Wet, box walking, nightmare horse!

[Lennyfan]

Any top tips or suggestions for bedding, mucking out, breaking the habit? With winter fast approaching, I think I might go mad!! He has to be the wettest and dirtiest horse I've ever met, not helped by the box walking, it's horrific! Any help gratefully accepted.

 

[smiles24]

My mare did this when I first got her. I taped off a stable sized area outside her stable so she could go in and out. At first it ment that at least her bed wasn't trashed and she seemed calmer. Now she is a very clean and tidy mare so no more having to take all her bed out each day.

I also rubber matted her stable and only gave her a small bed to start with to reduce the work load for me. I reckon it took a good month for her to settle this way.

 

[Kat]

With mine, who is very messy in the stable and box walks when stressed I found deep litter was the answer because you then get a good firm compacted base that is not easily disturbed (needs chiselling out when you dig it out). I use shavings and would only take out the poo and the really mangled trodden in stuff each day and just top up as I went along. Don't dig it out each week, leave it until it is literally too deep to be manageable.

 

[smiles24]

Forgot to say a stable mirror might help too.

 

[Daffodil]

Get a stable mirror. Made all the difference to my stressy one when he started box rest. Not expensive and easy to install. Can't recommend them highly enough!

 

[Vetwrap]

Can you describe what your stabling is like? Some suggestions might work better than others, depending on what your set up is like.

 

[Queenbee]

Routine! I have certainly noticed a huge difference with mine depending on her routine and the environment she is in. When stabled privately when it is just her and ben, she is far more chilled than if in a busier 'yard' environment where she is privy to all the comings and goings of other horses. Since we found out she was not pregnant, she and Ben went back up to the barn to their old stables where all the other horses are and she immediately started box walking and soaking her bed I though 'here we go again!' She was moved on the Friday, which ment the first 2 days she was up there was the weekend, both days I was up there for 9am to ride and then turn out, by this time everyone else was there and she was acting like a loon because it was so busy and the other horses were obviously going out, the second I popped her saddle on her back she stood like a lamb which I though was quite sweet as she knew she was not going to be stuck indoors What I noticed though, was that the last 2 days (Monday& Tuesday) there was 50 percent less to muck out from her stable and she was far more relaxed in the mornings she was by no means the first horse to be turned out but the sheer activity and purpose and atmosphere was a lot calmer and this helped her to remain calm. I intend to get up there even earlier on Thursday and Friday to ride before work, seeing the link between being there that little bit earlier so she doesn't get anxious and her level of 'messiness' has really motivated me to be there even earlier for her.

 

[Queenbee]

Ohh, when I first got her, she was really really bad so I used to keep her occupied at night by hanging sweedes from the rafters for her to play with through out the night

 

[maggiesmum]

Echo all of the above re routine, a mirror and things to keep him occupied. From a bedding point of view I've found wood pellets are the best for dirty horses and box walkers, my TB box walks (although not so much nowadays) and pellets are heavier so they don;t move around so much.

 

[1973horse]

would it be possible for her to live out and maybe have a shelter so she can come in and out has she pleases

 

[POLLDARK]

Is it possible to fence a small yard outside the stable with access in & out, hard standing or rubber mat. Put a small area of shavings ouside & all the peeing & dumps will happen there. All the sleeping will be in the stable. It works really well for my boys.

 

[Lennyfan]

Thanks for all suggestions, might be possible to try fencing off a bit outside their stables. He's on mats which tbh seem to be making it worse! Would love to try deep litter but the last time I tried, it was getting so torn up from the box walking that I could never get a decent base. Will look into mirror (get it?), that might be worth a go. Just cant face another winter of smelliness and hours of mucking out!! What type of bedding do people find the most absorbent? He's been on shavings, 50/50 and straw all of which seem to struggle. We've tried huge beds, little beds & everything in between.

 

[blakeney]

My TB mare had same problem! It is difficult isnt it. I try to keep routine the same and make sure she always has hay and boredom breakers available and also moved her to bigger stable. I deep litter with straw and that seems to work really well. Also tried 'Gastri Aid' supplement as it was suggested maybe her stressy behaviour was due to gastric ulcers and have to say since she's been on it....HUGE improvement in her all round and she's not box walking hardly at all now

 

[blakeney]

Had vet prescribe Gastri Aid treatment tho and cant believe difference in her, as vet said not all horses show every symptom of gastric ulcers. Ask your vet but I know you can get ulcer aid products from NAF supplements now

 

[Maesfen]

I had a mare do this. After trial and error I found the only way to give her a decent bed (on mats anyway) was to just have a pile of bedding in the centre of the box (She walked around the edge only in a circle) and leave the rest of the mats clear. She had a pile to lay on (and pee) but she mucked on the outer ring so the bedding stayed dry and clean. I'd use a bale at a time (used Sundown Yellow then) and it would last most of the week. If I had done a normal bed I would have used at least 4 or 5 bales a week so a huge saving and very quick to muck out. Must admit it took some getting used to (always had thick beds with banks normally!) but she stayed much cleaner and drier this way. Might be worth a try.

 

[Wagtail]

We have one here. The only way I find with these kinds of horses is to use mats and a very minimal bed. We actually have three very messy boys, but one is in a class of his own. We found the only way was to just use a sprinkling of megazorb or wood pellets (half a bag) and take it all out every day. Every single scrap as it is all wet and dirty. Still costs a lot in bedding but only takes five minutes to muck out.

 

[Dizzle]

Mine's like this, better with routine and ad-lib forage.

I have full rubber mats and I have a 3ft by 6ft rectangle of woodpellets that he wees on, I then just shoved the rest up into a wheel barrow.


Moving to grass livery after 2 years and I can't wait!