# can horses eat lettuce?



## Quartz (16 July 2011)

Sounds crazy but can you feed horses lettuce?  I just read somewhere that no, as it will give them colic.  Is this right?  I occasionally give mine lettuce as he loves it, but now worry that it has been a bad call!!!


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## Miss L Toe (16 July 2011)

If you fed him a tonne of lettuce, he might have a problem but I once got a pony from a fruiterer, he ate melon and bananas, pineapple and apples, carrots, turnips [swedes], and anything put in front of him, just not all on the same day.


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## Cuffey (16 July 2011)

Mine dont like it but cannot understand how it could be harmful in any way.


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## DressageDiva1962 (16 July 2011)

I've been giving it to my pony (in moderation) for years, he loves it and he's 31 now !!

Love broccli too I always get him some if its on special offer
My Shetland Pony loves Raspberries
and my cob mare loves Parsnips


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## Quartz (16 July 2011)

I shall carry on then, as he loves it!!!  May try some other little bits as well, other than the usual carrots and apples!!


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## amandap (16 July 2011)

Mine get the outer leaves and celery.


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## Jackson (16 July 2011)

I was told not to feed it to my bearded dragon, because apparently it contains a sedative! I'm not sure that it would be enough to affect a horse though!


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## Yosemite (16 July 2011)

Jackson said:



			I was told not to feed it to my bearded dragon, because apparently it contains a sedative! I'm not sure that it would be enough to affect a horse though!
		
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Our vet said you shouldn't give it to guinea-pigs either. Lettuce apparently contains chemicals similar to laudenum, morphine and opiates and can have a tramquilizing effect.
I'm off to Tesco's first thing to get some as it's cheaper than wine!


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## gracey (16 July 2011)

Yosemite said:



			.
I'm off to Tesco's first thing to get some as it's cheaper than wine!
		
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  hee hee .. i love that commment!!


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## lhotse (17 July 2011)

Yosemite said:



			Our vet said you shouldn't give it to guinea-pigs either. Lettuce apparently contains chemicals similar to laudenum, morphine and opiates and can have a tramquilizing effect.
I'm off to Tesco's first thing to get some as it's cheaper than wine!
		
Click to expand...

Maybe that will explain why my dog goes nuts for it!!! Doesn't appear to have any calming effects though.
I'm sure that a little won't harm a horse, but anything like cabbage and sprouts are not good for them as digesting them produces gas, so can cause colic.


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## Janah (17 July 2011)

My Collie used to adore lettuce, she only had to hear the fridge door open and she would practically climb in to get at it.

She died at 13 1/2 years old so didn't do her any harm.

Jane


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## miss_bird (17 July 2011)

a_e_don her has one of my horses on loan and she does give him some strange stuff which he loves.
Do funny it funny when she comes to my ard with a bag of dates and the horses go mad for them before a_e_d i would never of thought of giving a horse dates, melon or celery or all the other stuff my loan horse get spoilt with, and i have to say no after effects


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## a_e_d (17 July 2011)

Yup he loves dates, swede and pears. he also has my mum's home made horse flapjacks. Not keen on mango though.
Call me a softie, but I do like to find different things for him to try!


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## Ibblebibble (17 July 2011)

lettuce is soporific (sp?) tis why peter rabbit fell asleep after eating lots lol i would think a horse would have to eat loads to have any effect tho lol. will try mine on it later as i have loads growing and some have gone to seed


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## Devonshire dumpling (17 July 2011)

I wouldn't be feeding to my horse and we tell people in the vets not to feed it to their little furries

1) it causes diarrhoea and therefore can kill your pet

2) It contains Lactucarium!  Lactucarium is the milky fluid secreted by several species of lettuce, especially Lactuca virosa, usually from the base of the stems. Lactucarium is known as lettuce opium because of its sedative and analgesic properties. It has been reported to promote a mild sensation of euphoria, but Lactuca virosa is poisonous,[1] and at least one fatality has occurred during an attempt to use it for intoxication.[2][3] Because it is a latex, Lactucarium physically resembles opium, in that it is excreted as a white fluid and can be reduced to a thick smokable solid

It definately makes bunnies sleepy, but size ratio to a horse, don't think it would do any hard if you fed small amount, by why bother??  xx


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## brighteyes (17 July 2011)

I'd heard insomniacs should eat lettuce before going to bed.


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## MrsHutt (17 July 2011)

How interesting!  My teenage son will not eat any vegetable _except_ lettuce (and the odd tomato)!  So he has it most days in my attempt to keep his diet a bit more balanced!  Maybe that's why he's asleep most of the time?!?  

I once took some strawberries to the yard (not tons, just a few left in the punnet) and YO said not to give them to the horses!?

H isn't really keen on anything but carrots, though.  I have given him apples (tolerated, but not enjoyed) and grapes (spat out!) in the past!  He will kill for a carrot, though!


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