BOX REST

In my experience standing still for a long period of time can often cause other long-term problems due to the muscle wastage. I always avoid it if I can. But on the other hand, my vet is always happy to discuss options and if he was convinced BR was the best option, I'd trust his judgement.
 
Yes and yes - psychological well-being is just as important to me as physical well-being....however others obviously view horses differently.

By the sounds of it, for once you and I are on totally the same page FF.
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Yes and yes - psychological well-being is just as important to me as physical well-being....however others obviously view horses differently.

By the sounds of it, for once you and I are on totally the same page FF.
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ROTFPMSL

It happens quite alot Tia with regards to the horses....actually you agreed with me yesterday too!

*passes out with shock*

I am being quite well behaved at the moment mind you! x
 
Do you not think this is a little selfish? Would you consider the impact that it had on your horse mentally, as well as physically?

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Why would this necessarily be selfish? Surely the impact it has on the horse mentally would depend upon the horse?

I found my horse adapted well to box rest even though I assumed he would hate it. I tried to make life as interesting as possible for him and all his horsey friends visited him regularly.

He's had many happy years since - I'm very glad I didn't have him PTS then.

I'm not saying that it would be the right decision for every horse but I think it's assuming a lot to make the sweeping statement to say it's selfish.
 
I haven't voted cos I think it depends on individual horse and vets prognosis. Our pony was on 3 months box rest, the first 6 weeks of which she was cross tied. She is a very fizzy, nervy pony and I worried she wouldn't handle it but she was ok. I think it helped that after the first 3 weeks we brought her home and she was stabled next to another pony, with a low wall between, 24/7, (we swapped the pony next to her it wasn't the same one all the time!).
 
Re the what if it were a human, a friend of mine broke a bone in her neck in a riding accident. She spent 2 months flat on her back in hospital, she was not allowed to move. Of course it was not pleasant, in fact it was absolutely horrendous for her, but she was prepared to do it as she knew there was a good chance she would make a full recovery at the end, which I am happy to say she did.
 
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Yes and yes - psychological well-being is just as important to me as physical well-being....however others obviously view horses differently.

By the sounds of it, for once you and I are on totally the same page FF.
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Ah, but you are assuming that all horses react very badly to box rest...whereas I've known horses who couldn't cope with being out...ran along the fence and injured themselves trying to get back in...so it's horses for courses.
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I have to say I dreaded box resting my 2yo colic surgery girl, but she wasn't at all bothered, didn't show any signs of stress....or anxiety....remember that they are often recuperating and need to sleep and rest a lot. Initially walking her around for 10 mins tired her out....
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but I knew from her behaviour when she was ready to move on a step...going out for longer, walking for longer etc.
S
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my poor lad got really depressed after two days box rest, i would really have to think closely about anything over a month, i think it would drive him mad. as someone else said, i'd probably turn him away for a year, and i agree that BR does more harm then good, mentally at least.
 
Definitely depends on the horse. Here's my experience: initial injury required box rest for 6 months, then started walking etc, escaped from stable when someone neglected to do the kick bolt up, re-injured, a further 3 months box rest, then back in work for 4 months, freak accident in stable, operated on, 2 months box rest then the rehab all over again. Horse remained calm and quiet throughout, had deep bed and lots of hay. Three years on he's hunting every weekend and has a wonderful life. Financially it was a disaster for me but he has a fabulous life now. Would he really be better off dead?

Also know another horse that was advised to be PTS due to hock injury. Had a year in the box then made very successful return to racing and retired as a hack 4 years later.

Lots of horses settle well to box rest. Each case needs to be assessed on its own merits.
 
My old cob was on box rest for 8 weeks when he did his tendon in, he coped with it well seemed very happy (so I thought) when he was eventually left back out he refused to go back in stable, eventually got him to go back in but he won't stay there any more he either walks round and round or tries to climb out, now he is happy to go in and have his food and hay but two hours max before he tries to come out, so bpx rest really screwed him up and made him claustrophobic I suppose.. so yes I would do box rest but as a last resort
 
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Up to 2 months would be the maximum I would be prepared to have a horse on proper box rest for and ONLY in extreme circumstances.

