I like to offer my horses different toys to play with and see what they want to do with them.
Letting your horse have a say in the play process will really increase your horse’s motivation and enjoyment.
I had been originally teaching Bella to fetch, but then she started to pick up the ball and throw it. She really enjoyed doing that so we played around with her throwing the ball to me to catch, rather than continuing with ‘fetch’.
Playing with your horse engages his / her brain, improves communication between you two, helps your horse to become used to new and different things and is good fun for both of you! 🙂
Here are some ideas for equipment and toys that will make training really enjoyable for you and your horse.
Most items are cheap and easy to find. (My favorite horse ball only cost $5).
Once you start looking, you will find suitable equipment and toys everywhere! 🙂
I’m always on the lookout for cheap and fun items to use as training equipment.
My favorites are Pool Noodles.
They are an excellent way to get my horses used to things that move and brush against them.
Trigger is happy to eat his feed while these colorful noodles lightly bang against him and fly around on windy days. This helps when I am out riding and we are moving through some thick bush – he doesn’t mind at all if branches brush against him. He is also good when strange objects flap in the wind.
To get him used to the Pool Noodles I just started by tying up one (on a calm day). At first he was wary of it but his feed was just there and it didn’t take him long to move past it to his feed bin. He still kept an eye on it though!
After a few days he completely ignored the Pool Noodle so I added another and then a few more days another. Now he is completely uninterested in them.
This is one of the best ways to get a horse used to something strange. Introduce it gradually, into an area where they already feel safe and enjoy being (their feed area is a good place). Allow them time to get used to the item. Easy and no fuss.
