[Capilet]

We have a couple horses at our barn chewing like mad, and one of them is near my guys. Mine haven't started chewing yet, but I want to give them something better to do before they start.

What are some toys you have made for your horses that they have liked? This is just for overnight in their stalls.

[CJnBucksMom]

Take an empty milk jug (the plastic kind). Take off the cap, labels, anything that could come off. Then put some rocks inside the jug so it makes a rattle sound. Tie some baling twine to the handle and hang it up = ) Mine like that better than those expensive Jolly balls. Wish I had figured it out before I bought 15 of them LOL

[PoofThePony]

hanging food from something.. they play with it, and eventually get the food... kebabs kinda.. just with strings :]


cut some gallon milk jugs.. close together, they make sounds...add rocks, food, whatever.
bells, baby keys, etc... anything that will make interesting sounds are always fun :]

[Capilet]

I'll have to try that. Our big mare might like that better than the tetherball she had when she was little.

[Capilet]

Bumping up for the weekend crew

[Xxmissythemarex]

Originally Posted by CJnBucksMom

Take an empty milk jug (the plastic kind). Take off the cap, labels, anything that could come off. Then put some rocks inside the jug so it makes a rattle sound. Tie some baling twine to the handle and hang it up = ) Mine like that better than those expensive Jolly balls. Wish I had figured it out before I bought 15 of them LOL

or instead of rocks put sweetfeed or anny strong smelling grain then poke holes in it so when they rattle it the grain comes out !
somtimes you have to show the horses how to use it tho

[Beeks]

Those Jolley balls are over rated. Horses just looked at it and walked away. Dogs loved it though, while it was still alive. Now we finds bits and pieces of it here and there.

I don't stall my horses, so not too much help there, but what our horses DID love to play with were the sprinklers and the wooden apple bins. They can move those things MILES and Diamond even stacked one on top of another. I would never have believed it had I not seen him do it.

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

Originally Posted by Beeks

Those Jolley balls are over rated. Horses just looked at it and walked away. Dogs loved it though, while it was still alive. Now we finds bits and pieces of it here and there.

Out of the 3 horses I've personaly seen withe the Jolly Balls, 2 of them loved it! Many times you have to play around with how the horse likes it.

The one big guy I had in my care would ONLY play with it when people weren't watching. Trust it, I thought he didn't like it, till I was around the corner and all of a sudden I saw this big giant lime green ball come sailing into the middle of the hall. I took "peeking" for like 5mins, as he continue to play with it. The second I "showed myself" he looked at me as if to say "what I didn't do anything, I wasn't playing with the ball".....then the ball swung back and hit him in the face/neck

Then the little 2y/o filly was board outta her skull in her stall at night ,and kept "playing in her water bucket" and soaking the hall! So I grabbed a jolly ball that was just collecting dust and hung it in her stall. It's been over 6months and she stands contently playing with it if she isn't receiving human contact.

My little 2y/o. Fez, yeah, he started off kicking it on the ground, then decided he should step on it, and that was the end of that. I haven't tried hanging it up, but I really need to. I think he'd play with it more if it was hung up.....

So while I don't want to disagree with you, I think owners need to take some time & experiment to find how their horses like it......before dubbing it "no good" or "un-liked"

But I TOTALLY agree, seems the dogs love it WAY more! hehehe I doggy-sat my boss golden, and she LOVED carrying it around by the handle. It was super cute

[Beeks]

Our horses are pastured not stalled. I am sure, if they were stalled they would amuse themselves with whatever was handy, be that Jolly Ball or the water bucket or the wooden door molding. I was also a bit disappointed in how easy they are to flatten and how hard they are to unflatten.

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

^^ hahahaha Beeks, Fez stomped on his really well and acutally "poped" it. While it still works, and I got it back to being round, it isn't as bouncy as it once was. My boss' dog most certainly found it way cooler than my horse did...sadly I took it away from her as she was chewing on the handle and knew she's chew right through it!!

I'd totally LOVE to see him playing with one of the enomous balls, but I think he'd pop it at well.