This is an odd question, but a friend and I were discussing breeding last night and I said I’d find out.
I grew up on a farm with cows. When the cow gave birth she ate the placenta. My mom said it was to help discourage predators. Which made sense. So, do horses do the same?? I’ve never heard of it happening, and neither had my friend. But what about wild horses?
I don’t know about wild horses. My experience is with TBs whose breeding and foaling is a well managed affair. Even if a mare might be inclined to eat the placenta, she doesn’t have the opportunity as it is removed so it can be checked for any abnormalities. The same is probably also true for other mares who foal under observation.
Speaking as a former dog breeder, some bitches will eat the placenta if allowed (some ignore them) but it’s unwise to allow them to consume more than one or two because it will cause diarrhea. Again, I’m talking about a managed birth–where the breeder removes the placenta to facilitate the puppy’s breathing. If a bitch were left to her own devices and chewed them off they might be more inclined to eat them.
(Probably more than you needed to know!)
They will occasionally.
I prefer that it be put aside in a bucket so it can be examined to ensure that he entire placenta has passed.
It is also a source of (maybe) protein and energy that any laboring mother may eat as needed. My horses never did and none of my cows have ever eaten theirs and a few of my goats have but most do not.
I prefer to dispose of them. That way I know they are intact and have been passed. I find it rather 
to see them eat it…
I just had the luck while on safari in Tanzania to watch a Hartebeest (large antelope) give birth. She ate the placenta in between licking her new calf. It is quite disconcerting to watch an herbivore eat something bloody!
Have not had a foal in a few years, but we pulled the placenta out of the stall and put it in a bucket for Vet inspection. I did not want horse having any retained pieces. The Vet who came out was a new one in the practice and REALLY odd! She talked to herself during the entire visit, would not do as requested in giving foal a shot for being down in the pasterns. Vets have commonly given such a shot before when we requested it. Shot must be adminitered within 24 hours to be effective. She inspected placenta and said everything was fine, but INSISTED that she needed to examine it closer back at the clinic?! Never heard another word from her about the placenta. I called another Vet to come and examine the foal, give the shot. He said foal would be fine with the shot, everything else was in good order.
I cannot remember where I heard it, but supposedly washing and cleaning placenta, cutting it into smaller pieces, then freezing it with something between the layers/pieces, made a good wound covering! Heals wounds faster, cleaner than other methods of wound treatment.
So I wondered later, if that strange Vet absconded with our placenta to use it for medical purposes at the clinic? She did not last real long. I refused to have her out again, when she refused my shot request. I am not ignorant, had seen this situation before, the shot cleared things right up. “Send ANYONE else!!” Ha ha
Google says placenta are quite helpful in healing wounds! So saving your next foal placenta, cleaning and cutting it into smaller pieces for freezing might be an idea to consider! Getting some freezer paper to layer between pieces, will allow you to remove just one piece at a time for use.
goodhors, that is weird. Hmm!
@Zevida it does seem odd to me now, as an adult. As a kid tho, I was simply curious, it didn’t gross me out or anything. I guess I just figured it’s what animals do!
I boarded at several places that routinely did that. One place was a breeding farm that usually had 2-6 foals a year. They always had more placenta than needed and the repro vet and regular vet would often take some with them. The other place was more of a boarding/training farm but had an occasional foal - maybe one every 3-4 years. That owner had worked at an Arabian breeding farm when younger and that’s where she learned the technique of saving placenta for wound care.
The amnion is used for that purpose.
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