Making a stall more interesting

[RJC]

For reasons that I can’t seem to explain succinctly (have tried to write this post several times and keep ending up with novels), I need to make my gelding’s stall more engaging for him. I cannot use a radio and he hasn’t historically shown interest in static things like jolly balls. He’s an air fern so I am hesitant to use a lick-it type treat.

His evening grain in a difficult dispenser would be ideal. I’ve seen people drill holes in thick plastic juice bottles and hang it by a rope, but wouldn’t the grain pellets get lost in the bedding? His hay is already small hole netted. Are there other DIY food dispensing type creations that can be used unsupervised? I’ve been told the hay cube dispensing balls cannot be left in a stall overnight because they fill up with poop and dirty bedding.

I would also accept things that can be destroyed for fun.

Short version- his stall is too boring so he attempts to avoid turn in when it’s nice out and causes my BO strife. She does not want to leave him outside all night.

[Simkie]

@RJC

Short version- his stall is too boring so he attempts to avoid turn in when it’s nice out and causes my BO strife. She does not want to leave him outside all night.

Can he come in to his evening grain already served up? My guys are VERY eager to come in if I start bringing them in to dinner already ready to go.

[RJC]

Dinner is already dumped in pans as part of AM chores He likes grain but he likes FREEDOMMMM more

[Simkie]

LOL what a snot. Maybe something higher value in his feed pan? Or super exciting treats in the hand of who’s bringing in?

If he’s out on that fresh spring grass, anything less than a better yummy thing is probably going to get a pass!

[RJC]

I gave BO a bag of homemade oatmeal cookies and asked her to give him one while acting really excited to see him for turn in a few days in a row…It started out well but then night before last he let her catch him for the cookie and then tried to run backwards when she started walking into the barn. I guess the cookie giving needs to move to the inside of the barn…

I guess he could get another cookie with his dinner rations. I’m thinking this is a temporary problem because once it’s warm enough, his stall window will be left open so he can stick his head out and observe goats in the night and he didn’t do this at all last summer. Started when the weather was randomly nice over winter but horses were still brought in at winter darkness times.

ETA: grass is starting to exist, but we’re pretty far north so they’re still mostly relying on hay outside. Not they he isn’t trying to eat every possible shoot.

[Simkie]

He sounds like a smarty pants! Can he really not have his window open now? If that solves the problem, maybe it’s worth whatever breeze comes in?

[luvmyhackney]

Freeze his food or soak it in a bunch of water. They make large dog puzzle feeders you could use.
You can use tires, bells, rope toys, rubber chickens to make things interesting.

If he’s an easy keeper, I’d put a muzzle on him and then he’d be happy to get it off in his stall.

[RJC]

(He’s way too smart. Unknown breeding but sure acts and looks Morgan-y) That was my thought too. I was thrilled to be invited here, so I try not to rock the boat much as it’s a very small and personal set-up. She said they don’t leave windows open until it’s above 55 at night, but it also has taken her and her DH working together up to 30 mins to catch my horse IN THE RAIN so I feel like the 40 degree breeze would be worth it…but not my barn. He only does it about 3 times a week, so there’s the constant hope that he’ll just…stop that.

[RJC]

Muzzle season is almost upon us! The rub is that he is quite talented at getting the muzzle off himself outside…I should invest in a better one and that might solve the problem too.

What would one do with a tire? Rubber chickens and bells would probably be good! He loves making noise

[RJC]

Would something like this be safe, you think? Large Treat Dispensing Dog Toy

[jvanrens]

@RJC

Rubber chickens and bells would probably be good!

You might want to run this past the farm owners, they might make them more annoyed than your horse being a goof to catch!

[luvmyhackney]

Good idea… I keep mine at home, so they are just annoying me.

[jvanrens]

My daughter has had a couple of horses that enjoyed the rubber chickens so much the chickens had a short life expectancy. I loved the videos she sent me, but if I was in the barn listening to it for hours, I likely wouldn’t have so much, though I would beat pawing and chewing on doors.

[RJC]

If they were in the barn to be annoyed, we wouldn’t have a problem! He’d happily watch them doing things.

[OTTBs]

I wonder if she’d consider opening the window and hanging the freezer type strip door in the opening? Hopefully would cut down on a lot of breeze but horse could stick his head out.

[Simkie]

@RJC

She said they don’t leave windows open until it’s above 55 at night, but it also has taken her and her DH working together up to 30 mins to catch my horse IN THE RAIN so I feel like the 40 degree breeze would be worth it…but not my barn.

It does seem like there’s a pretty straight forward solution out there! Is leaving it open until late check maybe an option?

Or, if he likes the goats, can be have his own in his stall?

[Cowgirl]

A large acrylic mirror on the wall.

[RJC]

I’m loving these ideas, thank you! I’ll talk to BO in person about some of them since text can be fraught when she’s so busy with work and kids on top of farm stuff. But I’m getting a rubber chicken at this point. Non-negotiable.

I’ll see if he’s allowed to have a pet goat too My other best idea was to offer to install a shelter outside so he can be left outside safely and comfortably when he feels like it, but that’s much more of an ordeal than some window strips and a rubber chicken.

[luvmyhackney]

@RJC

I’ll see if he’s allowed to have a pet goat too

I would keep that one to myself, I love my goats but they are a hot mess especially lose in a barn. If BO is already overwhelmed this one might push her over the edge.

[atr]

I had one that tried that one spring. The BO said “fine! You can stay out there on your own without dinner!” It only took a couple of days for him to realize this wasn’t a lot of fun.