Complete Peppermint Treats for Horses Guide with 5 Recipes

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Peppermint horse treats sound weird at first until your horse loses their mind over a single mint leaf, and suddenly it all makes sense. Most horses are genuinely obsessed with peppermint treats; it’s safe, and it’s one of the easiest ways to make a tasty horse treat. Five recipes, a bit of science, and a store-bought option for when you’re not in the mood to make a mess. Let’s go.

Is Peppermint Safe for Horses?

Short answer: yes, and it’s honestly one of the safest things you can reach for when it comes to horse treats. Fresh peppermint, dried peppermint, and pure peppermint extract in small amounts are all fine.

Fresh leaves from the garden are the move if you have access. They smell incredible, horses are obsessed with them, and there’s nothing else in there you need to worry about. Just grab a handful, and you’re good.

Read more about peppermint oils for horses.

Before You Start: A Quick Word on Treats and Horse Health

Real quick, before we get into the peppermint horse treat recipes, even the cleanest, most wholesome horse treats should be given in moderation. Horses have sensitive digestive systems that don’t love sugar spikes or sudden changes in their diet. Even fruit can be too much if you’re going overboard with it.

A couple of treats per session is plenty. Break bigger ones into smaller pieces. And if your horse has any metabolic stuff going on — insulin resistance, Cushing’s (PPID), laminitis, or weight issues, just check with your vet before adding anything new to their routine, including these.

Overweight horses especially need a bit more thought here. The equine obesity crisis is genuinely real, and too much sugar or starch, even from natural sources, can make things worse. If your horse is on the chubbier side, a long grooming session or some extra neck scratches will honestly go down just as well. Maybe even better.

Read more: Horse Grooming Kit Guide: 9 Tools For A Happy, Healthy Horse

5 Peppermint Horse Treat Recipes

Recipe 1: No-Bake Peppermint & Apple Oat Balls

Probably the easiest thing on this list. Ten minutes, no oven, done. These no-bake horse treats are soft and chewy, which is actually great for older horses or anyone with some dental sensitivity going on.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 small apple, peeled and grated
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh peppermint leaves, finely chopped (or 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Steps:

1. Mash the banana in a large bowl until smooth — this is your binder.
2. Add grated apple, coconut oil, and peppermint. Stir well.
3. Fold in the rolled oats until the mixture holds together and is thick enough to roll.
4. Roll into small balls, roughly the size of a large marble or small walnut.
5. Pop onto a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe 2: No-Bake Peppermint & Carrot Coconut Bites

These are the options for horses who need to keep an eye on their sugar and starch. Grain-free, molasses-free, and still genuinely delicious — the carrot brings natural sweetness, the coconut oil holds it all together, and the peppermint does its thing.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves, finely chopped (or 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (this is your binder)
• Optional: a few fresh blueberries pressed into the top

Steps:

1. Grate the carrots and squeeze out the excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel — this is what keeps the bites from falling apart.
2. Mix grated carrot, shredded coconut, and ground flaxseed in a large bowl.
3. Add melted coconut oil and peppermint. Stir until it comes together into a slightly sticky dough.
4. Roll into small balls or press into a silicone mold.
5. Press a blueberry into the top of each one if you’re using them.
6. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Side note: the ground flaxseed adds omega-3s, which are genuinely great for coat health. Bonus.

Recipe 3: Baked Peppermint & Carrot Cookies

If your horse is more of a crunchy treat type, these are the ones. Firmer, easier to break into smaller pieces, and great for training rewards. The carrot does a lot of heavy lifting here, naturally sweet, and balances the mint perfectly.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oat flour (just blend rolled oats until fine)
• 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
• 2 tablespoons fresh peppermint, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 4–5 tablespoons water, as needed

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix oats, oat flour, and grated carrot in a large bowl.
3. Add peppermint and melted coconut oil. Stir to combine.
4. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds its shape when pressed — not sticky, just together.
5. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut into whatever shape you want.
6. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and firm.
7. Cool completely before serving — hot treats can burn their mouth.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for 3 months.

