MODERNIZE your horseGs MASH

Cooking a hot meal for your horse is a comforting wintertime ritual. Skip the traditional bran-based mashes, however: They can lead to digestive upset from the sudden ration change or nutritional imbalances if fed too often. You can 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.

If you want to add a special treat to a hot meal, keep your horse’s dietary restrictions in mind. Skip sugary addins---like apples, molasses and even carrots---for horses who have insulin resistance or other metabolic challenges. Instead, try a treat with a lowglycemic index like celery, peanuts in their shells or alfalfa pellets. For horses with no restrictions, you can have a bit of fun, but be sensible. A single peppermint placed on top of a mash will delight a horse just as much as a halfdozen hidden throughout it.