Life after box rest??

[jen1]

This should prob be in vet section??

Anyway my horse has been on box rest for 7 weeks he gets x rays next week, broken leg, to see how it has healed.

So assuming the bone has 'repaired' itself, what should I expect his routine will be re getting him fit again? I am thinking walking in hand to start with, but normally how long is it and how do you build it up etc, anyone who has had similar experiences please let me know how you coped? Must admit getting a bit tense about him even coming out of the stable let alone having to walk him!!

 

[archie1]

i know someone whose horse had an eggshell fracture. she led out on a bridle with a lunge rein attatched so she could hold on!

 

[Nailed]

Hey, i had a horse that had broke a bone in his stifle. He also had drains in his legs to stop infection and alot of other stitches. I got him back into work by giving him ACP for the first few days, they i was building his walking up, an extra lap each end of the day until he was walk 30 mins each end, at this point i got on him and hacked him in walk for 6 weeks.

What ever you do, when the vet ays to start to canter, give it an other month, fin was not healed and ended up with secondaryinfections
Lou x

 

[Louby]

My horse fractured his leg, had 12 weeks cross tied, then 6 weeks normal box rest. More than Leahurst said as my vet did more xrays and it wasnt healing as quick as expected. He was very over precautious which Im glad he was as although it seemed like ages, it all ended well.
I was then supposed to walk him in hand daily building it up to an hour a day to strengthen the leg but he was having none of it and we manage circuits of the yard with sedalin and a chifney, he is normally so lazy too but was a loon. Leahurst said to turn him out in a stable sized area for 2 weeks then progress to a small paddock for a week then ride him, he galloped up and down like a mad man even with sedalin. I was mortified and dreaded getting on him. The day came, I certainly wasnt going in the school as he had leap off all 4's when I tried in hand so we hacked with his mate and he didnt put a foot wrong. I just increased his hacking in walk from 30 mins to about an hour then added short bursts of trot over a few weeks. Canter was ace as I never thought he would survive or get this far or be sound. He is now a normal horse, can jump etc.
You will get there. Glad to here your horse is ok

 

[jen1]

Thanks everyone!! Keeping everything crossed for Thursday and X-rays!! he was originally supposed to have 6 weeks box rest but as vet on hols over Easter we decided to add on 2 extra weeks, which I am more than happy with! I know (if things are going OK) vet will give me a programme but I am just trying to psyche myself up for it!

loobie_lou ACP or Sedalin will be a DEFINITE! I know he looks like a safe cob in my pics but looks are deciving!

Louby Thanks for that very helpful, I am wondering re the small paddock thing some people at my yard have 'fenced' off areas with electric fencing but believe me I think he will need 50.000 volts running through to stop HIM running through it!! Unfortunately there's not much choice on paddock size at my yard so will have to use electric fencing to fence off a small area.

Thankfully he is normally fine in the manage so I am hoping that any walking in there will be OK?!! It's just getting him there! Oh well won't know for sure till Thursday, it may even be more box rest if it hasn't healed properly, just thinking how to move on from here when the time comes, thankfully clocks changing so will have lighter evenings after work to do the walking in hand! Will update on Thursday with the results! It's so nice to be able to put stuff on here and have so many kind and helpful people to reply! Thanks guys!!

 

[Louby]

Good luck for Thursday

Know what you mean about electric fence, I was lucky and YO built me a small makeshift area in post and rail. (It was her horse that kicked mine but thats not her fault but I suppose she felt a bit guilty) Gotta admit at the time I thought it was barmy for a couple of weeks but it was needed as I dont know if the elecky tape would have kept him in??