Tips for horses on box rest!

Well I'm not holding out much hope, and I'm thankful that it's only until monday (fingers crossed) but when I got to the yard this evening Axey had pulled down all his rugs and trampled them into his bed, he had broken his window, which is only plastic luckily but he had managed to break it. And he had been kicking the door
frown.gif


My lovely friend Halfpass brought me a swede that she had put a hole through and hung it up on a likit holder in Axey's stable and he was trying to get that tonight. I'm going to thread some apples onto it tomorrow.

Any other ideas? He has ad lib hay and he already has a stable lick and a salt lick.

Let's just hope it is only until monday!

thanks x
 
Apples in water to bob for?

When Cat was on box rest after an accident with barbed wire, he was very, very cross about it so the vet gave me ACP to calm him down, which did work altho it made him really sad.
 
Can you do some target training or basic ground work in the stable to give him some mental stimulation? Works really well with Daisy by giving her something to think about. I use the lid of an old supplement tub and give her a treat every time she taps her nose on it in response to the word "touch". You can use it to do carrot stretches as well as simple games to keep them supple. Also get them thinking about moving away from you in the stable on simple commands. Daisy knows that a specific noise means move back/over/away. It makes her really easy to handle in the stable and I'm constantly amazed that other owners don't teach their horses the same thing. I make the same noise to my friends horse out of habit and he looks at me like I'm odd
 
Another way, but possibly not particularly convenient if its only untill monday! is to get a range of forages and put them in different places around the stable to encourage them to forage a bit more
 
A radio, swedes, snak-a-ball, hunt-the-carrot, hay and lots of visits were what kept my horse sane. I tried the apple bobbing trick but she sussed that one in about three minutes by drinking the entire (very large!) bucket of water so she could hold the apple on the bottom of her bucket! That cost me a fortune in bedding...
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
treat balls? My mare loves her to pieces, tho does sound like she is coming through the wall at times.

[/ QUOTE ]

hon I personally wouldn't do this with Axey.

a) you don't want him bending that leg more than he needs to as I am sure he will try to kick the snak ball.
b) he bangs the door at times as it is and I think that these can sometime encourage that.

Hopefully the swede and apples on a string and apples in his water should help. Are you allowed to walk him out at all?
 
I used Global Herbs Box Rest calmer when mine was on box rest - really calmed him down and made him more relaxed in the stable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top