~Dan
Well-Known Member
Ok so its seems my horses are very very board, is trhere something out there that you do for fun that keeps them busy if so please share
how to break boredom
- Thread starter ~Dan
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Heres some Idaes--
Long walks
Driving
jolly balls
lickits
plastic bottels/containers
apple falvored mieral blocks
feed the horses there full amount of hay throughout the day, a little at a time, it keeps there mind busy eating hay.
Long walks
Driving
jolly balls
lickits
plastic bottels/containers
apple falvored mieral blocks
feed the horses there full amount of hay throughout the day, a little at a time, it keeps there mind busy eating hay.
disneyhorse
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Do they do any WORK? (Going for walks, getting driven, roundpenning, etc.?) Horses need daily exercise. Best if they work hard enough to sweat and be tired. Give them something to engage their bodies and minds. It's boring to sit in a stall or out in a field and do nothing. That way, when they are not working, they are happy to just get some rest.
That said, my horses are worked daily but they are also stalled, so a little more prone to being "bored." They can see other horses and interact with them, which is a must for good socialization. They can keep each other entertained. My horses have very busy minds and like to play, so I have plenty of toys for them. They all have a selection of jolly balls, ropes to chew on, Pony Pops to lick, traffic cones to drag around and destroy. I think my colt would go nuts without his toys.
Andrea
That said, my horses are worked daily but they are also stalled, so a little more prone to being "bored." They can see other horses and interact with them, which is a must for good socialization. They can keep each other entertained. My horses have very busy minds and like to play, so I have plenty of toys for them. They all have a selection of jolly balls, ropes to chew on, Pony Pops to lick, traffic cones to drag around and destroy. I think my colt would go nuts without his toys.
Andrea
~Dan
Well-Known Member
ok well i dont drive them, and i cant walk them right now becuase i need to take both of them so my dad needs to come along and until they get out some of their energy im afraid of them getting loose and Titan almost did, their not trained to lunge and i do not know how to train them also how to lunge, they do not play w/ their jolly balls, i would like to get a roundpen but we cant afford one right now... however i will try lickits and mount them outside and inside the barn, i have seen plastic milk and pop bottles foilled with pebbles do horses like these, knowing my horses they probably do
but what i really think they miss is the fact that the farm they lived at had a herd of about 6 or 7 other horses (big and small) that they would play with all day long so right now im trying to get another horse that ive always wanted both for myself and for the horses, thats what I think they miss most but i will try these first theytll probably work
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disneyhorse
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I would definitely train them to lunge. It would be good for them and they would get exercise.
Horses were made to travel long distances every day, they were not meant to sit around and not get exercise. I consider a daily exercise program a basic part of healthy horse ownership.
They are only little minis, can't you take more than one at a time on a walk? I take two Modern Shetlands out on a walk, one on each side (and hang on tight by the houses with barking dogs!)
Andrea
Horses were made to travel long distances every day, they were not meant to sit around and not get exercise. I consider a daily exercise program a basic part of healthy horse ownership.
They are only little minis, can't you take more than one at a time on a walk? I take two Modern Shetlands out on a walk, one on each side (and hang on tight by the houses with barking dogs!)
Andrea
~Dan
Well-Known Member
no i cant becuase Titan gets spooked easily by bikes 
OH! and Polly liokes to get some of the grass and it would be a buig mess but we are walking them tonight
OH! and Polly liokes to get some of the grass and it would be a buig mess but we are walking them tonight
Kootenay
Well-Known Member
How bout' you take one at a time for some exercise?
Also--think of it as extra good for you physical activity that you get twice in one day
. I trade off with my horses, and it also gives a good change between their attitudes. As far as bikes and spooky things like that, you can set up those type of obstacles in your own yard and get them used to it that way. You need to be repetitive with all of this type of work. Pretty soon you'll have a horse who doesn't flinch a wither at anything
.
I trained my mini Buddy to lunge with a friend--(who followed along on the outside, and acted as the 'fence'). It was pretty funny at the time, but it did make him respect that space, and follow more of a circle. Pretty soon Buddy accepted what he was being asked, and now lunges pretty darn good on his own. Practice, practice, practice,,
.
Good luck, and have fun
.
:Kim
Also--think of it as extra good for you physical activity that you get twice in one day
I trained my mini Buddy to lunge with a friend--(who followed along on the outside, and acted as the 'fence'). It was pretty funny at the time, but it did make him respect that space, and follow more of a circle. Pretty soon Buddy accepted what he was being asked, and now lunges pretty darn good on his own. Practice, practice, practice,,
Good luck, and have fun
:Kim
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ErikaS.
Well-Known Member
A watermelon... great for soccer practice and fun to eat after the game.
I had a 60 foot round pen; best thing I ever did for them.
It had a complete set up of all sorts of obstacles. After working a bit on the rail to looseing up, they could come in for a couple jumps, work around some cones, there was a water thingy, (pool)., would keep exercising fun and diversified. I could put three or four or more horses in there together and guide them along on when to come off the rail, change directions and take a jump or whatever, fun for us all. They have better things to do than to go in circles forever. I used to take Nick on hikes a lot also, till we ran into wild dog packs.....that wasn't so good.
It had a complete set up of all sorts of obstacles. After working a bit on the rail to looseing up, they could come in for a couple jumps, work around some cones, there was a water thingy, (pool)., would keep exercising fun and diversified. I could put three or four or more horses in there together and guide them along on when to come off the rail, change directions and take a jump or whatever, fun for us all. They have better things to do than to go in circles forever. I used to take Nick on hikes a lot also, till we ran into wild dog packs.....that wasn't so good.
