Cool Treats for Hot Days: Homemade Popsicles Your Horse Will Love

Posted on: July 25, 2026 by Gina Fitch

Here in New England summer temperatures have only been on the rise! I've been looking for ways to stay cool, including new tips and tricks for my horse, Two Socks. I maintain as much fresh water, shade, and proper ventilation as possible throughout the hottest months, but making my own frozen treat have been a fun way to provide enrichment and a little extra refreshment on a hot day, too!

The best part is I can make healthy, horse-friendly popsicles with ingredients I already have at home. They're simple to prepare, inexpensive, and my horse loves them!

While frozen treats are enjoyable and cool, they also provide great mental stimulation (which I love when it's too hot to do much!) and it encourages hydration. I know many horses love licking and nibbling on ice, so making popsicles is easy enrichment activity that helps break up my horse's day.

Apple Blueberry Cooler Popsicle

Ingredients

Apple chunks
Blueberries
Water
Popsicle Mold (there's easy at-home ones, stay with me!)

Directions

Traditional Popsicles

I fill my molds halfway with the apple chunks and blueberries, then top with water and freeze until solid (usually I do this overnight before I know a really hot day is coming). For my molds, I just use paper soup bowls. Once frozen, I just tear away the paper to remove the treat. It makes cleanup quick and easy!

Feed Pan Pops

For an even bigger enrichment activity, freeze the treats in a small bucket or feed tub. Add the fruit in layers, pouring water between each layer before freezing. The larger block of ice takes much longer to melt, so it's refreshing over a longer period of time which is great for their brains!

Add Variety

Every horse has different tastes, and my own horse likes to change it up, so I experiment with different combinations of horse-safe fruits and vegetables to find his favorite frozen snack. Blueberries and apples have been his favorite, but there's so many variations to try!

Feed Safely

For Two Socks to get the full enjoyment, I leave him to it! I put the popsicles right in his feed bowl or give him the frozen feed bowl directly and he goes right to it to enjoy. It's safe for my hands since I'm not holding it for him to bite, gives him a lot of activity as he licks the bowl or noses the popscicle around, and we both have a great time!

Additional Notes

I also try to keep a few extra things in mind to keep popsicle time both fun and safe:

I always supervise my horse while he enjoys a frozen treat
I cut fruits and vegetables into appropriately sized pieces to reduce any risk of choke
If we're trying a new fruit or veggie, I check to make sure it's horse-safe and slowly introduce a few bites at a time over the course of days
While these treats are fun, I try to be aware of how sugary fruits can be and offer them in moderation
I keep unlimited access to fresh, clean drinking water at all times
And for anyone else looking at doing this, always check with your veterinarian for any dietary restrictions or health concerns for your specific horse

Here's to cooler days, happy horses, and making summer memories one popsicle at a time!