It all happens at once....

[niko]

If you have read my other thread regarding horse on box rest for tendon sheath infection, she has been on it for 10 days.
How do you people who have/have had horses that are fit on box rest cope?
She can be walked in hand for 5mins after bathing her leg, she has been so good...until this morning.
Im not sure if it was the sun or starting to feel better but she had a boogalu moment walking across the concrete yard to her stable.
So reared and through a buck, as i was running to the end of the lunge rope she struck me on the back of the thigh (thank god not bone or it'd be broke!) landed and cat leaped and never quite regained her footing landed on her side and scuffled up.
Stood quaking at her antics as i stood telling myself not to pass out with pain. I hobbled her back to her stable and left her for to ring someone (mum was out hacking and no one at home) until the shock passed.
I then lifted a bucket of salt water to tend to her on my way back out. Thank goodness i had bought eskradon climatex bandges on Friday as vet wants as much heat as possible to keep the circulation in the leg and she was suited and booted.
Few scrapes on her shoulder and one on her hip but nothing as i thought it would be. Now im bathing what feels like the whole horse as i woddle about.
She was soo crazy i politely asked mum for her radio to put in the shed to keep her company as talking seems to soothe her and all my other horses are out. So just back in from mucking her out and seems content listening to a garden programme on radio 4!!!.
Any hints and tips on preventing these antics greatly appreciated as (touch wood) i have not had something on box rest for more than a few days until now.
Fit 4yr old tb mare on nothing but hay and balancer to make her eat her antibiotics.

 

[Amy567]

We got a stable mirror... though be careful, it works for some and not others... one mare (suspensory ligament injury and took some of her cannon bone off with it) used to kick the side of the stable.... so much, she actually knocked the entire wall down and trotted round the stable yard for a bit... it seemed to calm her down, but in the end, she wasn't improving so we just let her retire and live her days as a lawn mower

Second mare.... soon as we put it in she kicked it and the shatter proof special mirror, shattered everywhere. She was lame for a year and we put her on 'yard rest' instead. We have a small slabbed area in front of the stables about 20ft by 20ft and she just walked around in there, until we felt mean (got to 5 months and she was desperate for grass) so we put a stable sized electric fenced area in the paddock and made it slightly larger every day until we knew she wasn't going to do the light fantastic when we turned her out

Sorry if it doesn't help but that's what we did

 

[Littlelegs]

You have my sympathy. I am a big fan of valerian,the max dose in the liquid form. My mares not one for toys, but I did entertain her with hidden carrots, Swedes on strings, bobbing apples in water etc. I used to always hand graze before walking, for my fatty got her focused on food initially, rather than racing. For mine every leap/ fit delayed her recovery, so I used to carry emergency treats for if I did think she'd lose it (never been a nipper & has been hand fed lots before, not saying its suitable for all horses) hope she's on the mend soon, good luck.

 

[rockysmum]

When our stressy warmblood mare was on box rest I was terrified when the vet said to walk her in hand. The vet suggested sending her to a rehabilitation centre where she could go on the horse walker.

As it turned out she actually enjoyed the box rest, watching everything going on in the yard. We did rotate the others so she always had company, a bit unfair on the others but it kept her happy.

I do know people who have used calmers or even oral sedatives, but personally was not sure that long term use was a good thing.

And we started walking her in a bridle, not a headcollar for more control.

Hope you are feeling better now.