7 Best Long Lasting Horse Treats For Stall Boredom Old Grooms Swear By
Discover 7 groom-approved, long-lasting treats to beat stall boredom. These time-tested solutions provide hours of healthy enrichment for your horse.
Nothing tests a horse owner’s patience quite like a vet’s order for stall rest. That wide-open pasture becomes a forbidden paradise, and the four walls of a stall can quickly feel like a prison. A bored horse is a destructive horse, and keeping their mind occupied is just as important as healing their body.
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Why Long-Lasting Treats Matter for Stall Rest
A horse on stall rest isn’t just healing from an injury; they’re fighting a battle against their own nature. Horses are designed to move and graze for 16-18 hours a day. Taking that away creates immense mental stress, which can manifest as stall-walking, weaving, cribbing, or wood-chewing.
These aren’t just bad habits; they’re coping mechanisms. Long-lasting treats and slow-feeders act as a form of occupational therapy. They give the horse a problem to solve and a job to do, redirecting that anxious energy into a productive, safe activity.
The key is "long-lasting." A handful of carrots is gone in ten seconds. A proper stall-rest treat should occupy them for hours, mimicking the slow, steady process of grazing. This not only saves their sanity (and your barn walls) but also helps prevent the digestive issues that can come from a sedentary lifestyle.
The Likit Boredom Breaker: A Stall Classic
The Likit system is a familiar sight in many barns for a good reason. It consists of a durable plastic holder that houses a hard, flavored lick. The entire apparatus is designed to spin and move, forcing the horse to work for every taste.
This isn’t a passive treat; it’s an interactive puzzle. The horse must use its tongue and lips to control the toy, making the reward last significantly longer than a simple block lick. With a wide variety of refill flavors, you can rotate them to keep your horse from getting bored with the same old thing.
The main tradeoff is that some clever horses figure it out too quickly. A treat designed to last for days might be demolished in an afternoon by a particularly determined equine. They can also get a bit sticky and messy, attracting flies in warmer months, so placement and regular cleaning are important.
Uncle Jimmy’s Licky Thing for Hours of Fun
If the Likit is a puzzle, Uncle Jimmy’s is a test of endurance. This is a famously dense, heavy ball of molasses and grains on a rope. Its sheer hardness and weight are what make it last so long; a horse simply can’t get much off with each lick.
Many old-timers prefer its simplicity. You hang it, and the horse does the rest. There are no moving parts to break or master. For a horse that gets easily frustrated, the straightforward nature of the Licky Thing can be more rewarding than a complex toy.
The significant consideration here is sugar content. These are molasses-based and very sweet. For an easy keeper, a horse with metabolic syndrome, or one with insulin resistance, this is probably not the right choice. Always consider the horse’s dietary needs before introducing a high-sugar treat.
Shires Haylage Net for Slow-Feed Foraging
Sometimes the best "treat" isn’t a treat at all, but a better way to deliver their regular meal. A small-hole hay net, like those from Shires, transforms feeding time from a 30-minute gorge into a hours-long foraging activity. The tiny openings (often 1-2 inches) only allow the horse to pull out a few strands of hay at a time.
This method is fantastic for both mental and digestive health. It forces the horse to eat slowly, which is better for their gut, and it keeps them busy for the better part of the day. You’re not adding extra calories or sugar, just extending the time it takes to consume their normal ration. This is the closest you can get to mimicking natural grazing behavior inside a stall.
Safety is paramount with any hay net. It must be hung high enough that a horse cannot get a hoof caught in it, even when the net is empty and hanging low. The rope should also be secured properly to prevent entanglement. When used correctly, it’s one of the most effective boredom-busters available.
Himalayan Rock Salt Lick: Simple & Enduring
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple salt block. A Himalayan rock salt lick on a rope provides a distraction that can last for months, or even years. It’s not a high-value, sugary reward, so the horse won’t obsess over it, but they will return to it periodically throughout the day.
This serves a dual purpose. It gives them something to do, and it allows them to self-regulate their sodium and mineral intake. Unlike a sweet lick, there’s virtually no risk of them over-consuming it. They lick it when they need it, and leave it alone when they don’t.
The downside is that it isn’t as engaging as other options. A horse that is highly stressed or truly bored might ignore it in favor of pacing the stall. Think of it less as an intense activity and more as a permanent, low-level point of interest in their environment.
The DIY Frozen Bucket Lick: A Groom’s Trick
This is a classic trick for a reason: it’s cheap, effective, and endlessly customizable. All you need is a small bucket, water, and some horse-safe goodies. Finely chop some carrots and apple slices, toss them in the bucket, add a splash of unsweetened apple juice for flavor, fill with water, and freeze it solid.
Pop the giant ice block out of the bucket and place it in their feed tub. It will take a horse hours to lick through the ice to get to the tasty treasures inside. This is especially brilliant in hot weather, as it helps with hydration and cooling.
The obvious tradeoff is the mess. As the ice block melts, it creates a puddle, so it’s best for stalls with good drainage or rubber mats. It also requires you to have enough freezer space to make them, which can be a challenge in a busy barn. But for a low-cost, engaging treat, it’s hard to beat.
Jolly Ball Treat Dispenser for Playful Horses
For the horse with a more playful personality, a treat-dispensing ball can be a game-changer. The concept is simple: you fill a durable, hard plastic ball with grain, pellets, or small, dry treats. The horse must then nudge, push, and roll the ball around the stall to make the food fall out of the small holes.
This is one of the best options for encouraging mental stimulation and light movement. The horse has to actively think and problem-solve to get the reward. It turns feeding into a game, breaking up the monotony of the day. You can use their regular grain ration, so you aren’t adding a lot of extra calories.
This isn’t the right fit for every horse. Some high-strung animals can get overly frustrated by it, and the sound of the ball banging against the stall walls can be disruptive in a quiet barn. You also risk losing some of the feed in deep bedding.
Purina Horseman’s Edge Block for Slow Grazing
While marketed for pasture use, a compressed forage block can be a lifesaver for a horse on stall rest. These are not sweet treat blocks; they are dense, 25-35 pound blocks of hay, grains, and supplements. They are designed to be extremely hard, forcing the horse to scrape and nibble at it over a long period.
Placing one of these in a secure feeder in the stall provides a constant source of forage to nibble on. This is excellent for preventing ulcers, which are a common risk for stressed horses confined to stalls. It satisfies their need to chew and graze without the high sugar of a traditional lick.
You must, however, monitor consumption. While they are designed for slow intake, a truly food-motivated and bored horse might eat more than intended. It’s a tool for supplementing forage and providing an activity, not for replacing their primary hay source.
Ultimately, the best long-lasting treat is the one that suits your horse’s temperament, dietary needs, and environment. The goal is to provide safe, engaging enrichment that makes their confinement more bearable. A little creativity can go a long way in keeping a stalled horse happy, healthy, and on the road to recovery.
