box rest ideas

Radio with classic fm on

Vegetable 'kebabs' - carrots / sweede etc on string hung from door / ceiling

Hexagon nut ball (rather than the ones that just roll around)

Uncle Jimmy's hanging balls

Hay in nets and also loose on floor for variety

My horse in on month 5 of box rest now - so am a bit of an expert!!

Best thing we were able to do was 'borrow' a friends pony - so my horse has my pony next door for company at night, and another pony next door during the day. Helps keep him relaxed ! :)
 
oh yes thats a good idea only for 4 weeks hopefully as done his check ligament he really good dont mind to much just thought it would be nice to occupy him for some of the day
 
My horse did three months last year and she's a laminitic so we had to be careful with the food things:
double haylage netted her hay to make it last longer
some hay on the floor for a stretch
apple/carrot slice treasure hunt
gave all her feed in a ball
spread readigrass in a thin layer on the floor for pretend grazing
personally I wouldn't use Uncle Jimmy's Hanging Ball because I think it gave her laminitis last year
asked kids with ponies in the same barn to go and say hi and give her a brush or a scratch when they went in there
equilibrum pad to keep her back muscles nice and loose
tied her up outside for a couple of hours each day to give her a different view as soon as it was allowed (she has an indoor stable)
she had a jolly ball that she liked to chuck at the horse opposite!
(she also invented a fun game of throwing her headcollar and rug at him too!)
I did exercises with her like carrot stretches, leg stretches and some massage things that the physio taught me. Like if you tickle her sternum she tucks her belly in which helps keep the muscle going a bit.
I taught her stuff in the stable. For example I can lead her by her tail or any of her legs - don't laugh, it's really useful when you're bandaging hind legs, pony takes a step forward and you put your hand on the front of the hock and they step back to you. Also raise/lower head, 'give paw' to 'shake hands' and bow (but check these out with the vet to avoid damaging anything)
I used to sit and read in there too just to give her a bit of company (and I'm a student so I can work just as easily in her stable as anywhere else)

Good luck. Hopefully the box rest will soon be over and you and your horse will be able to go back to enjoying each other again.
 
The purpose of box rest is usually simply to limit movement so you can make an "outdoor" box in the yard or field for a change of scenery (maybe for daytime). Fence off a small area of yard or paddock with elec fencing or sheep hurdles or rails etc. I have always done this and my vet has always been happy with this and the horses have most certainly been happier! Best of luck. x
 
^^^ what all of the others suggested
I have always found the readigrass spead over the floor, hanging swedes and the outdoor pens to be the best.
Also, i'd say try and get a stable mirror if possible - they really do help IME.

Depending on the layout of your stable etc if you could maybe tie a small haynet on each wall, so at least the horse has a slightly different view.
 
reduced bucket food, and adlib hay, clean water and clean bed. i think the sooner they get bored and then park up the easier long box rest is. the more you stimulate them mentaly the less they cope with being cooped up. if you have a stressy type a few days with a couple of mls sedalin am soon settles them.
 
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