raff's halo has fallen off, smashed and then been stamped on

Firstly - do not panic:D

If I had locked you in your bedroom for six weeks and tied you up you would probably have reacted just the same:D

On a serious note he would have been a bit abnormal if he hadn't acted in this way. One of mine broke his pelvis and injured SI and had to do 12 months box rest and I remember my excitement of being able to take him out for his first 5/10 minutes - first day went well - more interested in grass than anything else.

Second day he naffed off and flat out galloped up and down a pot holed farm lane for about 10 minutes before I could catch him. I sat down and cried:(

I bought a big pelham:D

I think if it is going to upset you and you trust your YO to do the job, for the next week I would let her do it - do not be there when she does - what you do not see will not upset you.

After a week the excitement will probably be out of his system and all will be well.

This is because he will have moved onto his next trick - this will be refusing to go back into the stable after his alloted time out !:eek:

The above galloping lunatic is absolutely fine - there were no ill effects of his stupidity and his personality is back to being his normal self

Oh and ditto gloves - I still remember the melted skin on my hands from the lead rope!
 
Dont give up. Hes just had 6 weeks box rest, hes bound to a little lively. Any horse would be the same.
Take your YO up on her offer and sedate him. Watch her when she takes him out and see that he isnt going to jump around and kick out. If you are there you can also take over when hes sensible and still have her by your side just incase.

Its perfectly normal for any horse to misbehave after box rest, dont let this one incident put you off. Your boy is still in there.
 
Hun, don't beat yourself up about it! Box rest, cross tied is about the most stressful thing that can happen to a horse and it is bound to have effects on his behaviour. Luckily it should all be reversible when he is finally back in work and in a paddock.

I would strongly suggest you leave his recovery in professional hands. It will cost more but it will be money well spent. He will not figure out how to get away with things, you will not get scared of him and you can handle and ride him when he is back to normal - until them don't even watch what he does.
 
Just take a step back and try to think it through. Even the most genuine, kindest, nicest animal in all the world would find it amazingly tough to just stand still for 6 weeks and then to behave like an angel when finally getting to go out.

He's still the same Raff, nothing has changed except that he's a bit excited, just as you would be in his shoes! We all have our off days and he has behaved absolutely outstandingly so far (I can't imagine any other horse in the world that would have been so good!) so why not give him the benefit of the doubt for a while. :) It might be a struggle for a little bit but I think everyone would agree that it's worth it to rehabilitate a horse as special as Raff.

Good luck and don't lose heart. :)
 
I haven;t got any more to add that hasn;t already been said, but having had a yearling on box rest for 6 weeks, they do suddenly explode when their life takes on more interest. Hopefully, he will calm down, and not undo the healing.
Accept your YO offer-she'd not have said it if she didn;t mean it. And, if you can, watch from a distance,while she takes him out. If Raff is behaving, go and stand with her, and walk to the side of her so you're getting closer to Raff, and the time will coem when you realise you want to do it, not watch her.Do give it time, though, a loss of confidence is not a fast fix.
Your beautiful darling Raff is still there, and will come back once he is healed abit more.
You and he have done so well to get this far, don't be too despondant over him feeling better in himself- it is a good sign, even if not what you expected!
 
thank you all for the lovely words, advice and sweet PMs.

it's so lovely to hear stories of horses that go back to being lovely and chilled... there is hope! :D

thanks to my lovely YO, Mr Sedalin and Mrs Dually i managed to get him out today for a few laps of the barn, and then a couple of minutes outside. he was okay, but i did feel petrified, and it felt like the smallest thing would have set him off into a frenzy. but nothing set him off... so fingers crossed for later/tomorrow...

thank you all again xxxxxxxx :D
 
We had the most bombproof chilled out horse you could ever meet (he'd earned his living being driven in Blackpool), whose only faults that he would only do left canter and he was sloooow. One winter he had to stay in his box for a week because his hilly field was covered in deep snow, we could turn him out onto the small yard for mucking out. Towards the end of the week he decided he did NOT want to come back in, my Dad and sister both had to skip out of the way more than once as he threatened to kick and meant it! They did eventually catch him and put him back in the box. Fortunately the thaw started soon after and he could go back in the field. He never threatened to kick any-one else, ever.
I'm sure that as soon as your Raff can get back to normal horse behaviour, his normal sensible, safe temperament will re-emerge. Until then I would accept your YO's help and discuss all options with your vet. Good luck!
 
