Our readers keep the lights on and my morning glass full of iced black tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.5 Best Toys For Horses | Slow-Feed Enrichment That Lasts Days

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The defining feature of this 10-inch Jolly Ball is that it requires no air — the dense polyethylene construction resists puncturing from even the most determined biter. The built-in handle serves double duty: you can hang it from a stall rafter for batting play or toss it into a paddock for tugging and chasing. Multiple owners report the sphere survives hundreds of bite marks without losing shape, though the soft plastic can be chewed through by extreme chewers over time.

The bubble-gum scent is noticeable out of the box and seems to attract initial curiosity, though most horses stop reacting to the fragrance after the first few days. At 2 pounds, the ball is light enough for a horse to nudge across a pasture but heavy enough to not blow away in wind. Owners of multiple dogs have also adopted the ball as an indestructible canine toy, which speaks to its cross-species toughness.

For the price point, this is the most versatile single toy in the category — it works hanging in a stall, rolling in a run, or floating in a water trough. The main downside is that it is purely a physical-play object with no edible component, so it competes only with ground engagement, not with treat-based enrichment.

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The Jolly Hay Ball solves a specific problem: horses that ignore free-choice hay but work for 30+ minutes to pull strands from a hanging ball. The 8-inch natural rubber sphere has an opening that lets you pack hay loosely, and you can tuck apple chunks or carrot pieces deep inside for a surprise reward. Several owners note that their horses preferred the hay-ball hay over their regular manger supply, making this an effective tool for slow feeding.

Natural rubber gives this toy a different feel from polyethylene — it’s slightly tacky, heavy enough at 1.3 pounds to resist being batted around like a beach ball, yet buoyant enough to float in a water trough. The rubber compound flexes rather than cracks under bite pressure, and multiple reviewers report the same ball surviving months of daily abuse without tearing. The only functional complaint is the 8-inch size feels cramped when stuffing hay; owners with large hands or multiple horses wish for a 10-inch version.

When hung from a stall wall or rafter using the built-in loop, the ball swings and spins as the horse nudges it, adding an element of unpredictability that holds attention longer than a static feeder. One reviewer flagged that protruding hay stems could present a minor eye-scratch risk, so monitoring the ball’s position and trimming any sharp stalk ends is a reasonable precaution.

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These Likit Granola blocks are refills designed for the Likit Holder and Boredom Breaker toys, but they work in any compatible treat-dispensing equine toy. The key differentiator from standard sugar-based Likit flavors is the multigrain composition — maize, wheat, barley, and oats — which is lower in sugar and takes longer to wear down. Multiple owners report their horses finish the standard sweet blocks in two to three bites, whereas these granola blocks last the full advertised 10 days when licked rather than bitten.

The 19.4-ounce blocks are dense and hard, requiring persistent licking to erode the surface. This makes them suitable for horses that demolish treat toys quickly, as the pelletized grain matrix resists chunking off under tongue pressure. The plant-based ingredients also make this a better daily-use option than treats with artificial colors or high sugar content, though the manufacturer still classifies them as “junk food” for horses — so moderation still matters.

The three-pack provides roughly a month of continuous enrichment for a single horse. One practical caveat: these blocks work poorly in toys with small dispensing holes because the granola texture crumbles differently than the molded Likit blocks. Ensure your toy’s opening is large enough for the block to slide in without forcing.

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The Stall Snack system pairs a reusable plastic holder with a single apple-flavored treat block that the manufacturer rates at roughly three weeks of intermittent licking. The holder hangs from a stall rafter or wall hook and swings freely, so the horse must use tongue and lip coordination to catch the moving block — adding a cognitive challenge that simple stationary licking lacks. Multiple reviewers confirm the treat block lives up to the three-week claim, though horses that bite rather than lick can shave that down significantly.

The holder is injection-molded plastic with a sturdy hanging loop and a threaded cap that seals the block securely. The treat block itself contains FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No. 5, and natural and artificial apple flavors — ingredients that give it a strong sweet smell that most horses find appealing. Owners of demolition-prone horses found success hanging the holder from a high rafter out of reach of wall-pinning or leg-pawing, while calmer horses tolerated the holder tied loosely to a wall bar.

This is not a toy for every horse. Roughly 20 percent of reviewers report their horse ignored or feared the swinging motion, and one gelding was reportedly “scared of it.” The plastic holder is durable enough to survive biting and wall-scraping, but the treat block itself is not replaceable with homemade alternatives — you must buy the official refills.

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The Shires Ball Feeder is a ground-based treat dispenser that uses the horse’s own movement to release pellets. Fill the hollow ball with pony nuts or alfalfa pellets via the top opening, and the treats fall through holes as the horse rolls the sphere across the ground. Reviewers report a horse takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes to finish 1 pound of alfalfa pellets — a solid window of continuous engagement that mimics natural grazing patterns.

The plastic body is injection-molded and feels dense in hand, with no thin spots or sharp edges. The ball works best on hard-packed dirt or short grass — deep shavings or sand bury the dispensed treats, defeating the purpose. Multiple owners use the feeder on pasture or in runs, and some toss it into a large feed bin to prevent the horse from eating spilled pellets off the dirt. Alfalfa cubes are too large to fall through the holes, so stick to pelletized feeds.

The feeder’s main limitation is its shape — it rolls easily on flat ground but can roll under fences or into corners. One reviewer resorted to adding bumpers along the paddock edge. The purple color is bright and visible from a distance, which helps you locate the ball across a pasture, but the ball itself has no handle or tether point, so it is purely a ground toy.