Enrichment ideas for small dry turnout area

[Titchy Reindeer]

Hi everyone, hoping to pick your brains for some ideas.

I have recently purchased some mud control mats and set up a small (just over 70m²) mud free turnout area. The girls (a large pony and a small horse) went out on it for the first time yesterday. As it is, it is bordered to the North by an outbuilding with convenient points to attach haynets to. To the west is bordered by neighbour's garden, I'm planning on eventually setting up a windbreak panel on that side and there is a gateway into my neighbours garden that the horses are allowed to graze on, but I obviously avoid when too wet (we're all on clay). The South and the East is fenced of from the rest of the field with an opening. Rest of field currently not usable as it is like walking on a soaked sponge.

The long term plan (hopefully before next wet winter) is to set up a removable runway through my yard / driveway back to their stables which are reconfigurable so that they can be opened up in to one large stall (aprox. 36m² in total) with an access corridor to the mud free zone. This will given them more space to move around (especially as numbers should have increased by then) and to choose what they prefer.

In the mean time, I feel the mud free zone is rather small and boring. They have forage (haynets and whatever grass is poking through the mud control mats), fluids, friends (each other), but the freedom seems rather limited. Any ideas on making this area more interesting for them? I'm hoping not to have to use it too much this end of winter/spring but would like it to be interesting for the girls.

 

[cauda equina]

I have a salt lick in mine, in a bucket with drainage holes
They also get willow logs to chew if any come down in the wind

 

[ihatework]

I’m just about to fix some scratching matting in mine given they are all moulting and itchy!

 

[SpeedyPony]

A couple of large swedes? Ours love rolling them about as they eat them.

 

[Nocturnal]

A few buckets with different “teas”? (Water with some herbs mixed in, eg rosehips, chamomile, nettle etc so they can self select).

 

[Sleipnir]

A mineral bar - selection of different loose minerals and sugar free licks they can freely choose from as desired

A scratching post

Large treat balls to play with

A sand pit with elevated sides - comfortable to roll in, but sides will prevent the sand from being trampled into the surface

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I have a salt lick in mine, in a bucket with drainage holes
They also get willow logs to chew if any come down in the wind

Great idea, thanks. I've got a couple of mineral licks hanging about, I'm sure I can find a bucket for them.
I also have a willow tree in the field that is forever shedding its branches! I collect some for them.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I’m just about to fix some scratching matting in mine given they are all moulting and itchy!

What do you use as scratching matting? I could fix some to the outbuilding wall. And yep, mine are itchy too. The first thing they did when they came into the stables was scratch themselves on the barriers.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

A couple of large swedes? Ours love rolling them about as they eat them.

I'll add to my shopping list!
It already reads something like this:
Oil for Old Lady
Apples for Granny Eventer
Cocktail sausages for dogs
Apple cider vinegar for chickens
Bread
Milk

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

A few buckets with different “teas”? (Water with some herbs mixed in, eg rosehips, chamomile, nettle etc so they can self select).

I'll give that a go. I plan to add another water bucket under the (future) downspout of the outbuilding, so that can remain plain and I can add things to the other bucket and see what they like.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

A mineral bar - selection of different loose minerals and sugar free licks they can freely choose from as desired

A scratching post

Large treat balls to play with

A sand pit with elevated sides - comfortable to roll in, but sides will prevent the sand from being trampled into the surface

All good ideas. I won't try the treat ball as the area is at the top of a hill, so I suspect it will just roll under the fence and down to the bottom of the field.
The sand pit is a great idea, but will have to be saved for later when I can incorporate it in the extension of the mud free zone (probably a few years before I can afford that!)

 

[ihatework]

What do you use as scratching matting? I could fix some to the outbuilding wall. And yep, mine are itchy too. The first thing they did when they came into the stables was scratch themselves on the barriers.

This:

 

[Kaylum]

Willow branches are good for stripping.

 

[dorsetladette]

hay balls and treat balls

 

[rabatsa]

I have cow brushes set up on a stanchion of the barn for my lot to scratch on.

 

[Sleipnir]

A herb garden for horses is also a very nice idea, although it takes more time and effort to make. However, I've seen miniature herb gardens planted into old car tires!

Herb Garden for Horses

What is the feasibility of growing a mixed pasture of grasses and herbs for horses?

honeyvaleherbs.com

 

[Maddie Moo]

Jollyball? It has a handle on the top so you could secure it with rope to stop it rolling away.

 

[Kaylum]

Jollyball? It has a handle on the top so you could secure it with rope to stop it rolling away.

Our colts love those

Taking his ball home

 

[Hallo2012]

willow branches
logs
traffic cones
water buffet/mineral buffet
jolly balls

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine like their hay ball, as long as you can make sure it wont roll under the fence!

 

[ihatework]

Just a flag, not necessarily for OP but for other people reading.
Take care with willow if you are competing under clean sport.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

A herb garden for horses is also a very nice idea, although it takes more time and effort to make. However, I've seen miniature herb gardens planted into old car tires!

Herb Garden for Horses

What is the feasibility of growing a mixed pasture of grasses and herbs for horses?

honeyvaleherbs.com

A herb garden is in then plans for when I can get a corridor running to the stables. There's a bit of a recess there, that should be perfect for herbs.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Our colts love those

Taking his ball home

Unfortunately, I have mature mares that aren't really into toys. Though it does mean I can leave things within reach without them getting destroyed.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Just a flag, not necessarily for OP but for other people reading.
Take care with willow if you are competing under clean sport.

Thank you for the advise. Mine aren't currently competing and Little Madam is unlikely to ever compete to a level that requires any kind of tests, but it is good to know.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Rag rug or bath mat and hide treats in it to snuffle them out. Old bicycle helmet with hay or other long forage or carrots etc stuffed through the slits.

 

[ponynutz]

following

for what its worth ours eat logs sometimes haha!

 

[maya2008]

Are they in work? I find mine are much less worried about turnout beyond friends/food if they have enough exercise. The exercise is their ‘fun/movement’ and the turnout is social time.

 

[Barklands]

Bury carrots in their haynets, mine have great fun trying to fish the carrots out

 

[paddy555]

All good ideas. I won't try the treat ball as the area is at the top of a hill, so I suspect it will just roll under the fence and down to the bottom of the field.
The sand pit is a great idea, but will have to be saved for later when I can incorporate it in the extension of the mud free zone (probably a few years before I can afford that!)

you could try opening the field gate and then fencing a 16 x 16 or 20 x 20ft square/rectangle around it. Leave the gate open, they can't get into the field and you have a cheap rolling area until you can sort out better. It will be small amount of mud but will brighten up their lives to be able to roll. That is electric fencing.

The long term plan (hopefully before next wet winter) is to set up a removable runway through my yard / driveway back to their stables which are reconfigurable so that they can be opened up in to one large stall (aprox. 36m² in total) with an access corridor to the mud free zone. This will given them more space to move around (especially as numbers should have increased by then) and to choose what they prefer.

i

this sounds a very good idea.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Are they in work? I find mine are much less worried about turnout beyond friends/food if they have enough exercise. The exercise is their ‘fun/movement’ and the turnout is social time.

No, my Old Lady is a retired companion at rising 28 and Little Madam is due to foal in the next few weeks. To be fair, they're both very laid back horses and often quite happy to stand and contemplate the world go by when they're not stuffing their faces. It's more that I feel the need to offer them more than what their stables offer, otherwise it barely seems worth turning them out. I prefer them in one of the fields 24/7, but weather and other circumstances don't always make that possible, so I'm slowly trying to set up a decent alternative.