# Horses eating bananas??



## Brambridge04 (19 November 2010)

Lady at my yard was cuttin up a banana to mix in with her geldings feed this eve, ive never know of a horse to eat a banana! is it ok to feed to them??


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## Doncella (19 November 2010)

Mine can't get enough of them, especially in their skins.  He likes dried bananas from the health food shop as well.
They are a good source of potassium.


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## devilwoman (19 November 2010)

I've no idea how good they are for them, one of mine will kill for them, the other won't touch them.


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## Toffee44 (19 November 2010)

Toffee says nom nom nom nom nom nom skins and all 

Samba says SNORT SNORT not touching that!!


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## Brambridge04 (19 November 2010)

REALLY THEY EAT THE SKINS?????

Wow, do you cut them up, ive never thought to try my mare on it......x


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## NicoleS_007 (19 November 2010)

I fed mine a banana once and he chewed it up and spat it all over the floor  messy lad!!! I took the skin off.


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## Bertthefrog (19 November 2010)

My mate's horse eats tangerines too - skins on!!


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## little_flea (19 November 2010)

Mine loves bananas. Not feeding the skin though. She loves all fruit though, she is more like a tapir that a horse.

I have actually had it recommended to feed a banana as an option to a calmer to stressy horses - bananas are high in magnesium, which is how a lot of horse calmers work. Can't quite see it working, especially considering the levels of sugar, but who knows?


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## Orangehorse (19 November 2010)

In arab countries they feed horses dates - they spit the stones out.


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## spotty_pony (19 November 2010)

Both of my boys love them! They are a really popular horse treat in Australia (as popular as feeding apples and carrots is in this country) I don't give them the skins though, although I don't think there is anything wrong with them eating the skins.


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## benson21 (19 November 2010)

Banana's, tangerines, pears, Benson loved them all!


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## NicoleS_007 (19 November 2010)

ORANGEHORSE said:



			In arab countries they feed horses dates - they spit the stones out.
		
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I fed mine a plum once not realising they had stones!! My friend kindly told me as i fed him it so i stuck my hand in his gob to get it out  If anyone had of seen they would have thought it was Jaws 3D haha


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## freckles22uk (19 November 2010)

Mine dont like them, but my friends stallion loves them..

they do like water melon though (the reds ones) give them a big slice of that... with the skins and watch the mess....lol


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## rebmw (19 November 2010)

Mine love love love them, yellow or black, both the banana and its skins. One of them even tried to pick out the chopped banana my OH had mixed into his bowl of cereal one morning!
Had to laugh at my horses face when he took a mouthful of orange peel, it's not something I expect him to ever try again.
Another wierd one is both of mine love onions. I grew some onions and had them drying out in my tackroom this summer. The horses would sneak in and eat the dried onion tops hanging down. So whenever I go and get an onion out to bring down to the house I let the boys munch on the tops. However one time, one of them ate the whole onion and didn't even pull a face and would gladly do it again if I let him. Strange pony.


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## dibbin (19 November 2010)

Mine loves them  my friend's elderly TB loved overripe ones because he could mush them up with his tongue (his teeth didn't do so well with apples and carrots).


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## jessandthegirls (19 November 2010)

little_flea said:



			Mine loves bananas. Not feeding the skin though. She loves all fruit though, she is more like a tapir that a horse.

I have actually had it recommended to feed a banana as an option to a calmer to stressy horses - bananas are high in magnesium, which is how a lot of horse calmers work. Can't quite see it working, especially considering the levels of sugar, but who knows?
		
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genuinely this works!!! my mare will quite happily scoff a banana- skin removed- i put a couple in her feed if she has to come in and she's a lot quieter. on the contrary my other mare, is repulsed by the idea, and is quite put out by the idea that she would ever put something that slimy in her mouth... have to say i agree, cat stand them!!!


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## Toffee44 (19 November 2010)

jessandthegirls said:



			genuinely this works!!! my mare will quite happily scoff a banana- skin removed- i put a couple in her feed if she has to come in and she's a lot quieter. on the contrary my other mare, is repulsed by the idea, and is quite put out by the idea that she would ever put something that slimy in her mouth... have to say i agree, cat stand them!!!
		
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Hmm Samba is on a calmer and cant stand bananas special as always  


So what can't you feed your horse??? (Im now eyeing up the vegetable rack and fruit bowl). Never would have thought feeding mine a tangerine?


