walking box rest horse - avoiding being mashed?

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redski

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What controlling tack, i.e halter, bit etc does anyone find failsafe for walking in hand with large rearing, bucking plungeing, snorting mare who is on box rest.

Any suggestions before I am killed would be nice.
 
For my mare I used a bridle with a leadropbe attached to her noseband (so I held reins and rope) and this seemed to work but she was more prone to tanking off then rearing. A lot of people use chifney bits for rearing horses but as I have seen the results of them being used incorrectly I wouldn't recommend u use one unless you know how
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Gotta be honest, faced with that scenario I'd chuck it out. We've just done that with one at the yard who had been on barn rest for a month. Far too dangerous to even attempt walking him out in hand, so in the field he's gone......
 
The chucking out solution is sounding very attractive right now. But the effort and expense of getting her this far........as usual a horsey dilemma!
 
I survived it, just. I dont think there is anything failsafe in this situation. I used a bridle with a line on either side and a friend got on one side and me on the other. I took loads of carrots as she is totally food orientated so it distracted her.

In hindsight I would have used a chiffney although I got scared to use it as a friend of mine had a mare in one and she got loose with trailing line and ended up losing her tongue.

Good luck!
 
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The chucking out solution is sounding very attractive right now. But the effort and expense of getting her this far........as usual a horsey dilemma!

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Can totally sympathise with the dilema, because depending on what the original problem was then yes of course you could do more damage than good.......
 
Hi, totally sympathise. My girlie's on box rest for another week at the moment because she keeps twisting her ankle in the mud. However, the vet has said that I can hack her and ride her gently in the school, which is keeping her somewhat sane!
Maybe consider a lunge line attached to a bridle, so if she does rear up or plunge off you are not close enough to her to catch one if she strikes out. Make sure she doesn't entangle herself in it though.
Or long-reining might be an option??
How much longer have you got of this?
 
Hat, gloves and good shoes for you


For gg: chiffeny, acp tablets and walk in hand at quiet time poss (and then kept in strict routine) and if completely out of question put saddle on and walk out for same distance as you would have in hand

and if that doesn't work cosider turning 24/7 in restricted area... but if problem to turn out get vet out for proper drugs and make sure gg is hungery, so drug work better
 
I spoke to my vet and ended up riding mine rather than leading - tried leading and he reared up and fell over backwards!

They are usually better to be ridden and an extra 9 stone on their backs has got to be better for injured legs than leaping around and landing with 1/2 tonne of horses weight on them!

x
 
I can sympathise with you having just had SPider on 11 weeks of box rest, I walked her in a bridle and chain which controlled her, she never got away from me but did rear buck squeal and spin quite a bit!

Would some acp each day help?
 
Unless it's a back problem I'd ride rather than lead. That way you've got more chance of walking! Alternatively turn out in a very small electric fenced area - they can still do pretty impressive leaps in a 10x10m area though!!
 
Another 5 weeks ish to go. Thanks for replies so far. I will try long reining - at least I won't be so close and riding is an option but need someone to ride out on my other horse to accompany me! I will maybe try the acp option if any more problems. Suddlenly a horse walker machine seems an essential piece of kit - I really think my OH would kill me first if I suggest this.
 
Weird isn't it? Box rest used to mean just that, horse doesn't come out of box until vet gives the all clear. If it's to be walked, surely that should be called restricted exercise not box rest
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Anyway, body armour is good as is a chifney but if horse is likely to be doing vertical take offs with you hanging on then I'd be looking at doing the same as Amy and chucking it out 24/7; it'll soon lose the zest for having a ball at your expense! There is absolutely no sense in being injured by a flying horse else you'll be laid up when it's better which defeats the object somewhat. Be safe even if it is at the horse's expense, you're worth more than it's worth.
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If the vet says lead then lead as we dont know what injury you are recovering from just chuck it out in the field is only a solution if your vet supports you. I have just completed 4 weeks walking in hand and this is a repeat because the first lot of walk in hand walk plus walk ridden was not enough and the horse was difficult. I made some mistakes to try and make life more interesting for him so here we go having done it twice I have packaged up my hindsight :-

Keep in touch with your vet.

Dont worry about how boring t is for your horse its for its good.

Your horse can be dosed with Bromide on a daily basis it builds up in the system - discuss with your vet wether this or ACP is best in your situation I have only started this since I got back on board but would have done earlier if I had spoken to my vet.

Wear a hat and Gloves

I used my Cross country bit (3 ring thingy)
I had reins on the second ring (not the snaffle)
I passed a lead rope through the snaffle ring nearest me and clipped it to the opposite snaffle ring under the chin.
I knotted the reins up through the throatlash so I could grab them if needed.
I held the lead rope close to the bit ring lightly and stayed close to the shoulder.

If he did nothing there was no pressure as I held it lightly if he had a "flid" I held tight put my shoulder into his shoulder.
I was safe (quite important in my book)
His head was held so he could stomp but not rear or buck and he was safe.

May not work for everyone but it is now my perfect method.

While walking I had a carrot in my pocket and I regularly bit off the end and fed it to him. He couldnt eat it with a bit and noseband firm but it gave him something to concentrate on and when we finished I very gently undid everything to allow him to finish crunching his carrot.

I am now riding in walk in same bit and attaching an emergency brake set of reins to the bottom ring (not had to use it yet) as well as the pair to middle ring.

When he is fit and cute he goes in an ordinary snaffle.
 
Sedalin / acp and a chifney.

I had a horse on box rest and walking for 6 months and this was the only thing that worked. Tried riding him and it was just downright dangerous.

You could also use a standing martingale attached to a roller.

If you really dont want to use a chifney , then normal bridle with side reins

Make sure you wear non slippy shoes, gloves and hat.

oh and possibly some other clothes as well in this weather
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I've just been though this with my mare, put a bridle on with a lunge line attached, so at least if she did have a good buck i could get out of the way and still hang onto her. The vet did give me Sedalin and said to give it to her if she became to much of a handful.
 
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