Watching Zelda flip her feed pan or pick up the hose and spray Curly, I’ve started to wonder if she’d enjoy having a few toys. I’d considered it when she was in a stall over the winter, but never got any further than putting up a scratching mat for her (so she didn’t knock the automatic watering system off the wall). One of the funniest things I saw was when Kroni and Freedom each picked up the end of a length of hose and were playing tug of war with it. Why is it that so many of your animals’ favorite toys are the ones they’ve found?
That said, there are certainly many toys specially designed for horses that can enrich their environment, beat boredom, and even use as a reward when training new behaviors.
Here are a few to consider.
1. Manna Pro Likit Boredom Breaker
This Manna Pro Likit Boredom Breaker is a great toy for food-motivated horses. It will help you to keep your equine entertained. The toy is made of high-quality ABS plastic that is safe for your horse to play with. This Manna Pro Likit has a comfy size for a stall to reduce stall walking.
The product includes a robust ball with inserts for two replaceable Likits. One of the things I wonder is whether Zelda would hog any kind of treat and keep Curly from getting a few “licks” in.
2. Jolly Ball for Horses
This is one of the toys that I’m thinking of for Zelda. I think she’d have fun picking it up and flipping it around.
The Jolly Ball can be played both indoors and outdoors. The horse toy is made of durable rubber that can withstand heavy chewing. It is also bouncy so your equine will have a lot of fun playing with it.
The ball has a hole in the center so you can put treats inside it. Your horse will enjoy trying to get the treats out of the ball.
3. Horse Ball Hay Feeder
The hay feeder toy is a great way to keep your horse entertained and fed at the same time. The ball has small holes in it so that hay can be stuffed inside. Your horse will love trying to get the hay out of the ball. Plus, the item prevents overeating and can help with obesity. This is a great alternative to a grazing muzzle. Just hang the balls in the stall to keep your buddy occupied. What would Zelda do? Probably pull the whole thing down. But even then she’d have to chase the ball around to get the hay out.
Here’s an example of a larger one. The horse sure looks like its having fun.
4. Rubber Chicken
This rubber chicken is the perfect toy for horses who like to play fetch. The chicken makes a squeaky noise when it’s squeezed, which will delight your horse. The toy is also great for training and can help your horse with obedience. Plus, the latex rubber chicken is durable and easy to clean. This toy for horses will last long enough to keep your hooved friend entertained for hours on end.
I think sometimes it’s helpful to think outside the box when it comes to toys. It never would have occurred to me that a horse would like a squeaky toy but the horse in the video certainly enjoys his chicken!
5. Mega Ball for Horses
The horse ball is made of durable rubber and is designed to withstand the elements. It’s also easy to clean so you don’t have to worry about your horse getting dirty. This toy for horses is great for playing in the pasture. Plus, its large size makes it ideal for horses of all sizes. Such a ball is used in training and during the games to make a horse run and jump.
This would also be a good choice for Zelda. Anything less durable would probably not last long! I’m always reluctant to spend the money on something that might break or not be of any interest.
6. Horse Carrot Ball Feeder
That is another outstanding horse feeder that is used as a toy. The ball is designed with small holes in it so that your equine can smell and taste the carrots. This is a great way to keep your horse occupied while also getting him the healthy snacks he needs. If you use carrots, you should cut them so the diameter of each piece is not too large (to eliminate the choking potential) but slices of apple also work well in it. Horses like Curly have to be very careful about carrots. We always cut them into very small slices.
The ball feeder is made of thick rubber that is durable and will not be easily punctured. The stall toy is also safe for your horse to chew on.
7. KONG Wubba Toy
The KONG Wubba is a great tug of war and fetch toy for horses. It is made of durable ballistic nylon and has a squeaker inside it. The Wubba toy is perfect for Tug of War games between you and your horse. It’s a great option for both pasture and stall.
Interactive shake and toss toy that is great for horse play. Floppy tails make this toy ideal for shaking and tossing in your horse’s pasture or inside. Although mostly advertised as a dog toy, many users report that their horse also enjoys it too.
Kong Equine also makes a rubber treat holder which looks incredibly durable. That might need go on my list, too. With Zelda and Curly spending so much time out of the sun, they could use some toys.
As you can see, the horses in these videos are all enjoying their horse toys. I will report back after I set something up for Zelda and Curly to see if they like them. What’s your experience been with horse toys? Any favorites?
Ha, ha! I saw that horse with rubber chicken video on Pinterest. One of my top two funny horse videos of all time. The other is the Volswagen backing the horse trailer clip. Always good for a laugh.
Many years ago I was massaging a horse for a client in where the heck am I Texas. She raised Arabians and had half a dozen horses in a very large pasture. The youngest was a long yearling colt (or gelding, can’t remember which) who, she related, was low horse on the pecking order. Until one day the wind blew a piece of litter, a plastic bag into the pasture. All the horses bolted save for the colt, who, instead, chased the bag until he caught it and picked it up. The rest was, as she said, hysterical. He quickly realized everyone else was afraid of the bag and he chased the older horses with it, ‘whipping his head back and forth so hard I thought he’d incur brain damage–but in his case, you’d never know the difference’ she said.
Did you note that at point 2.44 in the last video, the palomino gave the dun? a nip on the tail in retribution for stealing his toy. What color IS that horse? And, oh, what a nice big covered arena.