This box rest can stuff off, it does more damage than good!- scary experience

charleysummer

charleysummer

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Four weeks into box rest, meant to have two weeks left and all it has done is cause more damage than if she'd been on turnout i swear! Bearing in mind she has a tear in her DDFT, when she is 'walked in hand' she often throws a flying buck in, it is a nightmare! for the expense of the bedding and her sanity, all she is doing is standing on the leg all day, then getting out for her 'walk' and peforming a bronc act suitable for a rodeo!

She had been doing well, and she would sometimes get a little silly and strong and maybe throw in a little 'hop' but today was ridiculous, she reared up almost vertical (i was leading her back so this was on concrete!) and then she spun just before she lost her balance and charged across a little bit of concrete, (not much) and up a small hill onto the grass, where she continued a flying buck, bronc act with me onthe end of the rope- i was literally being dragged off my feet at this point (i couldn't keep up with her as she was going at a gallop) and i was trying to hold on and praying she'd stop (i didnt want to let her go and have her try and jump the fences to the road or something because she probably could) and i knew that i'd have to let go soon as i really couldn't hold on- when she hit the fence and i managed to anchor myself to it, she kept bucking but i could hold her better now i was stuck in the fence, she stopped for a bit so i tried to take her back- then she reared again and kicked her back legs in the air again , and again, and again- when someone who saw it happen from the yard next to me ran to my rescue with a leadrope to hold her down while we took her back to the stable. (just a reminder that this horse has torn her bloody DDFT!)

No idea what i would have done if i hadn't hit the fence or had someone luckily see me- its a small private yard and i was the only one there. So as she is getting worse and i've never seen her like that, i am going to ask the vet if it ok for me to put her out in the day in a small paddock and if she trots or has a little canter is better than broncing full whack on the concrete or seriously damaging someone and herself.

:( eughh, just need to express my feelings as it is all getting way to much now! thanks for reading
 
Could you maybe section off a small area of the field (not much bigger than a stable) so that she could still feel like she is 'out' and see her friends etc without too much movement? You could also maybe give her a bit of sedaline or something for a bit? We have a 3yo filly who has been on box rest for months now, poor thing. She has been very good, but getting rather jumpy and flighty and stressed now so we got some calmer for her feed and it worked wonders within a couple of days. Will check which it is tomorrow if you want?
 
That sounds hairy!! i would ask you r vet about turning her out in small paddock. When my lad was on box rest, he turned into a monster after about 3 weeks, and is normally the quietest horse you can imagine. I turned him before the vet advised and he was okay. Or could you give him abit of sedolin when you're walking him out?
 
Ditto everything. Mine was on box rest for a couple of months. "You can start gentle, controlled exercise, but wait until he is doing 1 hour before you can turn him out" said the vet. He was OK grazing in hand, but the minute I tried to take him for a walk, or some some walking in an enclosed grass arena I had exactly the same antics as you, including bucking and kicking out all the way up the road. Sqealing, trying to gallop off, and rearing. I tried Sedalin hoping that a quiet two or three days would get over the worst, but he was as bad after three tubes of that.

In the end I gave up and took him to a livery yard, they had known him since he was a youngster, knew what he was getting to eat and he still shocked them by his appalling behaviour. The poor YO had to ring me up and ask if she could get some stronger sedative from the vet and that is how they coped for the next month. One doing work, and returned to his old regime he was fine, but it was an extremely frightening experience and I was very relieved that he didn't re damage himself.
 
:( Oh horrid when this sort of stuff happens and we need them to stay calm!
I also question BR for many things myself especially when the horse becomes stressed and excitable. I don't blame them and no wonder they get stressed when their whole routine is changed and they're left in their stable whilst all their mates go out to play. Surely walking round their field as normal eating etc. is preferable to stressful box walking or bucking etc. stuff when they do walk out?
I know certain fractures etc. have to be imobilized but for so much other stuff imo it's time we started thinking out of the box! excuse the pun!:D
Also so many horses have to be sedated to cope which isn't ideal either imo.

Oh better just say that it's probably not a good idea to change stuff without talking it through thoroughly with vet first.
 
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it is a real pain, shes been bucking quite regulary now too- so i think after the next 2 weeks of her 'box rest' she will have to be ultrasounded to see if shes damaged it further or anything, :( she is only 14.2hh but damaged the leg very fit, muscley and strong in regular work and full turnout! so this is completely different for her- although she love her stable and doesn't want to go out, shes quite happy to eat all day in her stable with her licks and toys and haynets- she is just getting frustrated. she is on as little food as possible with the tendoneaze and soaked hay to get rid of some calories, and then just veg and a few pony nuts in a dribble ball- i dont want to cut down her feed futher to make her have less energy as then she gets no nutrients! didnt consider the calmer, worth a try! i sweat the mobility feeds make them loopy though- other horses i've known on mobility and joint supplements have gone loopy.
 
Please, please be careful!

