Yes, horses can eat peanuts and any product that can be made from them, like peanut butter. However, you must give your horse the proper quantity to avoid taking too much of the fat in peanuts.
It is pertinent that you pay attention to the health of your horse by checking for any allergies. Like humans, your horse may be allergic to peanuts which can affect its overall health. This way, you can avoid certain adverse reactions to your pony.
Also, peanut shells can be highly hazardous for horses because the snack can cause them to choke. Older horses have weaker teeth, making it difficult to chew and digest the shells. There is no true nutrient in the shells, so it is of little relevance to the body.
Although peanuts contain nutrients essential to improving your horse’s general wellbeing, they also have high-fat content. This makes it inappropriate for horses with thyroid issues or those who are overweight. Horses that fall under this category can settle for alternatives such as pumpkin, raisin, and molasses.
Amazing Facts About Peanuts
- Peanuts are also called groundnuts, goobers, and earthnuts.
- Peanuts can either be consumed in roasted form or as peanut butter. This snack contains fat, protein, and other nutrients that would serve your horse well.
- It is unique because the peanut fruit grows below the ground while the flowers are grown above the ground. The seeds of this fruit grow in the form of a green oval-shaped plant about 18 inches. Its entire cycle from planting to harvesting ranges between four to five months.
- Did you know that peanuts are used to make creams, detergents, cosmetics, and even paint? This peculiar plant has uses that go way beyond food alone because of the multi-purpose nature of the nutrients contained in peanuts.
Types Of Peanuts
Four different types of peanuts can be distinguished based on their size, flavor, and nutrients; they include
- Runner,
- Spanish,
- Virginia,
- and Valencia.
The most dominant types of peanuts are runners because of their appealing kernel size.
On the other hand, Spanish peanuts are small in size and contain the highest oil content.
Virginia is the largest, and they are mostly used to make roasted peanuts and are also sold as a snack.
Valencia peanuts are the sweetest type and are usually covered in reddish-brown skin.
Nutrients
Peanuts contain minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin E, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Thiamine, Manganese, Biotin, Copper, Niacin, Folate, and others. Other nutritional contents include Fat, Sugar, Fiber, Water, Protein Carbs, etc. This snack would benefit your horse in numerous ways and ensure that it remains healthy.
Health Benefits Of Peanuts
Numerous benefits eating peanuts can provide for your stallion horse. Here are the advantages:
Improves Heart Health
Although nuts such as almonds and walnuts have been discovered to be great for the heart, peanuts also fall into the category of heart-healthy foods that you can feed your horse. This is a result of their high content of unsaturated fat and how they help lower your horse’s cholesterol level.
Heart attacks happen due to small clots forming in the body. However, peanuts contain heart-healthy nutrients that can help safeguard your horse from having a heart attack. Also, peanuts are exceedingly nourishing due to nutrients such as antioxidants, resveratrol, niacin, oleic acid, copper, etc.
Weight Management
If you feel that your steed is weighing more than the normal range, feeding it with peanuts can help reduce the weight. Peanuts achieve this weight management due to their highly proteinous content that offers satisfaction.
Your horse would be full without taking too many calories into its body system. Also, its low carbs content aids in improving the diet of your horse and also in managing the perfect health range for your giant friend.
Increases Energy
Peanuts assist in releasing steady energy because of the way it slows down the digestive process. This way, any carbohydrate your horse consumes is converted to ensure that your horse is bursting with the strength to serve you better. It has about 25% of total calories, all in protein which enhances your horse’s performance and general stability. Also, like fiber and protein mix, the digestive process is slowed to create a new burst of energy.
Reduces Inflammation
Feeding your horse peanuts helps in reducing the chances of your horse having digestive problems and inflammation. Peanuts are highly beneficial in this sense because of their fiber content. This fiber content serves as a major nutrient that safeguards your horse from inflammation and fosters easy digestion for it. With both of these inline, the lifespan of your horse can get elongated.
Promotes Skin Health
The general outlook of your horse is one that you must maintain properly to get the best out of it. Thankfully, peanuts contain nutrients that help you fight off bacteria in your horse and keep the skin in good health. With Beta-carotene as an antioxidant found in peanuts, skin health not only improves but also serves as a protection from possible damage.
In Conclusion
Horses are adorable breeds that would serve you well if you could monitor their diet by including the right food, snack, and treats. Peanuts are a great addition; if your horses are given in moderation, they will improve their digestive system and promote good health. Check out our website for more details about what your horse can eat.