OMG i had no idea your horse had broken his leg . . . that's terrible, poor you and poor Raff.
Is that why he's at a yard and not at home now ??

What I will say is please don't use that long term sedation drug. It nearly killed a horse belonging to someone I know (that comes on here) after having a nasty reaction and if you ask your vet straight they will tell you it's not actually licenced in the UK !!
 
After Frankie had been on box rest for about 4 months it was like he was agoraphobic and the slightest thing would set him off, not helped by the fact it was a very busy yard.
I did have to be very careful who led him out as he would pick up on the slightest bit of lack of confidence and in his case when I felt him about to blow I would walk him faster and flex his head, just to try and redirect the focus away from an explosion onto something else.

I had a family sized bottle of ACP from my vet and gave him about 6 rushed up in a banana so it acted more quickly before exercise.

It was a long haul as I had to bring him back into ridden work first in walk and then trot before he was allowed out which was interesting but all the time I knew that somewhere in there was my dope on rope TB. He just wasn't himself at the time.

Take help if it's offered and he will get back to normal, mine did.
 
Hi clipcloppop,
Am so pleased you managed to get him out today, mine did a small tweak to the suspensory in October and to say I had the winter from hell is an understatement, I ended up getting really frightened of her, didn't want do ANYTHING with her for days at a time. Anyway got some help, somebody I trusted and 3 weeks ago we won our Riding Clubs Champs, I was going to sell her because she frightened me, but with time and patience on mine and her sides, here we are. I am a very anxious person at the best of times, if you are interested I can give you some pointers xxxxx
 
having read your stubborn reluctance to accept this behaviour is down to his box rest, I'm gonna give you some tough love.

Sell him then.

Go on.

Get rid.

You think he hates you, hate him and get rid of him. Sure you'll find another horse thats much nicer than him.

Don't want to? Good, then stop fannying around and go give him a hug. I have seen the inside of Dorian's feet at much closer range than ever intended (and trust me, it wasn't picking them out!) and it was horrible and somewhat terrifying, not knowing how to deal with a horse that is trying to keeeeeellll you.

But that horse has since slept with her head on my lap, joined me having a picnic lunch, given kisses and hugs to small children... in fact, as long as you don't mention box rest, she is lovely!

Now stop being silly and make sure Raff gets his grooming sessions, poor sod!

(Apologies if this insults anyone, I don't actually think she should sell Raff, but I think she's worked herself up into a state!)
 
Sensible Advice Harper girl. Raffe has done what any normal horse would do after standing in one place for 6 weeks and I think Clipclopp is just seeing what she wants to see and she's had a lot of very good advice from people who have been through the same thing and had sense to know why it happened and got on with it.
 
Harper_Gal said:
having read your stubborn reluctance to accept this behaviour is down to his box rest,
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um... never said i didn't think it wasn't down to box rest, of course it is! he's usually completey angelic. which i why i bought him, because i'm such a nervous nelly.

anyway... no one would buy him now anyway... not with a broken leg... :p
 
johnrobert said:
I think Clipclopp is just seeing what she wants to see and she's had a lot of very good advice from people who have been through the same thing and had sense to know why it happened and got on with it.
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wtf? where on earth am i seeing what i want to see?

how has that managed to come across in my posts?

i have NO idea what you mean.

i have had some VERY good advice from people who have been through the same... but not entirely sure why you think i don't have the sense to know WHY it happened... and also, excuse me, but i AM getting on with it. :mad: i'm very much getting on with it. even though i'm petrified... i'm still getting on with it :mad:
 
Sorry if I came across as having a go, didn't mean too. But your title said that Raff's halo fallen off,smashed,and stomped on and now you are petriefied of him. You must of known he'd arse about after 6 weeks tied up and you should have had some backup to help you, thats what I meant.
 
Not read the other replies.

But - never, ever lead in a lunge rein - soooooo dangerous. Stick a bridle on him, a hat and gloves on you and you should be ok.

The more you do it - the less he'll prat around (hopefully).
 
Having had a similar experience with an old pony of mine was who a total angel until she had to have 3-4 months of box rest, then completely exploded when she was first let out, only to return to normal shortly after.. it will get better and you will get the Raff you know and love back. Definately keep on with it, and well done for letting your YO take him out, it does get less scary I promise xx
 
QR...I'm at work and haven't read all the replies- I'm sure you have had some excellent advice.

