Some Horses Like Pumpkin Treats

For a treat or a sweet mealtime addition, consider giving your horse some cut-up pumpkin. Horses being horses, some won’t touch it, but other equines develop a taste for the orange flesh and rind.

Cut the pumpkin into small chunks or slices that are easy to chew and swallow. This will help your horse avoid choking. You can try hand-feeding, mixing pieces with the horse’s grain ration, or piling a small stack of slices on hay that is fed on the ground.

Pumpkin contains an enormous amount of vitamin A and a good supply of vitamins C and E. It’s high in potassium and moderate in calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Like any other novel food, introduce it in small quantities to avoid gastric upsets. Stick with pumpkins that are sold for carving or pie-making and avoid feeding other fall squashes and gourds, as some of them may be toxic to horses.