Winter can be a tough season for equestrians. Freezing cold, short days, less riding time, and the weather makes horse chores harder. But winter doesn’t have to put the brakes on equine enrichment! The winter season is actually a time that many horses need enrichment the most. Here are 7 activities and ideas for winter horse enrichment to keep you motivated – both out in the chill and inside the stable.
Why Is Winter Enrichment for Horses Important?
Enrichment is all about encouraging your horse’s natural behaviors and keeping them engaged and entertained in healthy ways.
Winter is a time of year when your horse may need the benefits of enrichment the most.
During winter, many horses spend more time in their stalls. Horses on pasture have less forage and browse. And there’s often less activity going on around the stable, providing variety and stimulation. You might be less motivated to put out pasture toys, or set up fun activities for your horse.
As a result, it’s easy for horses to become bored in winter, and have less opportunity to express natural behaviors.
Winter enrichment for horses is important for your horse to be their happiest until spring arrives.
Winter Enrichment for Horses: The Basics
There are some special things to keep in mind when planning winter enrichment for your horse. Here’s a few things to remember:
- Your horse needs the same amount of stimulation in winter as during warmer weather
- You can use all the same stall toys and boredom busters inside as you did in summer
- There are opportunities for special enrichment activities that are unique to winter
With that in mind, here are some winter enrichment inspiration ideas! We’ll start with outdoor activities, then head into the stable to warm up.
1. Keep Warm with Winter Forage Enrichment
One of the best ways to ward off the chill is with a little huff and puff – for your horse and you! To find fresh grass, your horse’s wild ancestors would have spent time traveling and exploring, looking for forage.
A tiny haystacks scavenger hunt is a great option for winter enrichment for horses. This easy enrichment activity encourages movement and looking for food, relieving boredom in the pasture.
Twist hay into tiny clumps and drop them throughout your horse’s paddock. You’ll get warmed up as you cover all that ground! When you turn out your horse, they’ll search for each stack of hay, have a bite, and keep going until all the haystacks are gone.
This foraging enrichment also works with pelleted feeds and hay pellets – use pans or plastic trays to set it up.
2. Bundle Up and Play Ball
Playing is a great way to stay warm, and your horse’s favorite ball toys are a perfect option for winter play.
Kicking, pushing, and rolling a giant yoga ball is a great outlet for winter energy. When it’s too cold or snowy to ride, you can teach your horse to fetch or roll a ball back to you using positive reinforcement – a perfect way to bond and stay warm.
If your horse ignores ball toys or doesn’t seem to understand what to do, winter is also a perfect time to teach your horse how much fun these enrichment toys can be.
3. Take Your Horse for a Winter Walk
Winter is one of the best times to take your horse for a walk. This is an ultra simple enrichment activity, but one that your horse will really enjoy.
Taking your horse for a walk is different from leading your horse from place to place. When you take your horse on a walk for enrichment, they get to spend time exploring, grazing, and choosing where to go.
During winter, the environment looks and smells different. There’s less vegetation and might even be snow. Plus, no bugs!
You can go on a simple hand walk around the stable or take a walk at liberty using positive reinforcement. For a sensory walk, plan your route in advance and set up a few toys or treats along the way to make the experience even better.
4. Warm Meals on Cold Days
For a special winter treat, warm your horse’s feed or give them a special hot snack.
Making up a warm meal for your horse is as simple as boiling water. If your barn doesn’t have hot running water, an inexpensive electric kettle is a must-have. It’s ultra versatile, and lets you prepare a hot mash in minutes.
To make a hot meal for your horse, add hot water to your horse’s feed. If your horse doesn’t eat grain or a pelleted feed, add hot water to a small pan of hay pellets.
You can add just enough water to soften and warm the feed, or add a lot and create a warm, soupy mash.
For extra variety, mix in special flavors and textures – a few horse treats, a sprinkle of vanilla extract, or a little applesauce or honey.
And if you use that electric kettle to make a cup of hot chocolate for yourself, your horse won’t tell.
5. Horse Friendly Hot Tea and Cider for Winter Enrichment
Warm meals aren’t the only option for special winter flavors. You can make warm, horse friendly cider and hot tea for horses too.
Hydration is crucial in the winter, as many horses don’t drink as much when it’s very cold outside.
A horse sized hot drink can make water extra appealing, and get extra fluids into your horse. And it’s just plain fun and tasty, and gives your horse sensory variety too.
Plain warmed water is the simplest way to offer a warm drink to your horse. Many horses drink room-temperature or slightly warm water more readily than cold water in the winter.
To make warm “cider” for horses, either mix a small amount of apple juice into a bucket of water, or use the base recipe for fruit infused water found here. Unlike human cider, this recipe isn’t high in sugar.
Add enough hot water from your electric kettle to make the bucket of “cider” warm but not hot. Experiment with different flavors and temperatures to find your horse’s favorites.
6. Plan Your Enrichment Garden
If hustling to stay warm isn’t cutting it, you can always stay indoors – and dream of unique warm-weather enrichment!
Winter is planning season for gardeners, and an enrichment garden is a perfect way to grow your own herbs, flowers, and veggies to use in horse toys, scent items, and homemade horse treats.
If you don’t want to wait until spring, you can start your garden early indoors. Many herbs also grow wonderfully inside. If you need a project to drive away the winter blues, a small indoor herb garden might be just the thing.
7. ‘Tis the Season for Equine Baking
Winter is definitely baking season. Warm ovens, cozy kitchens, and new recipes to try – a cooking session can be a perfect way to warm up after a chilly ride or stable chores.
Making your own horse treats saves money over store bought treats. It also lets you have full control over the ingredients in your horse’s treats.
You can make treats with whatever flavors your horse likes best, and adjust their shape and size to fit your horse’s treat toys.
DIY horse treats are a perfect option for using the herbs you’ll grow if you start that enrichment garden highlighted above. You can also make special treat toys like a DIY lick toy refill.
The Takeaway: Winter Enrichment for Horses
Though winter can put a damper on many horse activities, it can create opportunities for others. Equine enrichment is important during cold weather to prevent boredom and encourage positive natural behaviors.
By using these ideas for winter enrichment for horses, you’ll have a fun and enriched winter season – no matter how cold and snowy it is outside!