SubscribeGift a Sub
Enable cache 100

A Thanksgiving Treat

Most of us can afford the occasional dive into a rich treat, but our horses can’t. Their digestive systems are different, and a binge on grains, grass clippings or treats could lead to colic and even death. But with the holiday season approaching, it doesn’t seem fair to sit down to a sumptuous turkey dinner while our horses munch away at that same, boring dinner.



There is a way you can make the day special for your horse by putting a safe spin on his daily ration. You can pour a dollop of molasses or corn syrup on his pellets, soak his hay with water and sprinkle a few apple peelings on top for a refreshing snack, or cut up an apple and a carrot and sprinkle them around his stall (which will also help to alleviate stall boredom that day since you will probably be stuck in the kitchen or visiting relatives). You might try whipping up a bran mash to serve with your horse’s dinner. Here’s a recipe to try:



Thanksgiving Mash

Ingredients:
Hot Water
A dollop of molasses
A handful of brown sugar
Two carrots shredded
One chopped apple
6 Cups of bran mash
Your horse’s daily grain ration (either morning or evening portion)
2 cups of apple juice
Optional ingredients: chopped up corn (still on the cob), apple sauce, carrot tops, dollop of corn oil, store-bought horse cookies or sugar lumps.

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.  Pour enough hot water on top to resemble soupy oatmeal. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, or until the bran has absorbed the water and is cool enough to eat. Pour the apple juice on top and serve. Discard any leftovers.

The author is a freelance writer based in England.

View Comments

Recent Posts

The Complete Guide to Parts of a Western Saddle — Plus a Quiz

Get to know the essential parts of a western saddle with this comprehensive guide. Plus, have some fun testing your…

12 hours ago

8 Horse Feeding Mistakes to Avoid

Informed horse owners would never intentionally do something that could cause their horse to colic. Yet many owners unwittingly follow…

16 hours ago

The Beautiful Akhal-Teke

The Akhal-Teke horse—pronounced like “apple” with a K instead of the P’s, and “techie”—is one of the rarest horse breeds…

2 days ago

Barn Banter – Episode 25: Sponsored by Adequan

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 25, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated…

4 days ago

A Horse Owner’s Most Difficult Decisions

Making difficult care decisions for a horse that has been closer to us than many family members can be traumatizing…

5 days ago

2024 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Preview

There’s only one place in North America where you can experience top international horse show competition combined with all the…

5 days ago