Your best box rest tips

[poiuytrewq]

I’ve been very lucky in that as rubbish luck as I get I’ve not had to do proper box rest very often.
In the days I worked in racing yards if I needed to box rest one he came to work. The change of scenery, constant company and things going on seemed to make it ok.
I no longer work at that yard and have to do a stint of box rest.
Week one I did badly. I was letting him have yard time (unconfirmed diagnosis) and hand grazing here and there.
He’s now on strict, not allowed out box rest.
I’ve split the others so he has others in with him 24/7 and they all still get turnout, I’ve switched back to a field I’m supposed to be resting and just putting loads of hay out as it’s visible from the yard, he can just about see them turned out.
I have ACP to be fair I’m stunned at how well it’s going but I feel so guilty!
I’ve switched him to the bigger stable and am trying to spend time grooming etc to break up his time a bit.
Obviously he has hay. I thought carrot stretches.
I’m lucky to be in the position I can pop out every so often to top up hay and spend 5 minutes with him.

 

[dottylottie]

hay balls, forage blocks, picking grass, treat balls - soaking hay means you can feed more without worrying about their waistline quite so much!

 

[Abacus]

Don't be too hard on yourself! I think they tend to settle well, even without entertainment (can I quote Nancy Mitford - 'If only they could read!'). Seeing others does seem to help.

The box rest is the easy bit - it's the hand walking, if you have to do that later, that is the hard bit. I refuse to do this unless the horse is an absolute saint. It may be the best protocol in ideal circumstances but a fresh box rested horse on the end of a rope is seldom easy and is almost always dangerous.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have a hay ball somewhere, will dig that out. I washed off my dusty old hay cube to soak hay this morning. He won’t touch the blocks I’ve tried in the past sadly.
The box resters/rehab was mostly a me job at work so am pretty used to flying TB’s on a bit of rope, you’re right. Often not fun. We had a walker there and tbh some were almost impossible to even walk to that!
This one I think should be kind of ok. I mean I’ve never done it with him but he’s silly in a joggy up and down on the spot kind of way rather than strong or kicky I hope

 

[New Forests Rock]

OH's normally box walking stressy NF gelding recently had to box rest for a fortnight. Given plenty of well soaked hay, large stable with choice of views and coblet for company next door overnight, he amazed us by coping really well, is now lying down frequently and seems to have settled into the "stable to sin bin" lifestyle much better than we feared. Hope yours does the same - and don't feel guilty, you are doing the best for him.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Give him an old welly boot with some nuts in the bottom to chuck about, hang the hay ball or hay net from the middle if you can. Feed some from the ground and have some hanging

 

[canteron]

Do you have any bamboo in your garden? I cut bunches of bamboo and tied very securely so my mare could ‘graze’.

 

[poiuytrewq]

OH's normally box walking stressy NF gelding recently had to box rest for a fortnight. Given plenty of well soaked hay, large stable with choice of views and coblet for company next door overnight, he amazed us by coping really well, is now lying down frequently and seems to have settled into the "stable to sin bin" lifestyle much better than we feared. Hope yours does the same - and don't feel guilty, you are doing the best for him.

Thank you! I know he has to do this but I am very much a turner outer!!!

Give him an old welly boot with some nuts in the bottom to chuck about, hang the hay ball or hay net from the middle if you can. Feed some from the ground and have some hanging

Hanging up is a good idea and I have low wood joists/beams in my stable so would be very easy to screw a tie ring in!

Do you have any bamboo in your garden? I cut bunches of bamboo and tied very securely so my mare could ‘graze’.

Sadly not no, I never knew they liked Bamboo!
I could get some branches and bits from the field though and do similar. He’d love that I’m sure.

 

[sport horse]

I have found the box resting horses settle better if they cannot see their friends in the field. I have one or two stables that cannot see the fields so I alwasy use one of those boxes and keep a nice quiet friend next door on a rota basis. They have always settled well. I think sometimes it is us humans that are more worried!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I have found the box resting horses settle better if they cannot see their friends in the field. I have one or two stables that cannot see the fields so I alwasy use one of those boxes and keep a nice quiet friend next door on a rota basis. They have always settled well. I think sometimes it is us humans that are more worried!

Totally agree, the less you do the more they will settle. Keep a strict routine so they know when to expect you and are not constantly expecting attention.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Yes you may well both be right.
He’s always been a difficult character and has to be able to see the others.
However I think I may have found the way to keep him happy, just shut him in a stable 24/7 he seems way more chilled, if only that were an option!
Don’t know how long it may last but this (minus right now as the hunt came through the yard about an hour ago!) is about as calm as I’ve ever known him.