10 activities for barn brats on a rainy day

The kids are circling the barn, all pumped up about their lessons, and the weather is looking more dismal by the moment. Instead of crushing their little souls, take Megan Kaiser’s advice.

Top photo: Little Joules Horse Wellies–so cute, I know!

From Megan:

Ten activities for barn brats on a rainy/snowy day

1.  Create your own dressage test.  It should contain certain elements and they need to be performed both directions. Or create their own course–have them draw out where your jumps in your ring should go (with distances) and create several courses for different levels of riding skill.  Or do the same thing with trail obstacles.

2.  Do your own conformation clinic.  Pull out two or three horses and compare their conformation.  Just like in the magazines but in real life.

3.  Horse A to Z– make a list of horse related words starting with each letter of the alphabet.  You get one point for each word that you have that no one else has–most points wins.

4.  The ever practical, but not much fun: practice braiding or wrapping

5.  Show name brainstorm–think of fun show names so you have a list to pick from when a new horse comes in.

6.  What is in that grain?  Pull off the grain bag tags and look what is in them.  How do they compare?  Talk about why each horse gets their type of grain.

7.  Make haynets from bailing twine–Google it, there are several sites with instructions.

8.  Fastest to put together a bridle–-for an extra challenge try it blindfolded.

9.  Design and build a jump or trail obstacle.

10.  Tell them stories of the crazy and stupid things you did as a kid with your horse.