Walking in hand on box rest!!

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LouiseG

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My horse has been on box rest for 3 weeks now after a stifle arthroscopy, he has been allowed 10 minute walks 3 times a day since Wednesday and it has been nerve wracking to say the least, only 2 moments where he looked like he'd explode, have been sticking mainly to our indoor school.

Today however, the gale force wind and rain is SO bad I feel that it would probably be responsible for definite explosions, even indoors. With the rotten weather forecast, and the fact he needs in hand walking for another 3 and a bit weeks, what can I do?! It needs to be safe and controlled at all times but I feel awful for not walking him as I worry it will set him back! :-(

The vet has prescribed Zylkene which I will start tomorrow and if that doesn't work I will get some ACP to take the edge off, has anyone used either in this situation? He's been a good boy all things considered but I feel a bit of something to chill him out can only help. Any advice appreciated!!!

x
 
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Is there another steady horse you could take him out for a walk with who could provide a calming influence and a bit of company? They're always less spooky with another one to rely on.

I assume you're taking him in a bridle already? If you're worried that's not enough, you could try a chifney, although I'm not really fond of them myself.

I'd also try taking him somewhere where there's a bit of grass to nibble on - a verge or a small patch rather than an open field. When my share horse was on box rest, he was much more interested in grass than being silly, to our surprise!
 
I was in exactly the same position as you this time last year, for the same reason too! I found using a roller and side reins really useful or I would have been dragged along the floor.
 
I've taken him out in his bridle so far but last night I took him out in his headcollar and he was actually much better! As soon as his bridle goes on he gets wound up and starts pulling before he's even out of his stable but with his headcollar there was no pulling at all. I did have a leadrope around his nose so that I could pull on that if need be. It's so easy for vets to say, walk in hand... but it's so dangerous and scary! I hate it! I will be pleased when all of this is over and he's back out in the field! x
 
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HHMMMMM I wonder which horse this could be?! ;)
When ginger ninja was on hand walking I found that it helped to have some grass to munch on, especially if it was her little treat at the end of her walk! she was always thinking about eating the grass rather than being outside and it being exciting! I also found it helped keep her calm when there was a horse riding (no fast work though just if the other horse was walking with her) she seemed to go back into work mode a little bit! AND I know its hard but hard to do but she was always calmer when I gave her a longer line......probably to do with tension.

Give him a kiss from his favourite auntie!
 
I've used zylkene for box rest as my boy went a little bit loopy dancing on all 4 legs whilst trying to recover from a fracture ( not ideal), it did calm him down, I also used valerian and alternated between the 2 :) Good luck! (I gave up on walking in hand and ended up having him chucked on a horse walker as he just had rearing fits at being *free* - but then he is a bit special!!!
 
In the end with mine it was far safer to put her tiny rider on board as in hand she was doing airs above the ground not good for recovering from leg surgery but put the kid up and she went back into nanny mode and looked after her rider
 
I actually found that my horse was better to walk in hand just going round the yard on the tarmac. If I took him into the 'safety' of the indoor school he just went loopy and would try to b****r off.
 
Dually headcollar and one of IH's long lead ropes - that way you have control from the nose rope and can get out of the way if he goes loopy, without letting go. I'm about to start the in hand walking/grazing too, and have had the same thoughts about the wind and the roof rattling in the indoor school, but I'll definitely be using my dually.
 
My vet gave me a sedative paste that I just used to put some in his mouth and that calmed him down, he would have exploded otherwise, I had tried all the other ideas that had been mentioned on this thread and they didn't work with him. Sorry I can't remember the name of the paste
 
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