Horses and their owners connect through experiences and the time they share together. So, what better way to bond with your horse than through tasty food? By offering your favorite furry friend some homemade goodness, you can show you appreciate them and respect them – and that can go a long way for your relationship. Have you ever wanted to make your own homemade equine treats? We wanted to give you a little guide of safe ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen so you can spoil your hooved companions a little.
Safe Horse Treats from Home:
- Raisins
- Sugar cubes
- Pitted dates
- Apple pieces
- Carrot pieces
- Sunflower seeds
- Peppermints
Fun Fact! Mint can be very beneficial for a horse with a sensitive gut!
Here are some easy recipes to try! While we cannot take credit for all these wonderful recipes, we are glad to gather them all in one place for you to use when you are feeling like whipping up something quick.
Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients: 1 1/2 Cup Oats 2 tbsp. Honey 1 Cup Water 1/2 Apple, finely chopped 1 Carrot, finely chopped 1 1/2 tbsp. Flour 1 tbsp. Brown Sugar 5 Crushed Peppermints
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix oats, water, and honey in a bowl. Microwave for two minutes. Add chopped apple and carrots, brown sugar, crushed peppermints, and flour to the mixture. Microwave for two minutes again. Put mixture in mini muffin pan and bake for about 15 minutes.
Homemade Oatmeal Horse Treats
Ingredients: 1 large Carrot. 1 large Apple. 1 cup Molasses. 2 ½ cups Old Fashioned Oats. 2 Tablespoons Oil.
Directions: Shred the carrot and the apple into a large bowl. Add in the oil, oats, and molasses. Stir to combine well so that all the oats are covered in the molasses. Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Pat the treats down with a spoon or with your fingers so they are flattened into the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes or until they begin to get crispy. Remove the treats from the oven and let them cool for a while. The treats will harden slightly as they cool. Once they are hardened you can score into pieces.
Frozen Banana Bites
Ingredients: 4 bananas. 4 cups shredded carrots. 2 cups grain. 2 cups oatmeal.1 cup Honey (optional)
Directions: Mash & mix all ingredients in a bowl. Decide on small frozen treats or a large frozen block for your horse to work. Divide and freeze accordingly, in plastic containers. Pry frozen treat from bowl and offer to horse on a warm day.
So, give these a try, and see what your horses think!
