Ideas for keeping a horse entertained on box rest!

tigger01

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Right we've tried the carrots etc on a string and that lasted all of two minutes. We've got a lick - which ends up all over everyone and everything so getting a bit fed up with that. Any novel ideas? Looks like we could be on box rest for a while so need to keep both his and my sanity remotely intact if that's at all possible. Oh and please could I have some of those famous "vibes" for Thursday. He's off to have lameness work-up and xrays to see if we can finally get to the bottom of this lameness. Much appreciated!
 
We used a stable mirror for our little mare who was on four month BR, and literally climbing the walls, trying to get over door etc! Fitted mirror, and it was like flicking off a switch! She spent all day stood talking to her "friend", who never bit,kicked or tried to pinch her hay, and ALWAYS stretched out a nose to say "hello". After the four months,when she was allowed very restricted access to a crewyard, she kept going back into the stable to see if she could persuade her "friend" to come and join her. Highly recommended.
 
yes carrots go quite quickly...

buy a gate bolt (about 9in long with a loop on one end) and a couple of swedes. drive the bolt through swede and hang. Not as tasty as carrots but good to nibble when bored.

I tried the treat ball thing you put on the floor for them to nose but absolute rubbish.

also, put hay in different places.

Mirrors are supposed to be good.
 
We used a stable mirror for our little mare who was on four month BR, and literally climbing the walls, trying to get over door etc! Fitted mirror, and it was like flicking off a switch! She spent all day stood talking to her "friend", who never bit,kicked or tried to pinch her hay, and ALWAYS stretched out a nose to say "hello". After the four months,when she was allowed very restricted access to a crewyard, she kept going back into the stable to see if she could persuade her "friend" to come and join her. Highly recommended.

Love this story.
 
haynet with small holes (i dont normally use haynets as prefer to feed hay off of the floor) but haynets seem to keep them entertained for longer.
Radio on a channel with more talking than music. We found radio 2 was good as opposed to classic fm etc.
sweedes hung up, or carrots.
maybe something like a sheep in a pen in sight of the horse so that it has a friend (but not having to have a horse unnecessarily stabled to keep it company).
Mirror.
those balls that trickle their feed.
a television (friend did that for her horse as it was noise as well as something visual).
people popping in at random times of the day.
ummm....................
 
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