# Feeding horses bread....?



## AlfieGG (27 October 2007)

What are people's opinions on feeding horses bread?  I wouldnt have thought that it is very good for horses and thats the general opinion on the yard but a new livery has come and it gets fed a bucket full of carrots and sliced bread every night! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  What do you think?


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## chestnut cob (27 October 2007)

I wouldn't give my horse buckets full of it but I give them a little bit occasionally.  My old horse adored it and the pony will eat it.


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## PapaFrita (27 October 2007)

I don't think an occasional slice or two would do any harm, but I don't think it would be wise to feed bread too often.


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## brackenhappy (27 October 2007)

bracken adores bread and she does get it but not a lot and not every night. she normally gets 4 slices (medium sliced loaf!!) ripped into bits and hidden in her haynet to entertain her!!or sometimes she will have 2 slices ripped into bits and put in her feed  or used to make jam and bute butties!!!


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## Jade2007 (27 October 2007)

Boomer adores bread because up his old yard they had geese, so his owner would always take a bit of the geese's bread and feed it to him - many a time he has mugged me off my sausage rolls at shows XD I think it's ok once in a while, but not often


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## scrat (27 October 2007)

I've made "horse biscuits" from stale bread (not the sliced type). If you have left over bread put it in the oven on a low heat and it will dry out and end up a bit like french toast. You can make treat size pieces and store in an airtight container.


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## Puppy (27 October 2007)

I feel very strongly against feeding horses bread - based mainly on the discussion about it in our equine science lectures at college, but also due to a horse I knew who had serious colic as a result of being fed it  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I was furious to discover someone had thrown some over my horses gate a few months ago. I fence off their field gate with electric tape for this exact reason.


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## Donkeymad (27 October 2007)

I give the occasional slice of bread, but won't feed it often. I know of some Welsh Mountain Pony Breeders who feed loaves of it every day!!


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## Spot_the_Risk (27 October 2007)

Occasional slice of it, have more of a problem with the horses stealing the chickens feed...


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## Box_Of_Frogs (28 October 2007)

My old horse needed daily medication during the last few weeks of his life. He adored a slice of bread (though be careful as bread is VERY high in calories as anyone who has tried the Atkins diet will know!) and I was able to hide his medication in a golden syrup sandwich every day - he actually looked forward to it and no stress. Never say never is what I say.


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## angiebaby (28 October 2007)

Bread is high in calories! what rubbish!!Think you'll find the golden syrup has more! Mine get a slice a day with marmite on, this helps sweet itch, they haven't had it for years. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





As for Atkins diet, never again unless you want to feel ill all the time.


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## parsley (28 October 2007)

My boy has the crusts from the loaves we eat as a treat when I catch him or put him out - he likes them best with jam.  He also loves a bit of cake sometimes - bakewell tart is his favorite


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## spitchwick (28 October 2007)

My ponies adore the ocasional slice.


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## magic104 (28 October 2007)

I have not seen anyone feed bread to horses for years.  Going back to the 70's it was quiet common especially for the tethered mares.  I have fed the odd bit, ie been eating a sarni &amp; given a bit to the horse.  Never fed it in any quantity or regular though, but I did find this link
http://www.esc.rutgers.edu/ask_expert/Nutrition.htm#bok


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## grandmaweloveyou (28 October 2007)

in the spring/summer he gets a marmite sandwich to help his sweet itch and as a token gesture brekkie (with carrots/apples).


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## isabella (28 October 2007)

Nope i never have and never will it can cause more problems than its worth.


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## Hemirjtm (28 October 2007)

I never fed bread in England, but it's so common over here! Ours get leftover bread that has gon hard, whenever we have some or other people give us some! And so far neither of them have had colic or any other problems because of bread! So i'm not going to stop feeding it to them, they love it! We even gave them each a whole baguette that was left over from a party, Hemir was a site, running round with it is his mouth - all excited!! And spent about half an hour playing with it!


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## steadyteddy (28 October 2007)

My horse will do anything for bread. In fact in the summer when shes doing her 'wont be caught' routine, I have been known to stand waving a French baguette at the field gate! That soon brings her running over!


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