Managing the mental health of a horse on dry lot

[Obsidian_Fire]

I need some ideas. Due to my boarding barn being sold, I had to move my horse. Went from 24/7 pasture turnout (with grass), stall for inclement weather, to 24/7 dry lot. Lot is a run off the stall. It’s quite large, but no grass. And companions only to each side of her, not with her. Just not the same, at all. My horsekeeping hasn’t changed - she has 24/7 access to hay, etc.
She is bored. This is a horse who is very engaged in her world, a bit of a drama queen, always looking for something of interest.
I tried a hay play ball, but unfortunately she rolled it under the fence too many times for it to be of any value.
There’s only so much hands-on entertainment I can provide, LOL.

What can I do? Ideas??

[LSMarnell]

Honestly, I’m not sure there is much you can do in that type of setup. It just sounds like this is not the barn for your horse. I would look for another barn with turnout that at least includes pasture mates.

[Marla_100]

Agree, consider this a temporary spot and get busy finding a more ideal solution.
When I boarded I always tried to find a backup and keep it in mind for when things changed.
I’d start looking immediately to help out your horse. This just isn’t the right place, at all.

[Obsidian_Fire]

Moving is not an option. I had plenty of time to find something “more suitable”. It’s a unicorn.

[trubandloki]

Can you hang the hay in various places around the dry lot in the smallest hole hay net you can buy? That will keep her busy getting to her hay.

Is there any option for adding something to the fencing so her ball is not rolling out?

[2DogsFarm]

What signs is mare giving you that show “bored”?
How long ago did you move?

I ask because horses are a lot more adaptable than we think.
If she is pacing the fenceline, digging holes or otherwise occupying her grassless time with bad habits, try putting flakes of hay in various places.
Netted as @trub suggests, or flakes on the ground

I do this when my pastures are dead for Winter, even though horses have access to their stalls & have hay in the stalls.
They prefer being out & will “graze” on the hay I toss out before going in to eat.

Having horses in sight/scent s/b as satisfying as being in a herd.

[starsandsun]

I use the Amazing Graze with hay cubes. I wonder if you couldn’t also use a hay ball but maybe you have to add some extra boards so it doesn’t roll under? And this is a bit nuts, but I do it for mine … I take a few flakes and shake them out fully all around the dry lot so they have to walk and can’t get more than a whisker or two at a time.

Do you ride regularly? Perhaps 10-15 minutes of hand work could tire out her brain.

[beowulf]

Any possibility of a herdmate? Even a goat?

[B-burg_Dressage]

What is “quite large”? Could you see if her paddock could be combined with a neighbor she gets along with?

My two horses are often kept in the lot for the winter when the ground is bad. They obviously prefer grazing in the summer, but they do not seem unhappy. They eat, doze, and entertain each other with their favorite game of face bite.

[DMK]

I have a dry lot (and pasture) although the only time they are locked in for more 12 hours is when drought conditions do such a number on the pasture after winter that I have to keep them off it for 8 weeks to let it recover. Given out new climate conditions, that doesn’t happen very often in Georgia these days.

Mine have free choice hay in the hay hut so they weren’t bored, but what the retiree didn’t do was move around enough. I think he lived within 20 feet of the food source the entire 8 weeks. In the unintended consequences department, I started noticing him parked out all the time, enough so that the vet thought maybe bladder issues and we ended up doing a bladder ultrasound after a few other dx tests. Nope. Everything was fine, everything except his back, which was super sore. Back issues led to his early retirement and it turns out just standing around for 8 weeks eating your weight in hay also causes back problems. The cure (a few days of bute plus back to turnout) was cheap enough, but the dx was not cheap!

So to the extent you can put out multiple nibble net bags around the lot and the water as far away as possible, encouraging movement is a good thing!

[Obsidian_Fire]

Well, you all are suggesting things I’m already doing/planning/thinking of. So I guess I’m on the right track. We moved 6 weeks ago, so not that long really.
Putting hay outside can be a bit tricky because of the rain (aka mud, and lots of it). I’m in the PNW and that should be 'nuf said! LOL.

I do ride regularly, so that helps. The run off her stall is approx 24x120. I notice from her tracks she walks to the very end and back, and she does all her pooping outside. I put her water tub outside the stall also. I have hay nets & a hay box. There’s nowhere to hang anything outside. I am going to ask about the fencing between runs so that I can use the hay play ball again.

As for horses adapting… yes, they do. To a point. It’s up to us to make that adaptation as painless as possible. It really stinks that my other barn got sold, there was a lot to it that was quite ideal.

[lenapesadie]

Is it full care ie the barn provides the hay or are you getting the hay? I ask because my younger gelding seems to get some mental satisfaction from getting multiple types of hay. Like oh this hay is different fun and yum. Something to consider if you’re getting hay already

[Obsidian_Fire]

Self care, the hay is mine. I have Timothy, alfalfa, and a mixed grass blend. She gets it all! .

[lenapesadie]

Ok she’s already in the fun and yum crowd lol.

[2DogsFarm]

@Obsidian_Fire

I notice from her tracks she walks to the very end and back, and she does all her pooping outside.

I’m not seeing “bored” here.
Especially as 6wks isn’t very long (compared to how long at the previous barn?) to settle into a new place.
Pooping outside
Sounds more like she’s scoping out the new digs & making them hers.

Is there an overhang from stall to run-out?
Maybe hang haybags there, out of the weather. So she’d have Inside (stall) & Outside hay.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@2DogsFarm

Pooping outside

Yes indeed!! I love having such an “easy” horse! Honestly I think she doesn’t like laying in her own mess, and she does love a good nap in her shavings.

Okay, so yes 6 weeks isn’t so terribly long. And yesterday I went out around 1:00 and the trainer told me she had been flat out in the sun napping. When I got to her stall she was standing towards the back third of her run with her “boys” (it’s all geldings here!) standing around on either side. So I guess she is making friends and settling in to this new life. I just need to stay aware.

[2DogsFarm]

Sounds like your mare has set herself up as Queen
Those geldings don’t know what’s happened… Yet

[candyappy]

@Obsidian_Fire

As for horses adapting… yes, they do. To a point. It’s up to us to make that adaptation as painless as possible. It really stinks that my other barn got sold, there was a lot to it that was quite ideal.

I do think it is harder for them to adapt when they are used to being out in a large pasture. My horses were boarded for years in a 12X24 ( no turnout) and were quite happy because they basically knew nothing else.

When I married and moved , we bought our own place they loved being out 24/7 on our 7 acres and I much preferred that as well . It is going to take time for her to adjust and it is probably harder on you then her. If my horses had to live like that again I don’t think I could adjust!

Your horses lot size is pretty decent and the only thing she is probably missing is the grass/ grazing aspect.

[endlessclimb]

Could you sink a 4x4 that you could put one of those uncle Jimmy’s balls on a long string like a tetherball? That would keep her occupied (if you don’t mind sticky grain all over her face)

[kaya842]

I have nothing to add to help with your question but wanted to commend you for being such an advocate for your horse and being a wonderful owner. Not many (at least in my neck of the woods) would be as observant or willing to do as much for their horse as you. She is a lucky girl (and I do think she will adapt and settle in, sounds like she’s well on her way already!).