Clicker training is lots of fun for our horses, but providing enrichment opportunities is another fabulous way for humans to get creative, have fun and enrich our horses’ lives. Join me on a journey of recycling, foraging and earthworks !
I really love playing around with different enrichment options and dreaming up new ways to enhance their environment as well. There are many easy, fun and cheap ways we can provide stimulation and entertainment for our horses. Often the simple things can be the most entertaining. I have ideas for food puzzles and toys all the way through to environmental enrichment on a bigger scale. It’s best to start with one or two things at a time and most importantly ensure the horse understands how to engage with the item without frustration. Always remember to regularly remove items and refresh or replace with something different, to avoid habituation – where they stop noticing the object in their environment.
Equine enrichment means adding or changing their environment with different substrates and terrain, social interaction with their own species and also other species, sensory experiences such as essential oils and herbs, providing puzzles and toys to fulfil their need for mental and physical stimulation and provide opportunities for contrafreeloading as well as offering a variety of foods to browse, taste and explore. This means that many species choose to ‘work’ for their food, rather than have it just served up to them. Giving them opportunities to enjoy species specific behaviour will ultimately contribute to their overall health and wellbeing. I feel very strongly about taking a whole horse approach to equine ownership/care.
I’ll include some ideas – but this is not an exhaustive list, more to get your creative juices flowing! I’ll provide some photo and video examples and at the bottom, will add links to further Resources and Further Reading. Please note that some of these ideas are for supervised play only, please use your discretion.
- frozen blocks containing fruit and/or vegetables in fruit juice or herbal teas
- slow feeder hay nets, puzzle feeders and fruit and vegetables on a rope
- bobbing for fruit or vegetables
- Likits, jolly balls, ball feeders, Kong wobblers, snuffle mats, ball pits or make your own
- various grasses, weeds and browse (branches & leaves) scattered and hidden – checking they are safe and not toxic (see Resources)
- hide hay and safe treats in boxes, hay nets or under loose hay
- dog chews, ropes and slow feeder toys
- dab various scents and essential oils in their environment or train scent detection
- grow a herb garden or hedgerow
- obstacles to step over and climb on
- scratch posts
- small and large stones, mud, sand and sawdust for walking on and rolling in
- river crossing, hill climbs, bridges, platforms and teeter totters
- misting station
- purpose made horse balls or human yoga balls
- water play with a hose or sprinkler
- scratches and massage – there are purpose made gloves or use a spaghetti server
I was inspired by the book and concept of Jaime Jackson’s Paddock Paradise and I created a track system for my own horses for part of the year. One of the many enrichment ideas I’ve implemented in this theme, is the misting station. We enjoy very hot dry summers in Australia, so this has been a popular addition and source of enrichment for my horses every year. The fun they have under the mist and the energetic antics of my horses afterwards is not only enriching for them, but a lot of fun to watch as well!
A sand roll is wonderful for back scratches and varied terrain with abrasive surfaces can help condition hooves and give horses a dry place to stand during winter.
Let our imagine run wild as to what we can build and/or provide in their environment.
Simple changes such as creating scratching poles with cheap rubber doormats or putting hay in slow feeder nets, can contribute to an overall improved lifestyle.
Toys and puzzles are fun and easy – buy or make your own!
(Supervision may be required with some toys and puzzles.)
Sometimes we need to help them to learn how to play with puzzles.
Sourcing and offering different types of food and browse is fun for everyone!
The ultimate enrichment is enjoying the company of their own species!
Finally, training with Positive Reinforcement (clicker) training is another way to add enrichment to our horses’ lives, as well as helping to build a strong and trusting relationship through mutual enjoyment.
Resources
A guide to toxic and non toxic plant lists, compliments of the ASPCA –
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/horse-plant-list
A useful guide to plants poisonous to horses –
http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Plants-Poisonous-to-Horses-Aust-field-guide.pdf
Ideas on Pinterest –
https://www.pinterest.com.au/search/pins/?q=equine%20enrichment&rs=typed&term_meta[]=equine%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=enrichment%7Ctyped
Trial different food flavours and find the most popular with your horse – “Selection and acceptance of flavours in concentrate diets for stabled horses”, Goodwin, H.P.B. Davidson, P. Harris –
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159105000973
Further Reading
Environmental Enrichment for the Horse: The Need to Forage, Louise Nicholls, International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC) –
Equine Behaviour & Training Association, Environmental Enrichment – What Does My Horse Really Need To Be Happy In Domestication? –
Equine Enrichment – IAABC Self Study Course –
https://m.iaabc.org/courses/equine-enrichment/?fbclid=IwAR18eN5YzpY7ffNTC_h3QG43a-Iqthh9OYafh886otrLIZwh_lseJiDcbAQ
Group Living for Equines, IAABC –
Environment Enrichment,
The Donkey Sanctuary’s Guide to Enriching the Lives of Donkeys and Mules –
https://view.pagetiger.com/EnvironmentalEnrichmentforDonkeys/EnvironmentEnrichmentfordonkeys?fbclid=IwAR2IuymlwAl1FYmGyQJN_pZp-91n3FO9xypEJUXJpJ21tSvHF_uxB7JzZ0c
Awesome blog, can I be one of your horses!!!!
Thank you! They are very lucky horses and their care is a family effort 🙂
Lots of good ideas here! Thanks
Thank you Chloe, glad you like it!
Excellent ideas some I have not thought of. Great blog look forward to more.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.