Feed balancers and box rest?

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My horse (in case you didn't already know!) is on box rest and restricted turnout with 3 walk hacks a week for 20 mins. He would be hacked every day, but with light and work thats all I can manage.

I have put him on a feed balancer, as I thought this would be good to give him everything he needs, but without making him put on weight. He probably gets through about 3/4 - 1 bale of hay a day with a cup of balancer morning and night. Trouble is, he is not walking on our hacks :mad: He will be sensible 90% of the time, but then something will set him off and we can piaffe, mini rears, levades, canter on the spot etc - which is obviously not good for recovering from ligament damage. I was considering a calmer, but spoke to a friend who said balancers can soemtimes send them loopy, has anyone else had this? I will be cutting out his balancer tonight and see what happens.

I will also be replacing my knackered old draw reins and he will be wearing them this evening which will hopefully give me a bit more respect and control. :mad:

Greggs mince pie for anyone?! :)
 
It could be the balancer, or it could be he's on box rest and only being worked 3 times a week so getting a bit excited.
 
Hmm, I know. I am trying to get hold of the vets to tell them of my issues with the exercise, but I think they won't believe me as everytime I have been to the vets it has been like having a beach donkey on the end of the leadrope :rolleyes: Trouble is, I think even if I coudl get out more, he would still be the same due to not being turned out properly. Plus I can only go a couple of routes then turn around, which is not really v interesting for him!

I am meant to be trotting him by now, but atm he is still not sound in trot (something else I need to ask vets about!)

Was just wondering if anyone had put their horse on a balancer, not changed anything else and noticed a difference?
 
I have every sympathy for you, as my mare is just the same - walk doesnt come into the equation! I would go with your initial instinct of taking your lad off the balancer just giving him hifi lite (or orig if you need more calories) with a vit&min supplement and possibly magnitude as a gentle calmer with the added benefit of it helping with weight. I too use draw riens for added respect, the only trouble is that she then turns into a big boingy ball! Cant go forwards, ok, Ill bounce instead! x
 
The feed balancer may be causing a problem, but on the other hand you need to be giving your horse all the nutrients he needs to heal himself. Perhaps try a broad spec vit and min in a powder form?? To be honest your problems are probably just because he is on box rest - If i were living in a room all day long, I think I would go pretty mental when I was let out - I would certainly want to stretch my muscles, so draw reins sound pretty hideous to me :(
 
Kittykatcat - I have no intention of using the draw reins, only is he decides to be a complete prawn will I pick them up. TBH at the moment, some of his antics are not brilliantly intelligent for him to be doing on the roads (which are luckily quiet) so they are to be used a method of control.

I will be moving him onto a handful of fibre nuts (which afaik are v low calorie) which will just be there for me to mix the vit and min supplement into.

Rosehip - I wish I could explain to him that the better behaved he is, the quicker he will be back out with his friends. Even considered getting a communicator to come and talk to him - as have heard some people's horse have been better behaved afterwards. Clutching at straws, moi?!
 
It completely depends on the balancer. Which are you using?

My broken horse has Topspec lite, which I don't think heats her up at all. I used to have her on Bailey's lo cal, which she looked very well on, but I changed as the Topspec is 30% lower in calories and starch.

I would imagine it's just the boxrest though. It can make even the most sweet and placid horse into a mad beast - I have the scars on my face to prove it!
 
Puppy - I did think of you the other day when grazing in hand and his hooves came perilously close to my face :eek:

He is on Topspec Comprehensive, but could move onto the lite? I think I will give him 2 weeks off the balancer - that should be long enough and see how it goes before introducing anything else. He is also on the TopSpec 10:10 so does need to be fed a little of something to mix it with. He gets ruta grav/rustox/arnica concoction sprayed onto his gums too. (I'm not too popular for doing that, despite post-spray treats!)

I would like to give him carrots in his day pen, but the sugar them sends him a bit lively during normal work - coudl try a swede to keep him amused?
 
Eak! Please don't risk the grazing in hand. I know you think it won't happen to you/your horse wouldn't do something like that, but believe me, it's just not worth the risk.

I have my other horse on the Comprehensive and I would say they are notably different. ie - I wouldn't give the comp stuff to Be, and the lite wouldn't be adequate for Charlie. You probably would be better off cutting out all hard feed altogether for a bit, or at least using the lite stuff whilst he's in.

I would avoid swedes/carrots/parsnips too I'm afraid as they are all sugary.

Incidentally, I have a £3 off topspec 10:10 joint support (1.5kg) voucher if you'd like it? Just PM me your address. :)
 
Thanks Puppy, that would be great - pm to follow!

He is grazed in hand, but only around the stables, and in a holding pen we have for feeding our oldie. Not in the field anymore - he is sensible anywhere but the field.

Hard feed to be cut to a handful of fibre nuts to mix in supplements from tonight. Its a tough balance of feeding him enough hay, not making him fat, and making sure he gets all the nutrition, without making him crazy - wish I had had more practise doing this kind of horse management, its far harder than the 'ditch them in the field management' we normally do. :p
 
It hadn't even ocurred to me that it might be the balancer until I spoke to a friend! He gets so little of it, who would have thought it would make a difference! :eek:

Today is a riding day for him, so an afternoon off work for me! :D
 
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