Boxrest - will Sedalin help to prevent horse trying to kill me!?!?

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tasel

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Has anyone used Sedalin for their horses who are on boxrest?

As those who have read my thread on Boxrest Madness will know, my horse has had a Jekyll to Hyde transformation due to her ongoing boxrest. The first few days of boxrest went perfectly fine, we could do the hand-walking easily. I think we are now on what must be the second week or so of boxrest and she has increasingly become aggressive when hand-walking. First, rearing and then also really trying to viciously bite, strike out with her front feet and rearing... all at the same time.

Put her into her bridle today instead of headcollar, but as soon as we hit the school for her hand-walking session, she started trying to bite, strike out and rear again... and this time, she even added a new tactical manouvre - spinning (with the intent to bite & strike out!). Bear in mind, this is a 16.2hh Warmblood bred to be athletic!! After a few minutes of seriously trying to do whatever she thought I deserved for "not letting her out and have some me-time", I had to stop, and for the first time - for the sake of not getting injured - I just took her back to her stable. Just a year ago, this horse was a nutcase and would buck constantly (aiming her feet at you!). It took several months to get it out of her system, but I never gave in, and she turned into the sweetest horse ever. Today was the first time I actually felt I had to give in for the sake of survival!!!

Gave vet a phone call and he's sending over two tubes of Sedalin. I hope this is gonna work. Have any of you had experience using Sedalin for hand-walking a horse gone mad on boxrest???
 
I hate to rain on your optimism but it may not work
crazy.gif
Sedalin doesn't touch my 4yr old - makes her eyes droop and that's it!

I take it you've tried a stallion chain or a chifney?
 
Oh bugger!

As you know, we're on week 12 of boxrest! Sedaline completely knocked Josie out. But she is VERY chilled anyway. I'm now managing 2 lots of 20 mins walking in hand with just carrots as a be good bribe.

RonaldoToo on here is also going through the box rest thing she ahs been using Zylkene, think she gets it off petmeds, the strongest one.

Hope things improve soon x x x
 
Scotsmare... NO!!!! I hope Sedalin works on some Warmbloods!!! What to do??? Do they have dummy pilots that can walk and hold on to mad horses??

Seriously, the way she behaves, I can't see anyone being able to deal with her!!! Afraid, the vet never saw her like this before (only moved to the area, so he never saw the nutcase she was before!).

Haven't tried a chifney - as don't have one because never needed one - but will be looking at that as last resort if Sedalin paste does not work!
 
I think you're going to have to get tough
frown.gif
. As SM says, chain or chifney - LL goes in either perfectly nicely, where a normal headcollar/lead rope he'll take off (and take the skin off your hands in the process).

Do you carry a schooling whip to remind ned to get out of your space?
 
I was in your position once, walking in hand was just too dangerous and stressful, so I moved the horse to a rehabilitation yard where they had a horse walker. Would that be an option for you, even if it was just short term?
 
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wasjosiejo - do they have Zylkene for Equines??? I thought that was just for cats and dogs???

[/ QUOTE ]

I *think* RonaldoToo gives her booy the strongest dog ones?

I'm now ploughing throught valarian stuff on web, might be worth a go?

x x x
 
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Do you carry a schooling whip to remind ned to get out of your space?

[/ QUOTE ]

Was eyeing the schooling whip in the car, but didn't take it into the yard. Will take it with me next time, though I'm not sure how she'd react - I just realised now that I personally have never used a schooling whip on her before (she's only 4)... can you believe it - even after 1.5yrs of owning her... and her being a mad-o just a year ago!?! Only used lungeing whip when lungeing, and schooling whip on other horses
blush.gif
. She responded very well to the "treat horsey fairly" thing that turned her into the sweet thing that she was... just a little over a week ago! She responded to commands perfectly, so never needed a whip! Previous trainers did probably use whips with her, but that had a negative effect rather than positive effect. She's a very intelligent mare, an alpha mare type... and normally, you have to get her to work with you - she can't be bullied to do things. (A bit like me, I guess!)


[ QUOTE ]
I was in your position once, walking in hand was just too dangerous and stressful, so I moved the horse to a rehabilitation yard where they had a horse walker. Would that be an option for you, even if it was just short term?

[/ QUOTE ]

She nearly ruined a horsewalker in the previous yard
blush.gif
(a stallion later continued to really ruin it!), so I think that may be out of the question!!! She actually limbo-danced through the rubber-type material... much to the shock of the horse in front of her!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]

I *think* RonaldoToo gives her booy the strongest dog ones?

I'm now ploughing throught valarian stuff on web, might be worth a go?

x x x

[/ QUOTE ]

Will look at Valerian... if I buy the Zyklene stuff, I may be at risk of giving my smallest dog a dose - doing my head in after being spoilt by the in-laws! I think my pets all decided to drive mummy mad!!!
mad.gif
 
I gave my mare sedalin when on box rest - it was a godsend.

Just a little now and then took the edge off her. WHen she was ready for turnout I gave her sedalin again & she went out & calmly grazed - no hooning at all whatsoever!
laugh.gif


I would give it a go, if your vets will give you a bit of a supply.
They often become 'used' to box rest after a while though. So it should get easier

Good luck
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Do you carry a schooling whip to remind ned to get out of your space?

[/ QUOTE ]

Was eyeing the schooling whip in the car, but didn't take it into the yard. Will take it with me next time, though I'm not sure how she'd react - I just realised now that I personally have never used a schooling whip on her before (she's only 4)... can you believe it - even after 1.5yrs of owning her... and her being a mad-o just a year ago!?! Only used lungeing whip when lungeing, and schooling whip on other horses
blush.gif
. She responded very well to the "treat horsey fairly" thing that turned her into the sweet thing that she was... just a little over a week ago! She responded to commands perfectly, so never needed a whip! Previous trainers did probably use whips with her, but that had a negative effect rather than positive effect. She's a very intelligent mare, an alpha mare type... and normally, you have to get her to work with you - she can't be bullied to do things. (A bit like me, I guess!)


Don't use it to wallop her, use it as an extension of yourself - it makes you bigger/taller/longer. Can use the blunt end to encourage her to stay back.
 
Tasel

I am sooo anti box rest. I have a horse who would kill me if I boxed him for twelve weeks.

Can you rig up an American Corral so he has a room with a view? Perhaps use wooden posts with three strand electric tape and give him a companion?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tasel

I am sooo anti box rest. I have a horse who would kill me if I boxed him for twelve weeks.

Can you rig up an American Corral so he has a room with a view? Perhaps use wooden posts with three strand electric tape and give him a companion?

[/ QUOTE ]

Was thinking about that, but don't know if vet would approve... we're also at a livery yard, so just creating a corral may be a bit difficult!!! Good to know though that I'm not the only one whose horse would kill due to boxrest (not that I am taking her "kill mummy" antics personally... hmmm...
crazy.gif
). OH keeps on having to remind me that the horse on boxrest isn't really my horse, but her evil twin
mad.gif
... just so that I don't take her behaviour too personal. He's much more lenient with her as he's not in the firing line...
 
Surely a horse that is reacting like this is going to do themselves more damage than if they could just move about a bit more in a small pen and stay settled? Just a thought. I have a horse that I will not box rest because it would kill both of us, you'd be amazed at what she's recovered from in a stable with a small corral outside.
I know many livery yards can't accommodate this, maybe someone needs to set up a rehab place than can.
 
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