9months to a year box rest - what would you do?

I had to put my mare on relax me for her 12 week box rest, the first day home she wore the skin away on her neck until it bled, and developed an aversion to having her rug taken off, I then still had to replace three panels in her stable because there were full sized foot holes through them, if it were 9 months she would probably do more damage to herself, and it wouldnt be worth it.
 
Polos Mum said:
Sat here cold, I'd say no for mine it would not be worth it. If the worst happened I just hope I'm strong enough to hold to that decision when the emotions kick in!
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I worry about that too Polo's mum - i have always told hubby not to let me send one for colic surgery - and if one had a break i really do not know what i woud do - especailly after this last one of mine - it hurts to much and i am going stir crazy with only 3 weeks house bound under my belt !
 
I do feel for you, for all important decisions in life there will always be a 'what if', all i can do is make the best decision I can with the information available to me at the time. Hindsight is wonderful and dreadful at the same time. The fact you care so much means you'll ultimately make the right decision for your circumstances (which will never be identical to anyone elses!).
Good independent support from your husband souds ideal
 
Beau had a foot op just like one on telly. He is 20 years old doesn't look or act it!! He was on box rest from Feb to end of Aug I was able to walk him for short periods and once it heal up a lot more I built up his walking out time. I dont regret doing this at all. Beau was a very good boy. Now he is back in work. All the stress etc was so worth it!!
 
Agree with everyone else really. If the horse was happy stabled and had the prospect of being painfree and would either return to work or be a happy field ornament then yes. If not no. And possibly not anyway if the horse was so old that the box rest would occupy a significant proportion of its remaining life.

In terms of keeping going with box rest if an initial spell didn't work... That would be a very hard decision to make and I don't think there's a right answer.

Either way a very hard decision, and definitely not something you should beat yourself up for
 
My old boy was kicked in the field, suffered a cut to his hock and had to stay in horsepital with a cast on for 2 weeks to minimise movement and allow the cut to heal. The diagnosis was a 'few' weeks box rest. Almost six months box rest later, he was allowed on the walker for 5-10 minutes and we built up very slowly.

If I knew at the time it would be 6 months boxrest, I would have had him PTS before he even went to horsepital.

As it turned out, he was PTS a year after the injury for other (unrelated) reasons. He had a rubbish final year.
 
JenJ said:
My old boy was kicked in the field, suffered a cut to his hock and had to stay in horsepital with a cast on for 2 weeks to minimise movement and allow the cut to heal. The diagnosis was a 'few' weeks box rest. Almost six months box rest later, he was allowed on the walker for 5-10 minutes and we built up very slowly.

If I knew at the time it would be 6 months boxrest, I would have had him PTS before he even went to horsepital.

As it turned out, he was PTS a year after the injury for other (unrelated) reasons. He had a rubbish final year.
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What a shame - so sorry to hear that
 

No he didn't Jen. He was incredibly lucky to find you and you did your absolute best by him and I won't have you beat yourself up over it because you were a bl00dy saint. So there.
 
Such a hard decision. I think that so long on box rest could really close them down :( my mare broke her leg in the field and it made the decision slightly easier to pts knowing the amount of box rest she would have had to go through and with certainty she wouldn't be ridden again and a v small chance she would be field sound. Just couldn't do it. It would *probably* depend on the circumstance tho. She would have had to have been cross tied and the strain on the rest of her body would have made her v uncomfortable. Plus I would have had to continue with FT work to keep her and IMO 2hrs TLC in the evening just wouldn't have kept her happy :(
 
Agree with others - depends entirely on the horse.

On a personal level, would I do it with my own horse? Yes I would. Cow horse had an op last year after doing his tendon end of June. He was box rested until end of Jan this year. We were allowed to do walking in hand from October onwards. He was a saint in the stable, quiet as a lamb and perfect in every way. Out walking he would have the occasional funny 5 seconds but he was always in a chifney and lunge line, I always wore my hate, gloves and hiviz and he was never dangerous at any point. I walked him before and after work, same time as a lot of the local dog owners went walking too so we met lots of nice people who still stop and say hello now when I ride past.

Rhino - I just love that photo, best wishes for your dear old horse!
 
Charem said:
Rhino - I just love that photo, best wishes for your dear old horse!
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Thank you, he really is a special boy :) This was him yesterday, he might not get to any competitions now (though I have a hankering to do some veterans classes next year - in hand if necessary) so we're doing some online shows instead. Please excuse the mane - it was dealt with today :D

Oct065.jpg


Sorry for the photo spamming on the thread - I'm in a showing him off mood today :rolleyes: :o :D
 
Depends on the horse and the prognosis.

