Can Horses Eat Peppermints and Candy Canes?
Short answer · Updated 2026
Yes, a healthy horse can eat an occasional peppermint, but a round mint is about 3 g of sugar and a candy cane about 9 g, so keep them rare and unwrapped. Horses with PPID (Cushing's), EMS or a history of laminitis should not have peppermints or candy canes at all. Peppermint leaf, the herb, is safe in small amounts, and low-sugar horse treats are the better everyday reward.
Peppermints, candy canes and other sweets for horses
| Treat | Sugar per piece (approx.) | Healthy adult horse | PPID, EMS or laminitic senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round peppermint candy (about 5 g) | About 3 g | An occasional single mint | Avoid |
| Candy cane (about 14 g) | About 9 g | Rarely, unwrapped and broken up | Avoid |
| Sugar cube (about 4 g) | About 4 g | An occasional single cube | Avoid |
| Chocolate or other candy | Varies | Avoid (chocolate has theobromine) | Avoid |
| Peppermint leaf (the herb) | Negligible | Small amounts are fine | Small amounts, ask your vet |
Sugar estimates use USDA FoodData Central values for hard candy (about 63 g of sugar per 100 g) and typical piece weights. Sugar-free mints often contain xylitol or sorbitol; skip them rather than guess.
Yes, horses can eat the hard candy peppermints owners love to share, and horses adore them, but candy mints are essentially sugar and should be limited for any horse and avoided for senior horses with PPID, EMS, or insulin dysregulation. An occasional single mint will not harm a healthy horse, but they are a poor everyday treat. The peppermint herb is a safer option, and low-sugar mint treats are better still.
The peppermint is the modern stand-in for the sugar cube, and it carries the same catch. Horses go wild for the flavor, but the candy is sugar through and through, which is exactly what an aging or metabolic horse should avoid.
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Candy Mints Versus the Herb
It helps to separate two different things. Hard candy peppermints are sugar with flavoring, and they belong in the same category as sugar cubes: an occasional indulgence for a healthy horse, but no friend to a metabolic one. Peppermint leaf, the actual herb, is a different matter. In small amounts it is generally regarded as safe and is sometimes used to flavor feed or tempt a picky eater, without the sugar load of candy.
For a lower-sugar treat that is still a treat, lettuce has only about 1 to 2 g of sugar per 100 g and is soft enough for worn teeth.
How Much Is Safe
For a healthy horse, keep candy mints to an occasional single mint, not a daily handful. They are pure sugar, so they pile up fast and teach a horse to nag for sweets. Treats of any kind should stay a small fraction of a forage-first diet. If you want a regular mint reward, switch to a low-sugar commercial treat in mint flavor.
Risks to Watch For
- Sugar: candy mints are essentially sugar and risky for metabolic horses.
- Laminitis: repeated sugar contributes to insulin issues behind founder.
- Choke: a hard mint swallowed whole can be a minor choke risk for poor teeth.
The Senior Horse Note
Older horses are poor candidates for candy peppermints. The high rate of PPID and EMS means a sweet that seems harmless can add to laminitis risk, and a hard candy can be a small choke hazard for a senior with worn teeth. If your horse is metabolic, diagnosed or simply untested, treat candy mints as off-limits and reach for a soft low-sugar treat instead.
The minty reward is easy to keep. Several horse treats come in mint flavor with low sugar and starch, and many are soft enough for a senior. For tempting a poor eater, the peppermint herb sprinkled on feed can add appeal without sugar. Either route lets you keep the flavor your horse loves while protecting an aging metabolism.
The Bottom Line
Candy peppermints are not toxic, but they are basically sugar and a poor treat, best limited for any horse and avoided for metabolic and senior horses. The peppermint herb is a safer flavoring, and low-sugar mint horse treats are the best everyday option. Keep candy mints rare at most, lean on low-sugar treats, and let your veterinarian guide a metabolic horse's diet.
Sources
- Sugar content of hard candy: USDA FoodData Central, hard candies (about 63 g sugars per 100 g).
- Sugary treats and metabolic horses: Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) Group diet guidance and Equine Endocrinology Group recommendations on insulin dysregulation.
- Theobromine in chocolate as a prohibited substance and toxin in horses: FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List and veterinary toxicology references.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can horses eat candy canes?
A healthy horse can have a small piece of candy cane on a rare occasion, with every bit of wrapper removed and the cane broken into small pieces so it cannot lodge in the throat. A standard candy cane is roughly 9 grams of sugar, about three round mints' worth, so it is not a regular treat. Horses with PPID, EMS or a history of laminitis should not have candy canes at all.
Can horses eat candy?
Plain sugar candy is not toxic to horses, but it is pure sugar with no nutritional value, so keep it rare for healthy horses and off the menu for metabolic seniors. Avoid chocolate, which contains theobromine, and avoid sugar-free candy, which may contain sweeteners such as xylitol that have not been shown safe for horses. Low-sugar commercial horse treats are the better reward.
Can horses eat peppermints?
Yes, horses can eat the hard, round peppermint candies many owners use, and horses adore them, but they are essentially sugar and should be limited. An occasional single mint will not harm a healthy horse, but candy peppermints are high in sugar and a poor everyday treat. For senior or metabolic horses, low-sugar treats are a far better choice. Reserve candy mints for rare moments at most, if at all.
Are peppermints bad for horses with Cushing's or EMS?
Yes, candy peppermints are essentially sugar, so they are a poor and risky treat for horses with PPID, EMS, or insulin dysregulation. The sugar can spike insulin and raise laminitis risk in these horses. Metabolic horses should not be fed sugary candy mints. If you want a mint flavor, look for a low-sugar commercial horse treat in mint, and confirm the plan with your vet.
Is peppermint the herb safe for horses?
Fresh or dried peppermint leaf, the herb, is generally considered safe for horses in small amounts and is sometimes used as a palatable flavoring or to encourage a picky eater. This is different from sugary candy mints. The herb carries no meaningful sugar load. If you want to use peppermint to tempt a senior to eat, the herb is a better option than candy.
How many peppermints can I give my horse?
For a healthy horse, keep candy peppermints to an occasional single mint at most, not a daily handful. They are pure sugar, so they add up quickly and condition a horse to expect sweets. For a metabolic or senior horse, the safe number of candy mints is zero. Use a low-sugar horse treat for everyday rewards so you are not loading sugar into the diet.
Can peppermints cause choke in horses?
Hard candy peppermints can pose a minor choke risk if a horse tries to swallow one whole without crunching it, which is more of a concern for a senior with poor teeth. Most horses crunch them, but a worn mouth may not. If you feed a mint to a senior, a soft low-sugar treat is safer. Better yet, skip candy mints for older horses entirely.
Are there better mint treats for senior horses?
Yes. Several commercial horse treats come in mint flavor with low sugar and low starch, and many are soft enough for worn teeth. These give you the minty reward horses enjoy without the pure sugar of candy peppermints, which makes them far better for metabolic and senior horses. Build the diet around forage and use low-sugar treats for training and to hide medication.
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