Coping for boxrest - advice and tips please!

redredruby

redredruby

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My horse has been on boxrest for 2 weeks now and we have 11 days to go :(

Does anyone have any tips for stopping a horse on boxrest getting too bored? I have been careful about sticking to a routine and we have been having regular scratches and doing some targeting as well.

I have tried tying up a turnip but he wasn't impressed, just bit chunks off and spat them into the water bucket. We have also done apple bobbing but he scoffed all 5 in about 10 minutes!

So any tips that don't involve loads of sugary treats would be really appreciated. He has been so good so far but really don't want him getting frustrated or depressed.

Thank you :)
 
Sympathies, We're starting week 8, only 6 to go (hopefully!). I found one of the decahedron treat ball things good. I fill it with fibre nuts so not too horrendously bad for him. Also did apple bobbing, turnips etc which mine enjoyed. Tbh he's very bored now too and Iv run out of ideas! Just hoping the next 6 weeks goes quickly!
 
amymay said:
Hay, radio, routine, company and plenty of visits.

Horses do far better than we think at box rest.
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I think you are right amymay :D To be honest, I am struggling more with the boxrest than he is because I am worrying about him getting bored!
 
Take your human thoughts away now. Its a horse, it is not thinking what am I going to do next. It is living in real time. You need to fulfil the horses natural needs - grazing, that will keep his mind in right place

Use a small hole hay net, hide bits of carrot etc in the net. Maybe hang several small nets around the box so he can mess and pick at the hay. Soak your hay, it is vital the fluid intake is kept up. Forget him being bored, your job is to keep him hydrated and passing muck. Ideally do plenty of visits, keep equine company alongside him, groom, stretches etc. He will accept his situation. Don't over rug him, it will irritate him, a hot horse is a restless horse that will roll and may get stuck.

If he is really getting stressed out and potentially harming the injury you are trying to repair, speak to the vet, there are plenty of 'remedys' that will take the edge off, but I think it may be you needing it not the horse !!

You are only looking at another 11 days, it's nothing. My boy been in since 1/8/11. Thats what you call box rest !. My boy will have his calmer tonight and I will have a scotch and dream about the final scan that hopefully will release him and I from prison.

Hope all goes well for you.
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive to those whose horses have been in far longer :o completely appreciate that in grandscheme of things a few weeks boxrest is nothing!

I guess, one of the reasons why this particular period has been difficult is cause I broke my wrist two months ago and just as I was about to be able to ride he has gone lame for the first time!!

If you don't mind me asking saz5083 and adorablealice why are your neddy's on boxrest?

Anyway, here's to some boxrest solidarity (and I will join you with the scotch alice!)
 
Second the hay! my boy coped well as long as he had something to munch - can't recommend a tricklenet enough!

i also smeared tasty bit onto a jolly ball my boy loved it as well as a treat ball with fibre cubes - whilst supervised!

my sympathy to all - but i agree it is us who seem to cope less than the horses.
 
I used to look after a pony who was on box rest for months (shock horror!) with a tendon injury, so now I actually really enjoy keeping a horse entertained on box rest! I completely understand how stressful it is though. :o I'll do bullet points as it's easier...

