How to Keep a Horse From Boredom in the Stall

Toys for horses

Stalling a horse is sometimes necessary. Whether it is for show, injury, or other reasons, keeping your horse in a stall for an extended period of time may happen. It is important to keep your horse from developing vices from this confinement. This article will give you some tips on how to avoid stall boredom.

Things You'll Need

• Rope
• Empty Milk Bottles
• Stall Ball

Instructions

How to prevent stall boredom

1. Understanding your horse is the first step. Boredom in the stall can cause a horse to develop many bad habits and vices, such as weaving, cribbing, and a generally bad attitude. Horses were not meant to stay confined. Nature made them to range over a wide area and graze. So, in order to avoid your horse's confinement damaging his mental health, it will be necessary to give him some distractions.

2. There are many commercially available "stall toys" you can purchase to entertain your horse. From "Jolly Balls" to "Lickits", the products are available online and in feed and tack stores. Many of these are excellent choices. But it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a ready-made item when you can make your own.

3. Empty out a heavy-duty milk jug and fill it with some large rocks. Put two or three of these on a rope and tie it in your horse's stall. The noise they make when rattled can be entertaining and satisfying to a bored horse.

4. Get a couple of cheap balls from your local superstore, and put them in your horse's stall. They will get popped once your horse has learned how to play with them, but they will be a good distraction as he is learning.

5. Traffic cones also make excellent stall toys. The horse will love to sling them around and throw them, so don't be surprised when you hear a lot of noise coming from your horse's stall once he has discovered the fun he can have with them.