Maybe I’ve been a bit foolish BUT

CuriousYellow said:
Ditto. My previous horse fractured his cxannon bone (kick injury). He HAD to be turned in a small paddock with his leg bandaged....he was literally clombing the walls, barging the door- sweated from ears to ass in his stable. Took longer to heal...but we both made it through in pretty much one piece. Obviously vets advise was box rest- but even with sedation it was pretty clear this wasn't going to happen.

What you should do, aint always what you can do.;)
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My boy was too.

He was bandaged up and turned out with some friends but after a being in a small area he was allowed in the main filed.

He was more relaxed and happy and enjoying his time off rather than going mad in his stable and causing more damage.
 
No I think you did the right thing.

I will get shot down for this, but my mare did her check ligament a few years ago. She was lame in trot but ok in walk. The vet said box rest 6 weeks and I told them I wouldn't as she would climb the walls. I put her in a separate field away from the one who liked to loon around. It healed up just fine and the vet even commented how well it had done. She never had any further problems with it (although her ringbone and cushings/laminitis have been a whole different story!)
 
*Touch wood* and *touch wood* again I have never had to deal with a serious injury resulting in box rest, so I would have gone with the vets advice as much as possible HOWEVER I think if Charisma was on box rest she might not climb the walls but she's more 'inward' and would probably get depressed!! So I think turnout in a small paddock with some hay would be more beneficial for her mental state!

But again it's only because I know what she's like like Bucky does with Badger! Yes head the vets advice but adapt it to suit :) ;) within reason of course
 
QR : See, I find it a little bit scary to think of a horse with a tendon or check ligament injury or somesuch, being in the care of someone who knew so little, they had nothing to contribute to the discussion of the management plan?
Just to keep myself out of more hot water, I'm not suggesting anyone on here is that person!
But the argument that the vet has lots of training and experience, applies to medical and surgical procedures - SOME vets have vast knowledge of management and welfare. Some really don't!
Either way, to be so reliant on the vet, and to have no opinion at all on whether your horse might have an issue with box rest, or such like, seems to me to be a bit of a precarious place to be.
Which is just my opinion. Lemsip and all.
 
I know Starbuck's horse, keeping it on boxrest would not have been an option longterm, so I think you've done the right thing. Hope Badger is feeling better x
 
skewbald_again said:
QR : See, I find it a little bit scary to think of a horse with a tendon or check ligament injury or somesuch, being in the care of someone who knew so little, they had nothing to contribute to the discussion of the management plan?
Just to keep myself out of more hot water, I'm not suggesting anyone on here is that person!
But the argument that the vet has lots of training and experience, applies to medical and surgical procedures - SOME vets have vast knowledge of management and welfare. Some really don't!
Either way, to be so reliant on the vet, and to have no opinion at all on whether your horse might have an issue with box rest, or such like, seems to me to be a bit of a precarious place to be.
Which is just my opinion. Lemsip and all.
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Do you mean me?? I tried to discuss things with vet but he just poo pooed my ideas and worries and said that turn out was just a big no no! I am happy with my choice I think, thanks for the support from a lot of you!
 
Starbucks said:
Do you mean me?? I tried to discuss things with vet but he just poo pooed my ideas and worries and said that turn out was just a big no no! I am happy with my choice I think, thanks for the support from a lot of you!
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No No NOOOOOOO (here we go again) I said I didn't mean anyone on here!
I just meant, when people said they felt you were wrong to step outside the vet's advice - I felt if someone (NOT YOU!) didn't have a single thought to add on their horse's management (which you clearly did!) and didn't even want to say 'ooh, I'm not sure my lad's going to live with box rest for six weeks' or (as in my case) 'well he'll get colic for a start - so, do we try to get him out for a gentle wander round daily, or are we going to try to act to prevent the colic by medical intervention? I'd prefer to turn him out for a bit, heavily bandaged, what do you think?' - if people really had nothing to add to the MANAGEMENT (not treatment) plan, I was kind of a bit worried about their general ability to be caring for the horse in question.

But now I've no doubt landed myself in the pooh again, and I've not even overdosed on Strepsils this morning.


ETA and of course, you can't legislate for your vet's taking no notice! that's why one ends up following instinct and doing what one believes is best for the horse! I am not doing a good job of saying what I mean!
 
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skewbald_again said:
No No NOOOOOOO (here we go again) I said I didn't mean anyone on here!
I just meant, when people said they felt you were wrong to step outside the vet's advice - I felt if someone (NOT YOU!) didn't have a single thought to add on their horse's management (which you clearly did!) and didn't even want to say 'ooh, I'm not sure my lad's going to live with box rest for six weeks' or (as in my case) 'well he'll get colic for a start - so, do we try to get him out for a gentle wander round daily, or are we going to try to act to prevent the colic by medical intervention? I'd prefer to turn him out for a bit, heavily bandaged, what do you think?' - if people really had nothing to add to the MANAGEMENT (not treatment) plan, I was kind of a bit worried about their general ability to be caring for the horse in question.

But now I've no doubt landed myself in the pooh again, and I've not even overdosed on Strepsils this morning.


ETA and of course, you can't legislate for your vet's taking no notice! that's why one ends up following instinct and doing what one believes is best for the horse! I am not doing a good job of saying what I mean!
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No that all makes perfect sense now! Don't worry, I get myself into lots of trouble on here after wine and I don't even have the medication to blame it on!! :)
 
Starbucks said:
Thanks Puppy!
Was your mare on box rest when you had your accident?? I think that's reason enough for me if it doesn't seem entirely neccessary!
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Yep! Although, I have boxrested her since, (but not lead her out in hand of course! :rolleyes:)

After one lot of small paddock rest, she was pacing too much for her own good, and so after conferring with the vet (who said "Horses don't read text books") we sedated her and turned her out in her usual paddock - she was fine. The next lot of boxrest, whilst she was having IRAP treatment we always kept an open mind about whether her behaviour meant she'd have been better off out, but she was quite good, until the very end where she got colicy, we think through stress - I turned her out the next day.

My old mare I would never boxrest. She would get unbearably stiff, and grumpy. Plus she would crib herself colicy and be impossible to hold condition on. Out 24/7 we have none of these problems with her.
 
Have to say that I agree with SA, yes vets have the clinical knowledge, the good experienced ones understand that experienced owners know their own animlas and how to treat them. We used to have an excellent equine vet, who sent his newly qualified vets here and then asked us how they had gone on! When he retired we got a great card thanking us for training the young vets :D There needs to be a bit of understanding on both sides.
 
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