Plenty of horse owners feed their animals carrots as a regular treat, but what about other root vegetables like parsnips? If you want to discover whether parsnips would be an appropriate treat for your horse and get the answer to the question, “can horses eat parsnips?“, keep reading.
This article will cover the precautions to take when introducing parsnips to a horse as well as a couple of situations that make parsnips potentially dangerous.
Are Parsnips Safe for Horses to Eat?
Parsnips and other Eurasian root vegetables like carrots are safe for horses to eat. Horses typically enjoy root vegetables, so offering them as an occasional treat is a decent option for horse owners who want to feed their horses healthy snacks.
Parsnips and other root vegetables are crunchy and semi-sweet, which horses usually respond well to. Most of the time, feeding your horse a parsnip once in a while shouldn’t be any cause for concern.
However, there are a few precautions you should take if you’re considering this vegetable as a potential horse treat.
Giving Horses Parsnips
Though parsnips are a nice treat for horses to eat, they should be treated as an occasional reward. Too many parsnips can exacerbate health issues that some horses live with. For example, if a horse has insulin resistance, equine polysaccharide storage myopathy (EPSM), or Cushing’s disease parsnips may not be the most appropriate treat.
If your horse has no known health conditions, you can try introducing them to parsnips, but be sure to wash your vegetables before you give them to your horse. This way, you can eliminate the risk of exposing horses to bacteria, debris, or pesticides.
To avoid any choking hazards, cut the parsnips into smaller pieces. Horses can become a bit hasty when they’re offered a treat they enjoy, so if your horse tends to get excited when snacking, smaller pieces will be more manageable.
Are Parsnips Healthy for Horses?
Parsnips contain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for a horse’s health, but they might not be the best option for every horse.
For example, if your horse has diabetes or insulin resistance, you should talk with your equine veterinarian about what you should and shouldn’t feed the animal.
Parsnips are a high-glycaemic food, which means they’re rich in carbohydrates. As such, parsnips can cause dangerous elevations in your horse’s blood sugar levels after the creature’s body converts the carbs into sugar.
Parsnips are quite similar to carrots, which horses will usually enjoy. They make a decent treat or snack to reward a horse with, and so long as they’re fed in moderation and your horse doesn’t have any concerning health conditions, offering parsnips should be a safe choice.
Feeding Parsnips to Horses – Final Words
Like any other treat (e.g. pears, celery and cucumbers), parsnips should only be fed to horses once in a while. A parsnip or two during the week is unlikely to induce any negative effects, but it’s a good idea to monitor your horse after introducing them to any new food items.
If you notice any changes in your horse’s behaviour or demeanour, contact your veterinarian to discuss your concerns.
