Introduction to Nutrition

Level: D1, D2, D3

Objectives:
•	Know how to give water, grain, hay, and tidbit to a pony safely
•	Know the basic rules for feeding and explain feeding schedule for own pony
•	Discuss the amount of roughage and the amount of concentrates per ration for own pony

Materials Needed:
•	Copies of worksheet (on back of this page)
•	Writing utensils
•	D level Pony Club manuals.
•	Ingredients for recipe for horse treats (Horse Treats by June V. Evers has lots of samples.  Young pony clubbers especially enjoy making treats edible by both children and ponies.  Such a recipe taking from Horse Treats is reprinted at the bottom of this page.)
•	Paper plates, foil, napkins, forks

Activity 1:
•	Prepare recipe with candidates.  Discuss how making horse treats resembles (or doesn’t resemble) preparing pony’s ration.

Activity 2: (while treats are baking)
•	Hand out worksheets for each candidate to complete.  Allow candidates to use manuals to help them with the true/false section if necessary.
•	Review worksheets with candidates, discussing reasons for each of the basic rules of feeding with the group.
•	Let each candidate share what his/her pony eats and its feeding schedule.

Conclusion:
•	Divide horse treats equally between candidates to take home.  
•	Discuss safe ways to give treats to ponies.

Recipe: 	Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague Oat Cake

Ingredients Needed:
•	
•	2 ¼ cups flour
•	1 ½ cups sugar
•	3 teaspoons baking powder
•	1 teaspoon salt
•	1 cup oats
•	½ cup shortening
•	2 egg yolks
•	2 egg whites
•	1 cup milk
•	¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
•	Molasses

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.  Sift together: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Mix in oats.  Add shortening.  Beat egg yolks and milk.  After well mixed, fold in egg whites.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.  Test with a toothpick.  When cool, spread top with molasses and sprinkle with walnuts.  For horses and people, too!

To take home, put on paper plates and cover with foil.
Feeding your Pony

True or False.  Mark a T by true statements and an F by false statements.

____	It is better to feed your pony small amounts of feed several times during the day than one big meal.

____	Feed plenty of hay.

____	A pony should always eat the same ration, regardless of what type of exercise program it is in.

____	If you change your pony’s ration, it should be done gradually over several days.

____	If you are late for school, you can skip feeding your pony in the morning because he will still be hungry after school and you can feed him then.

____	You should only feed your pony clean, good quality hay that is not dusty.

____	It is important to give your pony fresh, clean water.  

____	Your pony should have access to water at all times.

_____	It is safe to feed your pony right after riding him.

Describe your pony’s ration and how often you feed him.