Looking for the easiest recipe for horse treats?
Here are the best recipes for your livestock that are quick and easy!
Dense with healthy ingredients, these will make sure that your stock is getting proper nutrition.
And the best part is that these are incredibly tasty and easy on the pallet.
Also, if you want to know what all horses can eat and which foods are toxic for them, follow the post.
I’ve shared everything that you need to know to raise healthy livestock on the homestead.
So, without any further delay, let me start by answering the most common query: what do horses eat?
What do horses eat?
As natural grazers, horse mostly feeds on grass.
Though they eat very often, they keep on grazing very little portions at a time. Providing a high roughage content, grass is a staple food for horses.
For this reason, their treats should include high-fiber content. Some good examples are haylage, hay, and hay replacement products.
These foods can be perfect alternatives to grass, the usual food of horses.
What is a horse’s favorite food?
Grass is the favorite food of horses.
Rich in fiber, the grass is the most suitable food for the digestive system of horses.
But, feeding on too much grass can also lead to health issues in horses such as laminitis.
What is the healthiest treat for horses?
Veggies and fruits are the healthiest treats for horses.
Carrots and apples are their favorites among fruits and vegetables. But, almost every other fruit and veggie is safe for horses.
You can feed your horse with grapes, raisins, bananas, celery, strawberries, pumpkins, and other varieties of fruits and veggies. But, you need to make sure that you don’t overfeed your horse.
Is flour OK for horses?
Yes, in moderation, flour is OK for horses.
Among all varieties of flour, wheat flour is the safest and healthiest option for your horse. That’s because it contains a higher amount of fiber and other healthy nutrients.
What can you use instead of molasses in horse treats?
You can use honey instead of molasses in your horse treats.
Both honey and molasses are delicious and they are high in nutrients besides adding sweetness to the recipes. But, molasses contains a higher amount of nutrients than honey, which is why I would recommend it instead of honey.
The iron, potassium, calcium, and vitamin B content in molasses is higher than in honey. Also, it’s quite high in vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants.
Lower in calories, molasses is always a healthy option for your horse treat.
Healthy Horse Treats Recipes
Here are three horse treat recipes that you can try easily at home.
My first recipe for horse treats is apple and carrot balls which are super easy and yummy!
Apple and Carrot Balls
This one is going to be their favorite as horses naturally love these two snacks on their own. The total time for preparing this horse treat is 25-30 minutes.
So, let’s just get started without delay!
Tools You Need
The tools that you need for this recipe are a mixing bowl, a spatula, an oven, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.
Ingredients
- Apple: 1 cup (grated)
- Carrots: 1 cup (grated)
- Oats: 1 cup
- Whole Wheat Flour: 1 cup
- Molasses: ¼ cup
- Applesauce: 2 tablespoons
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
Method
- To start with, you need to preheat your microwave oven to 380 degrees. Then, mix all the ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Make a small ball of about 1-inch size.
- On a baking sheet, place parchment paper and place the balls carefully on it. Then, bake your apple and carrot balls for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
My second recipe for horse treats is peppermint horse muffins!
Peppermint Horse Muffins
This unique recipe is high in fiber and ideal for your horse. To make the recipe, you need about 20-25 minutes. Now, let me tell you all the ingredients for the recipe.
Tools You Need
For this recipe, you need an oven, a mixing bowl, a spatula, a baking sheet, and muffin tins.
Ingredients
- Oats (steel-cut): 1 ½ cups
- Whole Wheat Flour: ½ cup
- Cornstarch: 2-3 teaspoons
- Flax Seed: ½ cup
- Apple (finely chopped): ¼ cup
- Molasses: ½ cup
- Water: ¼ cup
- Peppermint Candies: 10-12
- Oil/Butter: for greasing
Method
- First, you need to preheat your microwave oven to 380 degrees. Then, take a mixing bowl and mix oats, molasses, and all the other ingredients except for the candies.
- Next, grease your muffin tins with oil or butter and fill them half-full with the mixture. Once done, your muffins are ready to bake.
- Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes or until done. Once baked, take them out from the microwave oven and place the candies on top of the muffins. Let the muffins cool and treat your horse with joy!
My third recipe for horse treats is carrot apple horse cookies.
Carrot Apple Horse Cookies
Another recipe with carrot and apple, two favorite snacks of horses. This recipe will require about 30-40 minutes to prepare from scratch.
Tools You Need
For this recipe, you need an oven, a mixing bowl, a spatula, and a baking sheet.
Ingredients
- Apple: 1 (finely chopped)
- Carrot: 1 (grated)
- Oats: 2 cups
- Whole Wheat Flour: ½ cup
- Molasses: ½ cup
- Water: 1 tablespoon
- Coconut Oil: 1 tablespoon
Method
- First, preheat your microwave oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients. Then, squeeze small-sized balls of dough with your hand.
- Grease a baking sheet and place the balls on it. Bake the balls for at least 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Once baked, cool the cookies and surprise your horse with this sweet treat.
