Horse Illustrated Magazine

Forget the pumpkin spice latte. Nothing says autumn like a freshly picked bushel of apples. Chances are, your horse would agree.

The third Saturday in September is International Eat an Apple Day, which is a helpful reminder if you aren’t already eating an apple every day in order to keep the doctor away. While we don’t condone eating an apple a day in lieu of regular visits to your healthcare provider, America’s second most popular fruit* offers plenty of health benefits to humans.

• Phytonutrients in apples can help regulate your blood sugar
• Fiber from apples can help maintain digestive health and lower levels of LDL cholesterol
• Some evidence suggests eating apples can reduce the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer

All this, and they taste great, too. For maximum health benefits, we recommend slicing up an apple and sharing it with your horse, which will provide the mental health benefit of spending time with your best friend.

Feeling especially Martha Stewart this weekend? You can also incorporate apples into homemade horse treat recipes. Here are a few ideas:

• Apple Molasses Cookies
• Carrot & Apple Pâté and
  Tri-Color Apple & Carrot Salad

There is one caveat. Apples are fairly high in sugar, which means that if your horse has or is at-risk for metabolic issues such as insulin resistance or Cushing’s disease, you shouldn’t give him whole fruits. But you can still celebrate the day! You can safely give apple peels to most horses, and eat the flesh of the fruit yourself (or bake a pie.) Read more about apple peels for overweight horses here.

*Bananas are the most popular fruit in the U.S. Bananas! Who knew?

Liked this article? Here are others you’ll love:
Your Horse Can Enjoy Holiday Treats in Moderation
Feeding Fruit to Insulin-Resistant Horses
Ask the Vet: Fruit Trees in the Pasture

Leslie Potter is Senior Associate Web Editor for horseillustrated.com. Follow her on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.