DIY horse enrichment is a great way to encourage your horse’s natural behaviors while sticking to your budget. This DIY peanut butter licking log is a creative but easy to make horse toy that will keep your horse busy and entertained in the pasture or stall.
What is a Peanut Butter Licking Log for Horses?
This horse toy is an equine enrichment item. Enrichment for horses means encouraging their natural behaviors and providing important stimulation and boredom relief.
That sounds technical, but all your horse needs to know is: the DIY licking log is tasty and fun!
You’ll take a short log, turn it into a hangable toy by adding an eyebolt, and then spread on peanut butter. For extra fun, stick crunchy treats like whole grain cereal or your horse’s normal daily feed onto the log.
Why Is the Log Toy Good for Horses?
This enrichment item checks a lot of boxes for your horse. Licking is a relaxing natural behavior for your equine friend, and this toy is like a (low sugar!) lollipop for your horse.
It takes time for them to lick away all the peanut butter, making the licking log a great choice for anxious horses, horses on stall rest, or when you need to occupy your horse while waiting for an appointment.
This log toy uses peanut butter, which is low in sugar but enjoyed by many horses. But it’s also versatile: you can use other spreads, too.
Lastly, this toy provides a positive solution for horses who chew wood. Providing a safe, nontoxic chew option can direct this natural but unwanted behavior in a better direction.
If your horse often chews wood, it’s important to review their welfare to make sure that the chewing isn’t a result of an unmet need. Then, add enrichment items like this to give them a better alternative than pasture fences or stall walls.
Can Horses Eat Peanut Butter?
Yes, peanut butter is safe for horses. You wouldn’t feed it to your horse by the tub, but this horse toy only uses about two tablespoons (a human sized serving) of peanut butter to load up the log.
If you’re curious about using peanut butter in other ways, this article covers what PB is best for your equine friend.
If your horse doesn’t like peanut butter or if you have a nut allergy, you can still use this toy! Just use a different lick option, like one of these.
How to Make a DIY Licking Log for Horses
Making this toy is simple. If you like, jump to the next section for the video!
- Prepare your log toy. Make sure it is clean.
- Attach a carabiner or clip to the log’s ring.
- Spread about two tablespoons of peanut butter or other spread over the log.
- Add crumbled horse treats, whole grain cereal, or pellets of feed to the log.
- Clip the toy to a stall bar or tie ring installed on a fence, tree, or wall.
- Enjoy!