Box rest dilemma (long sorry)

Flight

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Hi, My horse is currently on box rest, he is going to be in for at least next 2 months (found this out a couple of days ago). For past 3 weeks he has been in but I thought he may be able to have some limited turnout again this week. I have been keeping my other horse in with him to keep him company as he won't stay in on his own. I really don't think it would be fair to keep her in for next 2 months with him as I don't have time to ride her everyday and she is a highly strung horse who loves being out. I don't know what to do to keep him company. I know someone who will loan me a horse to keep him company (so I can keep that and mine in on alternate days). I don't really want to pay to keep another horse but can't think of any other solution. Should I just make my other horse stay in and try and to ride more often or get the other horse and have 3 to look after? What would you do?
Sorry of that sounds a bit confusing. Cookies if you got this far. Thanks.
 

EnduroRider

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Would it be possible to set up a small electric fence corral in the corner of your field. Literally the size of a stable so not room to get up any speed.
 

Booboos

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Ditto EnduroRider. Much more likely to keep your stabled horse sane. Alternatively send him to a rehab yard which has the advantages of having a lot of horses in 24/7 and he may be calmer in a new environment where he does not expect to go out.
 

Ginger Bear

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Would it be possible to set up a small electric fence corral in the corner of your field. Literally the size of a stable so not room to get up any speed.

I did this when my very unhappy box rested tb was on so stressy in his stable that he was going to do himself damage BUT I made sure he had haylage all day to keep him Still & munching & he had a laminitic pony right next to him in another electric fenced tiny paddock. I wouldnt have just been able to put him there by himself because if te other horses would go to the other end of te field he would have gone mad & spinning round in a tiny sick paddock is not a grea idea!
 

sonjafoers

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I can sympathise because I have one on box rest at the moment and as both of mine usually live out it's proving difficult!

I am bringing my sound one in for 3 or 4 hours at a time and then turning her out for a few hours leaving the poorly one in on her own & then bringing the sound one back in again. I'm varying the times of day I do this and it seems to be working quite well - mind you the stormy weather helps because nether of them mind being in so much!

So last night both of mine were in all night, 8 this morning the sound one went out and the poorly one was left on her own until 11 when I was down with her for a few hours, then the sound one came in from 1 until 6 when she was then turned out for the night. Tomorrow they will both be in from 7 until 12ish, the sound one will go out until 5 ish & then be in overnight.

It does mean the box rest one is on her own overnight some nights but her stable actually borders the field where 4 geldings are out 24/7 so she can see them & if they come to the fence they are only a few feet from her stable door. She had 4 days box rest in equine hospital & has been home on this routine for a week, and so far she has remained totally calm and seems happy enough in. The only time she shows frustration is when I take my sound one out but I always stay with her for a while & give her treats etc and she soon calms down.

I would say if you can get yours to cope with a few hours on her own then don't loan a 3rd horse - box rest is hard enough to cope with without taking on an extra horse too! I have resorted to haynets ( I don't usually use them ), yukky molasses full lick things ( can't believe I actually bought them but they work wonders ) and a radio. I can't use treat balls because she isn't allowed to kick anything around but they work well for boredom too.

The main downside is I haven't ridden my sound mare during all this due to time constraints with all the extra yard visits and the fact I don't want the poorly one to see her going out of the yard - it may just be the catalyst for sending her over the edge!

Good luck with it - I wouldn't wish it in anyone :rolleyes:
 

Ginger Bear

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I tried a radio, licks, haylage in nets usually has hay but was stressing too bad and loosing weight.. Some days he didn't even settle with a pony in with him!! It was hell! Sedalin helped in the end too with the sick paddock.
 

Flight

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I can't turn him out at all as the problem he has is with his hoof (had a keratoma removed). Hoof has to be kept completely clean and dry. I can't leave him alone for even 5 mins as he rears over stable door, puts feet in water buckets and flings himself around. Not good for resting poorly foot. I thought about finding a yard where other horses would be in but I simply can not afford livery fees or time travelling between 2 yards. Current yard is my own. Thanks for suggestions though.
 

Flight

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forgot to say I tried sedalin before leaving him on his own but it didn't make any difference, if anything he was worse.
 

Flight

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thought about that too but with the amount of bandages and pads he has to have on his hoof I don't think they will be big enough to fit over it. The one i have is def too small.
 

Ginger Bear

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Shame the Sedalin didn't work.. One other thing that also worked was hiding him away so he couldn't see the other horses turned out then take him back to his stable.. That worked for a bit and then I moved him to a barn stables so I could shut the doors and he couldn't see out that kept him calm sometimes too.. Still depending on how mental he felt that day.. He was also trying to jump over the stable door..such a nightmare!
 

Dizzydancer

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Oh dear! My friends gelding had that done. Luckily it was winter on a hunting yard so he was never alone. Its hard and personally i wouldn't want to turn out at all if he has had a lot of his hoof cut like my friends just not worth the risk.
Are there other horses on your yard or just you? If so could your sound one stop in during the day and out at night when the others come in?
If you have the third would you be able to turn one out day then in at night then alternate etc or similar so the sound ones are allowed a good time out...presuming they are both or atleast one is ok out over night!
Good luck hope his foot heals aswell as my friends did.eventing within 18months-although spent a fortune on remedial shoes and bits of fake hoof to get the growth-thank god for insurance!!
 

maxapple

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My horse was on box rest for 7 months in total (3 at the vets)

When he came home I 'borrowed' a 11hh pony from a friend who lived out at night them came in during the day into my other pony's stable next door to keep my horse company.

