Coping with a horse on box rest/Starting to walk out in hand....

Lexiemoo

Lexiemoo

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So.. my 3 year old has been in the stable now for just over 3 months, and to put it mildly is a little bit fresh.
Feed wise, she is getting nothing but fast fibre, molasses free alfa a, supplements and hay.
She is already on calming herbs, and doesnt react at all the sedalin.
The vet is out to xray her foot on Monday, with the view to me being given the go ahead to start walking in hand for 6 weeks before she can get turned out.
Now I can take her out of the stable and tie her up fine, but when we leave the yard, she just seems to lose the plot and flings her self all over with legs flying everywhere.
She did this last weekend, and resulted in me taking a trip to A&E and being lucky to not break my arm.

So just wondering really if anyone has any ideas about what I can do? Anything at all? Im open to suggestions.
I will be discussing this with the vet on Monday as well, and see if its possible to turn her out in a small field or the school to lose some energy first.
Just worried about it a bit i guess!
 
If Sedalin is not working then ACP might be better although they are not licensed for horses anymore ..At least you can alter the dose according to her needs..

Edited to add that there is a new gel on the market called Domosedan gel and it is meant to work alot quicker as it is absorbed thought the membranes in the mouth..
 
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Acp, used it on mine after 11 months inside and it worked well, gave him slightly less each day before he was ridden until he settled. Unfortunately the rehab did not work and he was turned out into a barn with tiny grass patch, the vet injected sedative before he was let go.

If you use acp remember the horse needs to be calm before administrating the tablets.
 
Lexiemoo said:
Will I be able to get some from the vet then do you think? Starting to sound like my best option.
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I am not sure if it is still licensed but your vet will certainly be able to help you with something else if he cannot source ACP. Ideally a drug that does not inhibit the chew/swallow reflex when you turn the horse out.
 
Sedaline or acp or the thing we found really good with my sister's tb when on box rest was valarian - you buy at a holland and barret type shops and give 2-3 depending on horse size. Calms them right down without knocking them out too badly
 
My purebred arab mare was on box rest for nearly 4 months this year with a tendon injury. She then went onto pen turnout by day and still stabled at night. However, as we are on a livery yard, she was very wound up by the comings and goings of other horses so on the vet's advice, I switched to pen turnout at night and in during the day. I found this worked best when I walked her out early in the morning. She was much calmer than in the evening because she had been out all night, it was beautifully quiet on the lanes - and I think she was rather sleepy at that time too!
I had Sedalin initially and then ACP. It's my understanding that they are the same drug - it's just that ACP is tablet and Sedalin paste - and only Sedalin is licensed for horses, so your vet is obliged to prescribe that first - but they can still give you ACP and it is somewhat cheaper. However, it takes 40 mins to work and I didn't have time to wait for this when walking out before work. As it happens, I didn't need it - all due to the reasons outlined above. These drugs have their uses, but getting the right set of circumstances was far more effective for my mare (I was walking her at peak harvest time and she is afraid of tractors etc. Not good on top of being very fresh! A bucket load of Sedalin would not have helped if we had met a combine harvester on our little lanes!)
 
Im with you on the fresh horse thing. My mare has been on box rest now for 8 weeks and i have been walking her in hand for almost 3 weeks. I was given sedaline for her but its not worked in the past and neither has acp. I have used domosedan gel on her for the farrier and it was brill but i think it sedated her too much to use for a walk. I have just persevered with my mare but like yours,once off the yard shes all legs kicking and leaping and rearing!! Shes almost had me a few times!
Whats your horse on box rest for? Xena had a tenoscopy in both hind legs and annualar ligament desmotomy. She recovered well but a week later she got an infected tendon sheath and i almost lost her. Another 10 days in Leahurst but she came home fighting fit and is recovering brilliantly x
 
My boy is curently on week 3 of box rest - only being walked in hand for a max of 5 minutes twice a day. Yestarday - he went spaz on me rearing and spinning..
He is on very limited feed ( fast fibre 1/2 scoop daily)
He has PSD and is not allowed to do more than walk.... Its going to be a long winter! Calmers do not touch him neither does Sedalin......
:(
Here is hoping we get quick and lasting results from the remedial shoes adn the shock wave therapy - or ill have no stable left to box rest him in! :)
 
It is an accident waiting to happen. Vets have these wonderful ideas of box rest then lead out in hand - perhaps they should try it themselves before they ask it of their clients! Sometimes I have been lucky and managed to walk something quietly by keeping within the area of the buildings. Otherwise I am afraid that I consider human life is the most important factor and we leave the horse on box rest until the injury is healed suficiently to turn out. Then sedate well, turn out and leave out 24/7 so they do not keep galloping each day at turnout stage. There has to be a well considered decision based on human safety and the horse's welfare and much as I love horses human's have to come first.
 
she was on box rest for a fractured pedal bone. one of the rare cases that managed to do it while barefoot!
I discussed with the vet and after explaining what happens when I take her out. we are going to sedate for the xrays and a trot up. then if all looks well going to turn her out while sedated and do the walking in hand from the field. he was originally here monday but is back tomorrow to do it now as he couldnt sedare her. fingers crossed for good news!
 
My boy has just finished 4 months solid box rest and started walking out... I used V-Calm (James Hart Solutions) for the first couple of weeks and it really helped. He did do a couple of 'scoots' and we've had the odd explosive day, but we can now walk out for 20 mins without any major drama - the worst he does is pull me over to the grass :) I am saving the sedalin for when he is turned out!
 
I will keep my fingers crossed for you Lexiemoo! My vet is out a week on friday for trot ups and hopefully the news that Xena can go and play out :)
4 months solid box rest.....crikey!! How long before he goes in the field? Not heard of V-Calm but if Xena has to stay in for much longer i may invest in some x
 
rema said:
If Sedalin is not working then ACP might be better although they are not licensed for horses anymore ..At least you can alter the dose according to her needs..

Edited to add that there is a new gel on the market called Domosedan gel and it is meant to work alot quicker as it is absorbed thought the membranes in the mouth..
Click to expand...

The gel works
It knocked my tb sideways be careful how much you use.My tb had leg injury and we needed back shoes off an feet trimmed without injuring farrier this stuff works a bit too well :)
 
Just wondering how you got on OP? I'm currently in a similar position and am supposed to be moving on to ridden work in the next few weeks.
 
Well, we werent able to xray her as the sedative didnt go under her tongue, and she is massively needle shy.
So I had to turn her out in the outdoor school for the vet to look at. We decided she was sound, and she has been out in the field during the days since.
Now she is out, Im able to walk her in hand, so I am getting on with getting her fit again, with a view to backing her early next year.
So all seems good! :D
 
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