My horse had a fractured cannon bone and was on box rest for 10 weeks- my worst nightmare- he weaves- badly. he wouldn't be crosstied- he kept trying to throw himself to the floor. He wa sedated but still VV agitated- charging at the doos- pretty much trotting on the spot. He was 'switched off' to me....couldn't get through to him. Needless to say the leg took ages to heal with all his pratting around.
I used to feel sick when he got to the point of walking in-hand....he was in an inside stable at that point and if I could hang onto him going through the corridor and get to the school in one piece it was a relief.

When he got to be able to go out for an hour in a tiny tiny paddock at either end of the day it was a bit better- took the edge off him but the first time he went in there he bronced and caught my leg back and bum with his back end- very colourful and large bruises :eek:

He jsut was not himself for those few months- I didn't think he would get through it- but he did.And so will Raff and so will you. he's just not himself right now and he will settle and get back to normal and your confidence WILL come back in time.

Hugs hunn ((((())))))
 
Loss of nerve and confidence is a horrible thing.I had a complete loss of nerve last year and although my current horse is a complete saint and my confidence is growing Iknow it would take very little to knock it back.Confidence is very easily lost and VERY hard to regain.So I do sympathize with clipclop because its alright other people say Oh its because of this or that, just do this or that and everything will be fine but it still doesn't settle the absolute terror that you can be feeling.With the benefit of hindsight (which is a wonderful thing) perhaps it would have been better if someone else had handled him until he settled.I do think clipclop has been very unlucky with what has happened.
 
I can so so sympathise.
I adored and still adore our first horse Sidney. On the ground he was soft, cuddly, kind and wonderful - i was scared to death to ride him but thats another story. Then he broke his leg and had to do 12 weeks box rest.
It was the worst 12 weeks of our lives. He literally turned into satan. He was doped 24/7 to be able to even get near him. He attacked people over the door to his stable and mucking out was an exercise in self preservation - i have never seen my husband muck out in a hat and body protector before and probably never will again - it was terrfiying. To give him his injections daily took 5 of us, a bucket of acp, a twitch and a lot of courage.
The first day we had to walk him out he was in a chiffney, leadrope, lunge line and hubby was almost armour plated. He literally went beserk. How my 6ft ex rugby playing husband held onto him i have no idea. It looked like he never touched the ground, all four feet were off the ground at all times and he wouldn't listen to anything. It took hubby 10 minutes to get him to the round pen and it was the most terrifying thing i have ever seen.
After that we formed a plan. He always went to the round pen before any other horse was turned out, we shut all gates to the yard, everyone waited in the caravan out of the way, he went in a bridle with both a leadrope and a lunge line and two of us walking on each side of him. After 2 days he went out like a lamb but we never ever tried to walk him in hand. The vet and we both agreed that it was mental to try.
The point of all this being after 2 weeks sid was back. My lovely big cuddly beast. Raff doesn't sound like he went as nutty as Siddles did and our boy came back to normal so Raff will too.
Chin up, take help from anyone who will offer it and don't be afraid to say you're scared. The interesting thing is when you've seen them at their utter worst nothing else seems as bad ever again. Hovis dragged me to the field on sat and took off bucking like a loon. I laughed my socks off at him.
Keep smiling chick - it'll be ok xxxxx
 
I can't really add anything else to what everyone else has already mentioned, but at least it's sign he's feeling well:), try and stay postive, he probably just got his knickers in a twist and wanted to go and enjoy himself and let off some steam.

Don't give him and get yourself all upset, your nearly there. :)
 
Firstly, big hugs xxxx

Secondly do not worry, I know exactly how you feel and I can honestly say he will go back to his normal ways. I must have missed somewhere that you were at a yard as I thought that you had him at home now - this is a blessing in disguise and brilliant for you that you have support.

As you probably remember, my beautiful pure Irish Draft did his collateral ligaments in both front coffin joints last year, I had only had him 5 weeks and he then served 9 months on box rest!!! He was only four - he'' be five on 1st June.

Now Henry is the most laid back chap you'll ever meet and very affectionate like your raff, he was a superstar on box rest and although he wasn't cross tied he was not allowed out of his stable even for mucking out. When the vet told me to start walking him which was early Jan I was petrified as whilst on box rest we had grown an amazing bond, but he also thought I was his play thing, he would groom me and nip me like I was a horse and one day he decided that his feet dangling over my head in the stable was funny. Now luckily I realised there was no malice in this and told him it wasn't right.

