Turnout pen for boxrest. Have/would you?

Vickijay

Vickijay

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Hello,

Its been a bit rubbish here as my horse, who has been injured so has been on boxrest from August last year, until April this year, then went out in an electric fence field for a few weeks (bigger than the pen), then back in a normal field for a few weeks, is now injured again. The vet says she needs to go back indoors and wont be back out again until the ground is nice again after winter :( He is happy for her to be in a stable sized pen in the field, as long as the ground is good. I asked if it was possible to turn her away for longer and he said it would be a silly idea, as lots of chance of her getting worse.

Now she has been in for about 3 weeks and its doing her head in. Shes really cross, she stamps, head flings and calls for a large amount of the day. She is fit and doesn't know she even has a problem. She is completely sound and is angry about being shut in!!!

So I wondered about getting her a turnout pen, which would be around stable sized. Im not up for any construction type ones as they don't look sturdy enough, or gappy gate ones incase she gets her foot through. Id only be prepared to get a proper horse one, which will cost well over £1000. She would only go in it for a few hours at a time, maybe over night would be nice once shes used to it. She would have her hay in there and be in the pen, within her field, with her friends in the next door field to her.

Is it something you would do? Have you done?

Its expensive in the short term, but what price can I put on her life being less awful for the rest of the summer? Its not fair that she would of potentially been in on boxrest for out of 17 months out of 19 :(

Thoughts or advice?

Can offer gin, there has been much gin consumption here after the vet trip, best cut down on that if Im to buy a turnout pen!!!!

Thanks for reading!
 
I think it would be a good idea. I put my horse in a tiny tiny not much bigger than stable size pen when he needed box rest as he wouldnt stable alone without smashing the place up and probably breaking his legs. He was very much happier and calmer out close to his friends.
Mine was just made out of a convenient hedge line and electric fencing.
 
to keep the ground good it would need moving every few days, I have had them on box rest before that don't do well in a stable.
I construct 8-10 electric fenced areas of 20x20 ish, fencing that has 7ft wooden posts on the corners so the top of the fence is about 6'6'' tall, I use electric rope not tape, if the horse does 3-5 days in each section with turn out of about 6-8hrs per day depending on weather, poo picked every day and ad lib hay given on the floor sprinkled about if the horse finds it hard to settle then high fibre cubes are also sprinkled about on the ground. I have done these on a few occasions over the years and this sort of set up can last a good few months without needing to construct more-I would rather spend a whole day making a group of pens that last than keep putting up and taking down flimsy ones. If it is wet then move the horse from pen to pen every day.

good luck
 
Sorry to hear this, sounds frustrating. When mine need box rest I have made a small stable sized pen with electric fencing. This can then be moved when needed. Plenty of hay or haylage and friends nearby has worked even with our very stressful mare. I had her in at night and the worst bit was from stable to pen..
 
Thanks for replying. Glad to know your boy was happier! I did wonder about running a smaller electric fence off the fence but the electric in it is so strong I think she would be terrified to get in it as it would be electric on all the sides and a tiny space!! She was pretty unhappy about the bigger electric pen, so don't think I could risk a smaller one.

How long did you leave him in it for? I think Id have to move it daily, which is quite an effort, but again, better to cheer her up
 
I did the same when my foal broke his fetlock. It has to be high enough for them not to try and jump out and electric for sure. He settled much better than in a stable.
 
twiggy2 said:
to keep the ground good it would need moving every few days, I have had them on box rest before that don't do well in a stable.
I construct 8-10 electric fenced areas of 20x20 ish, fencing that has 7ft wooden posts on the corners so the top of the fence is about 6'6'' tall, I use electric rope not tape, if the horse does 3-5 days in each section with turn out of about 6-8hrs per day depending on weather, poo picked every day and ad lib hay given on the floor sprinkled about if the horse finds it hard to settle then high fibre cubes are also sprinkled about on the ground. I have done these on a few occasions over the years and this sort of set up can last a good few months without needing to construct more-I would rather spend a whole day making a group of pens that last than keep putting up and taking down flimsy ones. If it is wet then move the horse from pen to pen every day.

good luck
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you have a picture?
 
Lots of good stories about electric fence pens, I guess it would be the same as a metal mesh pen, just Id end up poorer!!
 
