Foraging Toys

[Bebe_Falcon1]

I’m considering providing a foraging toy (or toys) containing roughage cubes in a turn-out that my mare shares with two other ponies (not mine, although one does belong to the barn manager) for her to “find”.

Is this a waste of time/money, or could it actually be of some benefit? My mare seems to spend the majority of her time at the hay feeder - relative to the other two who are out with her - and could do with having her horizons broadened

But at the moment, I’m not sure if the drawbacks (of which there are a handful) trump the advantages!

[trubandloki]

Are all the horses in that turn out able to eat forage cubes? Because in a group setting there is no way to control who gets what comes out of something like that.

I have a treat ball that I toss in the turn out from time to time. One of three will touch it and she pushes it around until it has given her all of its contents. The other two are not interested in it. They both tried it for a few minutes when it first appeared (years ago), the contents did not come quickly enough for them and they went back to other things.

The one horse who does play with it, really seems to enjoy it.

[Texarkana]

I have a set of Amazing Graze toys, one for each horse. I don’t use them lately because I care for my landlord’s aged gelding with no chewing surfaces; I don’t want him to get a cube. But I used to use them daily to supplement my low protein grass hay with alfalfa/Timothy mix cubes. I used to add a few pounds to each toy and toss them in the pasture.

I had really good experiences. My only caveat is you need to find cubes that are actually chewable. Some brands are too big and too hard for me to feel comfortable using them. I felt fine with them eating cubes off the ground when they are only getting one at a time, but not when the cubes are as dense as bricks.

[outerbanks77]

When my mare was on extended stall rest, I bought her a HayPlay ball. It was kind of a pain when it was loose in the stall/pen because she would roll it out and get mud in it, or get it stuck in a corner. Pretty soon we hung it up on her stall wall and it worked well as a slow feeder that she could pick away at slowly after her main serving of hay was finished. She is an average-sized horse, and I did have to be careful to pull a little hay out through the holes to get it started so she could access the hay. Later on I tried using it for my 16.3 warmblood and it seemed that with her bigger mouth, it just didn’t work and she ended up ignoring it because she couldn’t get ahold of the hay.

[Bebe_Falcon1]

I suppose it’s more chunks than cubes that I have in mind. A larger hay play ball likely wouldn’t be able to compete with a big hay feeder, but a smaller treat ball filled with a high fibre roughage “grain” with some crunch might

@trubandloki

Are all the horses in that turn out able to eat forage cubes? Because in a group setting there is no way to control who gets what comes out of something like that.

This here is one of the drawbacks. I’d need to check first on the other horses, of course. The other two just seem much less interested in eating compared to my mare, so I’m hopeful they’ll leave it alone for the most part.

[luvmyhackney]

I’ve been looking at things to entertain my pony in his dry lot. So far have found the following:

Hayball

Definitely not a slow feeder but might entertain for a while.

[Kyrabee]

I bought outerbanks77’s hay ball for my mare. She enjoys it. She learned very quickly how to keep it in her pen. I put it in the back of her “L”shaped pen and she usually ends up with it tucked neatly into her shed when it is empty . She is in a dry lot pen and I haven’t used it a lot this summer because I didn’t want her sucking up the fine stuff out of the powdered dirt (very dry here). I also don’t put it out if it is muddy although it is easy enough to hose it out/off. It is kind of a pain to load but as I said, it does keep her occupied and entertained. If we ever get any rain…enough to settle the powdered dirt and not be muddy, I will load it up again.

Susan

[Bebe_Falcon1]

This whole thread makes me wish that providing enriching activities to promote foraging and other natural behaviours was the norm

If I had the ability to own/operate a facility, I think that’s how I’d differentiate myself from the rest. Hay play balls in stalls, roughage chunks to hunt for outside, extended (group) turnout, hay in slow feeders/nets in various places to encourage everyone to circulate more… maybe even build a natural track system in one of the larger turnouts (up until recently I had no idea this was a “thing” but I like the theory behind it). A complete focus on natural horse care.

Step 1? Win lottery

[Texarkana]

@Bebe_Falcon1 What are these chunks you speak of? I don’t think I’m familiar with them, or call them by a different name. I’m always on the look out for new forms of forage variety; I really don’t think horses thrive on monoculture forages.

[Bebe_Falcon1]

@Texarkana

What are these chunks you speak of? I don’t think I’m familiar with them, or call them by a different name. I’m always on the look out for new forms of forage variety; I really don’t think horses thrive on monoculture forages.

It’s called Masterfeeds Roughage RX … they’re pelleted or come in chunks (cubes):

Rx Roughage (Pellet/Cube) | Masterfeeds

They can be used as a hay extender, so have very low levels of minerals and nutrients. If you’re already feeding grain (e.g. my mare is on Essential K), you’re not overdoing it if you also provide this.

It’s waaaay cheaper to use a few handfuls of this stuff for foraging/enrichment purposes vs. something marketed as a “treat” ($0.40/lb vs. $6/lb).

[blue_heron]

All I can say is that PLEASE don’t get those treat balls that roll around and make a hell of a noise. You may think they are cute for the ten minutes you watch your horse play with it, but for the barn workers that have to listen to it for the next six hours-- I’m sorry, but I’m taking it away the second your car leaves the driveway. And when everyone catches on and buys one!

[endlessclimb]

I think horses need stimulation in boring environments more than humans need it to be dead quiet at the barn. Especially if stalled.

That said, I give my horses their treat balls right before the barn closes, so no one has to listen to it while working or riding. I throw three handfuls of alfalfa pellets and about 5 small treats.

[lenapesadie]

I’d be pretty upset if I discovered that the staff was removing items from my horse’s stall. Granted I’ve always been sure to clear with management prior to adding items or modifying my stall in any way.

[trubandloki]

@lenapesadie

I’d be pretty upset if I discovered that the staff was removing items from my horse’s stall. Granted I’ve always been sure to clear with management prior to adding items or modifying my stall in any way.

I agree.

[blue_heron]

A treat ball like this?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/shires-equestrian-ball-feeder
I’m not sure, we took feed buckets, hay bags, and stuff like this out of stalls all the time (I don’t work there anymore, for unrelated reasons). I wouldn’t remove toys fastened to the wall or water buckets. Maybe I’m not in the norm but as long as my horse has hay and water I’m not concerned about loose items.

@endlessclimb I sincerely appreciate you thoughtfully doing that at the end of the day. I was not the only person bothered by it. The resident trainer couldn’t stand it and I had multiple boarders complain to me. I agree that they need stimulation inside, but I think there are less loud alternatives.

[endlessclimb]

I actually said I wanted to patent the same exact ball, but with a rubber lining.

[blue_heron]

I think the barn I was working out was exceptionally loud. It was like the noise would echo around the entire barn, so even if you were on the other side of the aisle or in the indoor, you could still hear the treats rolling around in the ball.
Or just use grain or soft treats that won’t bounce around so much!

[TheJenners]

@trubandloki

@lenapesadie

I’d be pretty upset if I discovered that the staff was removing items from my horse’s stall. Granted I’ve always been sure to clear with management prior to adding items or modifying my stall in any way.

I agree.

Thirds. I have a treat ball I have thrown alf pellets in for my ISH, he enjoys it but then it rolls outside his run under the panels

[lenapesadie]

Yes I have the purple one to be exact. I didn’t use it for very long as my horse wouldn’t touch it if the ball itself touched manure. I also have used a rather large number of other toys.

I naturally wouldn’t be upset about empty nets etc being removed.