We then had all the snow and ice so I put off the walking in hand until it was relatively dry. We had to start 2.5 mins twice per day - in reality this was going to be a disaster as I knew he would catch on quickly. First 2.5 mins he was a donkey, absolutely fine like Raff, that afternoon we did another and he already was realising it was a twice a day occurence and he got a little worse.

Next day I decided to just do 5 mins in one go mainly because we came out of his stable on two legs, not great for his ligaments and my heart was in my mouth! I bought him an eskadron headcollar, the one with the chain around the nose, this was so he could still get some grass, he was a blooming nightmare, he was however, very well behaved for my friend so I started getting her to do the walking with him. As the walking increased he started playing up for her, but by then I was more confident and took back the walking.

He would spin and kick out, wave his front legs over my head, spook into me and at nearly 800 kilos and me with a bad back so not being able to move quickly was very daunting. The grass stopped and the chifney went on, always with lunge line, hard hat and gloves. Funny thing was, he was still an angel in the stable.

He then started short periods in a pen, he would be fine for 10 mins then suddenly go mad and I would then have to try and catch him whilst he was trying to kick me and rear up. I was absolutely petrified that he would hurt himself again so he went back in his box.

I moved yards and luckily we have two barns that you can basically walk all the way round inside, he was really naughty outside but in there he was great. We managed to get the walking done and the all clear to go in the field and that was it. Vet sedated him and he was very calm going out - the erruptions just happened when it wore off but it was more a 'I'm free' than nasty. He is now after 2 months perfect in the field - we still have the odd play, but he has never tried to kick me, I can lie down in his stable/field with him and he would never hurt me and he is the old Henry again.

M_G off here came to help me move yards and had never met Henry before and she was washing his tail and cleaning his 'bits' the day of the move, with a cold hose and he was perfect, she couldn't believe how well mannered he was especially with the cold water and someone he didn't know. I would never have asked her to do it if I didn't trust him.

Now the moral of my story is, Raff is having a blip like Henry did. Remember, they lose all their senses when they are on box rest, even things that they have been perfect with all their lives, car noises, airplanes, dogs, cats, rain on their back and so on. They just need time to re-adjust and remember. Teaching them to be a horse again.

With all this going on in his head, he wasn't even thinking of you, it was just like everything was so new to him, he will adjust quickly and you will have your boy back, he is obviously very aware of you and your voice so just try and talk him through it. Henry would get a growl and eventually realise that I meant business. Perhaps when you're feeling a bit better about it all you could walk him with your YO, just to talk to him until you're ready to try again.

Sorry for the essay but I'm just trying to show that it does get easier and it helps when you have great friends to work with you. xxx
 
MrsMozart said:
Hugs. Wise words above.

He wouldn't have actually got you, just saying "Look at me Mum! I'm better!".
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I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. There is no way in the world that my Be wanted to kick me in the face, or meant to. Whereas CCP says that Raff seemed to be aiming at her... I can categorically say that Be was not aiming for me. With my face hanging off I was telling people 'she didn't mean to' and she didn't; it was a complete freak accident where I was caught in the cross fire of her explosion. The fact is they're bl**dy big creatures and weeks of pent up energy and 'instinct' is a powerful thing, and one you really need to listen to the warning signs of, and not think that a bit of firm handling and a good pair of gloves is necessarily enough. I know I bang on about it, but I really want people to learn from my accident. I'd had my girl out of the stable for a couple of hours before I went to walk her; washing her tail and feet, mucking out the stable, etc, all of which she stood quietly for, but I should have turned for home when I heard the warning bells and she got frisky, not though 'Ah, but this is Be, we'll be fine', as I really think you need to treat a horse that's been on boxrest like you don't know them...

CCP, big hugs :( And sorry that you are going through this. Nothing made me cry as much in hospital as thinking about Be, and the fear that our bond had been broken. That bond has got me through some of the hardest times of my life, and I don't mean my head injury. For me it was especially upsetting as due to pure practicalities, whilst I was in hospital etc, then a friend took Be away to go on full livery with a friend of his. I cried a lot about her being packed off. After I was out of hospital I insisted on attending her next vet assessment and the exhaustion that it caused me made me collapse in the max fac clinic the next day and get re-admitted to A&E. It didn't help that there was nurse at the maz fac clinic where I was going a good couple of times a week at this time, kept wanting to talk horses and didn't seem to click at all that as soon as she brought them up I'd be crying and needed to be given a bed to lay in (supposedly an out patient clinic)...