Additional Tips
- If you want to prepare these horse treats for a week, you can increase the ingredients as per your needs.
- The best way to store these horse treats in your refrigerator would be by keeping them in a sterilized glass jar.
- As I’ve mentioned above, honey can replace molasses in all these recipes but the nutritional value will get reduced.
How to make stud muffin horse treats?
Stud muffin horse treats are delicious options for your horse.
The recipe is pretty simple as you need only a few ingredients. You can use apples, carrots, oats, molasses, whole wheat flour, flax seed, cornstarch, and peppermint candies for this recipe.
All you need to do is mix all these ingredients (excluding the candy) and bake in a preheated microwave oven at 380 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
In the end, you can simply press the peppermint candy on top of your horse muffins and serve.
Can horses have peanut butter in treats?
Well, it totally depends on the health condition of your horse.
If your horse is fit and fine with no underlying health issues, you can use peanut butter in your horse treats. But, you need to give it in moderation after checking the health condition of your horse.
Peanut butter is quite nutritious for humans as well as animals. It contains a very good amount of potassium.
But, you need to feed your horse in moderation as peanut butter may also contain sugar and salt, which aren’t healthy in high amounts.
Are sugar cubes good treats for horses?
Sugar cubes have been one of the oldest treats for horses.
You can feed your horse sugar cubes sparingly. One sugar cube in a day is alright but more than that won’t be safe.
Because one sugar cube contains about one teaspoon (4 grams) of sugar. High sugary foods aren’t healthy for horses or other animals. That’s why you need to be cautious regarding sugar cubes.
Can horses eat Cheerios?
Yes, horses love Cheerios as a treat.
Cheerios are not only delicious but healthy treats for horses. You can feed your horse Cheerios but in moderation.
Can horses eat Quaker oats?
Yes, a horse can safely eat Quaker oats because it’s a healthy treat for them.
Oats, in general, are high in fiber and low in calories, which makes them a perfect meal for horses.
What foods are toxic to horses?
Though most foods are safe and healthy for horses, some could be toxic or poisonous.
Here’s a list of foods that you should totally avoid feeding your horse.
Avocado
From the flesh to the skin and leaves, every part of the avocado plant is poisonous to horses.
Potatoes
The mold or green part of unripe potatoes can lead to toxicosis in horses.
Caffeine
Caffeine can cause irregular heartbeat in horses. For this reason, you need to avoid any food that contains caffeine.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine as well as a substance called theobromine, which can be toxic for a horse.
Brassicas
Cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli aren’t toxic for horses but eating in excess can lead to gas and stomach issues.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb can cause kidney issues in horses and so, should be totally avoided as a treat.
Fruit Pits
The pit or stone could be choked in and so, you need to avoid feeding your horse any fruit with pits.
Garlic, Onions, and Tomatoes
These vegetables can lead to increased heart rate and damaged red blood cells in horses.
Dairy Products
Though milk and dairy products aren’t poisonous to horses, these can lead to digestion issues.
What does Jello do for horses?
Jello contains gelatin, which can cure or control stiffness, pain, and joint problems in horses.
Arthritis is common in older horses, which can be cured with gelatin. So, you can add 1-2 ounces of Jello to your horse feed to expect stronger bones and joints.
Do horses need salt licks?
Yes, horses need salt licks when they want to compensate for the salt deficiency in their daily diet.
Salt is a source of essential minerals like sodium for horses. But you also need to check the amount you’re feeding.
What food calms horses?
High-fiber foods such as hay, chaff, and pasture can calm horses.
Forages like these can help horses release energy and thereby stay calm. The majority of your horse’s diet should include these calming foods.
Can horses have cucumbers?
Yes, cucumbers are safe and quite healthy for horses.
These are packed with nutrients like potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Also, the skin of cucumbers containing dietary fiber is good for horses.
Is oatmeal safe for horses?
Yes, oatmeal is absolutely safe for horses.
Whole oats are ideal as horse treats as they contain fiber. But, you need to also treat your horses with other foods that contain vitamins and minerals.
Do horses need Epsom salts?
Epsom salts, also known as magnesium sulfate, are a great supplement for horses.
And the main reason is that it contains magnesium, which takes care of the muscle and nerve function of horses. A deficiency of magnesium can lead to weariness, nervousness, and other symptoms.
Is pink Himalayan salt good for horses?
Yes, pink Himalayan salt is an essential horse supplement.
It’s high in minerals, which can cure minerals deficiency in your stalk. The best way of feeding your horse pink Himalayan salt is by hanging it on your horse’s run-in shelter or stall.
What is the best mineral block for horses?
The best mineral block for horses is white salt blocks.
You can also feed the conventional red mineral blocks but these aren’t as nutritious as the white ones.
Conclusion
By nature, horses are grazers and they mostly feed on grass.
But, to make sure that your stock is at its peak performance, you need to provide a balanced diet with these healthy and delicious recipes for horse treats.
Also, feeding them in moderation and avoiding the mentioned unsafe foods are equally important to keep your livestock healthy.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Homestead Lifestyle Board!!
