Box rest - in hand walking.

[Loubiepoo]

My horse is currently enduring week 11 of 12 weeks of box rest. We've been in-hand walking for the past 8 weeks (10-15min twice a day) however his behaviour is getting progressivly worse. I know the recent wind and rainy weather won't be helping but I thought as he got used to the walking and it became more routine his behaviour would improve, not get worse.
Has anyone else found this? Any tips? I have a box of sedalin at the ready but am loathed to use it as we've coped for this long without it!

 

[AnnieM&M]

This happened to my friend and likewise with the weather. Better late than never with the sedalin as in my friends case the horse got worse and she was lucky to miss a severe blow to the head, he then got loose and wound up all the horses making the injury worse. However if you dont go down that route...bridle hat and gloves. hope he/shes better soon

 

[noodle_]

my horse was on box rest for 12 months....

i used ACP's towards the end as i was sick of being kicked and dragged everywhere.....

 

[miamibear]

Hiya

Ditto!

My lad normally quiet and easy to walk out in week 2 of in hand walking was acting very silly at the weekend and yesterday. But today a totally different animal.

I think its the cold,wet and windy weather and yours and his safety has to come first, give the sedalin to take the edge off. Plus you dont want to do any damage now you have got this far and endured the 11 weeks

Good Luck

 

[DollyDolls]

I did 3 months of this with a very sharp horse.

I got the vet to give him an injection sedative which is very long lasting (3wks). It really took the edge off & enabled me to keep going.

I used a chiffney and a longish lead rope. The long lead rope enabled me to get out of the way if he buggered about, but the chiffney meant I never lost him.

As my OH said, "a butterfly farting 3 miles away would set him off". He often got fresher as the pain was reduced.

I did try ACP/ sedalin, but found that as that wore off, he came out of it fighting.

It did my blood pressure a world of good, it went down loads. However i think that was more to do with my nerves being shot to pieces. -Good luck

 

[Loubiepoo]

Thanks, I'm already using the lunge line and have tried a dually halter and also a chiffney, but he still goes up in the chiffney and the pain sensation seems to prevoke him even more Yes seriously, my horse still rears with a chiffney in!!!!

 

[clairefeekerry1]

hi

i posted exactly this couple of weeks back!! have to say in the end i gave up and with vets advice made a tiny paddock by his stable which he now grazes about in for few hours a day. i simply could not take him out in hand when he was on pure box rest!!