MyEquineSource

   Buying a horse can be a very time consuming endeavor, with all the different horse breeds and skills to choose from. The more you become familiar with the process of buying and selling horses, the better your chances will be to end up with the horse to fit your needs. There are many avenues to look for the horse you want, like a local barn, tack shops, newspaper classifieds, and now you can go online and look through thousands of horse for sale classifieds. Take your time and don’t get to overwhelmed. If you make the selection process in a hurry, you might make an unwise purchase. Plan to take from one month to one year to find your ideal horse. Understandably, if you are without a horse, one year might sound like a very long time, but you can use this time to become more knowledgeable about what you want by taking lessons.

   The first thing you must determine is what you really want from a horse, and to what extent you will be using him/her. Will the horse be a trustworthy companion or wonderful Dressage prospect? Buy taking the time and comparing the different classified ads presented to you, will help determine your priorities. Be sure to use the advanced search features each online classified horse website has to offer, this will help you to narrow down your search results.

   Once you have found the horse you want, its always a  good idea to get a professional opinion when you are buying a horse. Whether or not you use an agent to help you select your horse, you should always have a basic veterinary pre-purchase exam performed. When you seek out professional advice, pay for it and then listen to it! When your instructor or veterinarian cautions you about a horse, it is for a reason. When seeking advice, it is best to a well-respected professional that has no vested interest in the horse sale.

   Here is a breakdown of what to look for when a horse is for sale:

    * does the horse fit your needs 
    * what skills does the horse possess
    * does the horse have a good temperament
    * do comparisons of other similar horses
    * does the horse fit the selling price
    * get professional advice
    * are there any lessons with the sale
    * make sure to have pre-purchase vet exam
    * can you afford the upkeep on a horse (such as boarding, feed, and veterinary care.)

   Stay focused. Keep in mind that you are selecting a horse for a particular reason or desired skill. There are many decisions and compromises lying ahead, so it helps if you set your priorities clearly at the outset.

   If the overall purpose of the horse is to teach you how to ride rather than to carry you to the winner’s circle, then the selection process will emphasize different traits to fit your needs. If the horse is intended to be a long-term project rather than a stepping stone, you may need to invest more time, effort, and money in your purchase. Remember to take your time and use the tools at your disposal, such as online horse classifieds, you will thank yourself in the end.

Sean Russell - Owner and Operator of MyEquineSource Horses for Sale Classifieds

Stuffed Molasses Apples

 

2 Apples
1 Cup Bran
1 Carrot, Shredded
3/4 Cups Molasses
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sweet Feed
2 Sprigs of Parsley or Green Carrot Top or Alfalfa Blooms
2 Seedless Green Grapes
Confectionery Sugar

Core two apples and dig out as much of the center as you can, as you would a pumpkin at Halloween. Set this aside.
Mix shredded carrot with bran, molasses, brown sugar and sweet feed in a large bowl. Add more molasses or bran to give mixture a stiff consistency. Scoop mixture out of the bowl and press into cored applies. Press fairly tightly.
To garnish: Drip a small amount of molasses over the top so it runs down sides of the apple. Add a sprig of parsley or carrot greens, top with a green seedless grape, sprinkle with confectionery sugar and serve immediately! Serve in a feed bucket as this is a gooey treat. Serves two horses.
Or serve: After you’ve cored apple, slice in half and press ingredients into each half, garnish as in the whole apple recipe and serve four horses.Recipe is from “The Original Book of Horse Treats” by June V. Evers

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Apple & Carrot Horse Cookies

1 c. sweet feed
2 c. bran
1 c. flax seed
4 large carrots
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. applesauce

Mix molasses, brown sugar, carrots and applesauce in one bowl.
In another bowl mix the dry ingredients.
Slowly combine the molasses mixture with the dry ingredients.
Add only enough molasses mixture to form a thick dough, add more bran if necessary.
Line cookie sheet with foil.
Drop batter onto foil with a tablespoon and flatten slightly to form portions about the size of a silver dollar.
Bake at 350 degrees for one (1) hour.
flip and bake an additional 45 minutes until they are dried out.  
Keep checking to make sure they do not burn.
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Apple Horse Cookies

1 c. margarine
1 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. bran
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. apples
1 tsp baking soda
2 c. quick cooking dry oatmeal
2 eggs
 

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs.
Combine flour, bran and baking soda.
Blend into a creamed mixture.
Stir in oats, carrots and apples.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown.

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Cob Horse Cookies

8 c. dry cob feed (corn, oats, barley mix)
3 c. shredded carrots
1/4 c. corn oil
2 c. flour
2 c. molasses Mix all ingredients well. Let stand for at least an hour (so the grain can absorb some of the moisture), stir the mixture
well.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a well greased cookie sheet.
Using your finger and the teaspoon “smoosh” the cookie into a round slightly flattened shape.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-18 minutes.
Put on racks to cool.
Makes 6-9 dozen.

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Easy Horse Cookies

1 c. grated carrots
1 apple
2 tbs. corn oil
1/4 c. molasses
1 tsp salt
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix carrot, apple, corn oil, and molasses together.
Fold in salt, oats and flour until well mixed.
Spread dough out in one piece on greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes till golden brown.
Let cool and break into pieces and serve.

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Easy No Cook Bran Horse Snaps

4 c. bran
4 c. applesauce Mix ingreedients together.
Batter should be doughy.
Roll out with rolling pin, cut shapes with cookie cutter.
Let dough dry and serve

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Horse Whinny Bars

2 c. dry oatmeal
1/4 c. grain
3 c. bran
1 c. molasses

Mix oats, grain and bran together in bucket.
Drizzle in molasses while mixing with your hands (consistence should be a little thinner than ply dough).Place dollops (about half a handful) on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.They never get completely hard, but they store nicely.

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Horse Yummy Oat Cookies

1 c. oatmeal
1 c. bran
1 c. water
1 tbs. salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses

Mix ingredients together.
Grease a cookie sheet.
Drop spoon size balls onto cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until hard on the outside.
Can refrigerate.

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Steamed Oat Mash

1 or 2 T. salt
A ration of rolled, crushed or crimped oats
A few cut up carrots
A few cut up apples
1 c. molasses or 2 T. linseed meal for extra taste

Mix all ingredients in a feed bucket. Combine with suitable quantity of boiling water (completely soaked up by oats). Cover and let steam until cool enough to feed to your horse. (30-45 minutes preparation time).

Variation: Use applesauce instead of apples and carrots.

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Bran Mash

8 - 12 c. wheat bran
1 c. rolled, crushed or crimped oats
1/4 c. corn oil
1/4 c. molasses
1-1/2 to 2-1/2 c. boiling water
1 carrot, sliced
1 apple, sliced

Combine bran and oats in feed bucket. Add boiling water to desired consistency. Stir in oil, molasses, carrot and apple. Cover and allow to sit. Serve when cool enough to feed.

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Horse Banana Cookies

1 banana
2 cups flour
half cup sugar
1-2 pinches cinnamon

slice up the banana. add your two cups of flour. next add your sugar. mix well. if desired you may mash up the banana. last add your cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Horse Bread Treats

1 slice of wheat bread
1 tablespoon molasses, or honey, or syrup (only 1)
1 1/2 tablespoons of applesauce

 

 

 

Cut up one slice of bread into cubes, (not teeny tiny, but not bigger than an inch) Then stick the bread into a bowl. Drizzle the molasses over the bread (make sure you get most of the bread) then pour the applesauce on. Mix it all together, then put it in a flat bowl or pan and freeze it for a little while. Take it out and feed it to your horse.

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