things to do on boxrest?

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storm123

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my little boy is on boxrest and is really suffering from boredom, it must be tortue watching all his friends go out on beautiful days like today.
he dosent like likits(figured after i spent money on a boredom buster he doesnt even like!!)
and he cant have his treat ball incase he decieds to kick it with his bad legs, and beside kisses and cuddles he needs something else!
hes getting really depressed staying in, any suggestions?
 
Ours is on box rest too, and has been on and off for a while!

We hung up a swede off one of the tie rings in his stable and he munched his way through that! Also hung some carrots up today, a selection of them is a really good idea, sadly ours was scared of it! haha.

Also he likes licks and they seem to keep him occupied! We are lucky and he has a window he can look out of and also a radio!
 
here's a few that I learnt having my old chap on extended box rest, these came straight from the vet nurses who look after horses in hospital:

a) split hay or haylage into 2 haynets and tie in a couple of places, alternatively, split into several piles around the stable floor. Do the same with hard feed, put into several buckets and place around the stable.

b) split hard feeds down rather than mix ... ie, cubes in one bucket, chaff in another, carrots and apples into another (and don't cut these up either!).

c) hide carrots and apples in piles of hay, or the banks of their stable bedding.

d) never put feed and hay in the same place day after day - move them into different places every day.

all are designed to stimulate their need to forage for food and will help to keep the boredom at bay.

also, though, a radio on outside their stable door will also give them company - mine used to love Chris Evans breakfast show!!!

Good luck, and hope your horse gets well soon!!
 
Drill a hole thru a swede and hang it up - but not against a wall - that's far too easy! Apples in the water bucket, different places for haynets, and different types of forage eg a bucket of straw chaff. Radio's and mirrors are meant to be very good too, though not tried either of these.
 
FinnishLapphund said:
I've always for some reason really liked the tips about hanging up a swede in the box to give the horse/pony something to fiddle with. :D (see siggy, )

You can also hang up turnips and parsnips, and if you want more suggestions then have a look at this thread Coping for boxrest - advice and tips please! .

Hope your little boy soon gets well. :)
Click to expand...

thank you, that article is really helpful! and hopefully he gets better soon!
 
Vanner said:
here's a few that I learnt having my old chap on extended box rest, these came straight from the vet nurses who look after horses in hospital:

a) split hay or haylage into 2 haynets and tie in a couple of places, alternatively, split into several piles around the stable floor. Do the same with hard feed, put into several buckets and place around the stable.

b) split hard feeds down rather than mix ... ie, cubes in one bucket, chaff in another, carrots and apples into another (and don't cut these up either!).

c) hide carrots and apples in piles of hay, or the banks of their stable bedding.

d) never put feed and hay in the same place day after day - move them into different places every day.

all are designed to stimulate their need to forage for food and will help to keep the boredom at bay.

also, though, a radio on outside their stable door will also give them company - mine used to love Chris Evans breakfast show!!!

Good luck, and hope your horse gets well soon!!
Click to expand...

great advice! mine loes food so will be pleased doing any of these activities! i would like to give him a radio to listen to put mines kept in an american styled barn so i think i would get complaints. hopefully he gets better soon :o
 
storm123 said:
great advice! mine loes food so will be pleased doing any of these activities! i would like to give him a radio to listen to put mines kept in an american styled barn so i think i would get complaints. hopefully he gets better soon :o
Click to expand...


They were a life saver when my pony was on six month box rest ... good luck, and I bet the other horses wouldn't mind the radio either!!!!!
 
Lots of empathy from me on this one !
Agree with all suggestions so far but I also add a trickle net (they are about 30 quid) full of hay with the odd carrot etc hidden in there, lasts them all day and they have to work a bit harder to get the hay and keeps them occupied longer.

Good luck !
 
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