I was cruising along on the Internet one day and found a site with some yummy sounding treats that we all decided to make for our horses because they're not spoiled enough. For instance, my horse, Bean, only gets the highest quality feed, lounges around in an immaculate stall when not grazing on timothy and clover, and gets outrageously expensive shoes - every six weeks, no less. But, since nothing's too good for my boy, I trotted into the kitchen to do my part; no pun intended.
However, that's when I got to thinking; even though Bean knows his manners, feeding a horse by hand can be a tricky wicket; he needs to know that getting a treat is a privilege - not something he should expect or demand, leading me to ask: when can a treat turn into a trick? So, I decided to check to it out with a well respected trainer in these parts, Maya Dobush, whose specialty is in starting young horses, to get her read on the subject.
Here's the scoop: it's not the act of feeding a horse that encourages his rude behavior, i.e. pawing or nipping, it's that you're not establishing yourself as the leader, so he's pushing the envelope to see if you'll back down and give him what he wants. Employ a little psychology; if your horse gets too excited - just walk away until he calms down. Or, if he becomes "mouthy", discipline him gently but say, NO, in a stern voice, until he "gets it" and politely accepts your offering. Consistency is the key here; by being steadfast in your resolve you'll almost certainly get the ball back in your court.
Now, on the recipes:
Carrot Cookies
1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons corn oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
In a bowl, mix ingredients in order. Make small balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Raisin Cookies
2 sticks vegetable shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup raisins
2 cups dry oatmeal
1 cup alfalfa pellets
Mix shortening with sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add dry ingredients slowly. Drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
Apple Muffins
1 cup flour
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup applesauce
2/3 cup apple juice
1/4 cup corn oil
1 cup apples chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients thoroughly. Pour the liquid mixture and apples into the dry ingredients. Mix until moist; scoop into greased muffin tins and bake for 15-25 minutes.
Fun Muffins
3 cups sweet feed
1 1/2 cups molasses
1/3 cup water
1 cup flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sweet feed, molasses, and water. Add flour gradually, mixing until batter becomes stiff. Spoon dough into greased tiny muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until dark brown.
Apple and Carrot Bits
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup whole oats
2 quartered apples
3 diced carrots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet and set aside. Pour molasses into a bowl and spread oats onto a plate. Dip pieces of apple and carrot into the molasses and roll them in oats. Place on cookie sheet and bake until warm. Let cool and serve.
Oh, and one more thing; I discovered in my travels that bran isn't the greatest thing to feed your horse, especially as it affects his feet. It seems it's the substance, phytate that's the culprit. High in phosphorous, phytate can produce a nutritional imbalance that can restrict the absorption of calcium in the small intestine, creating a downward cycle that can inhibit nutrients from being properly utilized by the digestive system. This is turn can lead to a calcium deficiency, which will ultimately result in poor hoof quality.
According to Dr. Susan Kempson, of the Royal School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, "One of the best ways to improve the calcium:phosphorus levels in the diet is to omit bran completely,"... so I did.
