Quick Question: is It Okay for Horses to Eat...

[Sparrowette]

Oranges?

My grandson started giving my mare some out of the little jars of Tropicana I keep at the barn for me (as an energy boost). She loved the juice and it didn’t kill her. After that, she tried to get mine away from me - No Way, Maresie…

But I have a tree with a lot of extras from this season, and there’s a whole bag in the 'fridge at work, someone said “Here, take them home.” and no one did.

Can I give them to her? If so, how many at a time would bee too many? And what about the peels?

Thanks!

[Preposterous_Ponies]

Yes to the orange and yes to the peel. Good source of Vitamin C! I would keep it to one or two a week though.

[beowulf]

they can eat them, i am not sure if it is of any benefit. but they do like them. generally they can’t eat pitted fruit, but can eat seeded or soft fruit (bananas, grapes, etc). i wouldn’t be feeding more than a few a day as i imagine that the citric acid could be tough. but horses eat plenty of similar fruits w/o issue, including papaya.

i’ve fed mine a few oranges - he doesn’t care for the peel, but will lick the sticky off your hands. he’s kind of my “what-will-horses-eat” guinea pig… so he’s eaten just about anything you can give a horse. by and large, i think his favorite fruit is coconut though.

i think the only fruit[s]/veggies horses should not eat have pits in them or are peppers… so… pretty easy to remember: no avocado (pits) cherries (pits), peppers of any variety, etc.

[islgrl]

My last horse thought oranges were the bomb. He truly would walk thru fire for them.

[merrygoround]

I had one that loved tangerines, but was picky as to ripeness and flavor. :rolleyes:

[chicamux]

Lemons! Many horses adoRe lemons and passion fruit, also really sour. Horses often love tart and sour.

[Cindyg]

I juice and give my horse the pulp, which includes oranges and lemons. He loves it; the donkey won’t touch it. I’ve been doing this for quite a while now. So far so good.