- Putting a small branch of willow or something for your horse to chew and nibble at (which may also save your stable from getting eaten)
- Hiding pieces of apple and carrots or nuts in his bedding and haynet for him to find
- Placing hay in a really small-holed net (or one net over another) to he spends more time eating without having to necessarily feed more
- Placing a leadrope across the doorway instead of the stable door in the daytime, so he can see more of what's going on in the yard and have better ventilation
- Having a stable lick, preferably mobile so it's more difficult to eat and less likely to be entirely devoured in an hour
- Tie two haynets at opposite ends of the stable and away from his water so he is able to choose which to eat from and has to move between them
- Place a light football in a haynet and tie it just outside his stable door (from the roof) for him to play with and bob around
- A bucket of grass inbetween when he gets his feeds (if he receives any)
- This is an odd one but if you have stable bars then you can wedge a baby bottle filled with diluted fruit juice or peppermint extract for him to suck on!
- pour a cup or two of fruit juice or a spoonful of powdered mint in his water to encourage him to drink
- I know you've already tried it with turnips, but hanging different veg/fruits from the ceiling at different heights so that he can choose
- Giving ad-lib forage
- Asking other people to stable their horse next door to yours if possible
- You could also ask peopleto tie their horse up outside your horse's stable when grooming/tacking up etc so he can have some social interaction
- Pop a radio on at a low level in or near his stable (classical music in particularl has been reported to be really calming and heavier music an irritant)
- It could be expensive, but securing a mirror - it doesn't have to be big - in his stable might help to make him feel more secure
- Using a treat ball but using grated/chopped fruit and veg (you could buy them already chopped) in a food ball instead of sugary treats
- Give him his feed either in a snack-ball, underneath an up-turned bucket or scattered around his stable so he takes longer to eat and has to think about it
- Giving him a groom or massage a couple of times a day. I like to do stretches with horses (though only gentle ones)
- If you'd rather not use a snack-ball (they aren't cheap) then you could use an old feed sack with some treats in it, closed at the open end and with a couple of holes.
- You could just chuck anything new and interesting in his stable each day for him to sniff at and explore - such as a grooming brush, plastic milk carton or mug, cardboard box, ball of string for him to unknot and fiddle with, cushion...
- If there is an animal on the yard you could place it's bed or just outside of in your horse's stable (but only when the animal can escape if need be, so if you have a rope across the doorway).

Good luck! Those 11 days will fly by :)
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The joys of box rest!

Hopefully mine only has another few days to go! I would say, if your horse doesn't need it to keep weight on, or for any other reason, cut out any hard feed and give more hay instead.
If your horse has a suitable temperment, you could try some basic trick training.. get them to lift each leg on command, touch a target and nod?

Unless your horse needs to lie down during the day, leave his bedding up in banks to save it.

Groom :D
 
redredruby said:
Sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive to those whose horses have been in far longer :o completely appreciate that in grandscheme of things a few weeks boxrest is nothing!

I guess, one of the reasons why this particular period has been difficult is cause I broke my wrist two months ago and just as I was about to be able to ride he has gone lame for the first time!!

If you don't mind me asking saz5083 and adorablealice why are your neddy's on boxrest?

Anyway, here's to some boxrest solidarity (and I will join you with the scotch alice!)
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Don't be daft, nothing insensitive at all. My horse did his inferior hind check ligament pratting about in the field. It's a long old job, very little blood supply to a small ligament wedged between 2 bigger ones.

I joined the forum when he did it to try to find someone else who had been through it but no one had ever heard of it.

Please don't worry about your horse, he will come through it well. Just keep a good record on his muck and drinking habits. You can fix his mind but if the other end gets into trouble it can be mega grief. A stationary horse is at risk of colic, keep his hay soaked and any grub you feel he needs very sloppy.
 
sandi_84 said:
What kind of stretches do you do with your horses on box rest?
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Flexing the neck to the side (so holding a treat at the shoulder) and down between the forelegs as well as forwards and down in a grazing position and forwards horizontally. It depends on the injury really, as if the legs are fine then I like to stretch the forelegs forward and up like the farrier would do, and also back and up, rotating slowly in little circles to ease stiff joints. You can bring the hindlegs forward and up also (flexing the hock) but this is more difficult for many horses and requires good balance.
 
Mine had cartilage damage and degredation in his knee. Had arthroscopy 6 weeks ago and has just finished IRAP. Sadly will never go back to his previous career but trying to get him sound enough to do some dressage or something! Will get there eventually im sure :D
 
*Waves at AdorableAlice* - mine is back out now and just coming back into ridden work, thankfully the scan showed no tendon damage. Phew! Hope your boy is doing ok

Agree with all the above. I was also recommended picking nettles and drying them (just left them outside her stable for a few days) and putting those around her stable - she loved them. And not that I did this as there is nowhere close by to get it but apparently a branch of gorse - they love to nibble on it.

I also filled plastic bottles with stones (well not actually full just some in the bottom to make a noise), and another with polos and hung them in her doorway, only kept her entertained for a couple of days but every couple of days is a couple down.

And grooming definitely - that was probably her favourite part of the day!

I also had problems with her not pooing much so was giving her a very sloppy bran mash every day to keep things moving.

Good luck!
 
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