Hands-On Creativity: Parker Residents Make Puzzle Feeders for GallopNYC Therapy Horses

Residents at Parker Jewish Institute put their creativity to work on September 12, 2025, by making puzzle-feeder toys for the therapy horses of GallopNYC. These fun, interactive puzzle feeders keep horses engaged while they enjoy their food. A nonprofit organization, GallopNYC provides life-changing therapeutic horsemanship programs that improve the lives of New York veterans, senior citizens and those with disabilities. 

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Horses are highly intelligent animals and require mental stimulation and activities to stay engaged. Puzzle feeders encourage foraging behavior and help lengthen mealtime. Parker’s residents crafted the puzzle feeders from cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls and painted them in calming shades of blue and green. These colors are thought to help soothe horses, which see only a limited range of colors. Residents enjoyed the hands-on activity and were happy to support this noteworthy nonprofit. 

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