Wood logs are a surprisingly useful DIY horse enrichment ingredient. They’re versatile, budget friendly, and easy on the planet – and each log horse toy is durable and all natural. Your horse needs enrichment, so toys that are easy on the wallet AND useful are a huge plus! Here are five ways to use logs for a variety of enrichment that will keep your horse active and entertained in their stall or pasture.
Why Wood Logs for Horse Enrichment?
Wood can be a great element in your horse’s toy and enrichment collection. Many of the best DIY projects and pasture additions – like the hilarious Spin the Bottle horse toy – are made of lumber.
Wood logs take things in a more natural direction by using a whole section of tree trunk.
Short wood logs, like you’d use for firewood, include the natural bark of the tree. They have extra texture, which you’ll use for some of the tasty ideas below. They’re also perfect for horses who need an outlet for chewing behavior.
The best part is that they’re completely free and biodegradable. Some of the best toys and enrichment for horses are made of plastic, but it’s also nice to make use of a natural material. You can use wood from trees that have fallen naturally, or cut sections from branches removed during pruning.
Which Wood for Horse Enrichment?
Since these wood logs may be licked or chewed by your horse, you should use only horse safe species of tree for these ideas.
Each country and region has different tree species. It’s important to know what tree your logs come from, because a few can be toxic. Most are nontoxic, but it’s always best to keep safety in mind.
Apple, willow, ash, poplar, sycamore, white pine, and sweet gum are good options for equestrians in the United States and Europe. To be sure, check with your veterinarian, local university, or agricultural service for livestock safe tree species.
Wood Log Horse Toys: The Basics
Before covering creative ways to use logs, let’s go over a few basics about wood and logs for horse enrichment.
- Use wood logs that are in good shape, without fungus, rot, or insects.
- The size can vary, but most of these ideas are for logs about 1 foot/0.3 meters long and 4-6 inches/10-15cm wide.
- Trim or cut away any sharp, broken limbs or splinters before use.
- Store your log toys indoors when not in use.
- Log toys or piles of logs on the ground should be brought inside when your horse is finished with them, to make them last longer.
- Clean your log toys like any other toy. Scrub away any bits of food or licking smears and let the toy dry.
- When your horse’s log toy shows signs of rot or damage, compost it and make a new one.
- Hang log toys by thick rope, not thin twine, because they’re heavier than plastic toys.
Log Horse Toy #1: Basic Treat Log
This is a great multipurpose DIY horse toy that you can use in the stall or pasture.
The treat log holds any food or treat, but is especially good for carrot sticks, apple wedges, and other stick shaped treats.
To make it, use a wide drill bit (a 1/2 inch bit works great) to drill many shallow holes into the log. Blow out the sawdust and stuff with treats, herbs, or even little twists of hay. Use on the ground, or add an eye bolt and hang against a stall wall for a swinging version.
This toy is simple and easy for horses toy enjoy, but creates a little challenge too. It’s ideal for a quick and easy way to add some variety and stimulation.
Find the full article with instructions here!
Log Horse Toy #2: The Roller
To make this toy, begin with the Basic Treat Log above, but add eyebolts to both ends of the log. Attach a pair of swivel snaps to the eyebolts and tie a short piece of rope to each snap.
Secure the rope ends to stall bars, a wooden wall, or wooden fence boards. The swivel makes the log rotate as the horse plays, turning it and bringing more treats into view.
The hanging roller log also works perfectly in combination with the next log idea: the licking log.
Log Horse Toy #3: Licking Log
Is your horse a fan of equine lick mats? These are fantastic toys for horses that are relaxing and help direct licking and chewing in a positive direction. If your horse tends to be anxious or has a habit of chewing or licking stall walls, a licking mat is a perfect enrichment item.
Here, you’ll use a rough textured log as a perfect vehicle for your horse’s favorite lick spread.
To make this toy, pick a log with fairly rough bark that will help hold onto the lickable material. If you like, add a few shallow holes with a large drill bit to hold extra puree or smear.
Add an eyebolt to one end so that the toy can hang in the stall by a sturdy rope. Add the smear (a squeeze bottle or basting brush is perfect for this) and watch the fun!
Log Horse Toy #4: Foraging Fun
This log enrichment idea isn’t really a toy, but it is enrichment. You can use a few logs to simulate natural grazing, or slow down a fast eater.
Kiddie pools are great to have around the stable for horse enrichment – they’re inexpensive and really versatile. To make this enrichment activity, grab your pool, add several short logs in a random scatter or pile, and pour or shake in your horse’s feed.
Working around obstacles to find tasty food is a natural behavior for horses. This enrichment activity gives your horse a gentle mental workout and encourages them to use their senses and coordination.
As a plus, it’s great for slowing down fast eaters.
Log Horse Toy #5: Crunchable
Turn a log into a special food treat with this idea. The crunchy coating on the log mimics browsing on tasty bark, a natural horse behavior.
To make this food toy, prepare the base recipe for the DIY lick toy refills you’ll find here. Add just enough extra water to make the blend spreadable, and spread it onto a roughly textured log.
You can let the log air dry before offering to your horse, but for best results, bake in the oven to set the tasty coating onto the log and make it crunchy. Baking times will vary depending on the size of the log, but should be between 10 and 20 minutes at 300 – 350F.
Log Horse Toy #6: Log Cabin Puzzle
Remember building log cabins with those wooden playsets when you were little? They’re called Lincoln Logs here in the United States. These are the ones where you stack interlocking wood pieces to build small log houses.
Use the same idea to make a framed puzzle for your horse, and hide treats inside.
Logs stack up great on each other, and they’re also easy for your horse to move or roll aside. This enrichment is a food puzzle that gives your horse a mental workout, and encourages them to use their senses to find all the goodies.
You can use any treat for this puzzle, or use clumps of hay around, under, and between the log layers.
Other Log Enrichment Ideas for Horses
These ideas are all food and treat related, but you can use logs for other creative horse enrichment purposes too! Use them to frame buckets or troughs to reduce mud, or cut a large log lengthwise with a chainsaw and install on a wall for a natural scratcher. Logs also make perfect pasture poles, giving your horse environmental variety and exercise.
Logs are a simple item that really punch above their weight in equine enrichment value!