Mare on box rest but her turnout friend being a nightmare!!

emlybob

emlybob

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Hi All
My 22 year old broodmare has broken down and therefore is on box rest. She is in a bad way and i am trying to nurse her along as best i can.
She, however is not being the problem. I also have a 3 year old mare who is used to being turnout out with her everyday. I kept the 3 yr old in with the older mare for 2 days and then i decided that the young mare needed to go out. So this morning i brought another horse in to keep the broodmare company a turned the 3 yr old out with an older quiet gelding. The 3 year old thrashed round the field for an hour constantly to the point where she was so stressed and trashing the field that i have had to bring her in.
My broodmare did whinny a bit but it was the young horse that was mainly stressed.
So what do i do??? Do i just leave the 3 yr old in and work her everyday (she is rising 4), and normally she only gets worked 3/4 times per week, or do i just leave her in the field to get on with it??
The thing is she seriously trashed the field this morning. I don't want either of these horses to get stressed but i also don't want the 3 yr old to get too sharp standing in, and mentally as we all know it is better for her to be turned out
HELP!!!!
 
The youngster really needs to keep going out, as you know, I would persevere but maybe work her hard(ish) before turning out, possibly leave her a little hungry also and put her some hay in the field. As the old mare is not too bothered the young one will hopefully settle down over a day or two.
 
Forgive me for being thick or seeming harsh but if your mare is that old and has broken down can she still not go out in the field with the youngster? With that injury she won't gallivant and it would calm the youngster just by her being there. At that age it's highly unlikely that she will ever recover soundness and I know my vets are always very keen for tendon injuries to be kept mobile as they feel it helps strengthen them.
 
I know she will never ever truly recover. However at the moment she is in a lot of pain and moving round her box is a struggle. As soon as she can i will let her out in a small paddoct with the young mare. You are right, she won't fly around the field but while she has a great robert jones bandage on her leg, and is on bute i would rather not make the problem worse
 
my 25 year old when she was alive ruptured her tendon to the point she wouldn't get up hardly.

with nursing rest

gold label leg ice etc, she got paddock sound and then retired. can the youngen not go to a different yard while your mare recovers.??

If the mare is happy on her own thats what i would do then less stress for you

your mare
and the youngen.
 
I agree with the earlier post, work the 3 year old a bit before turning her out and continue to turn her out with a companion. Could you get some "stress reducer" to give. This is probably because it is a new situation, and I know it must make you very anxious too, but don't you think this is something she is just going to have to get used to?
 
Gosh 22 is not that old :eek:. My mare is 22 and I put her through surgery for a chip fracture last autumn - she made a full recovery and has been out doing dressage, xc, sponsored rides, you name it since then. Follow the vet's advice for the 22 year old and I wish you all the best for her recovery.
I would do as be positive suggested - turn the youngster out hungry with the other companion for shorter periods at first - you will need to do it gradually but she should be able to adapt to having a different companion.
 
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