Boredom Buster Ideas

T_K

T_K

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 October 2008
Messages
3,100
Location
The Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria
Visit site
My field is a complete mud pit and will be rested over winter. My 3 ponies are kept on a concrete stable yard and hardcore/mud area at the side. They have access to 2 large stables with shavings beds for toileting, which they are very disciplined about. They are fed more than enough hay once a day, although I think I am going to spread this to twice a day(problem is it's a 40 mile round trip from where I live!).

Does anyone have any ideas, home-made or bought to stop them getting bored?

I have tried giving them a 5 litre water bottle filled with carrot & apple but my Haflinger squashed these after getting frustrated with them! I have hung bottles from the ceiling with a hole near the top filled with treats but only the Haflinger investigated and again gave up when she couldn't work it out(left them up for 7 days before taking them down). They have salt licks which they love but I can't imagine give them much excitement!

Any ideas appreciated. :D
 
Stuff paper feed sacks very tightly with hay and treats/carrots whatever, they'll either ignore them or have a whale of a time chucking them about, ripping them up, licking the bits of feed left inside...OK, so you'll have to pick up the shreds but it's harmless fun.

Jolly balls, or those hard treat/feed balls (which the haffy shouldn't be able to trash, my NF used to bash his around big style), or a big blow up ball...give them something different each day, not all at once though.

Or, introduce some new friends, mine particularly liked their raccoon!;)
193-1.jpg


520521f4.jpg
 
Last edited:
I find my horse gets hours of entertainment from his treat ball the dodechahedron one (can't spell!) rather than the round ones as the treats seem to come out easier. Also you could try hanging a swede up some horses/ponies have fun trying to eat it. Unfortunately can't do that with my stable as were in a barn :( Also if you put hay on the floor you could try hiding treats under neath so they have to search through the hey for the treats. Or if you use hay nets you could slice up some carrots and put them in the hay nets like put them just inside the nets so they can see them and have fun trying to get them out!
 
Ice lollies :) Either water or molasses ones, filled with feed/carrots etc. Mine go crazy for them! I use slightly watered down molasses with mix in. I once did a huge bucket one which they licked at for hours to get the mix out :)

Also, just hiding food under stuff/wedged in stuff, keeps them amused!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top