Sedating a horse on box rest.

[Halfpass]

Alee isn't going to be the easiest box rest patient........
I need to get into a routine with her and stick to it.
My main problem is that she just goes mental when she is tied up and I am mucking her out.
When I first get to the yard I walk her. She is mainly good for this but you do need to be one step ahead. I then tie her up to muck her out, tonight she was mental and was rearing and fidgeting and pawing the floor. I then put her in the stable to feed and hay her. Once I have gone she settles but all the time I am there she box walks bashes the door and is just generally unruly.
I am worried that all this thrashing will not do her injury any good. I really would rather not sedate her but wonder if this is my only option?
I need the farrier for her but I know she will mess up so will have to sedate her for this. She is never like this but box rest obviously doesn't suit her. She hasn't really been stabled since March

Any thoughts?

 

[Maisy]

I gave my pony a few ACP tablets just to take the edge off her when she was in on BR. It meant that she wasnt trotting round her box!

 

[TayloredEq]

I would suggest speaking to your vet but there are several option open to you.

1) the acp route - pills or sedalin paste
2) bromide - added to feed, supposed to take the edge off
3) modicate - an unlicensed drug that is used for human schizophrenics (sp). This is injected takes 24-48 hrs to take effect. only needs to be injected once every 4 weeks.

I have had 2 horses in on box rest within the last few weeks who have been on modicate. Horse number 1 used to buck round his box at feed times. He was fine on modicate. Horse number 2 was just liable to flip and cart you off wherever he wanted, so far (touching wood quickly) he has been fine.

There are side possible side effects from modiate however these tend to be if the horse is overdosed. My vet knew of only 1 case in the uk, the rest were in America where it was being given weekly or fortnightly. Side effects can however be treated by administering the drug for Parkinsons!!!

Hope that helps a little.

 

[MistletoeMegan]

Is Modecate the brand name for fluphenazine? I tried that on my horse when he began exercise after 13 weeks of box-rest but still couldn't be turned out (T/O after a total of 19 weeks) and it didn't touch him

Vet did say that it seemed to work on most horses, mine just had to be the exception to the rule

Back to the OP, I would establish a routine with her, keep her occupied with different types of grub and then speak to your vet about a small amount of ACP to take the edge off without zonking her out.

 

[almorton]

one of ours was on sedalin on and off for a couple of months mid-winter with a sdft injury as she went mad in her box.
saved her life. (no, im not joking)
def worth thinking about, my vet didnt seem to think we would have any side affects.

 

[scotsmare]

We had acp tablets for a mare that had a serious leg injury - we combined with with a calmer and it seemed to do the trick.

 

[AmyMay]

Routine, routine, routine - and always someone there to keep her company (another horse I mean). It's amazing how well they settle to box rest once they are established in a routine.

If she's going to wind up when you muck her out - why not combine that with the walking? So whilst she's being walked - her stable is mucked out. So no need to tie her up etc.

How many times a day to you see to her??? I always do a minimum of three times a day with a horse on box rest - more if work etc. permits.

Although of course if she's at home, you are probably seeing her more than that. Which will help and will also mean that you can skip out regularly in order to lesson the mucking out time.

 

[Willow1]

Could you try giving her a feed whilst she is tied up outside while you muck out?
My mare has been on strict box rest for 6 weeks now, and I agree with the other comments that routine is an absolute must for a horse on box rest. Once they know whats going to happen and when it does help them settle.
Good luck

 

[HollyP]

someone suggested stable mirrors......iv been wanting to know whether to buy....

 

[Halfpass]

Thanks for the advice and I think you are right. I was panicking as she only came home Monday and was a little b**ch to handle.
I know skip her out while she is mucked out then walk her inhand then put her back in and tidy her bed up whilst she is having her breakfast / tea. Seems to be working. Unfortunalty there is never anyone around to do jobs for me while I am walking her. That would be ideal!!!!
As for company she is actually better without it. If she had company and that horse went out she would go nuts and probably jump out to follow. She is ina stable in the corner of the yard where she can see others but they aren't right next to her. This seems to be working better than next to a horse that gets ridden and turned out as she didn't like this!!!!
I see her twice a day and a friend pops a feed in for me at lunch time to keep her happy. She is actually worse when I am around so it is better for someone else to check on her rather than me popping in every 5 mins.
Thanks for all you advice I just feel like that little light at the end of the tunnel is fading and can't see how we will ever get to the end of this right now

 

[CrazyMare]

I put this on the other thread - mine has a radio, started when she was on box rest and now has it when ever she is in during the day. She stands quietly and listens to it it seems.

I'd try and muck out around her if at all possible to avoid the flip out reaction when she is tied up.