Horses, like humans, have a sweet tooth.
Treats are a great way to reward your equine friend for good behaviour or to just show some love.
However, store-bought horse treats can be expensive and may contain ingredients that are not healthy for your horse.
Horses are perfectly happy eating simple treats like apples and carrots.
In fact, these treats are often recommended by veterinarians as they are healthy and natural.
Apples and carrots are rich in vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for horses’ health, such as vitamin A and fibre.
Additionally, horses have a natural liking for the taste of these treats, making them a great way to bond with your equine friend.
However, it’s important to remember to feed treats in moderation as excessive consumption of certain fruits and vegetables can cause digestive problems.
But when you wanna spruce things up a bit, such as for a birthday or a special occasion, you can easily make some treats at home!
Remember that these are treats, to be given occasionally, not a replacement for a healthy, species-specific diet!
1) Carrot and Apple Cookies
These cookies are easy to make and packed with nutrition.
All you need are grated carrots, chopped apples, oats, flour, molasses, and vegetable oil.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, form small cookies, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 250º (500ºF) (be careful, this depends on the oven). They must be hard, but without being burned.
Your horse will love the combination of sweet and crunchy.
2) Peppermint Balls
Peppermint is a favourite among horses, and these balls are a great way to treat your horse.
Mix crushed peppermint candy, oats, molasses, and vegetable oil in a bowl, form small balls, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Your horse will love the refreshing taste. Keep your camera ready though, because your horse can pull some funny faces!
3) Banana Oat Cookies
Mash ripe bananas in a bowl, add oats, flour, and honey, and mix well.
Form small cookies and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes on Bake at 250º (500ºF) (be careful, this depends on the oven). They must be hard, but without being burned.
4) Sweet Potato Fries
Cut sweet potatoes into long strips (keeping them as evenly sized as possible), toss with vegetable oil, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 250°C (500°F).
Sweet potatoes can take high heat, and you might see them and worry they’re burned. The browner they are, the crispier they will be, but there is a fine line between browned and burnt beyond edibility.
Even if they get really dark, they should still be good because of the natural sugars of the sweet potatoes caramelizing. But watch carefully to ensure that they don’t go from browned to burned.
5) Cinnamon Carrot Bites
Cinnamon adds a delicious flavour to these carrot bites.
Mix grated carrots, oats, flour, cinnamon, and honey in a bowl, form small balls, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 250º (500ºF) (be careful, this depends on the oven). They must be hard, but without being burned.
6) Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwiches
Peanut butter and apples make a great combination for this sandwich treat.
Spread peanut butter on apple slices and sandwich them together.
7) Oatmeal and Mint Cookies
Mix flaked oatmeal, whole wheat flour and chopped mint leaves, adding water to make a pliable dough you can shape.
Form small balls, and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes on at 250º (500ºF) (be careful, this depends on the oven). They must be hard, but without being burned.
8) Fruit/Veggie Popsicle
This is a great treat for the summer heat.
Mix your horse’s favourite fruits and veggies with molasses and water, and throw in the freezer!
You’ll need a large plastic container to freeze the treat block in (saving old ice cream tubs is great for this).
You can use apples, carrots, peaches, carrots – whatever your horse likes your you have at hand.
Cut up the fruits and veggies into equal sized chunks.
Mix 2 tablespoons of molasses into a glass of warm water (about 240ml or 8 ounces) and mix until the molasses has dissolved.
Put the fruits and veggies into the freezing container and cover with water. Place in the freezer until frozen.
9) Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin is a great source of vitamins and minerals for horses.
Mix pumpkin, oats, flour, cinnamon, and honey in a bowl, form small muffins, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 175°C (350°F) or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
10) Apple Carrot Cake
This cake is a special treat for your horse on a special occasion.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped apples
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated carrots, chopped apples, oats, flour, molasses, and vegetable oil.
- Mix the ingredients together until they are evenly distributed.
- Grease a small cake pan with cooking spray or butter.
- Pour the mixture into the cake pan, smoothing out the surface with a spatula.
- Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Once the cake has cooled down, you can serve it to your horse as a special treat.
These DIY horse treat recipes are delicious and easy to make.
Your horse will love them, and you’ll love the savings.
Remember to feed treats in moderation and consult with your vet if your horse has any dietary restrictions.
Enjoy bonding with your horse over these tasty treats!
