I’m not much of a Martha Stewart or June Cleaver, but I’ll admit that I look forward to baking at the holidays.  I rather enjoy having a convenient excuse to eat cookie-dough and make the occasional obscenely shaped sugar cookie. Since I’m already in the kitchen, it’s become tradition to knock out some horse-treats as well.  Here’s a recipe we shared in 2011! [For The Eventer Who Has Everything: Holiday Horse Cookies!]

The holidays are drawing near (only three days until Santa!), and if you’re anything like me then you’re looking around with a panic stricken expression, wondering where the time went! Wasn’t it only yesterday that we were deal hunting on Black Friday??

Eventing communities are often like families, so it’s no surprise that barns and associations everywhere this season are participating in festive gatherings and gift exchanges. But what can you possibly buy an eventer that they don’t already have out of necessity? And worse, what if you’re only just now realizing that you’ve forgotten that most important loved one?…. Your Faithful Horse!

While we might assume that having a warm stall, blankets, feed twice a day, and a grassy paddock should be gift enough, I think we all know that horses don’t quite see things the same way. They cart us around a series of long cross country courses for half the year, the least we can do is show our gratitude!

Fortunately, there is a solution to these holiday woes that is both easy, fun, and a real barn-crowd pleaser! Make your own special Holiday Horse Cookies!

I’ve had the benefit of trying my hand at a few of these homemade treats through the years, some with great success and some… not so much. Below is a list of homemade treats that I’ve found the best received by picky OTTBs and hungry equestrian friends alike!

Oat & Carrot Christmas Cookies

(Recipe Originally by Bijou)

1.5 Cups of Oats

2 Whole Carrots

.5 Cups of Molasses

2 TBS of Water

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. Run the Oats and Carrots through a food processor to make into a fine, flour like meal
3. Combine in bowl with Molasses, sprinkle in water until moist and mix well
4. Form small balls of the mixture, size based on the size of the cookie you want (I try to keep my no larger than a spoonful)
5. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, squashing them slightly flat as you go.
6. Bake in oven for approx. 25 minutes, or until the treats have dried out to your preference. 25 minutes should provide a dry, crunchy treat.
7. Wait to cool, serve to willing animals and people!

What I like about this recipe is that it uses no enriched flour, no corn syrup, and no sugar. It’s all natural!

Apple & Flax Horse Cookies

1 Cup Sweet Feed

2 – 3 Cups Wheat Bran

1 Cup Flax Seed

1 TSP Salt

4 Large Apples, Shredded

1 Cup Molasses

.5 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1. Mix molasses, brown sugar, apples and applesauce in bowl.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Gradually combine wet and dry ingredients together, only using enough of the wet ingredients to make a thick dough. Add more bran if necessary.
4. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil.
5. Drop batter onto cookie sheet in tablespoon amounts. Flatten with a fork.
6. Bake slowly at 300° F. for 1 hour, turn cookies over and continue to bake for another 45 minutes until thoroughly dried.
7. Reduce heat if cookies begin to brown excessively or to burn.

I like these because of the Bran and Flax in the cookie, and because horses tend to like the apply flavor! (I may have tasted for myself as well….)

Easy No Cook “Apple Snaps”

(Recipe originally by Holistic Hoof and Horse Care)

4 Cups Bran (Wheat or otherwise)

4 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce

1. Mix ingredients together until batter is doughy
2. Roll out batter with rolling pin
3. Cut into squares or shapes
4. Allow dough to dry (takes about 24 hours) and serve

Obviously, I love these. They’re not as popular as the other cookies but they require significant less time and effort! A note, though…. If you live in a relatively humid climate, they can take a while to dry properly. I had sped up the process by putting the oven at it’s lowest setting and placing them on the center rack for about fifteen minutes.

Peppermint Patties

1/3 Cup Oats
1/3 Cup Grain (plain)
1/3 Cup Molasses
1/3 Cup Flour
Peppermints

1. Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
2. If you prefer, use food processor to chop Oats and Grain into a finer texture
3. Mix together all ingredients except for peppermints.
4. Form cookies using spoon/scoop/hands and place on a lined cookie sheet
5. Take a peppermint and place it in the middle of each ball of the cookie dough, pressing down to flatten slightly.
6. Bake for 21 minutes or until golden brown. May need to let them dry out.

Oat’n’Apple Chewies

(Recipe originally by Moniteau Saddle Club)

1.5 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce

1 Cup Oat Bran Cereal or Ground Oatmeal

.5 Cup All Purpose Flour (I prefer Wheat flour)

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Mix all ingrediants together until consistency is that of thick batter
3. Oil/grease a 9 inch X 9 inch square cake pan (metal)
4. Spread batter evenly in cake pan
5. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes. The batter will shrink away from the edges of the cake pan, and be firm to the touch.
6. Slice into squares while still warm. These chewies will not dry out and should be refrigerated

And Below is a new addition to my Recipe Box, recently posted by Professional’s Choice on their website! I haven’t had a chance to test these out, so if someone would like to give them a go, let me know how it works out!

Oat Molasses Cookies

(Recipe originally by Grullo Quarter Horses, via Professional’s Choice)

.5 Cup Grated Carrots

3 TBS Molasses

.5 Cup Brown Sugar

Water to preference

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine all Ingredients
3. Add enough water to make a soft dough, Stirring well
4. Form cookie balls
5. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown