Pony Club, Bran Mash Help!

[Royal Phoenix]

I have some p.c. homework. I have to explain in detail how to make a good bran mash. I can't find it in any of my manuals, magazines ect. I leave for my meeting in two hours. Help!
-Christina

[Wally]

Scoop of bran, epsom salts or plain salt if desired. Epsom salts stop water being absorbed in the gut so it acts like a laxative making the bran sloppy right through the gut. Salt just replaces any lost from hard work.

Boiling water, mix to the consistency of crumbs, a sort of damp crumbly consistency, Cover and let it cool. The steam will help swell the bran and improve the texture.

I never use bran mashes, I think it is a waste of money and can cause calcium/phosphorous inbalances in the diet. A lot of horses won't eat them anyway!

[myEllie]

Here are some that I found on the internet. Usually I just throw in about a scoop of bran, enough hot/warm water to make in the right consistency, maybe a handful of sweetfeed and a cut up apple or carrot.

BASIC BRAN MASH

• 8 cups bran
• 8 cups horse feed
• 4 cups whole corn
• Warm water

Put everything in a bucket and mix in the warm water to the mixture so that it will stick together.

Taken from http://www.expage.com/page/khstreats



SPECIAL BRAN MASH

• 1 pound bran mash
• Boiling water
• Molasses
• Sliced carrots
• Apples
• Dry oatmeal

Place dry bran in a bucket. Pour water over the bran and stir. You can make the mash "crumbly" or quite sloppy, depending on the horse. Cover the bucket with a towel, or a burlap feed sack, and let the bran steam for fifteen minutes, until its temperature is comfortable to your fingers. Add molasses, carrots apples, oats, or sweetfeed to taste. If adding special spices, mix them in just before serving. Serve warm.

Taken from http://www.expage.com/page/khstreats



COLD WINTER BRAN MASH

• 4 cups sweet feed
• 6 cups bran
• 1 cup molasses
• Hot water

Mix sweet feed with the bran. Add hot water until it is the consistency of hamburger. Add molasses. Let steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Taken from http://www.expage.com/page/khstreats


Quick 'n Easy Bran Mash
Ingredients
8 cups bran
4 cups oats
4 carrots, sliced
Hot water
Mix all ingredients and add hot water until all ingredients are moist. Cover with a towel for 5 minutes before serving.

If your horse lives far from your home, or his stable doesn't have hot water, put the mash in a thermos to keep it warm...but don't serve it when it's hot!!! It will burn your horse!

[ponyvet]

We use bran mashes for hospitalised patients, after colic surgery, as it's a nice easy to eat food and doesn't block up the guts at all, just keeps them moving, and stops the horse thinking we'rte starving them. But as Wally says they're not a very nutritious food, so should not be given to horses who don't get much else to eat. I make mine like this:

A scoop of bran,
A dollop of molasses,
A handful of Chaff,
All mixed up with just enough water to make it damp, but not sloppy.

Some horses like them slightly warm, and some like them cold. Some don't like them at all!

I also sometimes put in some chopped apple or carrot if I'm feeling extra nice!

[Lancashire Lass]

Hi

I'd also pop in some Limestone Flour to redress the imbalance of Calcium and Phosphorus within the Bran itself.