Walking in Hand - Any ideas on keeping him sane!

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JessPickle

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Pickle has to be walked in hand on vets advise at the moment, first time out he was fine, totally perfect behavior! by second walk in hand I could barely hold him, rearing, leaping around and all sorts. So decided to walk him round the yard not the school which seemed to calm him down again!

Now he has decided that is also reason for being a nutcase, he is always fine for first 5 mins or so, as if I have just brought him out his box to be mucked out, its when he twigs its a walk he goes wild!

He is HUGE and pretty hard to hold at the moment and really don't know what to do, have managed 10 mins of walks a day at the moment and thats a struggle. Vets expect 20 mins twice a day by next week!

So any ideas how to calm him down, would it be worth trying a chifney? or a shop bought calmer?
 
Certainly I would be walking him in a bridle. Will your vet give you something like Sedalin that you can give him to take the edge off? I do sympathise having been in the same situation. In the end I temporarily moved my mare to a yard with a horse walker.
 
I already have in in a bridle, would be totally insane to be walking him in a headcollar! Will phone vet later. So fustrating but I suppose at least he is feeling better, he certainly looked sound when prancing around yesterday!
 
My horse had to have a month of walking in hand twice a day or on horsewalker. We ended up sending him to the vets to go on the horsewalker - which is not as expensive as you might think (no more than a normal livery cost round us) - and meant he was safe and soon settled to being on the walker. Might be worth asking your vet if this is an option as probably a lot safer (for both of you) way of building his work up.
 
Am in same boat - altho' horse ok if allowed to graze in-hand (prescribed quiet walk at mo!)but at the mere suggestion that she should walk more than 6 steps explodes into airs above the ground freestyle. I try to shuffle her round the field but it's hardly the prescribed 'controlled walking' have been advised to build up too. Was wondering about whether my horse would be happier following her friend around the arena (when next week I have to start said 'controlled walk' and be less inclined to plunge/rear etc if following. Like you, I am supposed to be building up to 20 mins walk at end of 6 weeks. Don't want to (££££ and she is happy at yard) send her to anywhere with horse walker but can see immense sense in this! Will continue with the shuffle and have Sedalin at ready !
 
Was considering asking if I could get someone to lead Bailey (who I ride at the moment) in front of Pickle, may try that. Bailey is the most chilled out cob you could ever meet.
 
Ok, my 4 and a half year old has been on box rest since last July, not even allowed out for a pick of grass!!! He is now up to 20 mins per day walking, normally the vets say that you should split it, so if 20 mins, do 10 mins twice a day. I always take him out in a chifney, he is a very laid back horse in the stable and turns into a devil on his walks, we have bouncing on the spot, rearing, leaping, pushing me into walls and so on. The chifney I find is easier to control him in, than a bridle. I also take a pocket full of treats, or carrots or apples, I then give one to him say on the second lap of the block, so every 2 laps, this is so he has a taster and by the time he is thinking about doing anything naughty he remembers that is is treat time again in a min and is more interested in trying to find it from me than misbehaving. OK, sometimes he will still have a little whoop but he has been in over 8 months and he is a baby.

I have not had to use sedalin once and I wouldn't as acp normally heightens the problem if they have already got to that wound up stage. One thing you might want to add to his feed is ProKalm just to keep him nice and steady through the rest of the box rest and walking and before you either get him out or get on him again.

I feel for you!! - We are back to the vets on Wednesday for another lameness work up so if sound I can get back on - JOY!!!
 
I don't have anything to add to the very sensible responses made by the others, but just wanted to say that, having had my lad on box rest and in-hand walking for 3 months I totally, totally sympathise with everything you are going through. He went from being the perfect gentleman to satan. Even his vet said 'I've never seen him like this before'.
Hang on in there (literally!), it will get better.
 
I would use a chifney i always found brisk walking best as it was harder for the horse to mess about also i wouldnt stop for them to mess about it seemed bit hader for them to do then.
Be careful if another horse comes for a lead out with you because it may get kicked. You would have less to worry about if you are on your own as you wont need to be thinking where abouts the other horse is. Also make sure you wear a hat to keep yourself safe
 
No further advice to that already given - but reading these posts have just relaised how lucky I am! My old lad has been in for two weeks, turned out on saturday for a few hours for the first time.............then I decided to take him for an in-hand hack, without really thinking much of it!! I donned the hi-viz on us both and off we went, out on the road ......... he was great, standing for traffic and everything, he thought it was one big picnic as he got to munch everytime we had to stop for a car!!

Didn't even cross my mind he wouldn't be a good boy! :-/ Bless him :)
 
TBH, I'd go back to your vet and say that he is being too much of a handful and discuss doping her up and turning him out in the school say.

After my experience I will never again walk in hand after box rest - it's just too dangerous!
 
I'm in exactly the same situation and my 16.3hh has been getting dangerous (even after only 3-4weeks) and as I'm quite little I just can't risk being trampled as I have been before with him!
My vet has given him this wonderful injection which lasts 5 days, and although I can't recall the name of it (I'll look at my invoice later and let you know) she calls it 'Pony Prozac' and brings it over from Australia, I think. It's fantastic, doesn't dope them up as ACP does (which I have had to use since it's worn off, and don't like AT ALL), but instead it just chills them out and gives them a better outlook on life. My lad hates box rest but for the week he was on this stuff he was just a pleasure to be around.

Try googling it, you never know! I will try to find out though - recommend it 100%.
 
yeah my boy is 17.1hh so quite the handful considering I am 5ft7! Think I will phone vets. Do always wear a hat and gloves just didnt occur to me not to :p did consider chucking my body protector in the other day!

Annoyingly Pickle is usually fab on walking in hand, have done it plenty of times before and he has been fine. First walk after the box rest he was a angel lurred me into false sense of security!
 
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Not much to add except my sympathy. I had sedalin for my lad when he was on in hand walking but didnt like giving it every day so with vets agreement started doing the walk ridden instead of in hand. Sedalin seems to work best if given while the horse is calm ,its trial and error as to how long it takes to get best effect , all horses seem to react differently.I have also found that the equine america so kalm plus helps him chill .
 
kerilli said:
you could try a roller and side reins, this might concentrate his mind as it will keep him straight (hopefully).
i hate doing early walking work, it can be an utter nightmare.
is he safer with you on top?
Click to expand...

yes definetly! even when he isn't lame if I lead him around hacking when he is a bit spooky he is silly while if I am on him he is pretty easy! Still waiting for vets to call me back.

did consider tacking him up and walking him round :p making him think he was ridden may keep in sane I thought :p
 
i would have to agree with the chifney my geldig has some stallion tendencies while being removed from mares i used the bridal no good as soon i put a chifney in he tried it once and never again

good luck xx
 
My 16.1 WB was on box rest for three (very) long months. Walking out was a total nightmare and it has taken me two years to get him out of the habit of rearing when leading to and from his field. If/when (heaven forbid) he is ever on box rest again, either the vet can do it if he thinks it is such a good idea or I am going to do it the old fashioned way and turn him out in a field until he is better, how ever long it takes! Good luck!
 
I used to walk mine out in a bridle, roller and side reins. When he got excited he used to swing his head from side to side and at the same time jog, flicking his legs out from the knee, it caused many bruised shins! :rolleyes:
 
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