BUT, BUT, BUT, in the March, then Beans came home, and after a week in the field to chill I finally got her in, tied up and grooming her. I cried my eyes out with relief, because I had MY Beans back. The soppy one, who is like an oversized lab, who I felt perfectly safe cuddling and grooming.

I know it must seen hard to believe right now, but he will go back to being the Raff you know and love, just like it would have been hard for you to believe that 6 weeks ago he would be larking about on his back legs ;) Keep taking all the help from your YO and Kerilli, and definitely use some sedatives. Whatever you do, take care of yourself, and don't give yourself a hard time. You have every right to be scared of half a ton of horse exploding.

Take care. xxxxxx
 
Well done Lochpearl and well said. I'm just surprised that the vet and YO didn't tell Clipclopop that this would happen when he started to come off boxrest, to be tied up for 6 weeks and he's a flight animal must have been doing him in mentaly, My lot go mental being kept in for 24 hours, like the bad snow. Also seeing that she has a fragile confidence around horses, perhaps she should let some one take over the care of him for a little while. She got angry with me,but I think more angry with herself.
 
Puppy said:
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. There is no way in the world that my Be wanted to kick me in the face, or meant to. Whereas CCP says that Raff seemed to be aiming at her... I can categorically say that Be was not aiming for me. With my face hanging off I was telling people 'she didn't mean to' and she didn't; it was a complete freak accident where I was caught in the cross fire of her explosion. The fact is they're bl**dy big creatures and weeks of pent up energy and 'instinct' is a powerful thing, and one you really need to listen to the warning signs of, and not think that a bit of firm handling and a good pair of gloves is necessarily enough. I know I bang on about it, but I really want people to learn from my accident. I'd had my girl out of the stable for a couple of hours before I went to walk her; washing her tail and feet, mucking out the stable, etc, all of which she stood quietly for, but I should have turned for home when I heard the warning bells and she got frisky, not though 'Ah, but this is Be, we'll be fine', as I really think you need to treat a horse that's been on boxrest like you don't know them...

CCP, big hugs :( And sorry that you are going through this. Nothing made me cry as much in hospital as thinking about Be, and the fear that our bond had been broken. That bond has got me through some of the hardest times of my life, and I don't mean my head injury. For me it was especially upsetting as due to pure practicalities, whilst I was in hospital etc, then a friend took Be away to go on full livery with a friend of his. I cried a lot about her being packed off. After I was out of hospital I insisted on attending her next vet assessment and the exhaustion that it caused me made me collapse in the max fac clinic the next day and get re-admitted to A&E. It didn't help that there was nurse at the maz fac clinic where I was going a good couple of times a week at this time, kept wanting to talk horses and didn't seem to click at all that as soon as she brought them up I'd be crying and needed to be given a bed to lay in (supposedly an out patient clinic)...

BUT, BUT, BUT, in the March, then Beans came home, and after a week in the field to chill I finally got her in, tied up and grooming her. I cried my eyes out with relief, because I had MY Beans back. The soppy one, who is like an oversized lab, who I felt perfectly safe cuddling and grooming.

I know it must seen hard to believe right now, but he will go back to being the Raff you know and love, just like it would have been hard for you to believe that 6 weeks ago he would be larking about on his back legs ;) Keep taking all the help from your YO and Kerilli, and definitely use some sedatives. Whatever you do, take care of yourself, and don't give yourself a hard time. You have every right to be scared of half a ton of horse exploding.

Take care. xxxxxx
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you have no idea how many times i've thought of you over the last few days. xxx
 
lochpearl said:
Firstly, big hugs xxxx

Secondly do not worry, I know exactly how you feel and I can honestly say he will go back to his normal ways. I must have missed somewhere that you were at a yard as I thought that you had him at home now - this is a blessing in disguise and brilliant for you that you have support.

As you probably remember, my beautiful pure Irish Draft did his collateral ligaments in both front coffin joints last year, I had only had him 5 weeks and he then served 9 months on box rest!!! He was only four - he'' be five on 1st June.

