Stable toys

AmiRobertson

AmiRobertson

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Hey guys so after the vet and farrier seeing dizzy today it looks like the problem could be a little more serious than just mud fever or an abscess. She is having X-rays on Thursday but it looks like a bit more box rest could be on the cards. She is so so so good on box rest but she is so miserable and I was wondering if anyone can recommend some good stable toys etc I am going to try and spend as much time with her as possible but maybe there is something that can cheer her up.
 
The only thing I can think of is giving her some forage from outside that's difficult for her to eat.

What made me think of it was this evening I was taking my mare for a walk and we came across some gorse in flower.

It took ages for her to pick her way through the prickles to get the flowers but she seemed to enjoy herself. A tiny reward but time consuming which is what you need.

Don't know if something along those line might be an idea?

Best wishes for you and her.:)
 
Mine loves his treat ball. Although I don't think the treats last very long with him. I did try a swede on a string but he didn't seem to know what to do with it, would have been a good boredom buster though. Someone had also suggested to hide bits of root vegetable in a hay net. Oh and another one was a ball covered in something sweet, I think it was honey inside hay net, great idea but a bit messy.

Can you tell I have an easily bored horse and have asked this question before :)
 
Some more.... Sorry I had some great suggestions made to me so thought I'd pass them on... A vegetable kebab on a string, swedes carrots all hung on a rope so it's a challenge to get them off. I hung a few nets in different places round his stable so he has to move around (my stable is huge though) hide bits of veg around shelves walls etc. Stable mirrors are good too. Think I may have run out of ideas now :)
 
hnmisty said:
This is what I used to make for my pony, kept her busy for hours, and very cheap!
Click to expand...

But not really the best thing for a horse nutritionaly. The lucerne bricks that simple systems sell ,keep a horse occupied for ages ,and are much better for them.
 
Can I urge caution with the round red treat balls.

One of mine broke one of these balls in half and its held together by a dozen or so sharp screws.
 
Mike007, would you explain what you mean? Given we are talking about things to keep them occupied, and you can spend £20+ quid on a boredom breaker that does pretty much the same thing as what is in my pic. Behind my pony's head in that photo is a full haynet. Given she's 34, I can't say that combination put her in an early grave. I'd choose fruit and veg any day over molasses licks to rot their teeth out.

The OP merely wants something to keep her horse entertained whilst on box rest.
 
hnmisty said:
Mike007, would you explain what you mean? Given we are talking about things to keep them occupied, and you can spend £20+ quid on a boredom breaker that does pretty much the same thing as what is in my pic. Behind my pony's head in that photo is a full haynet. Given she's 34, I can't say that combination put her in an early grave. I'd choose fruit and veg any day over molasses licks to rot their teeth out.

The OP merely wants something to keep her horse entertained whilst on box rest.
Click to expand...

Let see. Carrots ,apple swede, not exactly a horses natural feed. High in sugar which is simply not good for them,it might as well be covered in molasses.Fling some hay around his box or mix some lucerne cubes in with his bedding and let him hunt them out.Besides which ,they are grazing animals and nature intended them to truffle about on the floor looking for food .
 
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I gave my old lad a couple of apples in his water bucket so he had to go bobbing for them, stuck his whole nose in! My current horse can't grab them and gets very frustrated! I like the treat ball as it makes them forage but doesn't last long.
 
Thank you thank you thank you! All great ideas! And don't worry I won't over feed her on molasses. Her diet is literally hay and molasses free chaff so a little wont hurt. She is cool as a cucumber too so should be fine. Just want to make it easier for her. Also have to rearrange all of her stable today to make it more comfortable for her!
 
A jolly ball if she is quite playful , I've got mine a peppermint scented one.
I put hi-fi cubes in a forage ball but lasts 30 seconds my horse is too smart !
What about a stable mirror , might keep herself busy looking at her reflection.
 
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