My horse accidentally double barreled me in the face, bouncing about, when I tried to walk her in hand after boxrest. It's a miracle that I'm still alive - but I'm scarred and permanently in pain, 2 years on.

I will never do it again, and I can't believe how often vets recommend it given the obvious risks to horse and handler. Definitely look into small paddock turnout.
 
Poor you what a nightmare! While there are some conditions that have to be box rested, I do think vets are obsessed with it and recommend it almost as a matter of course.

Since yours is putting her recovery at risk (and you at risk from the sound of things) I would definitely try Sedalin. I'd also talk to the vet about turn out

Good luck!
 
Puppy said:
Please, please be careful!

My horse accidentally double barreled me in the face, bouncing about, when I tried to walk her in hand after boxrest. It's a miracle that I'm still alive - but I'm scarred and permanently in pain, 2 years on.

I will never do it again, and I can't believe how often vets recommend it given the obvious risks to horse and handler. Definitely look into small paddock turnout.
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Oh poor you! that must have been awful, i do hope it gets better for you :( i was very lucky this time, and yes i have sedalin already that i bought for bonfire night and never needed to use, i already have a small paddock made for when she initially went lame and we hadn't had her diagnosed yet, nobody will dare walk her now so she is going in the small paddock now instead of walking tonight on the rope, and if she has a bronc attack then she will just be unclipped if it is getting to the point of dangerous and she is showing no signs of stopping or won't come back in without a rodeo display (all will be wearing hard hats this time!) just so frustrating when i think of her tendon whilst she is doing it. fingers crossed that by some miracle she hasn't done herself terrible damage
 
I must be very lucky!!! My horse was on box rest for the same injury last year for months and did have occasional explosive moments when hand walking around the stable block. We had to to this 3 times daily. When we rode out from Feb to May but she had to stay in, that was fun, if we saw anything run around in a field she was beside herself. I gave her NAF Magic calmer and it did seem to help. I couldnt turn her out as our winter paddocks were a sea of mud and too risky for her to re-injure herself. It paid off though as shes back in full work now and healed. She was a handful at 16.1 at times and quite a spirited mare, Hanoverian/tb but on the whole was very good. I would have a word with your vet.
 
chiffney and sedalin!!!!
Oh and a lunge line as opposed to a lead rope just in case you need to get out the way but dont want to let go!!!!

Good luck, it is a nightmare when they are like that. It DOES get beter when they get back under saddle, they do come back to their own selves pretty quickly.

Just get some sedalin! Its not worth getting hurt!
 
When my filly was on box rest I used to go to the yard before breakfast (luckily it was only 5mins away) to give her a dose of sedalin. I'd then go home, have my breakfast and then go back to the yard. It worked really well as she was then nice and dopey and I could safely walk her out to the field and graze her in-hand. I'd then go to work from the yard (unless I wasn't working that day ;) ).
 
Vets always tell you to 'just' lead a box resting horse out in hand for a bit of grass...they don't seem to realise quite what they are asking and just how dangerous it is.

I haven't read all the posts so please forgive me for repeating any others.

Firstly, thank God you are ok!

Having had similar experiences I would say just don't do it, cut out whatever hard feed the horse is getting and give him only hay. Pick a bucket of grass twice a day and forget about taking him out.

If you are concerned re loss of condition please don't be, you can build him up again later.

You can get thoroughly smacked up leading a horse like this...life' too short.
 
Rowenna said:
chiffney and sedalin!!!!
Oh and a lunge line as opposed to a lead rope just in case you need to get out the way but dont want to let go!!!!

Good luck, it is a nightmare when they are like that. It DOES get beter when they get back under saddle, they do come back to their own selves pretty quickly.

Just get some sedalin! Its not worth getting hurt!
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Good advice! My mare had to have box rest after her KS op. She was supposed to be on complete box rest for 4 weeks but I actually fenced off a strip of grass outside her stable ( lucky enough to be able to do that) and she went out from after 1 week. When I was able to turn her out into restricted turnout she lasted two weeks before she jumped back into her field!! So I said sod it and put her back in her field. She was absolutely fine, no madness at all. Fortunately she has plenty of grass and her stable mate in the next paddock.

All horses are different and you do have to know your horse and how you think it would react but I do agree that vets sometimes ask for the impossible, especially if the horse doesn't think it's got a problem!!

I hope you are ok and manage to come to a compromise with your horse and get some sedalin!!!
 
My boy was on 4-5 months box rest..He was a nightmare, he's had arthrodesis of the pastern so literally had a metal plate & some pins holding his leg together & he was going mental on box rest, so mental in fact that the girls who work in the office rang to tell me he was spinning in his stable & kicking the wall so hard that the office was shaking!! I asked my vet about a paddock but he said no but I put him in a paddock the size of his stable anyway with a big bucket of hay & haylage then all he did was munch..and I definately gave him sedalin first.. the walking in hand is hell & at the end of mine I had to walk him in hand for 60mins twice a day (he's a 16'1 TB & I'm 5'2!!) I told my vet once he was back to full health about the turnout & he told me I did the right thing!!! If I had listened to my vet & not turned out he may have done a lot of damage to his healing leg.. I obviously wouldn't advise everyone to turnout but I think sometimes you know your horse best.
 
