7. Swede - to feed or not to feed?

Swede – also called rutabaga or yellow turnip – is a root vegetable easily found in every supermarket or a local shop (and it’s also pretty cheap!). Some people are not sure if swede actually can be fed to horses. The answer is: IT CAN!

Most horses absolutely love swede. My horse before devouring it, plays with it and kicks it like it was a ball. It keeps him busy and happy. Some horses will just play with it and eat it if we put it in a stable or on a field. Some of them may feel a bit insecure or worried about big, round “thing” and in that case it’s easier to cut it in pieces and put it in a bucket or mix it with feed. If you want to provide your horse some fun and activity in a stable, the good idea is to hang a swede on a rope and safely tie in up in a stable. It will prevent boredom and keep horse amused. Well unfortunately some horses will play with it for hours, the cheekier (or greedier) ones may easily find the way to snap it in pieces and eat it with ease.

Swede added to a feed may also encourage a horse to eat its food. A piece of swede is also – in my opinion – a much better treat than sugar cube or a mint. Always remember to cut swede into strips not chunks (to avoid choking) if you want to put it into a feed.