Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers (7 page)

1. In a big bowl, mix the sweet feed with 2 cups of bran and a dash of salt.
   

2. In a separate bowl, mix the molasses, carrots, brown sugar, applesauce, and cinnamon.
   

3. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, stirring to form a thick dough. The batter is supposed to be a bit loose, but if it’s really wet, add up to another cup of bran.
   

4. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
   

5. Shape batter into portions the size of a half dollar, squeezing out excess liquid if needed.
   

6. Bake at 300°G F. for 1 hour.
   

7. Flip the cookies over and bake 45 minutes more, until dry and golden brown.
   

8. Check on them frequently to avoid overbaking. Horses don’t appreciate burnt cookies!
   

T
HERE ARE MANY
variations of this horse cookie recipe and all are good.

Most horse recipes involve molasses. Recently people have begun collecting these, handed down verbally from generation to generation. Most are similar, since a horse’s stomach doesn’t need variety. Consistency is far more important.

Humans, on the other hand, like variety.

If you change your horse’s diet, you should do it very slowly. For instance, if you’ve been feeding only beet pulp and want to switch over to sweet feed, mix a small portion of sweet feed in the pulp.

It’s wise to do this changeover, adding a bit more sweet feed, over a two- to three-week period.

An abrupt change in diet can make horses sick, which, for them, can be fatal. I can throw up a bad mouse. A horse can’t throw up, hence colic and other intestinal problems, which are quite terrible for them.

They can’t eat any meat. Period.

Their teeth are for grinding, so the dentist must come and file off the rough edges once a year at a minimum.

I get my teeth cleaned about once every five years. It’s easier being a cat.

As cats love horses so horses love cats because we are quiet and respectful. Dogs rush around barking or nipping
(very naughty) but we tiptoe into stalls or sit on a tack trunk and chat with our equine friends.

I especially enjoy talking with the horses because they see so much more than I do. Their eyes are big and they can see behind, too, whereas I focus intently on what’s in front of me. That’s the difference between predator and prey animals.

Humans spend too much time talking about the food chain. Once we are full we can all get along just fine. They would do well to learn that.

Here’s to full bellies, endless frolic, and laughter for all animals.