My lovely yo didn't charge me extra, as I was just using my stable. It worked really well- just a bit harder work with the extra mucking out.
 

Jnhuk

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Nightmare. I don't think it fair to expect your other horse to share box rest. Trying to think alternative solutions , can u advertise free livery for someone to keep their pony / horse with u whilst your horse is on box rest? That way u don't have the work or expense of third horse but still have the advantage of another horse.
 

ILuvCowparsely

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I put this link up doesnt seem anyone ever uses this site i find it helpful like a library saves me searching through endless threads for one useful thread

I know which member started this she asked me if it was a good idea i said yes.
All previous useful posts on treatments advice are added to the site, only the informative ones so you have a solid list of help instead of searching and searching. more things added all the time

http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/relieving-boardom-on-box-rest.html




BOX REST . (L) (suitable for laminitics)
1. LEAVE A RADIO ON 2. FLOAT APPLES IN WATER BUCKETS (L)
3. GET A TREAT BALL
4. HANG VEGETABLES AND FRUIT IN A HOME MADE MOBIL
5. DOT TREATS ROUND THE STABLE ON LEDGES ETC FOR THE HORSE TO FIND
6. PUT LIKITS IN
7. BOREDOM BREAKER8
8. STABLE MIRROR (L)
9. PUT HAY INTO A SMALL HOLED HAYNET OR HAYRACK
10. HIDE TREATS IN THE HAY / HAYLAGE FOR HORSE TO FIND
11. DOG PULLS CAN AMUSE SOME HORSES (L)
12. HANG A SMALL BOTTLE OF WATER ON A STRING BY THE DOOR FOR HORSE TO PLAY WITH (L)
13. PUT SOME APPLE JUICE INTO MANGER FOR HORSE TO DRINK
14. PUT A FOOTBALL OR HORSE BALL IN STABLE (L)
15. GIVE THE HORSE LUNCH TIME SCOOP OF READY GRASS ( SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO )
26. CUT SOME FRESH GRASS AND PUT ON THE FLOOR FOR HIM TO EAT
17. CUT SOME DANDELIONS AND PUT IN STABLE.
18. IF YOU CAN CUT SOME NETTLES AND WHEN DRY PUT IN STABLE.
19. DOT SOME LICORICE AROUND THE STABLE THE STRONG SMELL WILL KEEP HIM AMUSED.
20. PUT SOME CRUSHED POLOS INTO A BOTTLE WITH A SCREW TOP MAKE A FEW HOLES IN IT SO SMELL COMES OUT
21. HANG SOME WIND CHIMES NEAR HIS STABLE. (L)
22. HAVE THE OWNER MAKE A CD/ CASSETTE OF HIS VOICE ( RECITING A POEM ETC ) (L)
23. CUT A HORSE FRIENDLY SMALL BRANCH FOR HORSE TO CHEW ON
24. GET A SMALL WATER FEATURE , THE SOUND OF RUNNING WATER CALMS HORSES (L)
25. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE TRY GRAZING OR TURNING HORSES FRIEND OUT IN PADDOCK WHERE BOX REST HORSE CAN SEE HIM. (L)
26 PUT SOME CLEAR APPLE JUICE IN HIS WATER TO MAKE HIS DRINK TASTY AND TO MAKE SURE HE IS KEEPING FLUIDS UP
27. HANG A FAMILIAR RUG OVER HIS DOOR LIKE HIS BEST FRIENDS OR GIRL FRIEND TO MAKE HIM FOR RELAXED (L)
 

alext

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My stress boy had to stay in for three months and like yours his foot had to kept exceptionally clean! My mare stayed in with him for a few weeks till he looked like he was healing and then really th only thing I could do was put a grill up! Unfortunately he was a bit mental and bounced up and down on his bad legal after ten minutes my poor mare had to come back in. I got him a stable mirror from eBay and he lives it ! He was still a bit bouncy when she first went out but soon calmed Down and was say 90% better enough that I could leave my mare out. He did still have the grill though during the day.
It's a very difficult situation and if the stable mirror had not of calmed him down my poor mare would of had to do box rest too( not that she minds more food in the stable)
 

eatmoremincepies

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Can you carry on leaving the mare in with him for another week or so, until his foot has healed enough to cope with a hoof boot? Then put him out in a small pen in her field.

You can get massive hoof boots, or even soaking boots that go right up the leg. Feed bags, well taped on with duct tape can be pretty good especially in mud as the "sole" doesn't wear out so fast as on firm ground.

Don't suppose you have a field shelter, they do stay very dry inside as long as not near the gate. .

It's worth really questioning the vet in cases like this, (in a nice way), often although they initially say 2 months box rest, they will agree that restricted turnout in a stable-sized pen is better for the horse psychologically - as long as the wound can be managed. Seriously do push for a compromise that is practical for your setup, have worked with lots of people who have ended up with a crazy horse and worse injury because they didn't want to question the vet.

Mirrors can really help some horses IME, others ignore or attack them! But def worth a try. I have known people use a highly polished square of metal instead of the custom made horse mirrors. (Aluminium I think, not sure)

Hope you can find a good compromise for horse and get some riding!
 
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majors

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Hi so sorry to hear your troubles, horses bless them! My ginger one cut his leg just above his hoof we bought a big blue plastic boot think it was shires cost about £20. you can get them up to x large. we put stong gaffer tape over the fittings to be sure. this stayed on and kept foot dry even in a large paddock with mad horse practising his bucking and skidding. Just a thought for you, vats luv to say box rest but they need to relax to heal same as people. Good luck:)
 
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