I would do it but get some sedalin from your vet even get her on it a few days before turning out, the only thing I would say is some horses are not content with being in a pen, I tried it with my mare and she was worse in the pen than in the stable she jjust wanted to be in the field with the others, fine when they were nearby went berserk when they wandered away so its a difficult one, I hope it works out for you x
 
Hi, our TB, very stressy and suffers awfully from separation thrived in a small pen in the field with the others. Not too big, just a bit bigger than his box, but allowed him to graze without being silly and prevented his box walking and constant sweating and fretting when on box rest. We just used fence posts and tape and moved it around every couple of days. Good luck
 
Vickijay said:
I don't suppose you have a picture?
Click to expand...

no I never thought to take one, I can try describing it a bit better

we used an existing fence for one edge for the last time I did it (the fences at work are 6ft tall due to one fat mare jumping out if she does not feel she has enough grass to stuff into her mouth), of off that we put 6 7ft wooden posts 20ft away in a parallel line, then another row 20ft from that in a parallel line. 4 strands of rope set on rope insulators-the top one is usually set on top of the posts to add height to the fence. create a perimeter fence around the outside of the whole edge of the pens, then divide across the centre along the long middle and then across from the existing fence to the outside edge and you have created 10 enclosed 20 x 20 pens. decide where you want your gates to be and you will need to walk through some pens to get to others (but only when accessing 2 of them if you plan carefully). if you need to increase the size of the pen slowly you can do so when the time comes by removing the dividing sections.
hope that helps
 
Pinkvboots said:
I would do it but get some sedalin from your vet even get her on it a few days before turning out, the only thing I would say is some horses are not content with being in a pen, I tried it with my mare and she was worse in the pen than in the stable she jjust wanted to be in the field with the others, fine when they were nearby went berserk when they wandered away so its a difficult one, I hope it works out for you x
Click to expand...

Shes used to being able to see them but not be near them as they are all stuppppppid and too silly to be near her when she was recuperating! It would be pretty bad if Id spent lots of money for her to be out and she hated it. She was happy in the slightly bigger electric fence pen, so maybe that bodes well, she was just a bit frightened of going near the tape, so maybe a proper one would do the trick.

Its one like this, but with less panels...

portablepaddock.jpg
 
Pinkvboots said:
I would do it but get some sedalin from your vet even get her on it a few days before turning out, the only thing I would say is some horses are not content with being in a pen, I tried it with my mare and she was worse in the pen than in the stable she jjust wanted to be in the field with the others, fine when they were nearby went berserk when they wandered away so its a difficult one, I hope it works out for you x
Click to expand...

I am lucky enough at work to control what all the horses are doing re turn out/coming in so those on rest would only be turned out when others are settled and others would be worked around turn out of injured one, we also have a spare in the shape of a shetland who's sole purpose in life when he arrived was to be company for a broken one-he is still here in the lap of luxury 4 yrs later-so injured always have company
 
Vickijay said:
Hello,

Its been a bit rubbish here as my horse, who has been injured so has been on boxrest from August last year, until April this year, then went out in an electric fence field for a few weeks (bigger than the pen), then back in a normal field for a few weeks, is now injured again. The vet says she needs to go back indoors and wont be back out again until the ground is nice again after winter :( He is happy for her to be in a stable sized pen in the field, as long as the ground is good. I asked if it was possible to turn her away for longer and he said it would be a silly idea, as lots of chance of her getting worse.

Now she has been in for about 3 weeks and its doing her head in. Shes really cross, she stamps, head flings and calls for a large amount of the day. She is fit and doesn't know she even has a problem. She is completely sound and is angry about being shut in!!!

So I wondered about getting her a turnout pen, which would be around stable sized. Im not up for any construction type ones as they don't look sturdy enough, or gappy gate ones incase she gets her foot through. Id only be prepared to get a proper horse one, which will cost well over £1000. She would only go in it for a few hours at a time, maybe over night would be nice once shes used to it. She would have her hay in there and be in the pen, within her field, with her friends in the next door field to her.

Is it something you would do? Have you done?

Its expensive in the short term, but what price can I put on her life being less awful for the rest of the summer? Its not fair that she would of potentially been in on boxrest for out of 17 months out of 19 :(

Thoughts or advice?

