Enrichment is the process that allows an animal the choice to express species appropriate behaviors. This improves their welfare by giving the animal the option to cope with challenges in their environment as determined by a combination of measures of veterinary health and psychological well-being. The benefits of enrichment include mental stimulation, decrease in stress, reduction or prevention of stereotypies (i.e. weaving, cribbing, etc.), increased wound healing, improved cognitive function, as well as increase ability to adapt and cope with new stimuli.
I’ve come up with a list of some ideas below that can help stimulate all of your horses’ senses. You’ll notice most of them have food incorporated in them to promote interaction, but some also involve olfactory and auditory stimulation. Eventually I’ll get pictures of all the enrichment ideas in action with my horses, so stay tuned for updates!
Hay Nets
Hay Ball
Pellet Ball
Salt Rocks
Lick It (with or without ball)
Jolly Ball
Scratching Station - Plastic Board from Tractor Supply
Scratching Station - Street Sweeper Brush
Scatter feeding – spread out that pile of hay!
Hay Box – fill a cardboard box with hay and then fold the flaps so that they have to dig into it with their nose
Hang milk jug with holes in it with grain inside
PVC pipe with holes in it filled with grain or pellets
Peppermint dunking (this can help with hydration at shows too!)
Frozen Treats
Muffin tin with treats under tennis balls or crumpled up paper
Hang feed bags with bottles and cans in it
Mirror – visual stimulation
Hang can with bells in it for auditory stimulation
Ice block in plastic tub with chain or baling twine frozen in it to hang and add fruit or veggies (run hot water over it to get it out)
Bubbles
Chimes
Sniff Jar – a essential oils in a jar with holes in the lid
Deflated basketball
Kiddy pool or tarp filled with water
Dirt Hill
Yoga ball
Sand box (specifically for digging)
Old tires filled with dirt to stand on top of
Barrels (to push around!)
Novelty items (go raid the Dollar Store for pinwheels, streamers, flags etc.!)
And last but not least: Training!
I recommend rotating enrichment items used in your horse’s pen because they can get tired of them and some may be more fulfilling than others. Also, be sure to supervise your horse the first few times they are left with each object to make sure it is safe. Always remember horse ownership should be fun, even if you’re not riding!
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