Boredom breakers for horse on box rest....

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vicky86

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Really sorry as I'm sure this has been done but I couldn't find much in a search.

Anyway, one of my horses has to have 6-8 weeks box rest (slight ligament damage). He is not aloud any walking in hand or restricted turnout for a minimum of 4 weeks, he is not too bad on box rest but is a clever horse and needs mentally stimulating and when he gets bored he gets weird and starts staring at walls and doing strange (if not slightly funny) things with his lips. I am around the yard most of the day (as i work there) so he can watch things going on, I also tie his friend up next to him when he's in so they can have a groom over the door, I try and spend as much time as I can with him and groom him twice a day but is there anything else I could do for him?

I hate seeming him looking bored and depressed, also is there any supplements I could give to relieve stable stress (not currently a problem but only been 4 days :/).

Any ideas gratefully received. Thanks.
 
hello! my youngster (4 yr old) is on box rest atm due to a spiral fracture...3 months total :s.. he has 4 weeks left...i have found a stable mirror useful also hanging sueds and parsnips in his stable and likits are good!
good luck with box rest and hope your horse doesnt get to bored!
 
My two year old - now on week 5 - has a himalayan salt lick, a normal rockies lick and sometimes a molasses lick. He has hay nets in different places and a friend next door her can beat up when necessary. (They have a fenced area we call the patio in front of their stables). The chickens keep going for his stable and he loves tormenting them...get your horse a chicken!! LOL.
 
Hi guys thank you. I think a a trip to get him a couple of licks could be on the cards, also really like the idea of hanging up some veg for him.
Clodagh - I think he would absolutely love his own chicken, he's a bit of an oddun' ;)
 
Definitely recommend a stable mirror. Even when my horse had company, he liked to stand next to himself and go to sleep. It made him much calmer and happier. Just be careful where you place it (I.e not where he eats/close to the doorway ) x
 
I've just bought the likits boredom buster for my boy and he loves it! He seems a lot more chilled now he has things to do in there as he is stabled
 
My girl has been on box rest for 5 weeks and she's reamined sane by having small nets throughout the day with carrots hidden in it, the horse snack ball with hi fibre nuts in, pieces of apple in her water, a swede hung up in her stable. I also understand stable mirrors are really good although not tried one.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Looks like I'm off to the veg isle at sainsburys and the tack shop tomorrow ;) Like the hiding carrots in the haynet idea. He's not really a greedy horse so has all he can eat hay wise. Was thinking of getting him some ready grass to help him keep condition whilst dropping off hard feed. I hate box rest!
 
Oh mine is the same!! feel your pain as box resting too :(

mine on the other hand hates it!!

I use likits/ seed balls/ carrots & treats hidden around the stable on the wall shelves if the stable has them in the haynet etc. she has now cottoned on and instead of following me on my trail of sweet hiding she cuts infront of me to draw and snuffle the treats from me lol!!
 
A swede!

The vegetable I mean, not a Scandinavian person..

Drill a hole through the middle, put a strong piece of rope through it and tie it up so it hangs loosely in the stable, about wither height.

Unfortunately due to all the rain we had recently we were not able to turn out for a little while, and doing this kept them entertained for hours!
 
Dechadron keeps mine busy - kicks it all over the place till the nuts come out.

A biggish branch - for chewing and picking leaves off, tho bit the wrong time of the year.

Swede as someone else suggested as well.
 
Mine LOVES his snack a ball - he gets his balancer in it every night. I also hide carrots in the haynet, and he gets swedes too. Haven't tried hanging them so he just has them off the floor.
 
A horse on the yard had lammi and was on box rest for a while. The owner hung up her nets in different places, hung up salt licks ect, put a radio on to calm her, put a stable mirror up, decahedrons, balls everything. She also fed magnesium to calm (and help her feet)
 
Brill thanks everyone for suggestions, I went and got some swedes and carrots today plus salt lick and readi grass, so all set for tomorrow when i will get to work on stringing them all up/hiding them. May look on eBay to see if I can get him a stable mirror as lots of people seem to rate them. I love the fact that when I put his lick him for him he was far more interested in licking me.
 
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