Horses on box rest

[Jade&Syrah]

I currently have my 16.2 thoroughbred mare 5year old on box rest for 12 weeks with 10 minute walking exercise twice a day (i put her on the horse walker for this as she can be difficult to handle and don't want her doing more damage).
Does anyone have any ideas how to keep her content in her stable? She is currently on week 2 and proving to go nuts already. I was thinking swede, horse licks etc?

 

[kirstykate]

Just make sure your lick is sugar free Have you considered a calmer?

 

[soulfull]

mine has been on box rest since beginning of sept. he seems to go through phases where he is really good and really a pain. The more attention he gets the better he is, so lots of grooming/cuddling is good too.
I found he loves me mucking out around him so he could play with me and the tools
lucky enough that there is an empty stable in my block so sometimes he can stand in there while I muck out, I give him his treat ball in there as it allows him the room to push it around.

The walking out too was sometimes ok and sometimes not. He is now getting worse and as I am not in too good health am having to take him to a friends yard where she can do it for me

 

[Montyforever]

Treat ball, put hay in two nets so it lasts longer, licks are okay but will probably just make her more hyper. Box rest is such a pain when you have a horse thats got too much energy

 

[GypsyGirl]

Wahh my 5 year old tb mare is also on box rest but she's going out tomorrow for a couple of hours because it's meant to finish tomo so will see how she is!

Anyway.. I made a stable toy out of baling twine, apples, carrots and a swede hanging them all up for her to nibble on, I also borrowed 2 stable toys off my friend one is the nut ball that she rolls around (kept her going for 2hours yesturday) then when I turned up she was nodding off to sleep lol! I also borrowed a ball like a bouncy one for her to play with .. Other then that it's just a boring hay net!

There's quite a lot going on at my yard for her to watch ..

Box rest is rubbish! Poor horses!!

 

[Jade&Syrah]

Thanks guys, she was on a calmer but didn't seem to make a difference, calmest she has been was when she was sedated for shockwave therapy the other day.. how peacefull it was, managed to give her a tidy up too ;-)

She's always been one who always benefits from a loose school.

She had adlib haylage, never with out it. She seems to get worse when I turn my arab out (shes on a yard of 9 horses, and horses always walking through the yards to get to other yards and to the schools etc) so always something to watch. Grooming her had been hard as when she's tied up shell just walk from side to side, and box walk in the stable, i will defo keep trying tho!

Thanks

 

[AmyMay]

A companion.

Don't feed a likit - their awful things.

A swede on a string is a great idea.

They key for your mare though is routine. 3 visits, minimum a day - and think about a radio too.

 

[Jade&Syrah]

I see her all day everyday as I work and live on the yard, can't really have a radio on as on a very busy commerical stud/competition yard so need to here when stallions are coming out of the stallion block etc. When the yard is quieter though, we do have CD's on, but it's not often.

 

[AmyMay]

I see her all day everyday as I work and live on the yard, can't really have a radio on as on a very busy commerical stud/competition yard so need to here when stallions are coming out of the stallion block etc. When the yard is quieter though, we do have CD's on, but it's not often.

Ah brilliant.

If you pop a radio in her stable, it only has to be on quietly - no one else will hear it.

 

[Jade&Syrah]

I'll look into get one of them little shower radios.. and hope she doesn't eat it She doesn't bother when the other horses get turned out (only get turned out for hour or so a day) but as soon as my older mare goes out she shouts.. they hate each other when you put them together.. horses, who'd have 'em! ;-)

 

[Jesstickle]

I found Nitty was worse with the radio on

snack balls with high fibre nuts in are brilliant. Nits loves hers and if I put nice big nuts in it'll keep her busy for an hour or so before she even looks at her hay net. Bearts do a nice chunky high fibre cube which is hard to wriggle out

Stable miror might help. My old mare loved it and it really settled her. Nitty totally ignores it but they're not expensive and can be sold on if it doesn't work

good luck

 

[Jade&Syrah]

Thank you i'll look into a mirror

 

[Abacus]

When a bit of grass starts to come through, cut a square of turf each day and put it in her stable - she'll eat the grass and probably lick the soil for nutrients, then play with whatever is left.

Are mirrors an option?

 

[Jade&Syrah]

If i can find oen suitable i'm sure the yard owner would let me put one up

 

[AdorableAlice]

My boy been in since 1/8/11. I use well soaked hay adlib rather than haylage as I found the haylage was giving him unwanted energy.

Much more settled on hay in 2 nets, carrots and sprouts hidden in the net give him something to do.

Bromide is an option, spk to the vet.