Homemade Horse Treats for Hiding Pills (Cheaper Than Store-Bought)

As horse owners, we have learned the struggle that comes with giving our horse friends medicine. Whether it’s a daily supplement or a prescribed medication, it can often be challenging to get our horses to take it. This tasty horse treat recipe will make this easy.

But what if there was a simple, delicious solution that could make this process a whole lot easier?

Enter homemade horse treats – a tasty snack that can be easily customized to hide medicine and help you eliminate any guesswork in administering most any medication.

We have been purchasing horse pill pockets for over a year. Not only do they cost about $17 per pound, but there are occasions when I forget to order them in time, or they have been out of stock. I like knowing that I can make these anytime for a fraction of the cost!

In the past, I tried making treats to hide Bute (Phenylbutazone) for our horse Tigger. After a moose ran a couple of our horses through a fence one February, Tigger suffered a shoulder injury and our vet prescribed Bute.

What I didn’t know at the time was that most horses hate the taste of Bute. I tried mixing it into homemade treats made of oatmeal, applesauce, and molasses — Tigger could smell it a mile away and wanted nothing to do with it. We ended up having to mix it with water and give it via syringe. Tigger hated it.

I eventually tried a homemade horse treat recipe adapted from MariaLouiseDesign.com, and it changed everything. The soft, pliable texture makes it easy to hide medication without your horse even being aware.

The soft, pliable texture of these treats makes it easy to hide the medication without your horse even being aware.

Pin it

Pin it

Pin it

The benefits of these homemade horse treats go beyond just hiding medication. They also offer an irresistible aroma and texture that your horse will love. Plus, they’re a great option for a special treat or reward during training sessions. You can feel good knowing that you’re providing your horse with a tasty snack with added benefits.

The benefits go beyond hiding medication too — these treats have an irresistible aroma and texture horses love, and they’re great for training rewards. No fancy equipment or baking skills required. With a mini muffin pan, this recipe makes 36 treats

Horse Treat Ingredients

Instant Oats

Instant oats are high in protein and fiber.

Sweet Feed

Sweet Feed, all stock animal supplement that is not only tasty for horses but also full of nutrients and minerals. We feed Tigger the supplement daily, and he looks forward to them.

Trilogy of Flax, Chia & Hemp Seeds

Badia Trilogy Health Seed is great for providing healthy fats, omegas, and vitamin E. It is Something horses may be missing out on if they don’t have access to fresh grass.

Molasses

Not only do horses love the sweet taste of Grandma’s Molasses, but molasses is the bond that holds the ingredients together.

Applesauce or Pumpkin Puree

Applesauce or pumpkin puree works equally well for this recipe I have used them both. Use sugar-free applesauce if you have it; the molasses adds enough sweetness. The applesauce or pumpkin puree adds a little additional moisture to help bind the ingredients together.

Ingredients

Makes 36 treats/pill pockets.

• 3½ Cups instant oats (used in two parts — 2½ cups & 1 cup)
• 3 Cups sweet feed — a nutrient-rich horse supplement Tigger looks forward to every day
• 1 Cup Trilogy of Flax, Chia & Hemp Seeds — great for healthy fats, omegas, and vitamin E, especially for horses without access to fresh grass
• 1 Cup molasses — horses love the taste, and it’s what holds everything together
• 1 Cup applesauce or pumpkin puree (sugar-free applesauce preferred — the molasses adds enough sweetness)

---

Equipment

• Food processor — for grinding oats, sweet feed, and seeds into flour
• Mini muffin pan — makes exactly 36 perfectly-sized pill pockets
• Rubber spatula
• Wooden spoon
• Airtight container — essential for storing treats so they stay soft and pliable

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. In a food processor, grind 2½ cups of instant oats into oat flour. Place into a large mixing bowl.
3. Grind the sweet feed into a rough flour (small pieces remaining are fine). Add to the mixing bowl.
4. Grind the trilogy of flax, chia, and hemp seeds. Add to the mixing bowl.
5. Add the remaining 1 cup of instant oats, molasses, and applesauce or pumpkin puree. Mix well with a rubber spatula.
6. Fill the mini muffin pan with the mixture, packing it in tightly. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to make a dimple in each treat for hiding pills.
7. Bake for 7–8 minutes. Do not overbake — they will dry out and no longer be pliable./
8. After cooling, store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.

Final Thoughts

After watching Tigger refuse every trick in the book — oatmeal treats, applesauce mixtures, you name it — finding a recipe he actually loves felt like a small victory. These treats have made medicating him so much less stressful, and I hope they do the same for you and your horse.

Drop a comment below and tell me your horse’s name and whether they passed the taste test. 🐴

📬 From horse treats to home canning to comfort food from scratch — I share it all.
If you love simple, practical homestead living, I’d love to have you along for the ride. Subscribe to Our Country Life and never miss a post.

Subscribe

Built with Kit