Stable Toys...

[Bendihorse]

Mandi Mare is back indoors again due to pops giving out about 'My horses destroying his land' (which in fairness to him, they are).

She is a really smart, sharp horse and gets very bored very quickly, developing bad habits like pawing and most recently windsucking :( .
I have altered everything in shed so theres nothing she can suck off but obviously, i want to improve her comfort levels so she is less inclined to look for chewable things to suck off! Treat the cause aswell as the problem.

She has an ad lib supply of hay and Ben is in full, interactive and touchable view of her (Actually, ill attach a picture of their set up below, in that pic they are in together while i am pooh picking, usually they are one either side of the gate) She also has a mineral lick.

Does anyone have any experience of stable toys and what are the best ones to buy to keep this girl entertained?? She will be getting out every day for an hour, i know its not ideal but unfortunatly thats the most time i have at the moment to give her.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g19/sheenab1983/4081731381a9898163146l.jpg

[storm]

Great photo BH...love Ben in the cap :cheer:

I have no experience of Stable Toys but I'm sure you'll
get some good tips from members who have used them! :nod:

[bob1984]

Im afraid I have no experience of stable toys BH but I just wanted to say it looks like a lovely set-up :D

[Bendihorse]

Thanks you guys :) Any suggestions from anyone?

[Teegee]

Have a look at these: http://www.croftequestrian.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_13_43 We have a few of the Elico Decahedrons, give ages of entertainment.

Make sure that the windsucking is not digestive related.

[termoncarragh]

Not sure about toys B, but can you rig it up so that she can see out also? My boy gets anxious rather than bored and I think he's much happier when he can see the outside world (maybe yours can and it's just not visible in the pic - apologies if so!)

[Bendihorse]

Thanks TC and TeeGee :) She has a similar 5 bar gate to the one in the photo but hers is at the front of the shead where she can see across the yard up to the cattle shead and theres also a cow and spritely baby calf in next door!

This afternoon shes been windsucking, pawing, tossing her head and wearing her teeth off the bars of the gate :( Its so upsetting to watch :(

Im not sure if these all play out worse than normal when im there changing their hay nets and that shes not as bad when im not there... I hope this is the case anyway :(

Ben is in next door and hes 100% happy out! Hasn't picked up any of her habits and is not displaying any bad habits at all...

The lick that i gave her earlier in the week is gone, she chewed it instead of licking it! What sort of digestive issues might she be having TeeGee? Shes passing dung and urine but perhaps not as much as ben and her urine is quite yellow despite her having a plentyful supply of fresh water out of a clean, plastic half barrell. I have seen her drinking from it numerous times so shes not afraid of it or anything!

[harvey]

I was going to suggest a turnip on a string but reading your note on eating the lick rather than licking it, I think a turnip would be gone in a second

Have you thought of a nut ball and instead of feeding your horses put their feed in a nut ball - of course only if it will drop out of the ball as it's pushed around.
You can get round ones and hexagonal shaped ones. I had to get the hex shaped one when my horse started kicking the round one off the walls.

[Bendihorse]

Yes will defo try one of those Elico Decahedrons as mentioned by TeeGee and Harvey and the turnip on a string... Seen as its on a string hopefully she wont be able to grab it with her teeth and make short work of it!

How do the elico yokies work with straw bedding?

[Teegee]

Windsucking can be caused by stomach ulcers. There is a product called gastrocare which is very good. There is also a product called Coligone which I believe is very good - though haven't tried it.

Windsucking can be a reaction to pain. It is worth ruling this out first.