Boredom Busters and Enrichment for Horses

by Lisa Kiley – published in the Saddle Up! February 2021 page 22

Weather Considerations:

Winter weather usually means horses are spending more time inside and aren’t being ridden as often. Horses are herd animals so when confined to their stalls, the following boredom busters and enrichment toys can help keep them out of trouble.

Visual Surroundings:

Often over-looked (no pun intended), your horse’s surroundings can make a significant difference on their well-being.  Even if your horse spends a large amount of time inside a stall, surroundings can have a big impact.  For that reason, horses who can hang their head out of the stall and interact with their neighbors can yield a reduction in stress and anxiety. 

A busy barn is stimulating for a horse and can help curb boredom. As a result, you should see a reduction in negative behaviors such as stall walking, pawing or wood chewing. There is also the benefit of desensitizing a horse to things such as loud noises and moving objects in a safe environment. 

Horses naturally want to be in a herd for safety, security, and social stimulation.  Providing an environment that can closely mimic this is a good place to start when thinking about their housing and enrichment needs.    

Interactive:

On the Ground

Enrichment that is interactive can be as limitless as your imagination. Remember, every interaction you have with your horse is teaching them something, so make sure you act accordingly. This goes for anything from grooming sessions to leading them around. Even if the point is to have fun, you want to be safe and make sure that the horse is respecting you as the leader. 

Teaching your horse commands and working on ’tricks’ are great activities that don’t take a lot of room to accomplish. Especially if you have limited space, this can be an ideal way to work together.  Groundwork activities can improve your relationship with your horse and increase trust in your partnership. 

In The Saddle

If you have access to an indoor arena, there are opportunities to promote more engagement.  It can get boring for both you and your horse to go around and around in circles.  Especially when you are in a smaller space, it can be a great time to work on ‘foot work’ exercises.  This can include going over ground poles, backing through obstacles, and working on side pass maneuvers. 

Adding a raised pole with a jump block or rail razer can help teach your horse to pick up his feet.  Just remember, when introducing your horse to anything new, take it slow and exercise patience as they learn what you are asking them to do. 

Items that Encourage Play:

Typically, enrichment toys for horses can be divided into 2 categories: 

Toys that provide treats

We aren’t the only creatures that are motivated by food. Walk into a barn in the morning and you will be greeted by excited nickers and whinnies waiting for breakfast.  If you are looking to help curb boredom between meals, a food-oriented toy may be of interest even if they aren’t the most playful type.  A slow feed hay ball or treat ball can be a great boredom buster. 

Toys for physical play

For really playful horses, Jolly Balls are a popular choice. They usually come in different sizes and can be hung in a stall or set on the ground. Sometimes the drive to play increases when horses are out with a buddy or several pasture mates.  When out in a paddock or arena, mega balls can provide great interaction for them to chase and play with.  Engaging with a toy like this can also help a timid horse become more confident.  Just make sure to offer durable and safe play options.

Tips:

Horses can become habituated to toys quite readily.  Think of a toddler that gets bored with something because it is not new anymore.  For this reason, it may be a good idea to rotate enrichment items every so often, this will help keep your horse’s attention.  You will gain a better understanding of what items your horses are interested in, helping to gain insight on their personality. 

Enrichment activities and items can help provide physical and behavioral wellbeing for your horse.  Cashmans Horse Equipment offers a wide array of enrichment options and we would be happy to help you decide what products would work best for you and your horse.