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## BertieRed (19 November 2010)

I had a pony who loved bananas, skins and all.  I eventually found out from the 'Blue Chip Boss' that banana skins are a bit like cannabis and are a natural tranquiliser - in some countries they smoke banana skins.  Certainly they never did my pony any harm and she ate 2 most days!


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## abbieandfiona (19 November 2010)

Its a case of not giving them too many as i think its to do with them having too much zinc in if have lots of them in one go but are fine as a treat.


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## jessandthegirls (19 November 2010)

BertieRed said:



			I had a pony who loved bananas, skins and all.  I eventually found out from the 'Blue Chip Boss' that banana skins are a bit like cannabis and are a natural tranquiliser - in some countries they smoke banana skins.  Certainly they never did my pony any harm and she ate 2 most days!
		
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hahah love this!! if you knew Heidi, she suits the's personality of a gangly experimenting teenager!!! insecure and always tempted with food!! x


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## QUICKFIRE (19 November 2010)

I had scooped a pumpkin out the other week,  I gave the horses some, and was really suprised that they liked it, and was looking for more. Very rarely finish a loaf of bread, I always let it go stale and hard, horses love it.


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## Beccahh (19 November 2010)

My Jack LOVES them even with the skin ... anything to do with bananas like licks and treats he loves to but cant beat a bunch of bananas hahaa bless him 
Math likes them but with no skin ... he actually peels them to get the soft bit hahaa xx


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## foraday (19 November 2010)

our neds love 'nana's' can't get enough of them!

Oranges too!

Anyone with a fruit bowl would get mugged!!!


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## ChestnutConvert (19 November 2010)

I read in one of the horse mags that you can feed banana so i tried it the other day, seems he will only eat 2 or 3 mouthfuls of it. Appsrently you can try parsnips, turnip etc as well haven't gone there yet!

After the banana he managed to grab a piece of satsuma that i was eating! Not so sure that he should have that but he liked it, i won't be feeding that again though, surely citrus isn't good for them!?


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## ChestnutConvert (19 November 2010)

Oh i'm not the only one with orange type fruits then, mind you he also nicked my last bit of tuna sandwich the other week and promptly spat it back out at me, serves him right for stealing!


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## dibbin (19 November 2010)

Mine once stole a lollipop off of me then spat the stick at me when I tried to get it back. At least he didn't swallow it ...


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## diamondgeezer (19 November 2010)

Some of horses at yard where mine are eat them. I dont feed them as i have some dodgy  dislike of them. Smell texture and feel if them make me really queezy and have actually been sick when can hear someone eat one! Yak feel all weird just thinking of it!!


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## LizzyLou (19 November 2010)

Someone at my yard gives their horse a banana every day.  A pony of mine, many years ago, reached his nose into the kitchen and stole a whole orange off the worktop.  I turned around to just see the bit disappearing into his mouth. He also used to love dewberries, similar to blackberries but sharper, which grow on the ground in sandy soil in August.  The horses I have now all love blackberries.


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## Toffee44 (19 November 2010)

I havent seen any blackberries round my way yet, but we get mid hack munches, black berry fights and the neddys get a mid hack munch.


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## tallyho! (19 November 2010)

Mine accidentally ate a suasage roll once. He's still alive.


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## Ashgrove (19 November 2010)

My horse has 2 bananas a day, without the skins.


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## FullThrottle (19 November 2010)

I'm very allergic to bananas so have never offered my horse one, but i know a few other people tht do and i know of one horse that would rather have a banana than a carrott


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## SusannaF (19 November 2010)

NicoleS_007 said:



			I fed mine a plum once not realising they had stones!! My friend kindly told me as i fed him it so i stuck my hand in his gob to get it out  If anyone had of seen they would have thought it was Jaws 3D haha
		
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I found a lovely description in a nineteenth century riding manual of a lady feeding plums, peaches and nectarines to her horse  it crunched up the stones. Rather her than me, I thought...


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## delberts_racquel (19 November 2010)

i'd not heard of it until the other week when my frined asked 'can danny have a banana?' i honestly did know they could eat them! apparently tangerines are good for horses too. Danny, mr pig, decided the banana wasn't for him but his mate scoffed it!


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## Dolcé (20 November 2010)

Ours love them along with strawberries, satsumas and kiwi fruit!


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## Colleen_Miss_Tom (20 November 2010)

Missy madam loves banana's , My eldest offered her abit of a banana when she was a yearling and since then shes always had one every now and again .


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## 9tails (20 November 2010)

My mare says "gimme dat banana!"  She adores them and smacks her lips appreciatively afterwards.

