This is a discussion on Any ideas to get a horse to eat a bran mash? within the Horse Health forums, part of the Keeping and Caring for Horses category
I need some help with getting horses to eat bran mash. They just don't like it! I've tried molasses and that doesn't seem to work too well. Any advice?
As long as it was soaked for a good 1/2 hour with the rest of their feed, I've never seen a horse turn it down. Try using warm water and adding a little sweetfeed on top after it is in their pail.
I guess my guys are pigs! I pour boiling water over it, mix molasses, chopped up apples, carrots and a little sweet feed and they slurp it up/ lick the pan clean!
If you're trying to get more water into them, just soak hay pellets or beet pulp (the kind without molasses). Add a few peppermints and a handful of sweet feed if they won't eat beet pulp. If you use alfalfa or alfalfa mixed hay pellets, the horses should eat it right up!
If you're going for a laxitive effect, buy some psyllium supplement (sand clear) or ground psyllium husk.
I thought it would be a good extra supplement for them once and a while. Those are interesting links though. Maybe I'll look into finding something different.