Recipe 4: Baked Peppermint, Oat & Berry Cookies

Chewy in the middle, slightly crispy on the outside, with little pockets of berry throughout. No banana, no molasses, no added sugar — the berries handle the sweetness and bring some antioxidants along for the ride. The cucumber sounds weird, but stay with it.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oat flour (blend rolled oats until fine)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or raspberries, or a mix)
• 1 cup grated cucumber, excess moisture squeezed out
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves, finely chopped
• 3–4 tablespoons water, as needed

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Combine rolled oats, oat flour, and peppermint in a large bowl.
3. Add grated cucumber and melted coconut oil. Mix well.
4. Fold in the berries gently — you want little pockets of fruit, not purple mush.
5. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds together.
6. Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
7. Bake for 28–32 minutes until firm and golden at the edges.
8. Cool completely before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for 3 months.

Horses actually love cucumber — it adds moisture and a mild flavor that works really well in summer treats. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

Recipe 5: Frozen Peppermint & Watermelon Horse Popsicle

Okay, this one might actually be the best peppermint horse treat on the list. Cold, minty, hydrating, it’s built for summer, and your horse is going to completely lose it. The watermelon keeps things juicy without needing any added sugar, and the mint makes the whole thing irresistible.

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves, roughly torn
• Optional: small chunks of apple or carrot to mix in

Steps:

1. Blend watermelon and water until smooth.
2. Stir in the fresh peppermint leaves.
3. Pour into your mold — a small bucket, silicone muffin tin, or paper cups all work.
4. Add apple or carrot chunks if you want some extra texture.
5. For the rope trick: freeze for 1–2 hours until slushy, push a thick rope or hay string through the center, then return to the freezer.
6. Freeze overnight until completely solid.
7. Run warm water over the outside to release the mold, then serve or hang it in the stall.

Here are some cute baking mold/cookie cutter ideas:

Horse Head Cookie Cutter

Western Cowboy Theme Silicone Molds

Rocking Horse Cookie Cutter

Your go-to peppermint treat for horses if you would skip the mess in the kitchen:

Peppermint Horse Treats with No Added Sugar

Peppermint in Horse Care Beyond Treats

Here’s the thing: peppermint isn’t just a treat flavor. It actually has a bit of a role in horse care more broadly, and it’s fascinating.

For Stress Relief

The scent alone does something for a lot of horses. Some riders put a tiny bit of diluted peppermint oil near their horse’s nostrils before stressful situations — trailer loading, vet visits, that kind of thing. Never inside the nostril, always nearby, always diluted. And there’s actually research behind this. A 2022 study in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience tested 35 Icelandic horses on four different scents and found they showed significantly more interest — more sniffing, more licking — toward peppermint than the others. (Source: NIH/PMC)

Horses’s Best Essential Oil

Earlier, Hurley & Goodwin (2008) tested nine essential oils on horses at the International Society for Applied Ethology congress and found peppermint was one of only four that horses consistently gravitated toward. (Source: School of Aromatic Studies)

For Fly Protection

It also shows up as a natural fly deterrent. A 2020 Australian study found that a herbal spray including peppermint, applied daily for 28 days, was effective at reducing insect bite hypersensitivity in horses. (Source: The Horse)

Not For Competition

One thing worth knowing: some essential oils are banned in competition settings by organizations like USEF and FEI, so if you compete, check the banned substance list before using anything topically. And when in doubt, run it by your vet.

Let’s Walk Off

Making your own peppermint treats for horses is genuinely one of the easier things you can do to level up your treat game, and you know exactly what’s going in. No sugar, no molasses, no ingredients you can’t pronounce. Just real stuff your horse’s body can actually work with.

Keep portions reasonable, keep your horse’s health in mind.

FAQ – Peppermint Treats for Horses

Is peppermint safe for horses every day? A few times a week is plenty.

Can I use peppermint candy instead of fresh or dried peppermint? Skip it if you do not want to add unwanted sugars to your horse’s diet. Fresh leaves or pure extract are the best.

Can I use peppermint extract instead of fresh leaves? Yes, but make sure it’s food-grade peppermint oil. A quarter teaspoon replaces a tablespoon or two of fresh leaves.

How do I use peppermint oil safely around my horse (not for eating)? Always diluted, always near the nostrils, never inside. A couple of drops on a cloth nearby is enough. Check the rules if you compete.

Can foals eat these treats? Better to wait until they’re more mature.

How long do homemade horse treats last? No-bake oat balls: 4 days fridge, 2 months frozen. Baked cookies: 1 week or 3 months frozen. Popsicles: 1 month frozen. Coconut bites: 5 days fridge, 2 months frozen.