First - have a hug - got this t-shirt myself !
Two - dont worry about what she has done to herself - it wont help you and it wont help her
Three - decide - do you go for bridle, with knot in reins, gloves, hard hat and short whip approach and get someone on side twice a day - just for moral support
OR - go for small paddock rest

My lad did this, but i lost him when he reared AT me, and i watched in shock, tears and horror as he galloped and galloped round a huge field after 6 weeks box rest.

But heyho - a few more set backs and now 9 months later on he is sound, albiet only still being walked with me on him for upto 30 mins a day - i had no plans to start fittening him this side of spring but he really needs something to occupy his tiny TB brain ! watched him trotting today and boy can he move and yep still sound.

So my advice is - forget her for at least a year - they can only recover at the speed their body can, and i honeslty think that if we left them to rest longer and recover naturally rather than obsess about getting them back into work we would have a much higher sucess rate in recovery.

Good luck and you are a good owner - i know the day mine went running round i was very much tutted at by the "know alls" - yeah would like to see them handle a shook up bottle of pop pony on a daily basis for 12 weeks and still go back for more !
 
I sympathise totally, my girl is nearly 4 weeks into her 12 weeks box rest following KS surgery. Today I walked her out of the yard for the first time as we're supposed to be building up to "at least 30mins walking twice a day in hand".

Despite bridle and lunge line she still went mad, she span around fly-bucking like something possessed - and ended up double barrelling me twice. Apart from having a very sore arm, stomach and hip I'm OK (thank god she has no back shoes!) but I most definitely won't be risking it again without sedation. Can't get near her with pastes so it'll have to be ACP. And can't do the small paddock turn-out because (as I know from experience) she will jump straight out. The joys of horses eh!?
 
Puppy said:
Please, please be careful!

My horse accidentally double barreled me in the face, bouncing about, when I tried to walk her in hand after boxrest. It's a miracle that I'm still alive - but I'm scarred and permanently in pain, 2 years on.

I will never do it again, and I can't believe how often vets recommend it given the obvious risks to horse and handler. Definitely look into small paddock turnout.
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when raff was untied from more than 3 months crosstying... i had one slightly hairy experience, similar to the OPs... completely out of character for raff... and all that flashed through my mind was ^^^ what happened to Puppy.

i begged and pleaded... and eventually my vet agreed i could turn him out instead. i knew my horse, and i knew as soon as he was turned out he'd stop with the stupid behaviour. so i took the risk and sedated him to the eyeballs, and turned him out. he didn't buck or fart once... :) he gradually came round and was fine.

it is a risk, but i knew it was the right thing for my horse. you need to speak with your vet and discuss what YOU think is best for YOUR horse.

good luck! i know it's hellish... :eek:
 
elderlycoupleindevon said:
Vets always tell you to 'just' lead a box resting horse out in hand for a bit of grass...they don't seem to realise quite what they are asking and just how dangerous it is.

I haven't read all the posts so please forgive me for repeating any others.

Firstly, thank God you are ok!

Having had similar experiences I would say just don't do it, cut out whatever hard feed the horse is getting and give him only hay. Pick a bucket of grass twice a day and forget about taking him out.

If you are concerned re loss of condition please don't be, you can build him up again later.

You can get thoroughly smacked up leading a horse like this...life' too short.
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The reason this pony has to walk in hand is so that the torn fibres in the tendon heal straight rather than like a ball of wool, & also to prevent adhesions which will form if the tendon isn't moving through the sheath. I would sedalin, put a hat on & use a lunge line & chiffney. I had to walk Kizzy twice daily building up to an hour total before she was turned out in a round pen & began ridden walking. Despite my best efforts the front leg injury has healed with a big adhesion & she is unsound & retired, but at least I know she had a text book rehab & I couldn't have done any more. If you don't follow the vets advice it would be awful if you regretted it later. Good luck.
 
Hi, I know how you feel as we are just coming out of 9 months box rest and yes my boy turned into the horse from hell, his favourite trick was to lash out with his near fore and get me in the hip - very painfull. I do not recomened a small turn out paddock - we tried it with electric fencing and sedalin but when the drug wore off he ran through the fence. We found that if we wanted to live and get a sound horse we needed to approach the problem with a little thought. The problem was that he was bored and frustrated. So we moved him to a yard with an indoor school with lots of things going on also I knew he cound not get away from me. As he was a danger to lead we always walked him in a bridle with a lunge line through the bit and over the head which gave a lot more control, we also started to long rein him in straight lines, then with cones, 5 mins then 10 and so on - I also used a lot of treats every time he got a bit above himself as being a CB he loves his food. I Hope I have given you some ideas, it is hell but there is life after box rest
 
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