Did you know that beer can actually be beneficial for horses?
It’s an old equestrian trick to use beer to treat horses with anhidrosis, a condition where horses aren’t able to sweat in order to keep cool. Here at Palmetto Carriage Works we treat our horses who have anhidrosis with prescribed medication from their vet but also supplement this treatment with beer.
We usually give our horses about a case a week each during the summer, with two beers in the morning and two in the evening.
And guess what, horses also like the taste of beer! Some prefer lighter beers while others prefer the beers that resemble a milkshake. At Palmetto Carriage Works, we like to give our horses Yuengling Black and Tan which is fed to them by mixing the beer into their feed.
You may also be wondering whether our horses get drunk off of all of this beer. There’s actually no need to worry about that! Horses have livers that are much larger than ours and are able to metabolize alcohol much faster than humans (which means a couple beers wouldn’t affect a horse like it would you or I).
So next time you see one of our horses enjoying a brew in the summertime, don’t worry! It’s all in a day’s work of ensuring our animals are well-cared for and able to stay cool in warmer weather.
NOTE: All horse owners should of course have a visit with a veterinarian regarding anhidrosis before they start any kind of treatment.