What do horses like to play with? Top Fun Toys for Horses

Horses, unlike humans, don't need much sleep. Compared to our average eight hours of sleep, horses need only about three hours. At other times, horses eat, roam, exercise and, yes, play.

Playful behavior is an important part of the development of young horses, as it helps them learn and socialize. But playful behavior is also common in older horses. It’s important to remember that every horse is different. We do see some adult horses that are playful in nature and may even be a bit mischievous or grumpy when they’re stuck in their stalls and not able to play and burn off energy.

What do horses play with and how do horses play?

There are several types of horse play, so to speak: play fighting with other horses, locomotor play or burning off steam (think running across a field) and object play.

Object play, or playing with a toy, can be especially useful when a horse is in a stall and not able to run around and burn off steam. It can help with the restlessness and frustration some horses feel when they’re “stuck“ in their stalls.

If your horse gets restless in their stall or just needs a bit of fun, shop Mary's Tack and Feed for fun, durable horse toys, such as our Jolly Ball Horse Toy. You can hang it inside the stall and let your horse twirl it around with their nose. This sturdy 10-inch toy by Horseman's Pride is safe for your horse to bite and toss and often prevents unwanted behavior, since it keeps the horse occupied and happy. It comes in multiple colors.

If your horse likes apples, they might enjoy our Jolly Apple Horse Toy made in the United States from sturdy, apple-scented plastic. We also carry other Scented Jolly Ball Horse Toys in bubblegum, apple, peppermint, banana and blueberry scents for your horse’s delight.

Toys and Treats for Horses:

Sometimes it’s fun for your horse work a bit for treats. Check out our Shires Ball Feeder in pink, blue or purple. Fill the nine-inch angled ball with a special treat (try our Nutrigood Fruit Snax, our Purina Apple and Oat Horse Treats or our Mrs. Pastures Cookies), and let them roll the ball around to get the treat out. This is a fun way to keep food-motivated horses out of mischief and busy.

If you like the ball feeder, you might also like our Kong Equine Hanging Kit. It can hang in the horse’s stall for them to play with, or it can sit on the ground. Either way, the non-toxic rubber toy enables the horse to play around and work at getting a treat out of it. You can even take it with you to horse shows to keep your horse occupied and in good humor.

Horses can be playful animals, and they can also get bored just like humans. Mary’s Tack and Feed is here with all your horse supply needs, including toys to keep your equine creatures occupied.

If you have any questions about horse toys or other supplies, feel free to contact us or text your questions to 858-333-8805 anytime. We love to help!

Check out our full selection of horse deterrents and horse toys:

Horse Behavioral Deterrents | Horse Toys | Jolly Balls for Horses | Healthy Horse Treats | Horse Ear Plugs