Can offer gin, there has been much gin consumption here after the vet trip, best cut down on that if Im to buy a turnout pen!!!!

Thanks for reading!
Click to expand...


I would say get the very tall electric fence post and make a 5 strand fence. Works for our ponies.
 
Vickijay said:
Shes used to being able to see them but not be near them as they are all stuppppppid and too silly to be near her when she was recuperating! It would be pretty bad if Id spent lots of money for her to be out and she hated it. She was happy in the slightly bigger electric fence pen, so maybe that bodes well, she was just a bit frightened of going near the tape, so maybe a proper one would do the trick.

Its one like this, but with less panels...

portablepaddock.jpg
Click to expand...

a couiple of people suggested this to me but moving it is a nightmare and injured horses cannot be on poor/muddy/rutted ground, I also find that a cirle type shape encourages running around the edges somehow a square is less inviting
 
twiggy2 said:
no I never thought to take one, I can try describing it a bit better

we used an existing fence for one edge for the last time I did it (the fences at work are 6ft tall due to one fat mare jumping out if she does not feel she has enough grass to stuff into her mouth), of off that we put 6 7ft wooden posts 20ft away in a parallel line, then another row 20ft from that in a parallel line. 4 strands of rope set on rope insulators-the top one is usually set on top of the posts to add height to the fence. create a perimeter fence around the outside of the whole edge of the pens, then divide across the centre along the long middle and then across from the existing fence to the outside edge and you have created 10 enclosed 20 x 20 pens. decide where you want your gates to be and you will need to walk through some pens to get to others (but only when accessing 2 of them if you plan carefully). if you need to increase the size of the pen slowly you can do so when the time comes by removing the dividing sections.
hope that helps
Click to expand...

You are a pen making wonder!!
 
twiggy2 said:
a couiple of people suggested this to me but moving it is a nightmare and injured horses cannot be on poor/muddy/rutted ground, I also find that a cirle type shape encourages running around the edges somehow a square is less inviting
Click to expand...

See the people said moving a 30' pen should only take about 10-15 mins, so if I have a smaller one it would be slightly less. Running round is not an option. That picture is 10 panels, they have suggested 5 panels. I marked it out on the floor today with measured bailing twine and stood the horse in it and the general idea is that 5 is good. It made a 14' diameter circle
 
Vickijay said:
See the people said moving a 30' pen should only take about 10-15 mins, so if I have a smaller one it would be slightly less. Running round is not an option. That picture is 10 panels, they have suggested 5 panels. I marked it out on the floor today with measured bailing twine and stood the horse in it and the general idea is that 5 is good. It made a 14' diameter circle
Click to expand...

from what I am told if the ground if completely flat and you have 2 people then it can be fairly quick but any unlevelness (?) to the ground and it becomes much harder to put up and take down.
I am at work on my own and my hours are limited, also if it iss peeing down with rain etc etc I would rather construct lots on a good day and be done with the job for a good few moths-year before last the 10 pens did just under 6 moths for one horse
 
Vickijay said:
Shes used to being able to see them but not be near them as they are all stuppppppid and too silly to be near her when she was recuperating! It would be pretty bad if Id spent lots of money for her to be out and she hated it. She was happy in the slightly bigger electric fence pen, so maybe that bodes well, she was just a bit frightened of going near the tape, so maybe a proper one would do the trick.

Its one like this, but with less panels...

portablepaddock.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks the perfect pen for a box rest pony! I would go for it sounds like your mare will just be happy to be out rather than be worried about the others unlike mine!
 
twiggy2 said:
from what I am told if the ground if completely flat and you have 2 people then it can be fairly quick but any unlevelness (?) to the ground and it becomes much harder to put up and take down.
I am at work on my own and my hours are limited, also if it iss peeing down with rain etc etc I would rather construct lots on a good day and be done with the job for a good few moths-year before last the 10 pens did just under 6 moths for one horse
Click to expand...

The ground is pretty flat, thank goodness. Yeah I can see the perks, if it wasn't such a small area I think Id go with what you did, but 20' would be too large and smaller would be too scary for her with the crazy electric fence (that knocked my BF over when he touched it!!!)

