Keeping greedy pony occupied....

[Troggy]

Toff is now in at night due to the field resembling a swamp. She much prefers being out but at the moment it really isn't an option

(even the field shelter has a puddle in it!)
She is ok in her stable until she gets hungry and then kicks the door...A LOT! She has her hay split into 2 to try and spread out the eating however I am wondering if there is something low fat/low goodness she can have to keep her occupied? I have thought about giving her straw or something like Hifi Lite, any ideas? She is a bit portly but is about right at the moment and currently has 3-4 lbs in her first net and 6-7 lbs in her 2nd (small holed nets!) Is this a lot? She is 14hh and abou 380kg

Any ideas? Would she balloon on ad-lib hay?!

 

[PaddyMonty]

No its not a lot.
Put it all in the small hole haynet then put that haynet in side the other one. Really slows down the eating making the hay last a lot longer

 

[Triskar]

Make a hole through a big swede (or a mangold, feed beet if you can get some from a friendly farmer), push some baler twine through it and tie it up to the rafters of her box so that it dangles (don't put it where it's going to boink you on the head every time you go into the stable, tho' - they are very annoying!). It's a bit like bobbing for apples. A mangold in the manger can keep a horse occupied for a while as well, but swedes in the manger disappear as quickly as carrots with my boy.

Those balls with a hole in to trickle feed out are also good - put high fibre cubes in.

Mine is also occupied by untying knots in a rope hung from his rafters that I retie every time I go back into the box, but I think this is just his weird behaviour!

 

[Theresa_F]

You could mix hay and straw 50 - 50 to cut down the cals and feed in a hayledge net. Hi-fi lite sprinkled in a line down the front of the stable, a few high fiber nuts in a ball. Swede on a rope, carrots scattered round the stable.

 

[Troggy]

Thanks, think I will get a swede, local feed merchants supplies nets of them. Good warning about the head though!

I have a snack ball but was concerned about the nuts getting mixed up with the shavings and her eating them instead?!

 

[Troggy]

Do you know if wheat or oat straw would be better (or least nutritious!) for her? Would straw on top of her hay ration be too much?
So many questions!!

 

[Triskar]

I shouldn't worry too much about that - sorting the nuts from the shavings will be half of the fun - and take three times as long as getting them out of the snack ball in the first place! They are very clever at sorting out what they want to eat from what they don't want to eat!

 

[Troggy]

Lol! Will dig it out! Although she tends to boot it around rather than nudge

 

[Llwyncwn]

Mine love the decohedron ball with hi fi cubes in - keeps them occupied for hours.

 

[mrsbloggett]

sorry to hijack this post, but has anyone any suggestions to keep my pony entertained whilst on box rest?

Maisie has been suffering lami on and off since August. She is just back from referal in Newmarket with strict instructions of 6 weeks box rest and minimal rations! this = one unhappy pony.

She is allowed 2 x 2kg nets per day, nothing else! How on earth do I keep her happy. I can't give her a play ball with nuts in because 1. she can't have any extra rations and 2. she has a tendancy to kick it which wouldn't be a good idea as she has had dorsal wall resections on both front hooves.

I'm at a loss what to do, suggestions gratefully recieved!

 

[sleepingdragon10]

I *think* oat straw is better for them.The Honeychop people do a straight oat straw chaff,try giving them a ring(google Honeychop) or see if your feedstore can order some in for you.

Bethxx

 

[equibabe20]

My boy eats everything very quickly and then stresses, so i do the same as you split the nets into 2 but i also put 2 small holed nets inside each other this really slows him down. also i stick carrots, apples etc .. in the net so he finds them as he goes thru and i use the Equine Decahedron ball but i found the hole is so big too many nuts come out so i get duck tape and cover the hole up so only a few nuts come out and this lasts ages!

 

[Troggy]

Thank you, I will, it's hard to find just plain chaff

 

[Troggy]

Thats why I like the snack ball, very small hole!

Will buy some more nets, thanks

 

[H's mum]

There are a few things you can do - hiding slices of carrot around her stable will get her routing and foraging about - give her a bucket of hi fi lite - short chop which will take a long time to chew through - this would also keep her occupied for longer - mix your hay with straw (or soak your hay so that it's not as rich) and then double or even trebble net it so that she has to fight for every mouthful!

