Grain, hay… and a steak well done? Get the facts about what horses eat and what they don’t.
If you’re around horses for any length of time, you’ll eventually come across tales of horses that eat meat. It is inevitable — some distant friend will send you a link to a video of a horse chowing down on a live baby chick, or you might be out at the barn and overhear a story of someone’s horse stealing their cheeseburger. Equestrians are also abuzz about the book Deadly Equines: The Shocking True Story of Meat-Eating and Murderous Horses.
Spoiler alert: horses are herbivores! Their entire digestive system is designed to process plant matter. Horses, as a species, do not eat meat. While there have been many cases of horses eating animals and animal products, it is NOT the norm.
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Will Horses Eat Meat… Ever?
That said, we humans are fascinated by the thought of herbivores turning into carnivores. We tend to organize everything into neat, tidy categories in our minds, so anything that deviates from the norm seems exciting.
While many of these stories in Deadly Equines should be taken with a grain of salt, there is no denying meat is not off the table for horses (pun intended).
Exceptions don’t make the rule.
Carnivorous horses: Fact, Fiction, or a little of both
The author’s research spans 4,000 years of history and includes everything from legends, mythology, and news to scientific research and first-hand accounts.
Viral videos of a horse eating a chick and a deer eating a bird, as well as the news story of deer scavenging on human corpses at a body farm in Texas, have understandably made a lot of people curious about what is going on.
These one-off cases are not a new trend in the herbivore world.
To truly understand why this happens, you need to understand the differences between herbivores and carnivores and how a horse’s digestive system works.
If you want to learn even more about what horses eat, check out our article about Food or Foe: What Horses Eat (And Why).
Are horses omnivores or herbivores?
Is there really a difference?
An herbivore is, by definition, an animal that eats plants. A carnivore is an animal that eats meat. That sounds simple, but that is a bit too simplified!
Horses are herbivores
Herbivores can be broken down further into categories like: frugivore (an animal that specializes in eating fruit) or detritivore (an animal that eats dead plant matter.)
There are also omnivores that eat a little bit of everything and autotrophs, like plants and algae, that produce their own food.
Carnivores also have their own sub-categories that are based on whether or not they specialize in eating a certain type of animal.
Tertiary consumers eat other carnivores, obligate carnivores are required to eat meat in order to survive (cats are a great example), piscivores eat mostly fish, and insectivores eat mostly insects.
These different categories of animals have different physical characteristics due to their adaptations for different diets.
In general, herbivores have flat teeth for grinding and long digestive systems, carnivores have sharper teeth for tearing meat and shorter digestive systems, and omnivores are somewhere in between.
Want to learn more about horse hay? Check out our article on Horse Hay FAQs (List of Types of Hay, The Best Hay for Horses, etc.).
The Horse’s Digestive System
Lean, Mean, Green-Processing Machines
The equine digestive system is excellent at turning grass into energy. Horses’ teeth continually “erupt” throughout their life, as they are worn down from chewing tough plant matter.
Twelve incisors are used for cutting plants, and twelve premolars and twelve molars are used for grinding tough stems and leaves.
Horse teeth are designed to grind plant-based matter
Horses can have canine teeth, but since they do not really need them, the number can vary between zero and four. Canine teeth are useful for tearing flesh, which is not something horses have a habit of doing. (Source)
Horses are hindgut fermenters
The rest of the horse digestive system falls somewhere between ruminant and non-ruminant.
Ruminants, like cattle and sheep, use bacteria in their rumens, a digestive chamber before the stomach, to ferment plant fiber. (Source)
This fermentation allows the animal to then digest the results and extract energy from it.
Horses are “hindgut fermenters,” like rabbits, which means they use bacteria in their cecum and large intestine to ferment and digest fiber.
In fact, horse stomachs hold a surprisingly small amount, empty quickly, and food passes through their bodies at a rate of about 1 foot per minute.
That makes them impressive food processing machines!
Extra Calories and Complications
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Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Humans sometimes provide horses with alternate sources of energy, like grain, to give them a boost for harder work. A typical 1,000-pound horse that is just working on maintaining her body condition needs roughly 15,000 calories a day.
But, if a horse is in intense work, she could require as much as 33,000 calories!
A lush, green pasture averages 245 calories per pound, so you can see why horses can spend up to 17 hours per day grazing. (Source)
So, how come horses can’t simply eat less food overall if it has a higher calorie and nutrient density? Besides providing energy and nutrients, all of this roughage holds a great deal of water and the sheer mass fills up the horse’s enormous gut.