My mare would be PTS she hates being in and is arthritic so this would be no quality of life.
My 6 year old would more than likely be PTS as well, he would become fractious and difficult as he's used to being out 24/7
My 10 year old I would give him the chance to come right, he quite likes his stable and is very, very laid back - I think he'd cope quite well.
 
AdorableAlice said:
For those of you facing long box rest I give you this guidance - listen to your vet, they have many drugs, both herbal and non herbal that will help your horse.
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May help your horse. May. Or may not.


Horses DO adapt to being inside
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Your horse did. Others DON'T


There was never going to be a bullet heading for my horse unless he was beyond hope, perhaps he was lucky to be in my care, or maybe not, everyone has an opinion.
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Or perhaps you just had one horse who did it reasonably easily Alice, which is not a good position from which to make other people who have made a different choice feel guilty?





In answer to GW, no I would never accept box rest for that length of time. I would probably have tried to keep the horse in a barn I am lucky to have if it genuinely could not be turned out.

But I worry about just how often vets are prescribing box rest these days, many times for conditions which I personally believe are better kept moving. I understand that in France, for example, it is not normal to box rest a tendon injury. A horse of mine was prescribed box rest for 10 days on discharge from hospital this spring, for recovery from an infection (cured) that did not involve bone or muscle. I brought him home and turned him out where he walked off all his remaining stiffness.
 
I think if I was in that situation, if it would be cruel to turn out (so serious hoof damage, broken leg, etc) then PTS. If chucking them out in a massive field with a quiet chum (if they were the sensible type as well, probably slightly sedated but not on bute!) could be done, then I'd probably try that and see what Dr Green did...
 
cp - i agree with a lot you are saying. The vets wanted me to keep my current two in for another 3 weeks quaranteened box rest until we did a guttarl wash. Unfortunatly for me, i got seriously hurt at this visit, but between my yard owner, me and my husband we had already quaranteened a section of field off for my two (seperatley i may add) as i have rather a practical ym, who knew that someone was in danger of getting hurt keeping an ex racer and a 3 year old used to 24/7 turn out in for a total of 6 weeks when there was nothing wrong with them.
 
I think whatever choices you make you will always ask yourself " Am I doing the right thing?"
I did a long box rest with one but ended up having to have him pts anyway so wished I had never put him through it and then seven weeks later I was faced with it again for my big old TB , so this time I let him go as we had had wonderful years together and I did not want his remaining time to be miserable, but this choice I made still haunts me , I think suppose I had tried harder he might still be with me, but his quality of life would not have been the same, everyone assured me I had done the kindest thing for him!
I don,t know what I would decide with my horse now, I do not think he would be a good candidate for box rest!
 
pines of rome said:
I think whatever choices you make you will always ask yourself " Am I doing the right thing?"
I did a long box rest with one but ended up having to have him pts anyway so wished I had never put him through it and then seven weeks later I was faced with it again for my big old TB , so this time I let him go as we had had wonderful years together and I did not want his remaining time to be miserable, but this choice I made still haunts me , I think suppose I had tried harder he might still be with me, but his quality of life would not have been the same, everyone assured me I had done the kindest thing for him!
I don,t know what I would decide with my horse now, I do not think he would be a good candidate for box rest!
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I am sorry to hear about that - but i am sure you made the correct decision based on your knowledge and love of your horse

GW
x
 
I don't see how long peroids of box rest can be benfical for any horse. tendon injurys have always been paddock rest for any I have known.

What are the other side effects of confinement and would they really justify it??
 
maccachic said:
I don't see how long peroids of box rest can be benfical for any horse. tendon injurys have always been paddock rest for any I have known.

What are the other side effects of confinement and would they really justify it??
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Its the exact opposite over here - our vets dish out box rest likes its the most normal thing in the world. I did have a bit of a row with my vet over the current two, and i asked her how she expected me to keep them quite without using sedaline each day - and when she said she wanted another 3 weeks box rest - i just looked at her and said - you dont have horses of your own do you ?
 
My horse fractured his radius. He was cross tied for six weeks in a splint. He was then in for many months. He coped just fine. He has ad lib hay tied to the the top door, licks, snack balls once allowed loose. He had the radio on and just adapted. He is a very Sharp reactive horse, it was almost as though he knew it had to be done and he just got used to the new routine. At no point did I consider pts.
The only scary bit was the return to work!
I still have him, I appreciate him more than ever and he is jumping, hacking and competing.
 
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