Also blackberries, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries.  But not grapes, thanks.


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## Dizzydancer (20 November 2010)

mine loves them too, he also likes the skin but we have some goats up at the yard so he has to share with them!!


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## CeeBee (20 November 2010)

Harvey loves them, but Nemo won't touch them.
Didn't realise they act as a calmer though, must remember not to give any to Harvey before riding, as he is slow enough as it is!
My local shop gives me a massive bag of them every week, the ones that are out of date...


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## shoulderlength (20 November 2010)

Mine loves bananas, I used to unpeel them, then he started snatching the skin of me so he has the whole lot, and snuffles about for more when hes finished.


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## Umbongo (20 November 2010)

My instructors horse loves all fruit and veg: bananas, oranges etc, cold pot noodles, a bottle of Heineken in her feed most nights etc...she is 29 years old so not dead yet 

My friend once had her sausage sandwich eaten by a polo pony at a show, sausage, onions, tomotao ketchup the lot!!!!

The mare I had on loan was a right fuss pot though, wouldn't touch anything apart from granny smith apples!


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## Honey08 (20 November 2010)

Never tried bananas, but am going to now!

Ours get strawberries, raspberries, grapes,  pears, parsnips, turnips, swedes - whatever fruit and veg we are eating, they get the leftovers/offcuts/peelings.  We've recently got some hens, and someone told us that they love grapes, so I offered one or two to the horses first, and they loved them too!


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## Brambridge04 (22 November 2010)

Haha, gave her some tonight, and she did this mad little dance and curled up her top lip, was very funny x


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## christi (22 November 2010)

My horse will run you over for  Bannana ! she LOVES them !!!!! nom nom nom


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## Santa Clause (22 November 2010)

Solo loves banana - In the winter I use alot of hot water in her feed let it soak it all up (& cool down a bit!) then a peel 2 or 3 banana's and mush it all in together then chuck the skins in aswell - she loves it !

Just thought I would add Pear seeds are actually poisinous to all mamals (inc. humans) so I would be slightly careful about feeding the horses whole pears


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## Brambridge04 (22 November 2010)

I think it's kinda started something, my fella got in car and said i fancy a banana now, so we had to go and buy some.....


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## woodlandswow (22 November 2010)

one day my pony dragged me along the yard.. obviously something in sight.. we got t o his destination.. who'd have known.. twas a bannana!





   why do they nod their heads up and down when eating it tho!?


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## JaneByrne (15 February 2011)

Really interesting!  I was out hacking yesterday, walking along on a long rein, and my horse leant down and snaffled up a banana skin quick as a flash.  I was quite worried that it might be bad for her but this has put my mind at rest.  I'll try her on a whole banana next.


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## MissMistletoe (15 February 2011)

I never knew that horses could eat bananas until a couple of years ago I was sat down in the field and started peeling a banana. My pony started to graze a bit closer to me and the next thing I knew, she ripped it out of my hand and scoffed it skin and all!!!!

Know she has a banana as a treat everynow and then and she goes crazy for them!


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## SonnysHumanSlave (15 February 2011)

little_flea said:



			Mine loves bananas. Not feeding the skin though. She loves all fruit though, she is more like a tapir that a horse.

I have actually had it recommended to feed a banana as an option to a calmer to stressy horses - bananas are high in magnesium, which is how a lot of horse calmers work. Can't quite see it working, especially considering the levels of sugar, but who knows?
		
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Oh dear!! I had a row with the OH the other day, he said that i should give bananas instead of magnewium supplement, but I argued till the cows come home that he was wrong.... lol.... whoops (dont tell him though) 

Ted wont eat bananas anywhere he chews it then spits it on the floor lol.


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## criso (15 February 2011)

They are also high in phospholipids which is supposed to help protect against ulcers.
They tried it at the Atlanta Olympics  http://www.ker.com/library/Equinews/v4n1/v4n112.pdf

I don't like bananas if they are overripe so save them for Frankie and he will do anything for one, skins and all.  I do tend to have organic bananas though as you can get pesticide in the skin.


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## fleabittengrey (15 February 2011)

criso said:



			They are also high in phospholipids which is supposed to help protect against ulcers.
They tried it at the Atlanta Olympics  http://www.ker.com/library/Equinews/v4n1/v4n112.pdf

I don't like bananas if they are overripe so save them for Frankie and he will do anything for one, skins and all.  I do tend to have organic bananas though as you can get pesticide in the skin.
		
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That made really interesting reading thank you /.


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