Turn out after box rest - Advice on calming it down

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Amo

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After some advice and guidance based on other peoples experience please.

Last Friday the Ginger one spooked at his own shadow and tweaked something in his leg/just above his fetlock. Initially he refused to weight bear but after a few minutes started moving again and after about 30 minutes was walking on it, albeit lame in walk (guess about 5/10) By the next day he was sore but walking much better (2/10) No swelling and only a bit or warmth either side of his leg, just above his fetlock. (we had decided to go with the simple description of a sprained ankle)

Decided that bute and box rest was the way forward on the basis that if no improvement in a few days the vet would be called out. By the Sunday he was walking on it pretty much sound and by Monday no heat at all. All sounds good, the problem I now have is turning him back out, after a days box rest he is known for having a decent run around, after nearly a week I know for a fact he is going to go bonkers (to the point I can’t actually watch as he stresses me out too much, have to get a baby sitter lol) I am worried that although he is sound again he may still have a slight weakness as nothing heals 100% in that time but he needs to get moving again.

Has anyone ever used a calmer or some sort in this situation? If so what and how did it go?

PS – He will not go directly into the filed but will use the indoor school. I am awaiting a call back from my vet for some advice as well but in the meantime thought I would ask on here for personal experience.
 
ACP and a very quiet friend and a patch of nice tasty grass worked for me with a horse that had been on box rest for 11 months.

ACP does not inhibit the swallow reflex and therefore allows the sedated horse to graze.

To be honest I think if you have any fears of your horse hurting himself when he goes out you need to speak to your vet. My vet was present when my lad was let go into a tiny paddock, but I did know exactly what was wrong with mine and the consequences if he had lost the plot.
 
Years ago my ex racer at the time had pulled a tendon - was told box rest for aaaages ... I put him out in the 'pooly field' before his time was up as he was going bonkers in the stable ... he jumped out of the field (v high fencing I mad add) into the main field and off he went for the rest of the afternoon :rolleyes:
 
Will he be sane enough to hand graze initially, then make a very small area with electric fence to turn him out into, so that he can't 'hooley' about?

This is what we did with a horse coming out of 6 mnths box rest and worked well, but of course depends on their temperament!

Good luck x
 
We specialise in box rests, and ours initially go out in a very small paddock with a quiet friend who won't join in with any silliness. They go out at breakfast time with their feed so that they're distracted from being idiots, headcollars stay on just in case, and this is the only time I will ever boot up for turnout. Boots all round (over reaches on all four feet too!).

The longest box rest we had was nineteen months, and he was good as gold with this routine. After a few days in the little paddock they go out into their normal field, and tend to just put their heads down and graze.

Good luck!
 
ACP is your friend... Taz basically lived on it for about 3 weeks for turnout after he had been on box rest for 8 months :o still did a bambi impression in the snow but we hadnt given him enough that day... idiot animal
 
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