i currently have two horses on enforced stall rest. (one is a 3 year old that has been on stall rest for year, and the other is a show hunter with torn suspensory, who must be on stall rest for 4 to 6 months.) the filly has been given fluphenazine every few months for last year but we are trying to taper off; at this point i am not sure she is 'mentally' normal. the gelding is a 9 yr old appendix who is not doing well with his enforced rest, even being hand walked twice a day. (he just managed to get a back leg stuck in between the bars of his stall when bucking.)
i have been told by one horse friend that fluphenazine can be harmful if used more than a few times.
so what do other people do to try to keep their stall bound horses from going nuts? thanks for any advice/suggestions.
Posted 2010-07-09 3:17 PM (#122129 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
I had to stall rest an arabian gelding a few years back. This what I tried to do-I fed him grassy hay and bed with straw as the straw will allow him to munch on something and not get overfed. I also gave him a room with a view-if you can give him a window too look out of. I didn't use any stall toys but I suppose they are worth a try just switch them out now and then to maintain an interest. I have used calm and cool and find its great to get them mellow and not drugged. A whole year is a long time for a growning youngster to just stand there. Why would a 3 yr old need a year? I can understand the suspensory ( but my gelding needed only about 6 weeks.)
Posted 2010-07-09 3:36 PM (#122131 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
I am not a believer in stall rest as when they get out they are more active even if being hand walked and usually reinjure them selfs. I have always found that stall with 24 hr access to paddock has worked the best to keep them quiet but moving around some and they don't get carried away.
Posted 2010-07-09 6:45 PM (#122139 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Well if my vet recommends it then I'll do it. In my case, my horse less than 6 weeks and is doing just fine now. It just depends whats best for healing.
Posted 2010-07-09 8:56 PM (#122143 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Iowa
I know I'd be nutso if I got locked inside for more than a few days. How about a stall with a small run where that can't get any speed up. Small round pen works good for that. I've gotten away with that before. I just let them live in it. Only brought them in when the weather got nasty and back out they went. My vet didn't think it was a good idea either. But it all worked out for me anyway. Seems to me if they are going to injure themselves locked up in a stall, you are kinda defeating the purpose.
Posted 2010-07-10 8:53 AM (#122152 - in reply to #122143) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
Originally written by sinful on 2010-07-09 8:56 PM
Seems to me if they are going to injure themselves locked up in a stall, you are kinda defeating the purpose.
Exactly, that is what kept happening to mine. When he could finally go out they usually over did it and reinjured them selves. And it sounds liek bucking in a stall is more strenous than if it was in a run getting milder exercise.
Posted 2010-07-10 9:32 AM (#122155 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
yes I can understand the problems and to some extent it depends on the horse too. some can take it and some cannot so its something you need to talk with your vet about. but really- why would you need to stall rest a 3 yr old for a year?
Posted 2010-07-10 1:24 PM (#122159 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Regular
Posts: 88 Location: beaumont texas
the 3 yr old was almost 2 when she severely cut her tendon (and probably should have been put down at that point...hindsight and all that) but after two weeks of hyberbaric chamber treatments, antibiotics directly to the site, etc, things were going well...until her ligaments holding coffin joint together ruptured because there was not enough support from the tendon. a special shoe was made which had several angled pads, so she was sort of standing on her tippy toe and the coggin bone/angle went back into place, basically thanks to gravity. we have reduced the angle over the months but if left at the normal angle, the coffin joint starts to move again because the ligaments have not fibrosed over (i think that is correct term) as much as it should have by now. obviously, the filly will never be a hunter (which is what she was bred for) and most likely, will never be rideable. i will be thrilled when she can graduate to our goal of being a pasture horse...
the gelding apparently started bucking in the stall when the filly was taken out for her morning walk/graze and he was left alone in the barn.
i am thinking of taking 4 panels out to the barn, and putting them together to make a 12 x 12 'paddock' in a grassy area, and then it can be moved every few days. i am hoping that after a few days of standing in there with them (one at a time, of course) they will be so interested in eating the grass that they don't want to play. (that won't be a problem for the filly, she focuses on food to exclusion of all else.) i will not leave them unattended in the 'paddock'. also hoping that if i can leave the gelding out there for 2 one hour sessions, he will be eager to get out of the texas heat, back to the fan in his stall.
has anyone had any luck with any of the supplements like Be Calm, or Quietex???
Posted 2010-07-10 1:28 PM (#122160 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Regular
Posts: 88 Location: beaumont texas
i forgot to say "thanks" for all the suggestions. i like the idea of a paddock area off the stall, and when/if i can move them home, i may try that. problem is, husband doesn't know about the gelding....yet.
Posted 2010-07-14 2:17 PM (#122376 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Newton, NJ
Had my gelding layed up for about 9 months due to a deep flexor tendon injury. He had a stall with an outside window and he was hand grazed twice a day for about an hour each time. As healing progressed, I set up small paddocks with electric fence tape and metal fence posts. Started at about 15x15 ft in size and moved them around the barn yard so he could graze and gradually made them a bit bigger, but he was only allowed out for a little while and was never alone - someone was always in the area to monitor. He's a pretty good boy and at 8-9 yrs old, certainly didn't have 3 yr old behavior issues, but a horse is a horse and will always find trouble if it can. He could see the other horses from the paddock but was never in direct contact. My horses are used to electric fence tape and have a respect for it. Good luck with your recovery efforts.
Posted 2010-08-01 7:28 AM (#123065 - in reply to #122119) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Veteran
Posts: 207 Location: Illinois
Have you tried putting a mirror in his stall? It may simulate a buddy, and calm him down too.
I use one in my trailer for my son's horse that has to haul alone quite a lot.
Posted 2010-08-08 7:58 PM (#123306 - in reply to #123065) Subject: RE: advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 447 Location: cedar rapids iowa
Originally written by appy4me on 2010-08-01 7:28 AM
Have you tried putting a mirror in his stall? It may simulate a buddy, and calm him down too. I use one in my trailer for my son's horse that has to haul alone quite a lot.
advice for keeping stall bound horse quiet
