# Ideas for keeping horses entertained in stables



## Kittykins (22 July 2010)

Does anyone else's horse seem to eat their daytime hay rations in 5 mins flat? Mine's going through hers at a rate of knots, and as a result seems to be getting pretty bored in her stable - to the point where she's started chewing at the wood around the bars. 

Bought a couple of small hole nets today to try and slow her down, and a swede to hang in the doorway for her to play with / chew at, but was wondering if anyone else had any fail safe tips to keep horses entertained all day. Don't _really_ want her to end up developing vices, and I'm a bit worried she might at this rate. She's quite a switched on mare, so seems to constantly need something to think about.


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## katherine1975 (22 July 2010)

One of my horses has a stable mirror, she likes spending time looking at herself. Some friends of mine buy swedes and cut a hole through the middle then hang them up for the horses to eat/play with.


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## happihorse (22 July 2010)

My horse is exactly the same but fortunately I manage to get my mum to give him his haylage at intervals throughout the day.

Small holed haynets and mirrors are a good idea but the latter are expensive.

How about a Lickit, Tongue Twister or Boredom Breaker toy?


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## nadinek82 (23 July 2010)

An apple or two in a water bucket usually keeps them entertained for a wee while. It's better if it's a big bucket like a tub trug cause it takes them longer to get it. My horse has got wise to this though and now he just kicks the bucket or lifts it with his teeth if it's wedged in a tyre to empty it out! It did work for a while


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## Kallibear (23 July 2010)

Try mixing the hay with 1/4 straw. This years straw is lovely stuff cos the weather was so dry.

Mix it well and stuff it into a small hole haynet. Not only does it pad the hay out but it makes it less yummy so she'll slow down.


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## Rose Folly (23 July 2010)

Does your horse have to be stabled? I know that for rmany people there's no option, but if you possibly can, keep (sorry, was it him or her?) out. There'll be no bad habits, no boredom, and a very healthy horse. Sorry to sound like a preacher, but my horses have now lived mainly out for over 20 years, and nothing would make me revert. But if that'snot an option, salt or garlic licks; and is your box big enough and your horse quiet enough to have a small friend in to share with? I know of a hunter and a small pony, very devoted, who share the same box in daytime and keep each other groomed and amused.


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## miss_c (23 July 2010)

Rose Folly said:



			Does your horse have to be stabled? I know that for rmany people there's no option, but if you possibly can, keep (sorry, was it him or her?) out. There'll be no bad habits, no boredom, and a very healthy horse. Sorry to sound like a preacher, but my horses have now lived mainly out for over 20 years, and nothing would make me revert.
		
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I would LOVE to leave Genie out 24/7 in summer.  Unfortunately she MUST come in every day to get her off of the grass, and as a result she's a pretty good weight at the moment.  She gets 1 slice of hay for the day, and like the OP's horse she's through it very quickly, but fortunately for me she just spends the rest of the day snoozing.  In the winter it swaps round and she's out in the day, in at night - this time to get the hay into her!


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## toomanyhorses26 (23 July 2010)

I double haynet my rations with two small holed haynets and it really slows mine down. They also like the horselyx respiratory one (it can get very messy tho ) and my local shop do likit type things that are made out of seeds,cereals etc which they love as well. Swedes and large apples cored and put onto a bit of string also go down well and my baby loves his snack ball - I just use the bog standard pony nuts - he gets a scoop in there and it takes him about 1.5 hours to empty.


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## Kittykins (23 July 2010)

I'd love for her to be out 24/7 but unfortunately we're on quite a large yard so the grazing is done on rotation (she gets night shift, someone else gets day shift in that field). Last night I filled two haynets for her, put one in the stable and asked for the other to be put on at lunchtime today so i'll go up this afternoon and make sure it has been. 

I like the apples in a bucket idea, and like the look of those feed balls, but have never heard of Tongue twisters or boredom breakers so shall go and investigate at the local saddlery this afternoon. 

Thanks guys!


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## tmsmorgan1 (25 July 2010)

Hi 
I have recently been to a yard where there are professional showjumpers and they use soft toys tied up with baling twine next to the haynets to keep the horses occupied, it works and all the horses love them plus if you nip to your local carboot or charity shop you can pick them up from next to nothing. The horses play with them I thought it was a bit absurd at first but having seen them playing with them it really does work.


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## JennBags (26 July 2010)

I haven't found the Tongue Twisters much good - my horse got a technique where he holds the Little Likit with his muzzle & eats it in 10 mins flat!

The best tip I got was from a friend whose good-doer was on box rest for quite a while.  She used to pull thistles up by the roots and leave a couple in the stable for him.  Because they are prickly it takes them ages to eat - and they do really like them!  Also very low calories, so she highly recommends.


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## Bri (26 July 2010)

When my pony was on box rest years ago for a tendon injury, we filled a plastic bottle ( Like a big coke bottle or something similar) with a few handfuls of mix - screwed the lid on tight and hung it from baling twine in his stable. Kept him entertained for hours!

Snack balls are also great!


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## applecart14 (27 July 2010)

Lots of small haynets put all over the stable. Lots of little bits of carrot/apple cut up and put into haynets or scattered all over the floor.  An apple bobbing in the water.  A snackaball.  Lots of visits to groom/pat.  Radio left on a classical radio station (horses don't like rock music).  The reason that most peoples horses demolish lickits in about five mins flat is because they aren't suspended properly.  if the horse can trap the lickit between itself and the stable door/wall it will eat it in one go.  if the lickit is suspended from teh middle of the stable the horse has nothing to trap the lickit against.


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## Kittykins (27 July 2010)

Bri said:



			When my pony was on box rest years ago for a tendon injury, we filled a plastic bottle ( Like a big coke bottle or something similar) with a few handfuls of mix - screwed the lid on tight and hung it from baling twine in his stable. Kept him entertained for hours!
		
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How does that work? Did you drill holes randomly in it?


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