I’ve owned my gelding Romeo for nearly ten years, and he’s always been a very busy mentally, and doesn’t like being bored. This can mean he box walks if he gets bored or stressed, for example when it’s busy with people coming and going, especially in the winter when he’s stabled more. I’ve tried lots of different types of enrichment over the years, but as he’s so clever he figures them out quickly. So when Likit released a new granola version of their licks that were said to be longer-lasting, they sounded perfect for my speedy-eater.
Likit Granola Stall Ball and Re-fills are treats that double as enrichment, and they come with the claim that they can keep your horse busy for hours. The granola versions are designed to last longer than the original Likits. I was sent a Granola Stall Ball, a Likit holder and four of the Likit Granola refills in molasses, peppermint, mixed berry and apple flavours.
First impressions
The packaging was really easy to open and releasing the lick only took a few seconds. It is a little sticky, but easy to fit it onto the holder. Straight away I also thought how good the licks smell, especially the peppermint one. I also found the Granola Stall Ball (apple flavour) easy to unwrap.
At first I tied up the Likit holder so it was against the stable wall, but Romeo was a bit keen so I took Likit’s advice and decided to hang it away from the wall so that he couldn’t pin it and eat it quickly. My stable doesn’t have a ceiling as it is in an American barn, so I had to rig some bailing between the bars on two walls to hang it up. Once that was sorted, it was really easy to set up.
It was definitely worth going to this effort as it made it much harder for Romeo to pin and devour his Likit treat, which meant it lasted much longer. The Stall Ball has a small rope loop coming out of the top to hang it from. I hung it using the Likit holder rope, but if you don’t have one then you could use something strong like baler twine or similar.
Performance
When it was set up to hang in the stable so that Romeo couldn’t pin it against the wall, each lick lasted between one and three weeks. The Stall Ball lasted nearly four. Its spherical shape makes it harder to bite, so he really did have to lick that one. I think Romeo’s favourite flavours were peppermint and apple, as he finished those two the quickest.
The Likit kept Romeo busy during the day and I could also see he was eating it at night. He typically has a very messy bed in the mornings, but having the Likit in did seem to improve the state of his stable slightly, so I think they kept him busy instead of walking around. The only downside was I occasionally left his stable with a sticky patch on my jacket from bumping into the Likit Ball when mucking out. I soon learned to duck!
Value for money
Likit refills are inexpensive and very quick and easy to use once the initial set up has been done. If your horse isn’t as food orientated as mine, you could probably have it against the stable wall, if they don’t need to be slowed down. Considering how long each Likit lasted, I’ll definitely be stocking up again when Romeo’s turnout is limited. They were perfect for keeping him happy in the stable.
Important info
Likit Granola Stall Ball
RRP £14.14*
Flavours: Apple, peppermint, mixed berry or molasses
Likit Holder
RRP £10.98*
Colours: Clear glitter, glitter pink, green, purple, red, blue or aqua
Likit Granola Re-fills
RRP £5.12*
Flavours: Apple, peppermint, mixed berry or molasses
*Prices correct at time of writing
