How to Make Simple Homemade Horse Treats

Make homemade horse treats for the equine members of your family with this simple recipe! It only takes 7 ingredients and about 20 minutes! It’s simple, affordable, and kid-safe!

When I was a teenager, I tried my best to convince my parents that I needed a horse. They didn’t realize at the time how serious I was about entering the world of agriculture so they made me a half-hearted deal. 

They said that if I would fence an area and build a shelter for a horse that they were game for purchasing an equine companion for me.

It was the dead of winter so they had serious doubts that I would follow through, but my will broke through the ice in the ground and the fence & shelter became a reality. 

Long story short, I purchased my first horse, named him Oreo, and continued to grow my love for animals every year since.

Now I have 4 kiddos who have developed a deep bond with their pony, Ginger. Ginger came from a wonderful family on the other side of the state. My husband knew this family from the barn where he rode when he was younger.

They were looking to re-home this sweet girl because their children had outgrown her. The mother knew that we had children and were in the market for a horse so she gave her to us! We were so thankful for her generosity!

We purchased our second horse, a Tennessee Walking Horse/Percheron cross named Pearl, after my husband got jealous of the kids’ pony and we bought one more horse, Bailey, shortly after. 

Ginger, Pearl, and Bailey have outgoing and lovable personalities, they enjoy long walks by the pond, and they both have a major sweet tooth. 

They absolutely LOVE it when we bring a special treat down for them on hot summer days so I decided to make some homemade horse treats instead of just purchasing them from the store.

Simple Homemade Horse Treat Recipe

The kids and I make this yummy snack in about 20 minutes total. It was extremely simple and the recipe only required 5 ingredients!

You could add treat making to your kids’ chore list! It is a fun activity and they can give them directly to the animals themselves!

We feed these delicious homemade horse treats to our goats, dogs, and even our kiddos…Everyone loves them! Try them out for yourself and be sure to let me know what you (and your horses) think about them!

Homemade Horse Treat Ingredients:

• 3 cups Oatmeal (I used Quick Oats)
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 chopped or grated carrots
• 2 large apple (diced)
• 1/4 cup Molasses or ¼ cup honey
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1 TBSP Vegetable Oil or Coconut Oil

You can switch up the ingredients a little bit if you want. Ideas of more wholesome ingredients to add to your horse treats:

• tsp cinnamon
• crushed peppermint candies
• ½ cup of raisins
• ground flax seed
• 1/2 can pumpkin puree

Just BE SURE that whatever you add into your mix is safe for horses to consume. 

Homemade Horse Treats Directions:

STEP 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

STEP 2

Grease a cookie sheet to keep the treats from sticking OR line the cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper instead of using grease if you prefer.

STEP 3

Finely chop or grate 2 large carrots and 1 apple into small pieces. A food processor works great for this if you have one, but a blender works just fine. If you don’t have either, you can use a knife to cut them up as small as you can.

STEP 4

Mix the oats and the flour together in a large mixing bowl until they are combined well.

STEP 5

Now you can stir in the applesauce and ¼ cup of molasses into the oat mixture. Combine these ingredients well using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer.

STEP 6

Roll the treat mixture into small balls (or whatever size you want to give to your horses). If they are too crumbly, add a little more honey. If they are too sticky, add more oats and/or flour.

STEP 7

Place the uncooked horse treats onto the greased or lined baking pan and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

Remove the treats with a spatula and place them in a container for storage. Use a spatula even if you properly greased or lined your pan. Sometimes the bottoms stick just a little and a spatula will keep them from pulling apart.

STEP 8

Let your horses enjoy as an occasional treat!

How to Store Horse Treats

These treats are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cool temperature in the fridge slows the growth of mold so the treats last longer. 

I don’t recommend storing them longer than a week so if you won’t be able to use the full amount that this horse treat recipe makes within a week, just cut the ingredient measurements in half.

More Livestock Resources

• Homemade Summer Chicken Treats
• Homemade Winter Chicken Treats
• The Horse Record Book

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