Inflatable balls for horses

[sarahbeth]

Not sure if anyone has really heard much about them...they're HUGE balls that horses are meant to kick around and 'enhance his play-drive and curiousity'. Pat Parelli sells them on www.parellicollection.com. I'm just wondering has anyone tried them and if they are actually worth it? :p
At Breyerfest(a model horse festival in america that I went too this year) there was a curly horse doing Parelli for a demonstration, and he was nosing around a large light green ball. He wasn't thrilled about it, but he wasn't flicking back his ears saying 'Big green ball=big green monster' :rolleyes:
Here's some pictures from the website:

http://www.parellicollection.com/BallCasper.jpg

http://www.parellicollection.com/BALLPatMagicBounceW.jpg

[Jacquie]

They're brilliant, I've go a large inflatable ball that TB plays loads of games with.......
You don't necessarily have to go to the expense of buying A PNH ball though. I've got one of those gym balls they're just as good but only half the price. ;)

[smaggi]

I've been considering getting one too. What kind of games do you play with it?

[Lgd]

Peri has a 'stall ball' which is a bit bigger than a basketball and has a handle on it (horse mouth-sized). She will pick it up and boot it round the stable and on one auspicious occasion threw it over the door at one of the staff at my old yard (and hit them) :D

She doesn't bother with it in the field, although the two geldings will fight over it if you put it in. The girls also have a decahedron which has a hole in it for food - they have to roll it around to get the horse nuts to fall out, Keeps Tavia amused for hours but Peri is a greedy baggage and has sussed out exactly how to tip it for food and can empty it very quickly.

[Jacquie]

I've been considering getting one too. What kind of games do you play with it?
Apart from playing football and 'chase me charlie' I also incorporate the ball into the PNH seven games. For instance, for the extreme friendly game I bounce and throw it around and over TB (it's to large to roll it underneath him). For the Porcupine game I use it instead of finger pressure. For the driving game I use it as an object for rythmic pressure. I sit on it when playing the circling game and use it as an obstacle in the squeeze game. I haven't found a way to use it in the yo-yo game or sideways game but I'm sure if I used my imagination there would be a way of incorporating it into them.
This ball has really helped TB become much braver and also added a lot more fun into playtimes. :D ;)