apple juice for a treat?

[Charlene]

has anybody ever given their minis a little apple juice? by "a little", i mean about 1 cup. i have given my big gelding apple juice for years and he loves it, slurp slurp slurp. i also use it when i make hot bran mashes in the winter.

right now, i am freezing apple juice in those big plastic cups and popping one into tuffy's bucket in the evenings. of course, once his nose goes into the bucket, it doesn't come back out until every drop is gone so the minis have not had so much as a taste.

since i just went through a bout of colic with one mini, for obvious reasons i have not given him or the other mini any apple juice and have stuck with the usual carrots and a marshmallow or two.

thoughts?

 

[susanminiponygirl]

My vet usually has me mix medications in applesauce and I sometimes add a little apple juice so I don't think it can be harmful. Everything in moderation of course.

 

[maplegum]

How about using apple cider vinegar instead? I'm not sure on the sugar levels of apple juice, so you may want to be careful.

My boy loves his apple cider vinegar.

:

 

[Chazzy]

I have two mares that have thyroid problems and have to take thyroid-L once a day. It is a powder and I mix it with apple juice. I don't see how it could hurt them. I have been using it on one of the mares for a couple of years now and she is just fine.

If you are really concerned about giving a lot of it to your mini that had colic, then I would consult my veterinarian, but I think it would be just fine.

Chasta

 

[Katiean]

I don't think they will willingly eat/drink apple cider vineger :no: I used to take it and for a person you use a shot glass full :new_shocked: . If you can get a horse to eat/drink it, then all the better. It is really nasty but good for them. I don't think apple anything will hurt a horse as long as you are not giving him a whole lot at once. I used to keep a box of apples in my barn and cut one up each night in their feed for each horse.

 

[Marty]

No apple juice here. No apples actually anymore either. Gas and runny poop. No marshmellows nothing like that and never a bran mash. I do not need trouble. A treat would be chopped up carrots if anything.

I do use applesauce if I have to give meds if needed but try not to.

 

[Floridachick]

Applejuice and horses is asking for trouble! Sorry to say it but applejuice is one of the highest on the glycemic indexes. VERY VERY quickly absorbed. Its way too high in sugar for my kids or my animals. I wouldn't take the chance.

 

[Charlene]

since i have been giving my big gelding this treat for 20 years, i guess he can still have it but i'll have to tell the mini boys no.

marty, i had not considered apples as a cause for red's recent colic but it could very well be the problem. i did find out that my brother-in-law, who checks my stock tank for me every day, has been giving ALL THREE HORSES an apple every time he comes up to our place. OH NO!!! i have put a big sign on the barn refrigerator that the minis are NOT allowed apples, only carrots. *sigh*