Mentally Stimulating a very old pony

Bettyboo222

Bettyboo222

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B is getting very bored she is walked out in hand 1/2 times a day but is still breaking out of her stable. She has apples in her water bucket and a likit, ahe can also see all of the horses on the yard. She folllowed me up to the menage when I was tidying up yesterday and started free lunging herself in walk trot and canter over jumps ! (she is 44) is there anything I can do to try and keep her thinking she is still very mentally bright.
 
In terms of knowledge or skill I have nothing to offer you, but what a grand old pony. If she likes free schooling, why not, and she obviously enjoys your company. If any harm comes of it, so be it, she doesn't know she's 44. I would almost say let her kick up her heels if she wants!
 
Chess?
Sodoku?
Knitting?

Maybe you could borrow friends children to come and brush her? My old dear loves that. Does she have a friend to go out with? We also bought Lottie flowers in pots to put outside her stable, the garden centre people were very helpful about not giving us anyhting poisenous incase she got out!!

Suede on a string? Likit? Maybe 1 day suede on a string, another day apple bobbing, jazz it up a bit, the treat ball things that you put feed in and they roll it to get it out aren't too expensive or you could maybe make one.

Will she do carrot stretches? I know they're physically stimulating but they engage their attention also.

Will she lead round bending poles and 'play' with you doing some of the things you wold have done mounted but on the ground? (assuming she is not ridden anymore even by tiny people?)

Out of ideas now, Lottie just wants the odd cuddle and a chat, Beau wants leaving alone and Ice gets hours of fun out of a leadrope clipped on her door so I'm not too experienced in the bored bright pony department!
 
I loan her so I am the 'little person' who comes and fusses her :p UNfortunatly the grazing at our farm is very poor at the moment (its just mud) and horses are fighting. When she was put out she was kicked and bitten until she jumped out of the field. I haven't got one of those balls but I am planning on getting one.

She follows me round the menage trotting and cantering, I worry about her hurting herself. Even though everyone says she wouldn't do it if she wasn't happy about it.

She is often led out with the babys and is quick to remind them of their manners when then are naughty
 
My best friends pony is 37, she is pretty good physically still although she drops weight alot in winter and always looks horrid until spring when she blossoms again.

She was kept on her own (although with horses next door) until sept last year when we got a shire x. They arn't in same field as we are worried that he'll barge into her when he's being a plonker and hurt her but they are only seperated by electric fence.

When was on her own we just involved her with everything and we took her for poddles up the road blackberry picking etc etc, grooming, bathing, lying in her field sunbathing with her, friends grandchildren still sit on her but only in summer, and just generally spoiling her! She's never put on a headcollar as she just follows us round..... Until bergie came when she's got progressively naughtier as it winds him up :rolleyes:

We took them out yesterday for a hack, I rode berg and a friend led the oldie in hand, well she was so naughty. Pretended to be petrified of two kiddies windmills even though at 37 I'm positive she has seen them before. Oh and nearly bolted to the next county when a bird scarer went off even though a few years ago she was right by one when it went off and didn't bat a eyelash!!

We love her so much xx
 
I teach my mare tricks, which she really enjoys. I've been doing them with her for the past year or so now and it's been a great way to keep her entertained, especially whilst she's been on boxrest. There are loads of different books you can get and most of them are very straight forward. Just seems to keep their brains working :)
 
If you were just going to potter around I don't see it could do any harm. Perhaps do a little bit one day and then monitor her for the next few days to see how she copes? I've always found horses to really enjoy long reining as it seems to be quite easy going on the horse, if they are just pottering.
 
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