Calmer for box rest... and any tips appreciated!

[RachelB]

Can anyone reccomend a calmer you might have used on a horse on box rest? Maiden is four days into her four weeks and my usually laid-back donkey has turned into a snorting fire-breathing dragon! She's being let out for as long as she'll tolerate in a small pen, which is currently about 20-40 minutes in the morning. She won't keep calm if I try and put her out again so I'm in-hand grazing her for about an extra 30-60 minutes as often as I can throughout the day. She has as much hay as she wants, she's not interested in toys other than her snak-a-ball (although this has to be limited as I don't want her to have too many nuts). Every thime I take her out of the box she won't stand still, she's jumping at the slightest sound and when she comes in from her pen in the field she grows to about 18hh and drags me up the field.
So, as you can see I'm trying my best to help her settle and keep her occupied but rather than settling into her new routine she's becoming more and more demented! And she's a big girl really, not something you'd want charging about on the end of a leadrope.
Any reccomendations for a good calmer to keep her on just for a couple of months until she's in proper work again? And also any tips on how to stay alive would be useful!

 

[josephinebutter2]

I tried a few when my boy was on box rest. The NAF one (think its called Magicalm) worked the best of the Magnesium supplement types. He's still on it now he's out and he seems much more amenable than he ever used to be!

Mine is very resistent to all sedative type things, so for Magicalm even to take the edge off him, it may knock other horses out completely!

30xACP tabs only just takes the edge of him!

A chiffney or bridle for leading is also essential in these circs. Your safety must come first.

I ended up not taking mine out of his box at all for 6 weeks as it was just too dangerous. He soon settled once he wasn't going out at all and seemed a lot less stressed.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[flyingfeet]

What are you feeding her at the moment?

I'd try and cut down on the sugar as far as possible.

 

[AmyMay]

We've had some success with Top Spec.

 

[RachelB]

She's only on Alfa A (she's been off work although not box rested for four weeks already, and has lost some condition so I thought I'd try Alfa A and see what happens). Sadly have just started the bag and no-one else uses it so can't swap to anything else! Suppose I should have tried Alfa A Lite then..? Actually come to think of it, I know some horses go loopy on Alfa A, I wonder if it could be this? She's only been on it a couple of days though...

 

[flyingfeet]

How long has she been really grumpy?

 

[mlm]

try anything that has magnesium in. it really relaxes them.
top spec is good.

 

[RachelB]

I put her on the Alfa A on Saturday (only a handful, now up to half a scoop, and she's still having her Happy Hoof but only a little until to give her time to adjust. She's also on Pink Powder which should help apparently). She was a bit off yesterday which was when she started towing me about, and today she is really moody and jumpy.

poor pony!

 

[AmyMay]

I have to say that I probably wouldn't be feeding anything a hard ration if it was on box rest.

 

[RachelB]

She's only having the Alfa A because she is losing condition, and she has to have something as the whole yard gets fed at the same time.

 

[Gladioli]

Lad used to go off his box after about two days on a hand full of Alpha A, so spooky he was horrid to ride so maybe have a look at the lite or stop it all together and try something else.

As for calmers I used Equine America So Kalm when he was coming back into work after a ligament injury, worked so well had to cut the dose to 3/4, otherwise he would be too quiet!

Hope this helps.

A

 

[Happytohack]

Would definitely not feed her anything with alfalfa in it. Would give her ad lib meadow hay (not ryegrass) and just some high fibre cubes and maybe a bit of hi fi lite. Equine America So Kalm is excellent - definitely think this is the best calmer I have tried.
My heavy horses heat up terribly on anything with alfalfa in it - even things like Equivite affect them.

 

[Eceni]

Happy Hoof and the new Dengie equivalent (can't remember the name) have no alfalfa and are supposed to be about as non-heating as you can get.

Alex Kurland began clicker training her Tb gelding when he had potomac fever and had to have box rest for 8 months (!). It de-stressed him and when she turned him out, he didn't have hysterics. He had also muscled up better and was no longer locking his hind leg (she'd been clicking for him to hold his leg up while she changed the dressing so he'd had serious practise at moving his weight off his forehand)

Clicker training isn't something to leap into without help or understanding, but it may save her sanity and yours...

good luck

E

 

[Sags_Deer]

a mug of camomile tea on feed may well help as well.

 

[the watcher]

NAF Magic is good, or you could try Epsom salts for the magnesium content, if she is moving around a bit less these might help to keep the digestive system moving too.
don't worry about wasting the alfalfa, it keeps for ages so maybe cut that right back and try giving speedibeet as a meal - it is pretty much all fibre and won't do any harm

 

[Janette]

Another vote for Naf Magic. Fab stuff.

 

[cosmo_sam]

My friends horse has been in for the past 7mths and she found rest and recover worked great at taking the edge of him

 

[RachelB]

Is that a feed rather than a supplement? Have heard of it but can't remember... will Google it.
To my suprise she's been much easier to handle today and yesterday, much more 'normal'. Will see how it goes but fingers crossed and she should be ok without the calmer! I think she's just clicked that actually, it's just a different routine and she still gets to go out and do things (she likes hide the carrot!)
Thanks though everyone.