Can your horse drink beer?
You may be asking yourself, can your horse drink beer? The short answer is YES, and the long answer is WHY? Ok, so WHY is not an answer but more like some things to consider. So there’s a lot of information out there about horses and beer, some of it’s factual and some is anecdotal.
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- It is usually safe for your horse to have a beer. A singular beer. I say usually, because as we all know, horses can be allergic to a zillion things, and they certainly like to prove us wrong in the most grandiose manner.
- Your horse won’t get fat from a beer. Let’s say you have a pasture ornament. He will need around 17,000 calories daily to maintain his statuesque duties in your yard. Riding and performance horses need a lot more than that! Beer may have about 125 to 200 per serving. Unless your horse is doing keg stands, chances are the calories won’t make a dent in his waistline.
- Your horse won’t get drunk from a beer. Horses have amazing livers that metabolize alcohol much faster than we do, not to mention that they outweigh us a few times over. That being said, I’m sure there’s a horse or two out there with some super rare mutation where he can’t process alcohol.
- Most horses like the taste of beer! Some prefer lighter beers, others prefer darker beers that resemble a milkshake.
Things to consider before giving your horse beer
- Before you run to the corner store for some brews, you may consider why you would feed your horse a beer. For some horses with anhidrosis (the failure to sweat) dark beers can help alleviate this condition. This beer option may be more cost-effective than using a supplement for anhidrosis. Of course, with suspected anhidrosis, a visit with your veterinarian is in order. Also, the supplements for anhidrosis may be less expensive than a daily dark beer.
- You may also want to treat your horse with a beer, in which case a nice cup of brew in your horse’s bucket may hit the spot. As adorable as it may seem to train your horse to drink from a can or bottle, this seems like the perfect way to get your veterinarian involved in your beer celebration with an emergency call and some stitches.
- Your bank account might get involved, too. I just zipped to the store, a six-pack of beer runs about $11.00, but a five-pound bag of carrots runs $2.50 and lasts longer than six days. And don’t forget that beer is only for people old enough to buy it legally. Your horse can be any age to enjoy it.
Click these links to shop for horse supplies and beer alternatives for anhidrosis in horses. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which are not a penny more for you. I couldn’t be more grateful for your support!
One AC may help some horses with anhidrosis or partial anhidrosis.
Farnam Apple Elite Electrolyte, 20 lbs
Apple flavored electrolytes for horses
