[Wonders12]

So I'm a poor broke college student who really wants to do something nice for her trainer and the WONDERFUL lesson horses who take care of me and the other riders week after week.

I was thinking about doing some homemade horse treats (as many as possible since she has many many horses) but I've never tried this before. I'm not a baker either, but can follow a recipe.

I've done some googling, but a lot of the recipes call for some type of grain. Since I don't have a horse of my own, I don't really want to go out and buy a whole bag of grain just to make some treats. (Plus, my non-horsey roommates may not like that in our kitchen )

So I'm looking for an easy recipe with ingredients that can be found at a regular grocery store. Oh, and one that doesn't need to be refrigerated since there isn't one nearby at the barn.

Thanks!

[AllWeatherGal]

Here's one w/out any horse-feed grain (all of them will have "grains"):
http://www.christmas-cookies.com/rec...e-cookies.html

Look a little deeper. I just googled. You can buy the whole oats and bran at a variety of grocery stores.

However, the truth is you can buy cookies less expensively than you can make them. And I've never made any that the horses liked better than Mrs. Pastures. In fact, I've made recipes that only the ponies would eat.

That said, you could ask someone with horses to sell you a few cups of grain. An alternative to that is use whole oats, which may be found at health food stores (at a price, mind you).

Btw, many dogs like horse cookies, too!

[hoopoe]

Here is mine

1 3/4 C apple sauce
1/4 C Molasses ( you can use feed grade molasses)

mix together

add 2 C crushed bran cereal
mix well and allow to moisten

add 2 C quick oatmeal

mix together, you might need your hands

you want a stiff dough, if it is wet add more oatmeal

roll into small walnut sized balls
roll in kosher salt ( regular salt does not work well)

bake in 325 degree oven for 1/2 hour, turn off oven and leave overnight.

how wet the recipie starts out depends on your applesauce. If it is a commercial type, it will be fairly wet and require more oatmeal. If you make yourself from cooked down apples it will be less wet. I use to make my own, but a large jar of applesauce , when on sale , is a great deal.


The oatmeal and cereal can be bought at the dry bins of a well supplied store, otherwise I use the cheapest source.

[Ted the Peep 'Ho]

Search the forum as there have been more, but you can PM me or my mom and she can send you more.

[TesignedInGold]

http://TesignedInGold.blogspot.com

new blog, with horse-treat recipes that I modify, bake, and report on! You can always buy "quaker" oats at any grocery store as a replacement for grain. (A large tin runs about $3.00 here)

[Appsolute]

I made some this last weekend which were easy, cheap and horse approved!

2 or so cups of molases

4 or so cups old fashion oat meal

2 cups flower

Half cup brown sugar

Apple sauce or water for some moisture. Mix into sticky paste. Make marble sized balls and flatten on non stick cookie sheet. Bake low, 325 until golden and hard/dry.

I now turning my filly into a cookie monster!

[moonriverfarm]

If you feed oats you can use them instead of "people" oats...costs nearly nothing if it's already in the barn!

[Wonders12]

This is great! Unfortunately Mrs. Pastures cookies are ridiculously expensive around here so I wanted to try something else.

I'll have to read some more when I get home. I just did very poorly on an exam and am trying to do the next best thing to visiting the barn: going to Boarders to buy horse books! Sadly, there is some girl buying out the ENTIRE horse section (we're talking a basket and a half and she's only on the third row) who keeps body blocking me whenever I try to look at something. So now I'm sitting in the coffee shop waiting until she finishes so I can look at her leftovers.

But I do appreciate the help on recipes!

[birdsong]

I have made many horse cookie treats successfully...but...the BEST one I have found is Nature Valley Granola bars "Oats and Honey"
I get the large box from Costco and break them into small treat size.

The expense is no more than what I invested in all the lovely ingredients of my homemade horse cookies.

Nice ingredients and my horses are just wild about them...and the best thing is..I can take a bite and give them a bite

[Rubyfree]

I have a recipe for oatmeal cookies that I make around xmas time. I always end up sharing them with the horses. They aren't great for frequent feeding because of the sugar and fat content obviously (for me either ) but holy smokes, are they delicious.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (I use 1 stick of crisco butter shortening)
1 1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups oatmeal

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Beat together shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add combined flour, baking soda and salt.
Stir in oats; mix well.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and remove to wire rack to continue cooling

I also got a seriously awesome looking recipes in my PMs - it's like a cookie you wrap around a starlight mint. How fun. I haven't tried them yet but I am going to make a little batch next week. Maresy loves peppermints; she always makes the most interesting faces when she gets them. "Oh, candy! Nomnomnom- OH MY LORD IT'S MINTY!!!!!"

Give me a moment to get into my PM's and I'll add it.

ETA:

OK, this calls for sweet feed but I'll share it anyway. They look too fun not to. Courtesy of cother Cruise Control:

1/3 cup sweet feed
1/3cup molasses
1/3cup flour

Mix together, form into balls around a peppermint candy. Bake 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees. When they come out they will be soft. They harden as they cool and can be stored in an airtight container. I am going to bake on paper because I have had molasses stick and run.

I can't wait to see Maresy's face when she discovers the surprise in the middle. I will endeavor to have a camera handy so I can share her startled joy with COTH.

[Cruise Control]

Hi Rubyfree-

Just so you know, I added about 1/4ish cup more of sweet feed to the recipe and it worked better. My molasses seemed more runny this time so the extra feed helped to hold everything together. You kind of have to play around with the mixture to get it to form balls. The horses love them though

[cordial]

I have made many horse cookie treats successfully...but...the BEST one I have found is Nature Valley Granola bars "Oats and Honey"
I get the large box from Costco and break them into small treat size.

The expense is no more than what I invested in all the lovely ingredients of my homemade horse cookies.

Nice ingredients and my horses are just wild about them...and the best thing is..I can take a bite and give them a bite

Great idea...Costco just opened a new store in our area, so will look for these bars.
Thanks for the tip.