When the news gets crazy, make horse toys!
This DIY horse treat puzzle is just for fun. It looks complicated but is just a combination of two simple DIY enrichment designs, combined into one toy. Here’s how to make your very own spy balloon for your horse, step by step.
Why Spy?
Other than making light of recent events, making your horse their very own spy balloon offers a lot of enrichment value.
This toy works by creating a swinging, difficult-to-snatch treat puzzle for your horse. You’ll wedge veggie or fruit sticks into the net, which is held in place by the “balloon” (a yoga ball or beach ball).
Below, the “payload” is a cardboard carton with all kinds of suspicious technology (more carrots and celery) sticking out for your horse to grab and munch.
The balloon hangs from overhead or against a stall wall and moves around at random when your horse touches it, so the treats tend to swing away and require a lot of effort to pull out. This makes the toy last longer and requires skill and time from your horse – it’s actually a pretty difficult treat toy!
A Ballooning Interest in Horse Enrichment
The spy balloon for horses isn’t just fun and games. It’s an equine enrichment item!
Enrichment for horses isn’t just about fun toys and puzzles – it’s anything we do or provide to encourage natural behavior.
The spy balloon is definitely fun and engaging for your horse and offers a lot of boredom relief. But it’s fun with a purpose: toys like this give your horse the chance to use their brain and fine motor skills. It also lets your equine enjoy the experience of seeking and obtaining their own food.
These behaviors and opportunities are why enrichment is so important for horses. Living in an enriched environment, including temporary toys like this, isn’t just optional – it’s a must for good equine welfare.
How To Use Your Spy Balloon
Before we go through the tutorial, here are a few pointers and safety notes.
Use this toy only hanging up. Excess net and cord is safely out of reach when the toy is secured overhead, and you don’t want to create an entanglement risk.
Make sure your horse is familiar with and enjoys this toy before using it in a stall. It’s not safe to introduce a new, big item in a small area like a stall. If your horse does tend to be nervous of new things, this article can help.
A hay net with small holes works best to hang onto the fruits and veggies. Using a larger hole net is totally okay though – just put a pan or tray underneath to catch the goodies as they drop out of the net, like in this similar ball-and-net treat toy tutorial.
Make sure to use treats and food that’s best for your horse. If your horse can’t have extras (although there are plenty of low sugar veggies available), stuff the toy with hay instead.
Lastly, for safety it’s best to use this toy only under supervision. Some enrichment featuring balls are great for unattended use (check this article for lots of options!) but this complex build is better removed when the horse is finished.
How to Make the Spy Balloon, Step by Step
With all that out of the way, let’s build a spy balloon!
Supplies Needed
Note that you can use any variety of stick shaped food for this toy, like wedges of carrot or apple and pretzel sticks but also lower sugar choices like celery, cucumber, or even pumpkin and squash.
Making the Carton Payload
You’ll start by making the carton carrying all the super-secret spy equipment, AKA carrots and celery.
A serrated steak knife is the best tool for popping treat holes in a paper carton. Begin each hole carefully, working with your free hand well away from the knife.
Make as many holes as you like on each side of the carton.
Make an additional set of holes at the top of the carton.
Note: if you have trouble getting a clip through the holes, or don’t have a carabiner, make the attachment holes on the upper sides of the carton instead of the top and thread a bit of rope through.
Stuff the veggies and fruit into the holes you made. X shaped cuts grip the veggies tightly so they don’t fall out. At this point, if you prefer you can also add cut treats or grain to the carton through the lid opening. Pelleted feed or small treats will fall out into a pan when the toy is shaken.
With this, your payload is complete! Time to make the balloon!
Take a beach ball or yoga ball and place it inside a hay net.
You can use any ball and any net; smaller holes hold the treats better though. Tie your hay net tightly closed, using additional rope or a clip around the top if your hay net is bigger than the ball. You want a tight fit to grip the treats.
It’s easier to do this when the ball is hanging up instead of on the ground, so I recommend finishing the spy balloon in the place it’ll be used (pasture or stall) or tie it to a cross-tie ring or similar to hold it up while you work.
And that’s it!
Related Enrichment
This swinging, treat-loaded puzzle feeder is similar to all of these enrichment ideas: