What would you do? (Rehab)

[Khalea]

Hey all. My 11 year old jumper injured his DDFT some time ago and rehab was going wonderfully, until he kicked the handler during hand-walking (he’s okay), and ran off. Now he reinjured it, has a 5,7mm lesion above fetlock and vet said back to box rest and hand walking, and recheck in a month. He is not used to be out for hand walks only, and now that it is winter, he is a nightmare to handle. Whenever a horse passes by him, he freaks out in the box. He kicks walls, bucks, spins, etc.. When hand grazed he is in the air 50% of the time. Hand walking without sedation has become dangerous. He’s spooky and before the reinjury he acted like a TB undersaddle. It doesn’t help that he is nearly 18hh. My options are the following: 1. Resume light riding to try and keep him sane.
2. Turn out and if he never heals, he can be a pasture ornament.
3. Put him to sleep.
Last two options break my heart, but he has never in 6 years I have him been off, and always had a big turn out to canter his heart out. With such a high strung horse, box rest is impossible and it would be unfair and impossible to keep him sedated 24/7. As his box rest progresses, he is becoming a danger to both himself and the handlers. I worry about him every second, that he will make his injury worse. First time he injured it wasn’t walk in the park as well, but it was summer and now during the winter my life has become a nightmare. He has not lied down once since stabled, he is that stressed.

 

[bluehorse]

Can you do small pen turnout? Mine’s supposed to be on box rest for a front suspensory but it lasted about 10 days before it got too dangerous. He’s out for a couple of hours a day, with plenty of grass to keep him quiet. He’s had a couple of days when he’s thrown a few shapes but on the whole it’s kept him sane and quiet enough for me to walk in hand. I know it doesn’t work for ever horse but it’s made the situation so much easier, he’d be more at risk of injuring himself or me if he was kept in.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would try 1. and if that doesn't work go to 2. turn out and keep fingers crossed he heals. 3. would be a last resort.

 

[Khalea]

He is very reactive to other horses, and just trots back and forth along the fence when they pass by, we tried to fence off a little area for him to be, but after 2 days leg was hot and had more swelling. Oh, and if he is separated from one mare, he goes into full lunatic mood. PTS would break my heart, but people in the barn already shy away from him, and say he’ll kill someone. And he does tend to buck at people on purpose, like he aims at us when hand walking so he could escape.

 

[Khalea]

Can you do small pen turnout? Mine’s supposed to be on box rest for a front suspensory but it lasted about 10 days before it got too dangerous. He’s out for a couple of hours a day, with plenty of grass to keep him quiet. He’s had a couple of days when he’s thrown a few shapes but on the whole it’s kept him sane and quiet enough for me to walk in hand. I know it doesn’t work for ever horse but it’s made the situation so much easier, he’d be more at risk of injuring himself or me if he was kept in.

Hope your horse is ok. <3

 

[monkeymad]

From what you are saying he sounds like he would be unhappy/dangerous to rehab. In your shoes I would be looking to completely turn him away (and I mean out 24/7, not coming in over night) and re-asess I 6 -12 months.

 

[bluehorse]

Hope your horse is ok. <3

Thank you, yes I think he is. He’s certainly full of himself but seems happy in his routine. I’m not feeling very optimistic about his long term soundness but for now we carry on with rehab and hope for the best. He can still be difficult to handle but I just have to be for with him. I hope you find a solution. I’ve put mine on Valerian, it’s made a massive difference, he is much calmer. It might be worth trying?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

You have 4.5 options in my book:

0.5. Cut all food bar hay. I don't know what you feed him but a box rested horse only needs forage and unmolassed fibre.

1. Send him to a professional rehab yard that has a horse walker so he can walk without endangering anyone.

2. Try valerian, it is a slight natural sedative and may take the edge off.

3. Try a constant low dose of ACP to take the edge off.

4. Punt him in a big field and forget about him til next xmas. Not literally forget about him but you know what I mean. Leave him out 24/7 with appropriate food and rugs. If he doesn't get significantly lamer then just check him everyday and otherwise leave him to be a horse. It will make him or break him.

 

[ycbm]

You have 4.5 options in my book:

0.5. Cut all food bar hay. I don't know what you feed him but a box rested horse only needs forage and unmolassed fibre.

1. Send him to a professional rehab yard that has a horse walker so he can walk without endangering anyone.

2. Try valerian, it is a slight natural sedative and may take the edge off.

3. Try a constant low dose of ACP to take the edge off.

4. Punt him in a big field and forget about him til next xmas. Not literally forget about him but you know what I mean. Leave him out 24/7 with appropriate food and rugs. If he doesn't get significantly lamer then just check him everyday and otherwise leave him to be a horse. It will make him or break him.

This.

And my choice would be 4.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

You have 4.5 options in my book:

0.5. Cut all food bar hay. I don't know what you feed him but a box rested horse only needs forage and unmolassed fibre.

1. Send him to a professional rehab yard that has a horse walker so he can walk without endangering anyone.

2. Try valerian, it is a slight natural sedative and may take the edge off.

3. Try a constant low dose of ACP to take the edge off.

4. Punt him in a big field and forget about him til next xmas. Not literally forget about him but you know what I mean. Leave him out 24/7 with appropriate food and rugs. If he doesn't get significantly lamer then just check him everyday and otherwise leave him to be a horse. It will make him or break him.

Agree and my choice would also be 4.

three years ago one of mine did a hind suspensory branch injury, we tried box rest and inhand walking, his sheath kept swelling up and he would grow to 20 hands from 16:3 on his walks. Vet came out to check him and he hadn't healed very well and with him being a pain to walk said lob him out. Though at the time we just kept him at our yard and he was roughed off, out in the day and in at night which worked for him as he likes his stable but could still go out. if he was too much to handle even with that it would be lobbed out in a field and make sure he has four legs every day for a year.
he came back sound, which every one was suprised at.

