my horse keeps getting cast what should i do?

[1987rider]

I have only had my horse 6 weeks but she keeps getting cast the first 3 times i was there, each time i went in calmed her down and then told her to get up and if she didnt suceed id straight away tell her to stop let her lay calmly for a bit then tell her to try again and she has always managed to get up herself eventually but today i got up the yard and she was covered in sweat and the only reason i could think of is if shed got cast . How could i try to stop her from getting cast? She has quite a big stable and big banks. Any advice would be greatly appeciated.

 

[littleme]

Smaller stable!

 

[tikino]

get her an anti cast roller to be on the safe side as she could end out rely hurting herself or worse still ywist her gut will struggling.

http://www.derbyhouse.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=2968&cat=2&scats=49,96

 

[Bosworth]

I agree with the small stable - she then can't roll.

 

[1987rider]

do anti cast rollers work? as i was doing some research into them and some people were saying through there experiences it didnt help and in some cases actually made it worse as it gave them less chance of getting back when theyd managed to roll over up untill id read that i was certain i was going to get one but now im not sure.

 

[1987rider]

I will have a look at some of the other stables i dont want one so small that she cant lay down at all as she does like to sleep a lot but obviously if its the only option then thats what will have to be done.

 

[jesterfaerie]

Bigger bankings, and a smaller stable.
Bandage her up as well as possible.

 

[shirley123]

you could put up anti-cast rails then she would have some 'purchase' on the walls. you have to use good solid lenghts of wood 3"x2". it worked for my horse and a friends- well we never caught them cast again!

 

[Silverspring]

Anti-cast roller is the cheap option, I know a little mare that couldn't be left for 2 seconds in a stable without one on.

The other option is bigger stable so she won't get so close to the walls, huge deep litter bankings so she can get herself back over or rubber matting with little bedding to discourage rolling.

 

[emma69]

For mine, he had a big stable so we built out the banks so they were a) pretty robust) and b) very wide (about 2 feet across). That way if they roll too close to the wall, they actually have wiggle room as they will easily kick thorough even pretty robust banks (flimsy ones won't work). Ours were straw, never tried it with shavings, but the same principle should work.

 

[1987rider]

ive just spoken to a lady that has sugested that as my horse is still young she may realise that she cant roll over if she keeps getting stuck?? and that i should see how she gets on over the next 2 weeks. I understand what she means but i dont want her to get injured whilst im waiting to see if she learns. I think im going to give her bigger banks (they are pretty big already maybe perhaps need to be a bit wider) and bandage her for a bit too see if that helps.

 

[Lanky Loll]

One of ours used to get stuck regularly - despite at the time being kept in a barn with a couple of other youngsters - apparently a 15 x 25 ft bed plus walk area isn't big enough! Thank fully he'd just lie there until rescue arrived.
Once he was moved to a stable he got stuck a couple of times but now seems to have "sussed it" and (touching lots of wood) hasn't got cast for a while now. He still frightens the life out of me everytime he rolls though (which is EVERY TIME he goes into his box after being in the field / worked / whatever!!)
We did work out that the easiest way to get him up (thankfully he so chilled he just watches you do it) is to loop a lead rope around the front and back leg on the wall side - then pull him over.

 

[FRESHMAN]

How can anyone suggest that an Anti Cast Roller doesnt work! That is why it is called Anti Cast. Providing it is a good solid one (leather & Iron cast) it will prevent a horse from getting down too close to the wall of a stable or rolling (& getting stuck close to the walls) A smaller stable is a greater hindrance. I have had a horse get cast in a 60m X 30m Indoor school & also a field! So never say never. BUT. Buy a good anti cast & I have no doubt it will prevent this problem.

 

[Silverspring]

[ QUOTE ]
ive just spoken to a lady that has sugested that as my horse is still young she may realise that she cant roll over if she keeps getting stuck?? and that i should see how she gets on over the next 2 weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is a huge risk to take, in 2 weeks the horse could get cast and twist a gut, seriously injure it's legs or injure it's back. Personally i wouldn't be taking the risk, some horse's will roll in stables no matter how often they get stuck, the fact she has done it more than once makes me think she isn't going to learn anytime soon.

 

[merlinsquest]

From reading the OPs first post I am assuming that she is not getting cast from rolling over too close to the wall..... othewise the horse would not be able to be 'told' to try again, it would be impossible for the horse to get up full stop.....

Is it that the horse is getting down in the stable and not able to get up even though she should be able too???

Sorry if I have read it wrong, but my vision of being cast is where the legs are too close to the wall to enable the horse to rise again.

If this is the case..... you need to look at why the horse cant get up.... are her hocks sore, or has she hurt her back..... or another reason why she is unable to get back to her feet

Good luck, but in the meantime, be very careful.

Oh, and would an anti cast roller stop a horse from misjudging the distance it is from the wall ie. laying down too close in the first place...... or does it just work by stopping them from actually rolling over when laying down???? Thankfully its not something I have ever had to use

 

[Silverspring]

It mainly stops them rolling over but it also stops them lying flat if they are already too close to the wall. If the horse is doing as you descibed (going down in the stable but not being able to get back up even though it is not too close to a wall) then it is not cast. I read the OP and assumed she knew what cast was and when she said she helped her up I thought she meant pulled her over from the wall...

 

[kellyeaton]

put bales of straw around her stables try using them as banks!

 

[Chavhorse]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ive just spoken to a lady that has sugested that as my horse is still young she may realise that she cant roll over if she keeps getting stuck?? and that i should see how she gets on over the next 2 weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is a huge risk to take, in 2 weeks the horse could get cast and twist a gut, seriously injure it's legs or injure it's back. Personally i wouldn't be taking the risk, some horse's will roll in stables no matter how often they get stuck, the fact she has done it more than once makes me think she isn't going to learn anytime soon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry please do not just leave this to see what happens I don't know if you have read my post and seen the photo's of the injuries my Lad suffered from becomming Cast if not here is the link

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4559085/page/1/fpart/1/vc/1

Suffice to say this has been a stressful, worrying, and very emotional 10 days not to mention a highly expensive one! However he could so easily have broken a leg or had a twisted gut so I am counting my Blessings Varid too is young only just 4.

Go and buy a good quality Casting Roller Now.....and get your horse used to the fact that she can't roll in her stable. I have already bought my Boy one and as soon as his back heals enough to wear it he will!

Sorry i don't mean to bash you but as you can imagine I have become somewhat evangelical regarding this and if I had had any inkling that my lad was even doing this I would have done anything in my power to have stopped it.