Now Henry is the most laid back chap you'll ever meet and very affectionate like your raff, he was a superstar on box rest and although he wasn't cross tied he was not allowed out of his stable even for mucking out. When the vet told me to start walking him which was early Jan I was petrified as whilst on box rest we had grown an amazing bond, but he also thought I was his play thing, he would groom me and nip me like I was a horse and one day he decided that his feet dangling over my head in the stable was funny. Now luckily I realised there was no malice in this and told him it wasn't right.

We then had all the snow and ice so I put off the walking in hand until it was relatively dry. We had to start 2.5 mins twice per day - in reality this was going to be a disaster as I knew he would catch on quickly. First 2.5 mins he was a donkey, absolutely fine like Raff, that afternoon we did another and he already was realising it was a twice a day occurence and he got a little worse.

Next day I decided to just do 5 mins in one go mainly because we came out of his stable on two legs, not great for his ligaments and my heart was in my mouth! I bought him an eskadron headcollar, the one with the chain around the nose, this was so he could still get some grass, he was a blooming nightmare, he was however, very well behaved for my friend so I started getting her to do the walking with him. As the walking increased he started playing up for her, but by then I was more confident and took back the walking.

He would spin and kick out, wave his front legs over my head, spook into me and at nearly 800 kilos and me with a bad back so not being able to move quickly was very daunting. The grass stopped and the chifney went on, always with lunge line, hard hat and gloves. Funny thing was, he was still an angel in the stable.

He then started short periods in a pen, he would be fine for 10 mins then suddenly go mad and I would then have to try and catch him whilst he was trying to kick me and rear up. I was absolutely petrified that he would hurt himself again so he went back in his box.

I moved yards and luckily we have two barns that you can basically walk all the way round inside, he was really naughty outside but in there he was great. We managed to get the walking done and the all clear to go in the field and that was it. Vet sedated him and he was very calm going out - the erruptions just happened when it wore off but it was more a 'I'm free' than nasty. He is now after 2 months perfect in the field - we still have the odd play, but he has never tried to kick me, I can lie down in his stable/field with him and he would never hurt me and he is the old Henry again.

M_G off here came to help me move yards and had never met Henry before and she was washing his tail and cleaning his 'bits' the day of the move, with a cold hose and he was perfect, she couldn't believe how well mannered he was especially with the cold water and someone he didn't know. I would never have asked her to do it if I didn't trust him.

Now the moral of my story is, Raff is having a blip like Henry did. Remember, they lose all their senses when they are on box rest, even things that they have been perfect with all their lives, car noises, airplanes, dogs, cats, rain on their back and so on. They just need time to re-adjust and remember. Teaching them to be a horse again.

With all this going on in his head, he wasn't even thinking of you, it was just like everything was so new to him, he will adjust quickly and you will have your boy back, he is obviously very aware of you and your voice so just try and talk him through it. Henry would get a growl and eventually realise that I meant business. Perhaps when you're feeling a bit better about it all you could walk him with your YO, just to talk to him until you're ready to try again.

Sorry for the essay but I'm just trying to show that it does get easier and it helps when you have great friends to work with you. xxx
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sounds very similar to raff. raff is also in a barn, so yesterday i walked him up and down in there before going outside.

to be honest, i'm not entirely convinced by the whole idea of walking in hand for 5 mins a day... raff genuinely seemed more content when just in his stable. it's like someone said on here... i wouldn't starve my children for 6 weeks and then take them into a sweet shop for 5 mins and tell them they weren't allowed to have any.

i'm going to ask the vet if he can stay on box rest until his leg is deemed sufficiently to let him out in 12x12 fenced paddock. and then just sedate him to get him in there.

it's not just that i'm not confident leading him in hand... it's also the fact he's titting about on concrete, and could do himself an injury too. i really am not convinced in hand walking is the way to go... :(

will ring vet today. we're out of sedalin anyway...
 
johnrobert said:
Well done Lochpearl and well said. I'm just surprised that the vet and YO didn't tell Clipclopop that this would happen when he started to come off boxrest,
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they did warn me. and we were well prepared for the worst... but he initially went out like a lamb.