 

[fabbydo]

A horse walker (a well built one with a proper floor) is often a safer option than walking in hand. The yard I'm at mainly does rehab and they don't walk in hand.
Hope your boy gets better soon.

 

[Khalea]

A horse walker (a well built one with a proper floor) is often a safer option than walking in hand. The yard I'm at mainly does rehab and they don't walk in hand.
Hope your boy gets better soon.

We don’t have a walker at our yard unfortunately, so unless I swtich barns that is not an option. Thank you! <3

 

[Khalea]

We do hand-walk him slightly sedated, and keep him on low dose when stabled during the day. At nights he is usually calmer as it is not busy around. But I’m leaning towards turning him out. It is the best option for him mentally, and plus if he never recovers, I know he stays with me, maybe not as a comp horse, but safe and loved. <3

@Slightlyconfused So happy that your horse recovered! Gives me hoopee!!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You have 4.5 options in my book:

0.5. Cut all food bar hay. I don't know what you feed him but a box rested horse only needs forage and unmolassed fibre.

1. Send him to a professional rehab yard that has a horse walker so he can walk without endangering anyone.

2. Try valerian, it is a slight natural sedative and may take the edge off.

3. Try a constant low dose of ACP to take the edge off.

4. Punt him in a big field and forget about him til next xmas. Not literally forget about him but you know what I mean. Leave him out 24/7 with appropriate food and rugs. If he doesn't get significantly lamer then just check him everyday and otherwise leave him to be a horse. It will make him or break him.

I would do this

 

[Slightlyconfused]

We do hand-walk him slightly sedated, and keep him on low dose when stabled during the day. At nights he is usually calmer as it is not busy around. But I’m leaning towards turning him out. It is the best option for him mentally, and plus if he never recovers, I know he stays with me, maybe not as a comp horse, but safe and loved. <3

@Slightlyconfused So happy that your horse recovered! Gives me hoopee!!

He was sound for three years then did the other one then six months later did the other leg so that's 4 out of 4 hind suspensory branches. Though his is through being an absolute idiot in the field and pulling shapes he really shouldn't be able to pull ? but he is 18 now so not going to change him one bit. Will see how he is in spring, will possibly have to be retired fully but at least he can be a dick in the field without worry from my end ??‍

 

[welshpony216]

This is what I did with my mare for fun, but you can also use it for your situation...
you will need to have a small pen that you can walk around the outside off, a whip with a nice thick visible handle, some treats, a clicker or retractable pen, since it seems he has lots of energy find some low sugar or forage based treats

in front of his stall, hold the whip in front of his nose, when he touches it, click him and give him a treat. This step takes a few sessions, but he should figure it out.

put him in the small pen, (stand on the outside of the fence) stick the whip over the fence and put the whip handle in front of his nose when he touches it, click and treat (for click and treat i will just put CT)

He should short of have the concept by now. When he reaches for the whip handle, take a step forward then stop, if he takes a step to touch it and get his CT, then click and give him one extra treat, that was a big step in this process. Repeat until he does it some what reliably.

Each time, take another step. If you asked for 4 steps and he didn't move, go back to the second step, and do that about 2-3 times, then ask for 4 steps.

Before you know it, he will be doing laps with you. (it should preferably be the same person each time, because he may follow you, but not another person.)

For me, this took only about a week, but all horses are different.

Is he getting to much grain/feed/pellets/nuts? (not sure what you guys call grain in the uk)

 

[Khalea]

He was sound for three years then did the other one then six months later did the other leg so that's 4 out of 4 hind suspensory branches. Though his is through being an absolute idiot in the field and pulling shapes he really shouldn't be able to pull ? but he is 18 now so not going to change him one bit. Will see how he is in spring, will possibly have to be retired fully but at least he can be a dick in the field without worry from my end ??‍

Oh dang. :/ We literally have to worry about them all the time. Good thing he can stay in a field. But some horses are just simply accident prone, something always wrong with them.. Wish your and your boy all the best! Xx

 

[Khalea]

This is what I did with my mare for fun, but you can also use it for your situation...
you will need to have a small pen that you can walk around the outside off, a whip with a nice thick visible handle, some treats, a clicker or retractable pen, since it seems he has lots of energy find some low sugar or forage based treats

in front of his stall, hold the whip in front of his nose, when he touches it, click him and give him a treat. This step takes a few sessions, but he should figure it out.

put him in the small pen, (stand on the outside of the fence) stick the whip over the fence and put the whip handle in front of his nose when he touches it, click and treat (for click and treat i will just put CT)

He should short of have the concept by now. When he reaches for the whip handle, take a step forward then stop, if he takes a step to touch it and get his CT, then click and give him one extra treat, that was a big step in this process. Repeat until he does it some what reliably.

Each time, take another step. If you asked for 4 steps and he didn't move, go back to the second step, and do that about 2-3 times, then ask for 4 steps.

Before you know it, he will be doing laps with you. (it should preferably be the same person each time, because he may follow you, but not another person.)

For me, this took only about a week, but all horses are different.

Is he getting to much grain/feed/pellets/nuts? (not sure what you guys call grain in the uk)

Thank you so much for taking your time to write all this! I think he will definitely figure it out and follow me, because treats make him go crazy! He would do anything for food.. Right now no pellets/grain.. Only gets hay 3x times a day and haynet during the night, and hand grazed once a day..