There's absolutely no way I would keep a horse on full box rest for any longer than this timeframe - the horse would be either turned out in a small paddock to fend for itself or would be put to sleep.

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I'm sorry but I think that's a ridiculous statement! I would think more of a welfare issue to put a potentially healthy horse to sleep than box rest - who are we to make that decision and deny them the chance of getting better? Also why bother going for a professional diagnosis and then ignore the vets advice at the end of it?

My horse was box rested for 6 months for a foot injury . Luckily he has a good temperament and though he became very difficult to lead out of the stable for his short periods on the horse walker, there were no signs that he was at all stressed by the experience.

All cases must be considered individually and some horses are better candidates for box rest than others. However most horses do adapt - ususally better than the owners!

Incidentally my horse was given a guarded prognosis of becoming sound and I was told that turn out even in a small paddock would reduce this so I was really carefull. I did turn him out in stable sized area towrads the end of the 6 months but it was probably 12 months after tha start of the box rest before he was back out in a decent sized paddock. This was 3 years ago. He is now back to being a 'normal' horse, and competing sucessfully at Medium Dressage. At 11 years old he hopefully has many more years ahead of him - so should I really have had him PTS?!
 
Isn't it quite quirky on this forum, because you think my comments are ridiculous because you choose to disagree with me. I think the way people respond always says a lot about members on here.

We, as owners, are the ones to make these decisions and perhaps offer the horses a chance or choose to put to sleep, because we are the ones who pay the bills.
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With your horse, as I previously said, it would have been on box rest in a stable for 2 months maximum and then it would be turned out in a barn or corral and it would have to take its chances. I would not keep a horse in a teensy stable for longer than 2 months.

Does anyone else find it wearing having to type out the exact same things that you have already typed out? I thought my posts were pretty clear as to what I would do.
 
Absolutely. I, however did not make any judgement, criticism or personal comments aimed at you because of your opinions though - that is the difference.
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My old mare Royale I would have only box rested for the bare minimum - if we were looking at prolonged BR then I'm afraid I would have had her PTS. Georgie on the other hand, loves his stable and handles BR far better.
I can't make a hard and fast rule - too much would depend on the horse, the injury and the prognosis.
 
I don't consider the many many hours(possibly years) of my life spent nursing bl**dy lame horses on box rest and controlled exercise selfish but I suppose it depends on how you look at it really! Maybe I'll just have them all shot in the first place in future. Thanks for that.
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I reckon, and its only MHO, that if a hope can cope with box rest for 2 months it can cope period. Of course there's the odd one that bashes its head into walls or sinks into sickly depression and maybe they should be PTS or chucked out to take their chances. Most horses are not as flakey as you're making out and they can deal with box rest. After say a fortnight the majority who can adapt have adapted and they don't expect to leave their stable. Don't care if some people think I'm mean, I think indefinate box rest is fine if there's light at the end of the tunnel.
 
It's a difficult one - how long is a piece of string.

I tend not to box rest for tendon/ligament injuries, and my vet tends not to recommend it, knowing my set up (quiet stable herds, level fields, horses used to being out 24/7). Unless of course the tendon/ligament injury is that bad that the actual stability of the leg is compromised and the horse needs to be immobilised (ie cross tied).

I would box rest for open wounds that needed to be immobilised to heal, and for broken bones that need to be immobilised to heal.

None of our horses stable very well - two are acute weavers which is why they live out. So any decision to box rest has to be taken with this in mind - rocking from side to side constantly will not rest their legs. That said, on the few occasions when they've needed box rest, they've coped pretty well with it as they seemed to know why it was needed and for how long. Last time I had H in for an injury, he definitely told me in no uncertain terms 'I'm better now, let me out' one day, and luckily the vet agreed.

So I guess it would depend on the horse, the set up, what the alternatives were, how well the horse was coping and what the overall prognosis was.
 
I didn't tick a box as it really depends on the situation, owner, horse, environment!
My old boy was on box rest for 5 months due to Cushing Induced Laminitis, this was under Vets orders or he would have had to be PTS, however I am very very lucky that he came through it and can now even be ridden out again, but is in a starvation paddock, but is a very happy chappy ...... BUT not sure I would put him through that again or would I
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