Can Treats Make Your Horse Fat?
How many calories are treats adding to your horse’s diet? Probably not many, if you feed them in moderation.
Calorie counts:
- An average peppermint candy contains 100 calories (5 grams of sugar).
- A medium apple contains 65 calories (13 grams of sugar).
- A medium carrot has 53 calories (6 grams of sugar).
- A medium banana has 105 calories (14 grams of sugar).
How many calories does a horse need in a day?
- A 1,100-lb pasture ornament requires an average of 16,400 calories per day.
- A 1,100-lb horse in hard work requires an average of 32,000 calories per day.
To put it all in perspective:
- 16.5 lbs of alfalfa hay (1.5% of a 1,100 lb horse’s body weight) provides, on average, 19,684 calories.
- 16.5 lbs of good grass hay (1.5% of a 1,100 lb horse’s body weight) provides, on average, 14,528 calories.