Hot Mashes Tonight!! Amazing Squirrel Story link added p2

[pony grandma]

And a hot Toddy for ME! :D

Whew. I just got home, did the barn, brought everybody in for the night. I had the thermostat set down for the day to 62 while everyone was out. I walked in from outside in the barn and it is quite toasty in here by comparison! I may have to move it up when my body realizes that it's not really reality.

Horses said "FEED ME" "nneeeehhhh, nneeeeeehhhh." And I bedded them in the last 4 bales of straw that we had left from some landscape work. I have 4 buckets of alfalfa cubes in the bath tub ready to soak with some hot water. Then I'll start some mash for last call tonight.

Tuck yours all in tonight too.

[appdream]

I hear you, but I'm at work now. So, my girls will have to wait till I get home at 1:00 AM. I am not looking forward to being outside at that time.

Looks like they will be getting a hot meal for the next few nights.

[Buffyblue]

I stayed home today but my wonderful BO said she was making a warm bran mash tonight for all the heese!

[Hazelnut]

No mash here, just hot water on the regular feed ration. He loves it!:cool:

[pony grandma]

I can't recall from reading which famous race horse it was that a groom said 'watch this' and the horse plunged into a tub of steaming hot mash and woofed it straight down, ears drawn back, attacking at it madly. It certainly did paint an appropriate word picture.

[ChocoMare]

Oh my mares LOVE their hot beet pulp dinners each night. Really need to find me a replacement commercial coffee maker, though. My old one is dying :(

[Mia412]

My beasties get hot beet pulp with dinner every night too. I love to watch them slurp it! Our big guy will snort at his mash if it's steaming a lot (which it has been in this cold!) and it cracks me up every time.

In this bitter cold I'm adding extra hot water to everyone but the mare, who is very opinionated about the consistancy of her mash. The boys all get soup!

[jazzrider]

On nights like last night, we give our guys hot grass forage soup at the late night check. I have some great pictures of happy horses with green sludge all over their faces. My old OTTB loves his nightly "hot tea" from my hubby. If you put hot water in his bucket -- he'll get to it when he gets to it. But if you come into his stall and HOLD the bucket for him, he'll drink almost the whole thing down. Then he likes to play with the last few inches, and steam his face. :D He's got my hubby trained well!

[2DogsFarm]

I've been making "oatmeal" for my boys - their regular grain ration is rolled & crimped oats. I've been adding water to a scoop of the rolled oats and microwaving then topping their grain with the hot mash.
They don't care if I sweeten it or not - it gets shlurped right down :yes:

Last night was so cold their eyelashes were frosted!:eek:

The first time I mashed Cash - my TWH - he tossed it back at me.
Guess noone had ever given him hot,wet food before.:no:
Now he's down with the program and shlurps right along with Vern.

It makes me laugh to listen to them sucking up a soupy mash, then seeing their muzzles coated with goo.
In this godawful, waaaay below zero weather I leave the mash thicker as I don't want it freezing on their muzzles.

[Lori B]

As a newish horse owner, I need to know: what's the recipe for a nice mash?

[ChocoMare]

Recipe = Their Regular Dinner + Hot Water to desired consistency. Instant mash :D

For my mares, it's 1 pound dry, plain beet pulp shreds, 2 cups EquiPride and sufficient hot water to cover-let soak for 10-15 minutes. They loff it. :cool:

[Lori T]

We are not nearly as cold as most of you, but we are expecting low 30's which means high 20's at the farm, so all will get the mashes again tonight.

[Lori T]

As a newish horse owner, I need to know: what's the recipe for a nice mash?

Mine get regular meal plus about half cup of bran, half cup of quaker oatmeal and some peppermints thrown in. Add warm water.

[eventamy]

That's the plan for us tonight too, add hot water to what little ration balancer the fat boy gets! The goats too so they don't miss out!

[pony grandma]

Large servings of bran, which was once the popular practice, are questionable. The horses gut is not accustomed to it if it's a new feed, the gut hasn't formulated the proper bacteria, and, bran is not the laxative for horses that it is for humans. So only a small amt of bran should be used if you choose to add it to the horse's regular ration.

So as mentioned by others here it is now practice to use the horse's regular food and add hot water to make it soupy. Some oatmeal, carrots or apples(sauce) makes it special. Beet pulp in the winter is a common feed to be adding. A bag of oats to add caloric heat is good to add to their regular grain this time of year. I also keep alfalfa cubes during the winter b/c they soak up alot of water and hold the heat well also. The extra water for the horses is very necessary b/c of the free access long strand grass round bales that we use during the winter (b/c it takes them longer to eat, they munch all day and stay warm and the long strands stays with them longer in their guts where the heat produces for them).

The horses do really seem to like and appreciate the hot cereal gruel. It does become a treat for them.

[Lori B]

Thanks! Duly noted, Pony Grandma.

[blackstallion2]

My herd had hot beep slurpies this morning with a dash of salt and drank pretty well through out the day, so I am saving the hot bran mashes for tomorrow when we are supposed to be 0 degrees! My broodmare got warm soaked cubes for dinner (she doesn't chew her hay well).

My hot bran mash recipe is
1 scoop bran steeped in hot water (so it's very soupy)
1 envelop people variety instant oatmeal (cinammon or maple are favorites!)
sliced apples
dash of salt

pour over dry beet pulp shreds and/or regular grain ration

[Sancudo]

Down near zero for the first time this year, and everyone got a mash tonight- extra soupy, since I worry that they haven't been drinking enough since this IS the south and I don't own water trough heaters and have been chopping holes in the trough as fast as they have been re-freezing.

The young man, who had never had a treat before I owned him, was VERY pleased with this new trend, and dove in to the misty mash with gusto.

[catznkidz]

I've never given beet pulp to the horses but am seriously considering it. So can anyone give me an idea how much to give for starters?
Thanks

[pony grandma]

I've never given beet pulp to the horses but am seriously considering it. So can anyone give me an idea how much to give for starters? Thanks

Are you buying the shreds or the pellets? Start with a little amount and get to see for yourself how much it blows up! esp the shreds. It can take a lot of water. And feed a small amt first times anyway. Mix it in with something else, some horses have to get used to it first.

There was a great thread/beet pulp story (the house squirrel who stashed the beet pulp around the house :lol:) that circulated here a while back - anyone have that one?

[RainyDayRide]

There was a great thread/beet pulp story (the house squirrel who stashed the beet pulp around the house :lol:) that circulated here a while back - anyone have that one?

here you go...

http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/squirrel.shtml

[pony grandma]

here you go...

http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/squirrel.shtml

and thank you .... this story needs ceases to make it laugh out loud. So well written, good word pictures, we're right there with her!

so everyone re-enjoy this, or welcome to a delightful discovery

[nightsong]

while it was here very recently, I ALWAYS enjoy the story.

[pony grandma]

Susan G, author of the squirrel story, also has a good info page regarding the myths and reality of beet pulp on her side bar. http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/beetpulp.shtml For those that are asking any questions about feeding beet pulp - a must-read, very informative.