If you want to cook your horse a hot meal this winter, skip the traditional bran-based mashes: They can lead to digestive upset from the sudden ration change or nutritional imbalances if fed too often. Make a safer hot meal by adding a few cups of warm water to your horse’s normal grain ration. Most pellets will soak up water within a few minutes. Other additions can make it a special treat:

• If your horse doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, add chopped up apples or carrots and perhaps molasses or a piece of peppermint candy.

• For horses with metabolic syndrome with a low-glycemic index like celery, peanuts in their shells or alfalfa pellets. 

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