Treat and More Treats!

As we approach the season of “Trick or Treat,” it seems like a good time to review the array of horse treats those of us who dote on our horses and ponies (and dogs and cats and other pets) use and approve. At the Tack and Habit Shoppe, we do have our horse treat favorites.  While our favorites, such as our best seller Peppermint Plops, may not be based upon any scientific studies, we do have the opportunity to observe what our horses and customers prefer.   

I remember when the only treat we usually offered came in the form of plain sugar cubes. As a teenager with a pony of my own, I regularly asked my mother to add sugar cubes to her grocery list. And my pony consumed them with relish. Nowadays there are plenty of choices to offer our equine friends, and most are much more appealing than the plain sugar cubes I remember.  

Certainly, the horses feel free to accept or reject the treats we offer. I was more than surprised to find out that CC and Vincent like Peppermint Plops but don’t like the very fancy Snaks Fifth Avenchew treats! But of course, plenty of other horses here just love Snaks Fifth Avenchew, including Ziggy, Digby, and Rio amongst others. If you ask our customers, they can quickly tell you their horse or pony’s favorites.

Now of course carrots are first on the list for most horses – as are apples. But these are a bit hard to store in a barn (or car for that matter). Most of us, in addition to those carrot bags we tote around, stock treats that we can carry in our pockets, keep in tack boxes, and store in the glove boxes (or other storage areas) of our trucks and cars. In fact, if you look around our boarder barn or our office or trainer tack room, there are lots of treats, including treats for the cats and dogs that are part of our own and our barn families. 

The Tack and Habit Shoppe stocks several brands of horse treats, including a medicated “treat” Probios, which contains probiotics intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding while traveling, showing, or during weather changes like we’re experiencing right now. The Probios treats support naturally occurring beneficial bacteria helping to maintain healthy appetite and digestion. 

We also currently carry Mrs. Pastures Cookies for Horses and Carrot Crunchers. Mrs. Pastures’ treats boast simple, all-natural ingredients. They think using these treats made for “picky eaters” during training can help you bond with your horse while improving ground manners, trailer loading, and mounting block patience. Many riders in our barn have trained horses to “smile” or “give a hug.” Some also use the treats as lures to accomplish stretching exercises for their horses. 

The Carrot Crunchers are small discs, so if you ever worry about your horse choking or just eating too many treats, these little, no sugar added treats are easy and fun. The serving size on the package is ½ pound per day, but my horse is quite satisfied with a couple handfuls. You don’t have to worry about Carrot Crunchers going bad as quickly as fresh carrots and apples in the back seat of your car. If you plan to give what we call “Car Cookies” at the fence (to YOUR horse ONLY), your stash should include such easy treats. Our store manager, Veronica, will gladly consider ordering treats our customers want to try. 

One of our favorite things to do is support young riders who have made their own horse treats. Let me introduce you to Bitsy, age 13, who is the maker of “Bits and Pieces” horse treats, which are exclusive to the Tack and Habit Shoppe. These horse safe treats are made of flour, sugar, and molasses. They come in various shapes in an attractive package designed by Bitsy and her barn friend marketing advisor. Bitsy started making her own horse treats in 2020 during the pandemic and has continued to refine her product. Today, she makes her cookie like treats in the shape of donuts, pop-tarts, and unicorns. She also makes sugar cubes in various shapes and colors like stars and hearts, fruits, and the ever-popular unicorn shape. Bitsy says she has limited time to make her treats due to schoolwork pressures, so she isn’t looking to expand her brand now. Most of the profits from what she calls a “very profitable” mini business go into ingredients, new cookie cutters and icing tips, and saving up for a label printer. If you haven’t tried Bits and Pieces horse treats, please visit the Tack and Habit Shoppe to support our young entrepreneur and purchase Bitsy’s horse treats (not currently available online).