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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

A Busy Pony

9/11/2015

 
A few days ago, I shared a photo heavy post of Izzy playing with a traffic cone in Laurel's turn out. I then went and bought two cones at Home Depot so that he would have one (the other other is stored for later use) to play with at home.

I very much wish that I had motion activated cameras in his stall because his "house" is a disaster area when I get there each afternoon, and I'd sure like to see how it happens. While the sprinklers are working in the arena, I spend a half an hour each afternoon tidying things up. I clean the manure out of his stall, gather up the scattered hay, drag his feed bin back to where it goes, dig a toy out of his water trough, and gather the rest of his things and place them in the center of his outside run - like this:
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House cleaning!
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The big feed tub is inside.
That's how I left things last Thursday. By Friday afternoon, it all looked like this.
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Hay cube tub dragged to the middle.
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Both Jolly balls (one of which he has permanently mashed) flung to the far reaches of his stall.
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Cone crammed into one of his many self-dug pits.
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Rubber feed tub serves as a toy because if I put anything in it, he flips it over immediately and all feed is wasted. It has been discarded into the farthest corner of his play pen.
Most afternoons, at least one of his toys has ben flung outside of his stall. In the past, it was a Jolly ball, or two. More recently, he has learned to pick the cone up and flip it over his fence. And again, the black rubber feed pan is often either floating in his water trough, or it has sunk to the bottom where I have to fish it out. The Jolly balls have taken a swim as well.

He gets ridden five to seven days a week for no less than forty-five minutes, and sometimes it's even an hour. On the days he doesn't get ridden, he gets turned out. Last Friday, he spent two hours over at Laurel's. The dude is just a very busy guy. If anyone has some ideas for defeating boredom cheaply and quietly, I'd love to hear it. 

The only caveat is that hanging stuff has proven to be a problem as he has gotten hung up at least three different ways on items that were designed to be hung safely for horses. Fortunately, someone has found him and freed him before he was able to hurt himself. Aside from hanging items, what else can I safely toss in there to keep his brain occupied?
Carol
9/11/2015 06:09:23 am

Are there toys that dribble out feed that would be safe? Sounds like he makes toys out of anything, a small rubber mat he could fling around? A salt lick on a roller. A larger bouncy ball. Does anyone have a large grassy field? A play date with a similar young horse to romp and play with? Love the playpen!

jenj
9/11/2015 06:52:41 am

I've tossed empty feed bags out as toys (we have the heavy-duty plastic feed backs from Triple Crown). After they get licked to death, they usually get flung around and trampled a bit. I've never had one torn but my guys aren't super hard on their gear.

Is it possible for him to get a couple hours of turnout even on days you DO ride? That might help too...

emma link
9/11/2015 07:20:43 am

wow he sure loves to play! i wonder if maybe something mounted to the walls for him to rub on might be nice too? something like this: http://themaggiememoirs.blogspot.com/2015/01/product-review-scratch-n-all-grooming.html

Jan link
9/11/2015 09:03:28 am

What about a plastic barrel (one of our horses has one in her stall as a play thing) or one of those huge air filled exercise balls?

Karen
9/11/2015 09:58:03 am

A friend will string together a series of empty milk jugs minus their caps and then tie the string to a fence post. Her horse bites and bounces the milk jugs but isn't able to move them around. And they are tied in such a way that he can't get tangled in them. You could also use Orange Juice plastic containers - they are a little tougher than the milk jugs.Our dogs treat both as chew toys.

Calm, Forward, Straight link
9/11/2015 05:14:27 pm

Val loves his extra large jolly ball. On sale at Valley Vet at the moment. (sorry - super long link won't embed) He can nose it, kick it, follow it around, sling it with his teeth... (there are cute beach ball covers for them which make slinging even easier)

Bakersfield Dressage link
9/11/2015 05:25:43 pm

THANK YOU!!! That was the cheapest I've ever seen those.. I just ordered the 30" ball. I know he'll love it. I just hope it lasts at least a few months. :0)

Carly
9/14/2015 12:07:56 pm

Aww, he's like a giant puppy!


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home