. Also seeing that she has a fragile confidence around horses, perhaps she should let some one take over the care of him for a little while. She got angry with me,but I think more angry with herself.
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i can't just hand him over to someone else... he's my horse and my responsibility. i have 3 children, a fulltime job and a husband who works shifts. i also have a pony at home and am retraining for a whole new career. i wish i had the luxury of being able to hand responsibility over to someone else... although, i'd probably start with handing the children over... :p

and no, i'm not angry with myself at all. i'm quite aware of my failings and lack of confidence. but i also know that i have always tried my absolute hardest. i have no reason to be angry at myself. i was grouchy with you because i felt you were being rude. and also it was first thing on a monday morning.
 
QR – Firstly {HUGS}

Secondly...when my 3.5 year old w/b, who isn’t a saint by all means, came off box rest (with a broken leg  ) I refused to walk him (because clearly, I am evil, and so is he) and instead asked the vet what I could do. My lovely surgeon at Liphook told me to turn him out in a small pen, figuring that he would do no worse explosions in a small pen than he would if I was attempting to lead him down the lane for 10 mins.

Also, IMHO, seemed a lot safer as he couldn’t bugger off anywhere if I let go of him.

She also told me to stick him on the walker and let him explode on that rather than in distance of my head!!

I would also like to say, I really dont like sedating, and therefore he was never sedated (apart from the GA for his surgery) and I risked broken limbs etc! Try bandaging a 3.5 year old colty s**tbag from his stifle to his hoof, not fun!!

He is fine, no worse for his ordeal, and it made life A LOT easier. Maybe you could speak to your vet about alternate ideas?
 
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When Jim was on box rest following his colic surgery I was lucky enough to be able to completely shut the barn he was stabled in & then walk him in hand inside. He was perfectly calm & laid back with that but taken outside he was unpredictable & jumping around in a way that was likely to end up with torn stitching & staples, not to mention flattened me.

If you can limit his walking to in the barn where he's sensible then that's what I'd do. I suspect that total box rest isn't as desirable though, he probably needs to start using the the leg to strengthen it before he's turned out because even sedated he's likely to have a bit of a run round the first few days.

Good luck hun. Do what you're happy doing & don't be afraid to ask for help if you feel worried or out of your depth. Often it's so much easier to deal with someone else's horse, no matter how much you like them there's a bit more distance & you can be rational. For a while I was the worst person to be dealing with Jim because I was terrified of hurting him or allowing him to hurt himself & that in turn rubbed off on him, any other horse & I'd have been fine & that would have passed on calm vibes. You'll be fine. This has been stressful for you both so let people look after you a bit by helping you with Raff for a while.
 
clipcloppop said:
sounds very similar to raff. raff is also in a barn, so yesterday i walked him up and down in there before going outside.

to be honest, i'm not entirely convinced by the whole idea of walking in hand for 5 mins a day... raff genuinely seemed more content when just in his stable. it's like someone said on here... i wouldn't starve my children for 6 weeks and then take them into a sweet shop for 5 mins and tell them they weren't allowed to have any.

i'm going to ask the vet if he can stay on box rest until his leg is deemed sufficiently to let him out in 12x12 fenced paddock. and then just sedate him to get him in there.

it's not just that i'm not confident leading him in hand... it's also the fact he's titting about on concrete, and could do himself an injury too. i really am not convinced in hand walking is the way to go... :(

will ring vet today. we're out of sedalin anyway...
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I totally agree about the barn - plus it was fantastic for the icy and wet days. Getting someone to help is not you passing the buck at all hun, it's just accepting some help if it is offered. If you feel that you would be putting someone in danger then I can understand where you are coming from.

One word of warning though with regards to having him in a pen - take something to chill you out first - rescue remedy or something take him out with the vet under sedation let him off and don't look back. When the sedation wears off he will have a whooppeee and there is nothing you can do about it, just keep out of the way. Plus as I said before, if you have the bond that I have with Henry then it is worth actually moving away from him so he can't see you. Henry was as quiet as a lamb until he saw me or my car and then he would leap and spin almost to get a reaction out of me.

I was almost sick when he started it but then I had to realise that for him to have any chance or recovery, indeed life, I had to let go and think what would be, would be. This is why he went in the pen to start with and then within about a week I let him out into the whole field as I found that he was calmer and wasn't interested in twisting and turning as he had all the space to stop in the big field.

Remember, your safety is paramount and we only need to listen to Puppy's story to realise that a 'wrong place, at the wrong time' accident can happen whilst there is no menace, the results can be devastating.

I wish you all the hugs possible and good vibes and hope that soon after he is allowed 'free' in his stable that the vets will be happy for a pen. Keep us updated x
 
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