what to do to keep horse occupied while in

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catherine22

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my horse has a few months of being in/on very limited turn out. he loves his treat ball and it keeps him occupied for ages but im not sure what to put in it, when in work he was having baileys no 4 and h&p nuts in it but i dont want to give he too much now hes off.
he has loads of haylage and buckets of readigrass and carrots/swedes etc
any other ideas
 
I used to hand empty plastic bottles and toys along a wall from baling twine for my horse who used to weave. Gave him something to do
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Alex Kurland started clicker training when her horse was laid up for six months box rest with potomac fever. Amongst other things, she taught him to lift both his feet so she could change both the poultices using two hands (that is, he lifted his feet and kept them in the air for her). As a result, when he came back into riding again, his muscular shape had changed and he was far, far better at collection (and not locking his stifles any more).

if you have the time and the energy, clicker training all kinds of things is possible on a box rested horse. see http://www.theclickercenter.com

If you don't... then go with the various behavioural studies that show you can create a 'yard' out the front of the box and have a stable-mate in it some of the time so you're fulfilling at least some of the criteria for a healthy emotional state. (freedom to move, freedom to socialise, freedom to choose climate, freedom to forage....)
 
My pony has a football that he kicks around his stable! Also a big mineral lick, which he loves. He also adores likits but he eats them in about 10 minutes so I cant give him those very often!
 
My horse stole an empty molichaft bag the other week and spent all day playing with it in the yard!!!! It was windy and he'd let go of it then go and catch it again!!!!
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Last year he got an old welly boot, which i'd wedge a carrot or something in the bottom and he'd chuck it around.
Hes also stolen (and broken) several coats, which isn't so good.
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Spillers Hi Fibre cubes in ball (very low in calories but look like pony nuts) maybe a football in stable and I've heard mirrors are brilliant although never tried one!
 
Hi,
I put Badmington fibre Nuggets in my horse's ball, they are a grass replacer so totally non heating and really high fibre If you use the Fibre plus (pink bag) it contains all vits & mins he will need whilst in. I use it instead of a normal breakfast in the morning before I work him, it gets him working his muscles to push it around the stable for half an hour then he is far more supple and almost ready to school, I do this because my horse has kissing spine and it helps him stretch but if you use the nuggets you are not pumping loads of concentrates in. If you put a whole scoop in it should last quite a while and use it to replace a meal. They're quite big nuggets so make sure the holes in his ball will allow them to come out. Another tip: I use them instead of the herbal treats etc as they are so big they really like them and a 20kg bag is £6.50 which goes a hell of a long way compared to a small bag of treats at £2+
 
I've got a milk bottle with holes in it that I fill with polos or nuts, he spends ages playing with that, a snackball, a salt lick hanging up and a likit hanging up.....has been commented on that his stable is like a toy shop
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keeps him entertained though
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Spend some time strapping/grooming him, pulling mane, change rugs frequently, only give the ball of treats for half a day, then take out, give some haylage or soak some hay then not, alternately, to make it different. I got a mirror (perspex) from a garden centre, and hubby didn't find it too hard to put up in the stable, any shape, I got one about 4ft by 3ft. Horse doesn't seem to care either way about it, but then I wouldn't know how he was without it as it was there when he arrived!
He has a small pony friend who lives outside his stable door too, who passes by on its way to investigate around the back now and again, causing a yearning whinny sometimes!
Doing poultice is also entertaining. rubbing cooling gel on tendon! All those things!
 
I'd put his haylage in two small hole nets, to make it more difficult for him to get and extend the eating time. Put (clean, no sharp edges) rocks in his bucket of readigrass so he has to put more effort into eating that (you may find you need a wider bucket or a tub to give him more of a chance and also to stop him just tipping it all out!!)

Herbal treats, diced veg and hi-fibre cubes are great in treat balls. I also used to hang turnips and swede on ropes.

If he's a fairly clean horse, I'd hide carrots in an area of his bed that he doesn't 'use' (leave a couple on top first so he realises they're there!) Only ever do this in one area or he'll start digging up his whole bed in an effort to find them!!

Also, depending on his personality and behavior, things he'd find in his 'natural' environment (providing they're safe!) such as small tree branches that have fallen on the ground...Either leave them on the floor or hang them up (but make sure there's no danger of eye poking!!) some horses love playing with them!

As already mentioned, mirrors are great too.

Anything that makes him think will really help him!!
 
thanks for all the ideas guys, will try and see about getting him a mirror and i'll put carrots etc in his bed-he digs it all up anyway so wont really make a difference!lol!
i put carrots, parsnips and apples in his ball 2day (all cut up tiny so that should keep him occupied)
and thanks for the tip about the rocks in the readigrass, he does like to chuck it around or eat it in 10 secs even tho he has it in a big trug!lol!

roll on autum!!!!!!
 
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