Post box rest/controlled exercise???

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JK-min

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Any tips for controlled exercise at the end of box rest?

When the time comes she would have been on box rest for 12 weeks and we’re aloud to walk her in hand for 10 minutes each day for a week before back to normal life.

She is only 4 and very lively. I am already anticipating what a nightmare this will be as I know how hard she can be through winter even when exercised everyday from spending most her time in the stable.

Any advice to make this not to stressful for both me and her? She tore her tendon completely in half so I could really do with her not jumping all over the place which is harder said than done when they’ve been kept away from the real world for quite some time. I have been fortunate enough to never need more than a weeks box rest with any horse so I am a complete newbie with this (although she is not my first rodeo when it comes to horses pratting about haha!)
 
Having just had my horse come out of 5 weeks of total box rest I feel your pain! Ours was just an injury to the tendon sheath nothing as serious of what your horses injury so I understand how you need to get the build up gradual.

My horse was like a ballon on his first walk out! I got some calmer from my vets to help, sorry I can’t remember the name of it, but it took just 30 mins to work and was just enough to take the edge off. Could you also get the help of someone else to walk with you?

We then managed to turn out in a small area and build up the time and space allowed. Thankfully all is well and he is out 24/7 from this weekend.
 
The plan is a week of 10 mins walking, then I can turn out in a small area alone and will probs allow her an hour a day for a week before progressing to normal turnout. Once I make it to the solo turn out I will be fine because she won’t be attached to me haha! It’s the controlled exercise that I’m worried about. I will definitely be accompanied, I thinking I will need a calmer.

Poor girl has missed the majority of her summer turn out.
 
I am surprised you can go from 10 minutes walking to out in a paddock. I am rehabbing my mare and have a month of walking in hand from 10 minutes leading up to 30 minutes, only 3 weeks into walking can she go out for limited turnout of an hour or two. She is starting to feel her oats now, 3 weeks in so can't wait for the weekend when she can go out to a paddock. She, however, does not need constant work, so feel your pain if yours does. I have resorted to walking her with a bridle as she is quite bolshy in a halter when she is so inclined.
 
I would wear good boots, gloves and hat, don't take her when she's hungry or close to feed time, if you are worried the vet might suggest some Sedalin which personally i would also use for her first turnout and pick a time when the yard is at its quietest. Its a nerve wracking time, luckily one of mine who had damaged his annular ligament was such a foodie that once in the paddock his nose glued onto the grass immediately and by the time his head came up he was so stuffed he didn't even bother running round. He was however not good at the walking in hand stage hence my advice re wearing safety stuff.
 
Green Bean the advice from Leahurst was actually 1 week 10 mins in hand and then turn out as normal. It’s me who’s actually decided no she can do a week alone condensed hours on grass if not longer depending on how her leg seems before mixing back with the herd. I found it crazy too!

WandaMare oh I will definitely be head to toe in armor even if I trusted she would be okay, why take the risk. I have domosedan gel for her (a stronger oral sedative) for her dressing changes but I think I’ll definitely ask for some sedaline. I obviously don’t want her to be a handful but I’m more worried about her doing some damage.
 
We did 3.5 months box rest with a hot tb. He was able to hand graze and small walks after 6 weeks. We took him out 3 times a day to keep him sane. We slowly increased the hand walking to an hour a couple of times a day. The final week we did hand trotting which was tricky to say the least. I managed to take him along dead end lane ways on a lunge rope so he could trot and reach the end of the track and the rope. I couldn't keep up with his trot hence the lunge rope. Anyway he did run around in his first turnout with sensible pony friend, but he didn't re injure himself. My daughter did the riding and I remember watching him cross the arena like a gazelle. Fortunately he was fine and returned to work without issue albeit with some gazelle steps and snorting.
 
It can be helpful to have another person on the other side, both of you with lungelines, to keep the horse going in a straight line, and minimise aerobatics. Grab a side each, and march off like you mean it, with a light but meaningful contact on both sides, and don't stop/faff around/take your eyes off her!
I have no issues with dishing out some sedalin before in hand walking - far rather they were a bit snoozy. They can snap out of it with very little warning though - so you still need to be very alert!
 
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