Yes, horses can eat blackberries in moderation. You can expand your horse’s diet beyond the regular hay or horse food to include treats. Blackberries are a healthy choice of treats that horses love.
Do you want to keep your gentle giant happy? As an amazing caregiver, getting blackberries would bring your horse delight. Continue reading to find out all that blackberries can do for your horse.
Amazing Facts About Blackberries
There are many exciting facts about blackberries that you are just about to find out.
Are you ready?
First, blackberries come from the Rosaceae family as various species produce them in the Rubus genus. These edible fruits can be found practically everywhere in the world. There are approximately 375 species of blackberry that you would find in the world.
That’s a lot.
Historically, Blackberry leaves have been used for tea by Romans, while the Greeks used blackberries as a remedy for Gout. These delicious fruits are perennial plants that use the perennial root system to bear biennial stems.
Some religions believe that the deep purple color of blackberries represents the blood of Christ. Also, in the United Kingdom folklore, blackberries should not be picked on the 11th of October, which is Old Michaelmas day.
This prohibition is because they believe the devil has spat and stepped on them. Blackberries are just interesting fruits with a unique history that makes them more fun for consumption.
How Do Blackberries Grow?
The stem grows within 10 to 20 feet in the first annual circle. At this stage, it does not produce flowers. However, it has flower buds that also make flowering laterals with smaller leaves that contain about 3 to 5 leaflets.
The canes of the fruit grow in one year while it bears fruit in the second year; afterward, it dies. The fun part of this plant is that there are always replacement canes for those that die. All you have to do is handle the pruning process.
Also, the best time to plant blackberries is in early spring, although you can still plant them in late fall. If you decide to grow your blackberries, you must watch out for fruit worms, raspberry borers, and viruses.
Nutrients
Blackberries contain essential nutrients that would help you keep healthier horses. It contains Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B3, and folate. It has mineral resources such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Blackberries are a great option to try out for your horse if you are also looking for a good source of dietary fiber and amino acids.
Health Benefits Of Blackberries
Apart from being exceedingly delicious fruits, blackberries play a huge role in keeping your horse glowing with health. Here are a few things you should expect your giant mount to gain by eating blackberries;
Contains Antioxidants
Blackberries contain antioxidants such as ellagic acid, anthocyanins, and resveratrol that help in reducing the risk of your horse contracting diseases. Antioxidants also help in keeping free radicals in check as they can cause cell damage when they are too much.
Blackberries are one of the few fruits with a high level of antioxidants that minimizes oxidative stress for your foal. With the antioxidants from dense berries, your horse radiates good health and performs optimally.
Great Source For Fiber
If you require a fruit that would help in aiding the flow of food along your horse’s digestive tract, berries are a great choice. This is because it contains a high level of fiber that increases feelings of fullness and reduces hunger.
Your stallion gets 5.3 fiber content from eating 10.2 grams of carbs. That’s pretty high, isn’t it? This nutrient also makes the weight management of your horse much easier and has tendencies to reduce calorie intake.
Keeps Heart Healthy
Heart disease is attributed to inflammation which blackberries fight against. It has anti-inflammatory properties that aid in fighting both injury and infection. This way, you can guarantee that your horse will live longer and enjoy good heart health because of the constant intake of blackberries.
As a heart-healthy fruit, blackberries also help your horse by ensuring it does not exceed the normal, healthy weight range. It reduces cholesterol levels by preventing cholesterol from getting oxidized, which also prevents heart disease.
Improves Skin Health
Apart from getting a horse that runs fast, everybody loves a stallion that looks great. This can happen when the skin and body of this animal are healthy. Blackberries contribute greatly to this health by preventing skin damage.
Antioxidant ellagic acid also contributes to this by preventing the production of enzymes that damage collagen in the skin. This antioxidant makes it possible for the skin to stretch and remain firm.
How Often Should Horses Eat Blackberries?
Try not to feed your stallion with blackberries daily. This is because it still requires the nutrients from regular horse food. Also, you would have to deal with misbehavior when blackberries are unavailable if your horse gets too accustomed to it.
If your horse gets too many blackberries, it will affect the normal balance of the digestive process. Regardless of your horse’s cute, you must learn to say no when the blackberry intake is getting too much.
If you require more details on the perfect diet for your horse, check out our website for more information.