Pinkvboots said:
That looks the perfect pen for a box rest pony! I would go for it sounds like your mare will just be happy to be out rather than be worried about the others unlike mine!
Click to expand...

I think so. Plus, I could always sell it on after as Im sure there would be plenty of demand for a 2nd hand one. (Im a hoarder and I don't like tempting fate, so that will never happen, but it makes me feel better to pretend!)
 
Vickijay said:
I think so. Plus, I could always sell it on after as Im sure there would be plenty of demand for a 2nd hand one. (Im a hoarder and I don't like tempting fate, so that will never happen, but it makes me feel better to pretend!)
Click to expand...

that made me laugh-good luck with it all it is hard work keeping them in such a small area but hopefully the outcome is positive
 
Yes I've got a lovely turn out pen

double the size of our stable and we put a membrane down and put wood chip

totally the best thing ever and his box rest went without any stress for him or me!
 
victoria1980x said:
what about trying this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4TKoUqgRw (sorry not read all the post)
Click to expand...

I think that looks brilliant. My friend said that she made her horse a maze but I couldn't really understand what she meant. I think she meant something like that!! I think that would be great for a few months down the line where it doesn't may matter if she did have a little trot, but at the moment I don't think I could risk it
 
Hi,

I love the idea of the many pens rotated.

If it were my horse I would only have one pen, as our land is absolutely rubbish. To me you are talking pretty long term, so I would do a pen say 14 ft by 14 ft, with hard core and a softer top, with substantial post and rail fencing, that is quite high.

If at all possible I would consider changing my back stable window to a door, and making my new pen at the back of the stable. So, possibly the door could be left open and the horse chooses in or out. That way even next year your horse has a luxury garden flat for ever!
 
Vickijay said:
Hello,

Its been a bit rubbish here as my horse, who has been injured so has been on boxrest from August last year, until April this year, then went out in an electric fence field for a few weeks (bigger than the pen), then back in a normal field for a few weeks, is now injured again. The vet says she needs to go back indoors and wont be back out again until the ground is nice again after winter :( He is happy for her to be in a stable sized pen in the field, as long as the ground is good. I asked if it was possible to turn her away for longer and he said it would be a silly idea, as lots of chance of her getting worse.

Now she has been in for about 3 weeks and its doing her head in. Shes really cross, she stamps, head flings and calls for a large amount of the day. She is fit and doesn't know she even has a problem. She is completely sound and is angry about being shut in!!!

So I wondered about getting her a turnout pen, which would be around stable sized. Im not up for any construction type ones as they don't look sturdy enough, or gappy gate ones incase she gets her foot through. Id only be prepared to get a proper horse one, which will cost well over £1000. She would only go in it for a few hours at a time, maybe over night would be nice once shes used to it. She would have her hay in there and be in the pen, within her field, with her friends in the next door field to her.

Is it something you would do? Have you done?

Its expensive in the short term, but what price can I put on her life being less awful for the rest of the summer? Its not fair that she would of potentially been in on boxrest for out of 17 months out of 19 :(

Thoughts or advice?

Can offer gin, there has been much gin consumption here after the vet trip, best cut down on that if Im to buy a turnout pen!!!!

Thanks for reading!
Click to expand...

Haven't read replies, but I NEVER do full box rest as my horse is very stressy to stable. He box walks and weaves, which is no good for anything. So I always use stable sized pens in the field which I move every two days for fresh grass. I make my simply out of electric fencing! Stops my horse stressing.
 
Yep done it with my mare with coll ligament damage, she was on pen rest for nearly 6 months i rotated the pen every 24 hrs so she had fresh grazing over the summer and she always had the others around her.
 
I have the high sided metal mesh things to make a pen if you want them, the only thing is, you would have to collect them as I have no way of moving them. You would have to put them on a flat bed truck I imagine. When I get to the yard later I will count how many there are, the last owner used them for the same job and left them here when he left the yard.
 
With a sensible mare who box-walked constantly but wasn't about to do anything loony like jump out I used tall sheep hurdles to make a stable-sized pen immediately outside her stable so she could walk from one to the other. Stopped the box-walking immediately.

I now have plenty of Heras security fencing panels, properly erected with feet and two clips per join I would have no hesitation on making up a pen for a horse, if I had to.
 
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