| Horses are naturally inquisitive and enjoy exploring their | | | | something, they can manipulate them to untie them. |
| environment. They are excellent at foraging for food, | | | | - Paper bags can be used to hide treats inside. The |
| spend approximately 75% of each 24h period grazing | | | | horse has to unravel or tear open the bag to get the |
| and move their feet every 3-5 seconds when grazing. | | | | treats. Make sure you remove the torn paper away |
| Being stabled removes these natural behaviours | | | | after this one!!* |
| however, we can take measures to return the ability | | | | - You can make a toy box for your horse. Many |
| to perform natural horse behaviour by enriching their | | | | things make good toys and food can be hidden inside |
| environment with horse toys that you can find or | | | | them. Be sure to vary the items in the box regularly.* |
| make yourself at home. | | | | - Cardboard box game.....101 things to do with a |
| Below are 7 ways to enrich your horses environment | | | | cardboard box. With this game, the horse gets a |
| (stabled, field or barn kept) with various home designed | | | | reward every time (s)he does something novel with |
| horse toys and ideas to enhance normal horse | | | | the box.* |
| behaviour: | | | | - Plastic drain pipes with holes cut in them can be hung |
| | | | on the stable wall. Treats are placed inside the pipe |
| 1. Feed hay off the ground with more than one pile of | | | | and the horse has to nudge one end of the pipe to get |
| hay. | | | | the treats out. |
| 2. Hang fruit and vegetable kebabs or hide fruit and | | | | This list is not exhaustive and with a little bit of |
| vegetables in the bedding and in/under objects. | | | | imagination, as well as watching the types of toys your |
| 3. Put apples in the water bucket for apple bobbing | | | | horse likes, you can make the stable environment a |
| (your horse may have to be taught to bob for apples). | | | | positive place to be. |
| 4. Hang soft drinks bottles with holes in, put food pellets | | | | If your horse is under veterinary supervision or care, |
| inside so that the horse has to nudge the bottle to | | | | ensure your vet is happy with the use of treats and |
| knock the pellets out. Drinks bottles with holes in can | | | | toys. |
| also be used to put flavoured water in. | | | | - Don't give your horse access to all of their toys at |
| 5. Traffic cones stuffed with hay. Leave some poking | | | | one time. Rotating the items given in the stable is key |
| out of the top so the horse can eat from top or they | | | | to ensuring the toy does not become 'furniture' and the |
| can turn it over and eat the hay. Traffic cones can | | | | horse tires of it. |
| also be used to hide things under. | | | | - Some of the items should not be left in with the |
| 6. Items/treats can be placed on ledges or up high (in | | | | horse for safety reasons and your horse should only |
| trees in the field) and the horse has to pull them off. | | | | be allowed to play with them under supervision. These |
| 7. Hang up twigs/branches with the leaves still on. The | | | | are marked with an asterix. |
| horse will eat the leaves. The twig/branch can be used | | | | - If your horse eats cardboard and paper, you may |
| again with raisins stuck to it using treacle or syrup.* | | | | wish to avoid the toys that involve those items. |
| And some games you can play with your horse: | | | | - Once your horse figures out the toys that easily yield |
| - Old towels make good toys for horses. They can | | | | treats, the complexity of the tasks to be completed to |
| mouth them, throw them around etc. if you tie them to | | | | obtain a treat can be increased. |