The only thing better than a great DIY horse toy is an easy great DIY horse toy! This textured cardboard puzzle for horses is a simple but fun enrichment item your horse will love. It takes minutes to put together, you don’t need any special tools or supplies, and it is great for all equines.
Let’s go over the basics followed by a video showing how to make it, start to finish.
What’s the DIY Cardboard Puzzle for Horses?
This cool horse toy is a few things all in one. It’s…
- A great equine enrichment item
- A tool in your boredom busting arsenal
- A variety of forage box – one of the easiest DIY horse toys
I love forage boxes for horses because they’re so versatile and simple. They’re such a must-have enrichment item at my stable that I wrote a deep dive article on how to use them, step by step. If you haven’t used a forage box before, I recommend reading through the article for more info on what they can offer your horse.
Enrichment is really important for horses because it helps encourage natural behaviors and keeps them from being bored, especially if they spend time in a stall.
Why is This Horse Puzzle So Great?
This cardboard horse puzzle goes a step further by using a highly textured shipping insert. It’s not the Amazon box, but the cardboard sheet you find inside the box that holds your latest purchase snugly in position during shipping.
You’ll usually find inserts like this around small appliances and electronics. The one in this post and video came from a robot vacuum cleaner from Amazon, so get creative – and don’t forget to check the cardboard recycling bins at your workplace or school.
All the nooks and crannies of the box are perfect for hiding treats. Depending on how you arrange the hay and goodies, you can make this equine enrichment item very easy or more challenging.
That means that this enrichment item is ideal for all horses, including ones that are new to boredom busting activities. It’s a good introduction to food puzzles for horses and is ideal for providng enrichment without frustration.
Basic Steps to Make a DIY Cardboard Puzzle for Horses
This do it yourself horse toy couldn’t be more simple to make. In fact, the video below is only about a minute and a half long and is almost a real-time demo! It’s that quick.
Here’s the basic workflow for the DIY cardboard puzzle for horses:
- Choose an insert that’s clean and free of any other debris like plastic or tape.
- Prepare some horse treats, fruits, veggies, and grain.
- Grab a few handfuls of hay. Extra enrichment if you use a few different types of hay!
- Hide treats all over and layer them in between handfuls of hay.
- Offer the toy to your horse!
Now let’s get straight to the video.
Video: DIY Horse Puzzle in 1:30
More Enrichment Inspiration
For more ideas before you build your own forage box, try these similar posts:
Another Easy Cardboard Enrichment
Budget Horse Toys: 5 Ideas for When Money Is Tight (for many of us, that’s right now!)