...and finally - tape some thick sponge to the back of her door so that when she kicks for attention it doesn't make a noise - she'll soon get fed up (H did! LOL!)
Kate x

 

[Theresa_F]

Try calling simple systems - they do something called lucie stalks

"We've taken away most of the leaf, creating a pure lucerne chop extra high in fibre and lower in calories than any other lucerne feed. Ideal as a boredom buster, for horses and ponies on restricted diets or where a low calories but good quality feed is needed"

My boys get this to bulk them up and love it mixed with their green gold (alfa a). Again you could sprinkle it on the floor in a big area to take him longer to eat it.

Oat straw is best for horses - very palatable.

I used to get plain hay chaff years ago, but haven't seen if for ages.

 

[Thistle]

I used to use Lucie stalks until I found out that at 11% carbs it is higher than Happy hoof (8%) or Happy dieter (7%)

Laminitics should always have under 10%

 

[sojeph]

Soak your hay and feed ad-lib.

 

[torzay]

I have been using a great device called the 'stable mate', my friend introduced me to it, you hang it in the stable and you can put swedes, apples, carrots etc...on it and it keeps the horses busy for ages, and the great thing is all of the stuff I put on the stable mate is good for my horse and low in calories (great for my greedy boy)...I got it off the internet, I typed in 'stable mate'....its around £20 but it has been fab for keeping my yearling interested when in the stable!

 

[filly190]

Perhaps a bucket of carrots will keep her quiet for a bit

 

[Troggy]

Thank you, I might get some Hifi Lite, I wasn't sure whether it takes longer to eat than hay or not but you have confirmed it does so thanks

She already has coconut matting type door mats on her door, sponge sounds like a good plan too! That or ear plugs for me!!

 

[Troggy]

Thank you, I will look into your idea

It sounds ideal

 

[Troggy]

She loves swedes, will track down a net of them at the weekend!!

 

[Troggy]

I really should soak her hay but I really hate doing so, I am lazy and hate it in the winter!

However I think I may have too...! Thanks

 

[MagicMelon]

Yep, you could give her a big bucket (I use a tub trug) full of Hi Fi Lite as a parcial hay replacer. My lami pony (who wont eat any other hay / horsehage right now.....) gets a big tub trug full of it everynight and then everyday so basically thats all she is getting right now. Prefers it slightly wetted as it blows about otherwise. It does take them a while to eat and shouldnt put on any weight since its simply fibre.

I personally wouldnt give her too many carrots or apples simply because they are full of sugar!!

Like others have mentioned - getting her a toy would help, maybe those snack balls which they roll about with a few cubes falling out. You could add plain simple High Fibre Cubes.

 

[Allyce]

i give my pony if she is in all day and night a tubtrug full of high fi light or applechaff with water and nuts and lots of carrots keeps her happy for ages

 

[CBFan]

Echo the decahedron - put everything and anything in there! - hi-fi lite, hi fibre cubes, sliced apple + carrots (some larger than others so harder to drop out)... will keep her entertained for ages!

echo everything else too really... all great ideas! also stoicking some carpet over some foam on the inside of her stable door will reduce noise + injury to her and the door!

 

[Troggy]

Thanks for all of your replies, have bought some straw to bulk out her hay and will see how she goes. Also dug out snack ball and she is having great fun with that

 

[SpruceRI]

Apple bobbing - shove a few whole apples in their water and watch them chasing them around. Bucket of water needs to be wedged in a couple of good tyres to stop it being knocked over. Keeps my Shettie amused for hours.

Keeping a radio on all day helps neds that are in on their own to feel like they're not alone.

When one of my girls was on 9 months box rest, she had her radio on (Classical channel), Swede on a string and all the visitors to the house said hello to her: the milkman, the Postman, the Gardener etc. Her pony friend came in at night to keep her company. She settled into the stint well.

 

[DressageQueen11]

have you maybe thought about a tongue twister or a likit boardem breaker, i swear by them to keep mine entertained