I know I’ve seen pictures of horses with plush stuffed animals as a comfort item, but I can’t find any doing a search. Has anyone tried this? Is there a danger to the horse from ingesting - mouthing it? I have an OTTB who gets anxious if he is the only one in the barn - he is very sensitive to bugs and even with head to toe bug gear on he hates being out if it’s buggy. I’ve tried every fly spray known to man as well as Smart Pak Bug Off, etc. I put small net hay bags, jolly balls, various stall toys, to keep him happy when he’s in, with no luck. He loves dogs, and cats and is even fine if there is a person around, but if he is in by himself, he paces his stall. I was thinking that tying a stuffed animal up in his stall might settle him down. I know I sound crazy and I treat him like a hot house flower, but… suggestions?
[QUOTE=ridingagain;7032968]
I know I’ve seen pictures of horses with plush stuffed animals as a comfort item, but I can’t find any doing a search. Has anyone tried this? Is there a danger to the horse from ingesting - mouthing it? I have an OTTB who gets anxious if he is the only one in the barn - he is very sensitive to bugs and even with head to toe bug gear on he hates being out if it’s buggy. I’ve tried every fly spray known to man as well as Smart Pak Bug Off, etc. I put small net hay bags, jolly balls, various stall toys, to keep him happy when he’s in, with no luck. He loves dogs, and cats and is even fine if there is a person around, but if he is in by himself, he paces his stall. I was thinking that tying a stuffed animal up in his stall might settle him down. I know I sound crazy and I treat him like a hot house flower, but… suggestions?[/QUOTE]
I have seen a full length mirror type toy that has a cowboy hanging from it. It is silly looking but may help him feel less lonely. It was in State line tack website I believe. Pretty sure it wasn’t Dover.
Hope all is well with you - Gaila
A jumbo stuffed bear was used for an orphan foal:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/orphaned-foal-hugs-teddy-bear_n_3386182.html
I can’t offer any suggestions about the stuffed animal. I always torture my donkey to stay inside with my bug phobic horse. He has only one job and that is to be a companion. I will offer, however, that my horse loves his automatic sprayer I put up in his stall. It sprays every 15mins. And he rests quietly in his stall.
We never use stuffed animals, but we have used an unbreakable mirror for a particularly bad stall walker. The University of Kentucky did a study to show that it helped stall-bound horses. It did seem to help - did not stop the behavior, but did reduce it. I’ll see if I can find the link to the study…
Roger Attfield uses stuffed animals for his horses.
Goats are relatively inexpensive and great companions for anxious horses
Mrs Keller was a very nice stakes mare that had a beloved stuffed animal
Yup I was just gonna say Miss Keller (an Attfield mare.) Apparently AKA “Killer” in the barn, pictures are deceiving. 
[QUOTE=Slewdledo;7044959]
Yup I was just gonna say Miss Keller (an Attfield mare.) Apparently AKA “Killer” in the barn, pictures are deceiving.
http://todmarks.photoshelter.com/image/I0000wiTAT8P1mIo[/QUOTE]
OMG what a beautiful photograph!
