* Disclaimer: The products offered on this web site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Rather, they are intended for educational purposes only. These treats contain simple sugars and starch levels generally found to be safe for horses with Insulin Resistance. However, every horse is an individual. Check with your own veterinarian. The statements presented on this web site have not been evaluated by the FDA or USDA. The use of herbs for the prevention or cure of disease has not been approved by the FDA or USDA. We therefore make no claims to this effect.
™Skode's Horse Treats ©2006 - 2008 All Rights Reserved
A truly natural horse cookie or treat -- balanced as Nature intended -- takes research. So at Skode's Horse Treats, we study and understand the nutritional properties of the herbs and whole foods we select for our 100% all-natural products. That means laboratory testing, veterinarian review and approval -- and research, research, research.
We could have used less expensive ingredients like beet pulp. Click here to find out why we didn't. Or, we could have used oils, fats and binders. But those things aren't what we would feed our own horses so we certainly won't feed them to yours. (To read even more about including herbs and whole foods in your horse's overall nutritional program click here)
Here, we share with you some of the information about the ingredients that we have gathered throughout the years. Enjoy -- and rest assured: At Skode's, we treat your horse to only the best!
Our IngredientsWhole Food Rinds & Powders: Apples • Carrot Powder • Cranberry Powder • Red Beet Powder • Oranges • Lemons
Edible Flowers & Leaves: Alfalfa Leaves • Calendula (Marigold) • Peaches • Strawberry Leaves • Parsley • Rose Petals
Nuts & Seeds: Celery • Flax Seeds • Pumpkin Seeds • Sunflower Seeds • Fresh Food Suggestions • Cherries
Herbs
Chamomile
A plant native to Europe, now found worldwide in areas with a temperate climate. There are several different varieties, with the German chamomile usually being preferred. This herb likes well drained or even dry to sandy soil and full sun. It can be found growing wild in meadows. The plant has an apple-like aroma that horses may find particularly appealing.
Chamomile is a common ingredient in herbal teas and beers. Traditionally, its medicinal qualties have been used to induce relaxation, calm gastrointestinal upsets and act as an anti-inflammatory.
Researchers have recently identified a metabolite of chamomile that is structurally very similar to the “profen” family of drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil). The metabolite in chamomile is a proven anti-inflammatory, but without the side effects.
Mint
Also native to Europe and the Mediterranean area, Mint generally prefers warm, moist soils and is partial to full shade. Under the right conditions, it grows and spreads rapidly, with many types of mint having “escaped” the gardens where it was originally grown. Sometimes that is why you will see it in areas like the edges of woods.
Mint has a very long history of use as both a seasoning and a beverage for humans. Many horses also enjoy the taste of mint. The unique action of menthol in the essential oil of mint is what produces the cool, refreshing sensation. The menthol in mints has also been proven to have a soothing/anti-inflammatory and relaxing effect on the intestinal tract
Rosehips
Roses originated in the Northern Hemisphere an estimated 35 million years ago and a wide variety grow wild. Rosehips look like tiny dried berries and are the "fruit" of the rose. They form in the fall, just under where the flower once bloomed.
These delicious herbs have been used in human diets as a vegetable, a dessert, an ingredient for tea, and in jams. They are an important part of the diet of wild birds and small mammals, and are also browsed by deer. Rosehips are high in vitamin C, bioflavonoids (another type of antioxidant that works with C), as well as citric and malic acids. Rosehips are also a natural source of biotin.
Horses seem to have an innate appreciation for this delicacy. Every equine visitor at Skode’s Ranch heads straight to the back patio to devour the roses growing over the back railing!
Kudzu Root
This plant is a coarse, high-climbing, twining, perennial vine, native to Japan and China. It also grows in the Southeastern portions of the United States where it helps to control soil erosion, fix nitrogen into the soil, and feed cattle. As a single vine can grow up to 100 feet in one season. Because it's vigorous growth can overtake and kill anything in its path, the herb is considered a noxious weed. However, Kudzu Root is highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has been and continues to be used in prescriptions for the treatment of "wei", or “superficial” syndrome (a disease that manifests just under the surface - mild, but with fever), thirst, headache, and stiff neck with pain due to high blood pressure and/or nervous tension occurring at the onset of a cold, as well as the "heat" in the stomach that can cause unusual thirst.
Frankly, the root looks like white cardboard. However, many horses know a good thing when they see it and consider it a delicacy, delving right into handfuls of it!
Whole Rinds
& Powders
Apples
Apple trees were celebrated for their fruits by the ancient Romans, who took cultivated apples with them to England. They were brought to America sometime in the early 1600's. Most apples are crab apples, which are hard and sour, not sweet like the ones we love to feed our horses. Either way, though, apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Carrot Powder
Carrots were originally cultivated in Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries thousands of years ago. These early carrots ranged in color from yellow to a deep eggplant and had a tough outer skin. Perhaps that is why they did not become popular until during the Renaissance in Europe, when carrots with more appealing colors and skin textures were cultivated.
These underground plants are a carotene rich food, providing excellent source of Vitamin A, following right behind with good sources of vitamins K and C. In addition they have healthy amounts of B6, B1 and B3.
With an average Glycemic Index of 47 (55 being considered the high end of the "low sugar category"), carrots are not considered low in sugar and should be fed with extreme caution -- if at all -- to sugar-sensitive horses. Skode’s Horse Treats uses its sweet powder in careful proportions to acheive an overall low sugar count for its specific trail mix treats.
Cranberry Powder
Cranberries are 1 of only 3 fruits that are native to North America (the others are blueberries and Concord grapes). They also grow in Northern areas of Asia and Europe. These little bushes yield tremendous amounts of berries, but have very strict growing requirements and flourish only in highly acidic peat bogs.
Because of their narrow range of distribution, it's unlikely that horses have much natural exposure to cranberries. However they do have a built in taste for many other types of berries that are more commonly found and enjoy cranberries as well. Cranberries are an important staple food for people, birds and animals in areas where they grow.
Like all berries, they are extremely potent antioxidants, and cranberries also contain a substance that inhibits bacteria from adhering to the mucus membranes of the mouth or the lining of the urinary bladder.
Red Beet Powder
The modern beet strains were developed in Europe from a variety that grew wild in salty marshlands along the coast. We're most familiar with beets as a human vegetable, but they have a long history of use as a food for livestock, using both the roots and the above ground parts of the plant. Today the beet pulp by-product obtained after sugar beets are boiled to extract their sugar is extensively used in feeds for both small and large animals.
Horses enjoy the taste of whole beet every bit as much as beet pulp, if not more. Beet root is high in easily fermented fibers, and very potent antioxidants called betalains. While extremely low in calories, beets contain the highest sugar content of almost any vegetable, so we used it with great care in Skode’s Horse Treat mixes.
Oranges
Oranges originated thousands of years ago in Asia. Orange trees were grown in the Caribbean Islands in the late 15th centruy and Spanish explorers brought them to Florida in the 16th Century. Spanish missionaries then brought them to California in the 18th Centruy.
These vibrant orange colored fruits are an excellent source of Vitamin C and are a very good source of dietary fiber.
Wait -- don't throw away the peels! U.S. studies for people have found to have cholesteral lowering effects (May 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry). Horses at Skode's Horse Ranch love a few peels in their morning meals and of course their trail mix treats.
Lemons
Lemons were originally developed as a cross between the lime and the citron and are thought to have originated in China or India, where they have been cultivated for as long as 2,500 years.
Because they are so high in Vitamin C, they were prized by California miners during the Gold Rush. These miners were willing to pay up to $1 a piece for the little fruits, which would be considered a high price even today, let alone in 1849.
Our horses at Skode's Horse Ranch enjoy the juices as a "top dressing" over their feeds, and the peels as part of their Fruity Fandango Treats.
Alfalfa Leaves
The origination of alfalfa is thought to be in present day Iran, or in mountainous regions of adjacent countries east of the Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Asia. It is a south Asian perennial herb (Medicago Aativa Latin) that is wildly cultivated as a pasture and hay crop. Alfalfa is considered a herbaceous (herb) plant, and also a legume. A legume is a vegetable. The roots of this highly nutritious plant penetrate deeply into the soil, providing one of the best sources of natural Vitamin K as well as vitamins C and E.
Horses who are not domesticated would not have access to the particular legume of alfalfa, however they would to other legumes, such as clover.
Feeding horses alfalfa is a matter of much controversy. Generally the sugar levesl of thsi legume range from low to moderate. Many equine nutritionists agree that if a horse can tolerate the richness of this legume, it is a good idea to feed alfalfa as a small part of the horse's overall diet.
Calendula (Marigold)
The Calendula flower has beautiful bright, golden petals and is native to the northern Mediterranean countries. It’s name is based on its tendency to bloom with the calendar – usually once a month or every new moon.
Calendula flowers are considered to be anti-inflammatory and astringent in nature, and can be found in abundance in many creams, tinctures, extracts and ointments. Marketing labels credit them with the ability to speed the healing of burns, bruises, cuts and scrapes.
Peaches
The peach tree is thought to be native to Persia. Humans have used their leaves to treat everything from irritability of the bladder, to gastric upsets and nausea, to the removal of worms. While "live" leaves contain precursors to cyanide, there are no concerns with completely dried leaves because dried leaves no longer contain cyanide. That's because once formed, cyanide is a gas that evaporates. These dried leaves are quite safe and aromatic, and are often sold in infusions of teas.
Strawberry Leaves
The strawberry is a perennial plant indigenous to Europe. The leaves are a diuretic, astringent and tonic and have a long history of being made into mild teas. Traditionally, people have used the teas to treat diarrhea, intestinal and urinary complaints. Some people also add the leaves to their bath water to relieve minor aches and pains. Horses really enjoy the subtle but sweet aroma in our Fruity Fandango mix.
Parsley
This little herb may be one of the world's most undervalued foods. We typically think of parsley as a condiment, a breath freshener, or something to make our dinner plates look pretty. Yet parsley is so much more than that! A sprig of his herb contains volatile oil components as well as flavonoids. Both provide unique health benefits. The volatile oil components have shown in animal studies to act as tumor inhibitors and the flavonoids are proven antioxidants. In addition, parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and beta-carotene.
In her book A Natural Horse The Natural Way, Catherine Bird notes that parsley is a digestive tonic that "can help tone the intestines, minimize flatulence and stimulate gastric function." Parsley, Ms. Bird says, "cleanses the blood and supports the kidneys and urinary system, too."
The horses at Skode's Horse Ranch relish the delicious sprigs in their breakfasts.
Rose Petals
More than 10,000 roses have been cultivated throughout the world as roses have been esteemed for their beauty and fragrance for hundreds, if not thousands of years. People have been eating roses for a long time: With their love of grandeur, ancient Romans ate roses with their feasts, sprinkling them on the food, the table and throughout the banquet halls! Nowadays, rose petals, fresh, dried and crystallized -- a well as rose water and rose syrup, are used in many Middle Eastern cuisines. Authentic Greek baklava, for example, is served with a drizzle of rose syrup.
The American Botanical Council reports that rose petals have sedative, antiseptic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, cholesterol-lowering, and heart-supportive properties. Skode's Horse Treats is careful to use only pesticide free and/or organic rose in its trail mix treats.
Seeds, More Seeds & Nutty Nuts
Flax Seeds
It is often claimed that flax seeds need to be ground, soaked or boiled because otherwise they will pass through a horse’s gut intact. But all seeds have the ability to soak up moisture easily – otherwise they would never germinate in the ground.
While processing is important and it does help if your horse has the teeth it needs to chew the seeds, fact is the digestive tract of the horse is always full of liquid.
A little experiment: allow a few flax seeds to sit in a bowl of milk or water. Note how long it takes to start to gel. When it gels, that means the seed coat has been breached and is now in a digestible form. This happens in your horse's mouth as well as his intestines.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins and their seeds were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who understood and appreciated their dietary and medicinal properties.
Pumpkin seeds have recently become more popular as researchers are finding that they have unique nutritional and health benefits. For example, a study performed at Cairo University found that pumpkin seed oil added to the diet of rats that had an experimentally induced inflammatory arthritis was as effective as an anti-inflammatory drug in controlling the inflammatory reaction.
Your horse may take a little while to get used to these flat, green, chewy seeds. But once he does, a small handful every now and then will provide him with a rich source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper and Vitamin K.
The horses at Skode's Ranch particularly enjoy the raw, organic form.
Sunflower Seeds
One of the few cultivated plants native to North America, many researchers believe that wild sunflowers covered thousands of square miles of land that is now the western United States. The nutrients that are of quantity in sunflower seeds include protein, thiamine, Vitamin E, iron, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and the essential fatty acid Linoleic acid. Large striped sunflower seeds have more shell and therefore more fiber than black oil sunflower seeds. Horses go wild for their mild, nutty taste so be careful to shut any gates that protect sunflower gardens!
Fresh Food Suggestions
HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOUR LOW SUGAR TRAIL MIX TREATS! TRY ADDING A FEW OF OUR FRESH FOOD SUGGESTIONS!
If you would like to add even more variety to your horse's special snacks, these fresh food suggestions can be added in small amounts to Skode’s Horse Treat trail mixes. They are suggested because they are appealing and tasty, low in sugar -- and high in easily digested fiber.
Fresh, whole food treats (like the apple ingredients in the treats) also contain a wide assortment of plant antioxidants and enzymes. They are amongst the lowest in Glycemic Indexes, which means they cause the least fluctuation in blood sugar levels. A GI of 55 or below is considered low. A GI of 70 or above is considered high. While the GI of some foods is unknown, we have included the GI of foods we were able to find.
Apples
Average GI of 40
We have all heard: "An apple a day helps keep the doctor away." But have you ever considered that horses may want you to consider a similar philosophy for them?
The fruits, originally from Eastern Europe and southwestern Asia, are full of soluble as well as insoluble fiber, and their pectin is said to "help grab toxins like heavy metals and mercury," according to the World's Healthiest Foods, a nonprofit organization that helps educate people on healthy eating habits.
This ability to help remove toxins is why apples are touted as an antioxidant. As we all know, horses adore their crisp, refreshing taste and tantalizing aroma.
Celery
Celery is considered so low in its glycemic index that it considered a “Free Food” for people with diabetes.
Celery packs a big crunch, and with distinctive flavor and aroma, horses find it extremely satisfying. This vegetable is brimming with Vitamin K and Vitamin C, and also provides substantial amounts of potassium, folate, Vitamin B6 and dietary fibre.
According to the Environmental Working Group's 2003 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," celery is among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. So if you can, buy organic celery, or soak non-organic celery in apple cider vinegar for 20 minutes -- or better yet, grow your own vegetables!
Cherries
Cherries have a Glycemic Index of only 22. Cherries are the tiny relatives of peaches and plums. And like their relatives, have sweet, meaty flesh that surrounds a pit. They provide a nice source of Vitamin C, and rare is the horse who will turn one down!
*Please make sure to take the pits out before feeding!
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Skode's Horse Treats Inc, is registered with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. In addition, each treat is carefully formulated and rigorously tested for its Non Structural Carbohydrate Sugar and Starch (NSC) levels at
Equi-analytical Laboratories in Ithaca, New York.
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