When a horse’s digestive tract is empty, they are more prone to twisting of the intestines and colic.
They can also lose their water reservoir and develop diarrhea, which can result in dehydration.
In addition, they can become bored and be left feeling hungry all the time. (Gosh, that sounds familiar!)
Feed Me… More!
Since horses were made to be constantly consuming forage, they aren’t set up to handle the feeling of an empty stomach and they are not sure what to do with all that time they spend not chewing.
This can result in sand colic, where the desperate horse spends time sweeping the ground around them in an effort to relieve hunger and boredom.
Horses may also turn to chewing wood or other vices like cribbing and weaving.
Going too long without eating increases the risk of colic significantly
Another issue with the horse’s digestive system is the fact that horses cannot vomit.
If they were to consume something dangerous or poisonous, it would require prompt veterinary attention.
Meat and meat products go bad quickly and may have toxins that are not destroyed by cooking. Horses are very sensitive to botulism, which is almost always fatal if untreated.
One way they contract it is through feed contaminated with bird or rodent carcasses.
Pass the Plants, Please
You can see why a carnivorous diet is NOT good for a horse. Sure, they “can” process meat and get some energy and nutrients from it, but they have teeth that need grinding and a belly that needs to be kept full of fiber.
The occasional snack of a bit of hot dog or slow chick with poor decision-making probably will not hurt them, but meat cannot be the foundation of a horse’s diet.
What about opportunistic carnivores?
Can horses digest meat?
What about horses that DO eat meat? You’ve may have seen the videos, heard the stories, or even seen it happen in person.
If horses are herbivores with a digestive system meant for plants, why are some of them eating meat? Well, there is another category we have skipped over: the opportunistic carnivore.
If you want to learn even more about what horses eat, check out our article about Food or Foe: What Horses Eat (And Why).
The Opportunistic Carnivore
Waste Not, Want Not
An opportunistic carnivore is an animal that will eat other animals if the opportunity presents itself, but they do not need meat to survive.
As it turns out, animals that are generally thought of as “strict herbivores” may not actually be that strict.
Many hooved animals, like cows and deer, are known to eat bones or antlers. Some science points to a need for calcium as an explanation for this behavior.
Cows have been known to “accidentally” eat meat, too.
However, it appears that the occasional herbivore learns, by accident, that they can eat animals.
People may attempt to explain away this behavior by blaming pica, which is when animals (including humans!) eat abnormal things that often have little or no nutritional value.
Horses may eat sand, wood, manes/tails, and manure due to boredom or inadequate nutrients. Sometimes horses are just inquisitive and start trying different objects to see if they are edible.
Want to learn more about horse hay? Check out our article on Horse Hay FAQs (List of Types of Hay, The Best Hay for Horses, etc.).
Weird Horse Nutrition Through History
Those Horses Survived On What?
Due to horses willingness to try different foods, they have been fed meat and animal products all over the world throughout history.
While horses in Iceland are generally kept on pasture, in the winter with supplemental hay, farmers may also place barrels of salted herring out for them.
Not all Icelandic horses like salted herring!
Exploration of Antarctica in the early 1900s made use of Siberian and Manchurian ponies to transport supplies. These ponies were said to have eagerly eaten dried fish, blubber, and raw seal meat.
Multiple reports of Tibetan horses from the 1800s through the 1900s said they were fed meat regularly and ones trained to eat it were more valuable.
Horses in Bhutan were said to be fed tiger fat and yak meat. (Source: Deadly Equines)
While it has never been the overwhelming standard of horse care, there is plenty evidence to suggest that certain horses have a surprisingly robust digestive tract and can survive on a diet that includes some meat— especially in harsh conditions or other times of hardship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Image courtesy of Canva
Can horses eat chicken feed?
No! Horses should not consume chicken feed since it was designed for the nutritional needs of chickens.
It will not contain the correct nutrients for horses and may even contain medications or additives that are dangerous for your equine friend.
Can horses eat meat in a pinch?
If horses do not receive proper nutrition (or any food) for long enough, they’re likely to trying eating whatever they can find in an effort to survive.
Horses may also try pieces of meat given to them by humans for curiosity’s sake.
Will herbivores eat meat if they’re starving?
As we said above, horses who can’t meet even basic nutritional needs may eat what they can find — even if it isn’t plant-based food.
