Fractured splint bone and box rest.

[millikins]

One of my Shetlands has been kicked and has sustained a splint bone fracture on a hind leg. It's a simple break, no external wound, no fragments, vet has recommended 8 weeks box rest then slow rehab. The problem is that the pony has lived out with company her entire life (7 years) and isn't coping. I'm doing my best, she has company each side in the day and I'm leaving her best mate in the yard overnight with a big haynet for them to share by the door. I've put up a sheep hurdle so she can see and interact with her friend but a Shetland in a stable has plenty of space to spin and get worked up. This happened on Tuesday, she's obviously feeling better and able to take some weight through the leg, has anyone turned their pony out with this injury? She respects electric fencing so I could fence a small area for the two of them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[milliepops]

As she's so unhappy i'd definitely ask if you could make a small pen in the field if that will keep her quieter. I'd probably want it to just be a small area for the injured one with the other one having a bit more freedom but always in sight, would that work as a compromise?

I did small pen rest for my horse's SDFT because she just wouldn't have settled in the stable, she had a pen in the middle of the field that i moved daily, surrounded by her mates and had a textbook recovery.
I have had a horse do a splint bone and she did her rest in the stable and tbh i can't see that it was any different. I'd definitely chat this over with your vet and explain the problem.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Def speak to your vet.
I agree with MP that perhaps an outside pen, but with a larger pen outside it for a friend to go in could be a compromise. You could swap nannies as necessary.

When I've had a mini shetland on box rest, it took 3 days for her to settle, instead of stable I cornered off part of the bigger field shelter. Her chums could access the rest of it, she could see out. For the 1st few days I penned a patch outside and left a chum in that so they could go in and out, that really helped settle incarcerated one.
Good luck x

 

[millikins]

Thank you for replies. I'll call the vet tomorrow for advice, he was young and whilst I realise that's the optimum treatment, horses unfortunately don't go to vet school.

 

[milliepops]

yeah i think they will always tell you what would be the ideal scenario, but sometimes there's a "least worst" option that is more bearable for everyone.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would speak to the vet and sedate her .
I did this with a horse in plaster it was an intense time but worth the extra five years of life he had .He was also stalled and not allowed to lie down .
It was very expensive for him ( big horse ) but yours will be much cheaper .

 

[SO1]

Mine had this injury and had a big bandage on the leg and jumped out of his stable. He was living out at the time due to not liking stables and having a habit of jumping out.

I moved him to a professional rehab yard and they put up a grid and and he was surrounded by other horses also on box rest and had a nice view of school so he could see things going on. Staff around all day who skipped out, groomed him, and helped him settle. He was a bit tricky the first night but then settled into the routine and was fine. The had a horse walker so he did the in hand walking on that. As professionals they had everything set up for box rest and rehab which made it easier. Pony now fine with stabling which is a good job as he is now on his 3rd spell of active box rest as he has a soft tissue injury.

You might think only 8 weeks of box rest but what my vet failed to say was that after the 8 weeks of box rest he was then on active box rest with walking for 6 weeks before any turnout and then it was small paddock turnout so it was more like 6 months before he was back out in herd turnout.

Pony made a complete recovery and vet said he would have passed a 5 stage vetting and you would never know anything had happened. That was nearly 10 years ago now.

If you can afford to so sending her to a professional rehab yard may work. Having two ponies in a very small pen might increase the risk of being kicked again especially around feed times.