later.

Someone at the yard gets leftovers from their greengrocers. They shouldn't eat raw potatoes, tomatoes or cruciferous veg like sprouts or broccoli - too gassy but everything else is ok.. Current horse won't eat parsnips or swedes but previous horse was less fussy. I used to drill a hole in a swede and hang it up as a boredom breaker. Corn on the cob is very popular but quite starchy so only a small amount, he will eat the centre too.

I'll also share nuts and dried fruit from snack boxes.

Self supplementing my previous horse got my bag and took it into his stable. He ate a sandwich, some thai prawn crackers and a flapjack, not slowed down by plastic wrapping which he removed and I found in his bed. He also tried to eat a Nokia phone.

 

[silv]

I have lots of fruit trees in my garden, so they get to enjoy what ever is in season, Arty prefers peaches, also nectarines, plums followed by pears and apples. He is great at spitting out the stones. Also I ride in vineyards so he enjoys grapes too. Especially the red ones!

 

[dogatemysalad]

I feed succulents because they are refreshing and because horses now are restricted to grazing in paddocks instead of being able to roam and graze over vast areas, foraging on seasonal plants.
Carrots and apples are a staple, but I give fruits and veg, like swede, turnips in winter and melon in summer. Produce that grows in our garden is often offered seasonally and in moderation.

 

[Kaylum]

Carrots and apples cut in half no smaller as a horse cannot chew small bits so can end up with choke. Also turnips but give them whole. Willow branches are good as well.

 

[rabatsa]

Mine get the roses as I dead head them.

 

[Barton Bounty]

A friend once gave bb a handful of rosehips she had been picking for her horse, omg he was mooching in her pockets for more

carrots, apples, pears and oranges(peel on but cut into 8 pieces) he tried watermelon and didnt like it. He does love an ice lolly in summer, especially a calippo.

no other fruit or veg.

 

[humblepie]

Used to give the veg peelings to the ponies years ago and a Guinness from time to time. Current horse has one treat a day and no veg or fruit. Did have a carrot on Christmas Day. Used to feed more carrots but stopped and didn’t restart.

 

[Trouper]

Home from school and straight out to see to pony discovered she loved to "share" my mug of tea - well I suppose it is the camellia plant!

 

[Fjord]

Celery tops, carrot peel, cucumber and brocoli stem are all regular additions to Bobbi's dinner

 

[fankino04]

My old ex racer used to like some cheese and tomato pizza and pineapple bacardi breezer many many years ago lol

 

[PurBee]

Mine get the roses as I dead head them.

I gave mine fresh wild dog rose hips this winter, from a rose growing here. They werent sure at first, spat out. Tried again, and upon crunching them they decided they were nice

I’ll add whatever i have growing/needing to be eaten up to their bowl feel which is mainly a scoop of beetpulp.
I grow lots of carrots - they love the tops. Also fresh parsley, they love that.

I dont give cabbage/broccoli/onion/leek/garlic or kale/spinach. They have eaten fresh growing kale but they arent keen, probably due to the oxalic acid content.

My gelding loves tea and coffee! Whenever i have a cup near him he hassles me for some, so i tip a sip into my hand and he licks it up, eager for more, which he doesnt get - but its useful to know a half mug of tea added to feed would tempt him to eat an unpalatable med or supplement

They love gorse flowers. Spring-time is when ill see them parked at a gorse bush in their field slowly and delicately picking the flowers amidst the horrid spikes with their lips.
If you find any bright yellow flowered gorse bushes, pick some flowers for them, see if they like them. The scent is wonderful, a mix of coconut and vanilla.

I tried fresh calendula/marigold flowers - spat out, every time.

 

[ecb89]

Mine loves an apple and pear. He occasionally has a swede and parsnips

 

[MereChristmas]

These stories are fascinating

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

According to the replies on my ‘banana’ thread many people feed bananas to their horses and some have mentioned other fruit and veg.
I don’t give any fruit or veg to my pony and I don’t feed treats. I do feed him cleavers if I remember but that’s about it.

What else do you feed and why?
How do you ‘serve ‘ it?

I give mine

Parsnips
Bananas
Broccoli stalks
Pears
hula hoops ( tho just an odd hoop)
swedes
apples

no horse treats as she is magnesium sensitive.





My late mare loved and was fed : because she liked it
melons
peaches
plums
pears
briccoli stalks
cauliflower
grapes
oranges
crisps
in fact lots of fruit
swede

 

[Surbie]

I worked my way down a BHS list of hedgerow plants, fruit and veg for horses one year when my horse was on box rest for months and didn't want to eat his meds. True to his cobby roots, he's pretty enthusiastic about most of it.

Sttrawberries he sucks then spits out, celery is treated disdainfully, beetroot is disgusting.

He gets the following in moderation (and when they are cheap in the shops/available on the allotment):
Apples, carrots, parsnips, swede, bananas, pears, mango, blueberries, raspberries, melon (no rind), satsumas, grapes, peach/nectarine/plum (without the stone), wineberries (allotment). Also gets cow parsley, cleavers, wilted nettles, hazel, any roses from deadheading, ripe rosehips after the first frost.

He will swipe marmitey toast or a cheese sarnie given half a chance, and really likes tea - both builders and rooibos.

 

[MereChristmas]

Thank you all

 

[COldNag]

Ours gets carrots and the occasional swede.

His absolute utter favourite is ripe pear, but he is only allowed a bit and not very often!

 

[olop]

Mine literally will eat anything given. He’s partial to bananas, oranges, melons, watermelon, sweet potatoes, donuts (the jammier the better!), lettuce and cucumber. Obviously some on that list he had literally been tried with and doesn’t have it regularly! He’s also stolen beef burgers and sandwiches. I honestly don’t think he would turn his nose up at anything