A solely meat-based diet would not be sustainable though.
Do wild horses eat meat?
Not normally. It is not out of the realm of possibility, but is highly unlikely. If they were to eat meat it would be only on rare occasions.
Can horses eat lawn clippings?
Absolutely not! Lawn clippings can contain dangerous chemicals or weeds that the horse cannot pick out. Horses also have a tendency not to chew clippings, which can lead to choke, colic, or laminitis.
Can horses eat ice cream?
No. Horses are lactose intolerant and dairy products run the risk of causing digestive upset.
Can horses eat bananas?
Yes! Peel and all! Like other safe fruits they should only be given as a treat and not make up a large part of their diet.
Can herbivores eat meat?
They can, but they generally do not. Meat does not have the correct nutrients to make up a significant portion of their diet.
Can horses eat bread?
In moderation and only if the bread was not made with ingredients that are dangerous for horses. Bread contains a lot of calories, but not a lot of the nutrients that horses need. (Source)
Do wild horses eat birds?
Only under unusual circumstances! While a curious or desperate horse might, the average wild horse does not hunt down birds to eat.
Do horses eat apples?
Yes, either provided by their human friends or if they find them on their own. Apples make a tasty snack, but should only be given sparingly.
Apple seeds produce hydrogen cyanide when chewed, which can be deadly in high enough doses. The fruits are also very sugary and this can lead to colic or even laminitis if too many are consumed at once.
Do horses eat carrots?
They will if they are provided by humans. Carrots make an excellent treat, but should only be given in moderation since they do not contain the correct nutrient profile for horses to stay healthy.
Are horses omnivores?
No. Horses have herbivore digestive tracts and don’t need meat to survive. In fact, they require ample plant matter to stay healthy.
Want to learn more about horse hay? Check out our article on Horse Hay FAQs (List of Types of Hay, The Best Hay for Horses, etc.
What do horses drink?
Horses should only drink water, with the exception of foals. Horses may need up to 12 gallons of water per day, depending on their diet and environment. (Source)
Some horses might avoid drinking dirty, icy, or strange tasting water and they run the risk of developing impaction colic. Keep your horse’s water clean, easy to access, and at a reasonable temperature.
Can horses eat chocolate?
Chocolate may be a tasty treat for you, but avoid giving any to your horse. As with dogs, chocolate is poisonous to horses. It contains a chemical called theobromine, which can cause seizures, internal bleeding, and colic.
Different types of chocolate (think dark vs milk) have different quantities of theobromine. It takes as little as 0.3 ounces of dark chocolate to cause serious issues. Milk chocolate has nearly double the amount.
Deadly theobromine aside, chocolate is also high in sugar and caffeine. Too much sugar in a horse’s diet can lead to insulin resistance, and caffeine can cause an irregular heartbeat.
Can horses eat grapes?
Absolutely! Many horses love eating grapes as a treat. Most horses will chew them first, but some will simply swallow, so feed them one at a time to prevent choking.
Grapes are a great treat option because they’re mostly water and contain fiber, which is good for digestion. They also offer nutrients like potassium and Vitamin C, making grapes a well-rounded choice for your equine friends.
Even though they’re healthy, don’t feed too many or too often as they are high in sugar. Some owners (and horses) prefer peeling the grapes first. Freezing grapes makes a refreshing summer snack for both you and your horse.
Should Horses Stay Vegetarian?
At the end of the day, and after all of the research has been done, we can conclude that horses are not carnivores. Sure, they can and do eat meat upon occasion, but none of them actually need it.
Horses how they were meant to be!
What horses DO require is plenty of good quality roughage and clean water to keep their digestive systems running smoothly.
P.S. Enjoy this article? Trot on over to:
- Food or Foe: What Horses Eat (And Why)
- Winter Hay 101: How Much to Feed Your Horse (And Why)
- If the Shoe Fits: Why (Good) Horseshoes Don’t Hurt
- How Horses Sleep: A to Zzzz Guide to Equine Rest
- Neigh Weigh 101: How Much Do Horses Weigh
- Horse Nosebleeds: No Big Deal or Cause for Concern?
- Equine Odometers: How Far Can Horses Travel in a Day?
References & Further Reading
- The Teeth of Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores
- Deer Eat Meat and Carnivores Are Not So Evenly Divided
- Feeding Bread to Horses
- Equine Nutrition 101
- Do Horses Ever Eat Meat
- Deadly Equines
- What Foods Do Horses Eat
