Boredom busters and slow feeder ideas for your horse
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There may be some times in your horse’s life when he needs to chill out for a bit.
- Stall rest is definitely one of those times. Awful and unsafe weather keeps us out of the saddle sometimes, a horse’s friend moving away, and other stressful situations warrant some mental interaction for your horse.
- Horses on diets, horses with ulcers, and even horses that are just plain ‘ol horses can benefit from a slow feeder as well. There are plenty of ways to make your horse’s meals last longer, which occupies his brain and keeps his body in a more natural state.
- This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are tons of ideas out there, these are the ones that I have used before.
- And in the spirit of full disclose, because that’s the rule, these photo link take you shopping! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which are not a penny more for you. What I earn here helps put a dent into what it takes to keep this encyclopedia of horse stuff floating along. I couldn’t be more grateful for your support. Otherwise, there will be no more bad jokes for you.
Train and combat boredom at the same time
This is the best horse book, ever.
- I can’t love this book any more than I already do. Years ago, I read this like a maniac and turned my unsafe and dangerously spooky horse into a lovely, trustworthy creature that would happily trot through the fields without a bridle. More on that story here.
- Boredom is a mental thing, and since we usually can’t hook our ponies up with some binge-watching TV, get involved. Work on his brain at the same time as teaching him how to learn.
How to bust your horse’s boredom with food and slow feeders.
- Just keep it flowing. All the livelong day. I don’t mean let him decide on what volume of hay to eat, that still needs to be reasonable. I do mean that you should give him some eating challenges so his noms last longer. And yes, you can get slow feeders for grains and pellets.
How to get rid of boredom with horse toys.
- Some horses want their toys loose, others prefer their toys to be tethered. You get to do some experimenting here. Some toys incorporate food, some don’t.
- Nothing says “I love you, horse” more than an indestructible toy that you can stuff with your horse’s favorite snack. Well, your horse might disagree, but whatevs.
- Please be fanatical about what sorts of treats you are giving – many are literally just sugar formed into a shape. Which is great, for SOME horses. You also want to make sure your horse paces himself. HA! Most horses need to have their sugary snacks removed.
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This book is a wonderful, step-by-step guide to helping you "clicker train" your horse with positive reinforcement.
A Guide to Achieving Success with Clicker Training. A great book about horse behavior and how to successfully train your horse with kindness.
Why would you do it any other way?
Click your way to a better relationship with your horse.
Other sizes available, too!
What's better than one rubber bucket? Two.
Basket-style grazing muzzle to help keep a horse at a healthy weight and help reduce the risks of colic and laminitis in some horses.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for savings sitewide on muzzles, halters, slow feeders, and more.
One side of this innovative slow feeder is solid - perfect for pastures! It will hold a small bale of hay.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for sitewide savings on slow feeders and more.
2 sizes of this slow-feeding hanging hay toy - snack size holds a few flakes, and the half size holds 1/2 bale. There's also an XL that ground feeds.
Use code 15PROEQUINE for sitewide savings on slow feeders and more.
Thank you!