Box Rest?

sjp1

sjp1

Well-Known Member
Sep 14, 2009
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Well Tobes had done a tendon. Not like a racehorse tendon that requires firing, but it may require injecting.

I am very lucky in that I have a vet who spent a long time in New Zealand. There he says, owners say, operate here or put it down. So he is not like the last vets I had which were a nightmare. Any small issue required immediate transportation to them and an x ray and scan.

My vet is perfectly prepared to do that on site and he says most operations can be done on the yard in a big bed of straw. He reckons they are less likely to be stressed when they come around as they are at home.

So currently our plan is that Tobes is on Danilon (he won't eat bute), I am keeping everything as calm as possible and bringing him in as much as possible but vet (who knows him) said box rest will cause more problems for him.

In the old days we just used to turn horses out for as many months as it took. These days everything seems to have to have months of box rest.

Who has had success with the old fashioned way?
 
hmmmm we ended up doing a mixture....initially just 3-4 months field rest, that made no difference so then 4 months box rest, that did help but then we moved and turned her out and she went lame again straight away (in my opinion it wasnt a true soundness anyway).....then operation to snip the annular ligament.....then a further 3 months box rest (but daily turn out into stable sized field paddock)....then permanent field turnout as i broke my arm and couldn't muck out....then about 6 months later she came sound - will be 6 years sound in January :) If i am honest, the soundness at the end of 6 months turnout in a 6 acre field was a true soundness - she recovered even with the occasional canter around.....
 
A lady at yard who did endurance says always double the time scale vets say. So if they say 6 months, then look at a year. That has been her experience.
 
When Joe did his suspensory first time around we did strict box rest followed by in hand walking out and then riding - then a small paddock. It worked but only because mentally he could cope having spent most of his life prior to coming to us in a stable. We were on a busy yard and there was plenty going on for him to while away the hours watching the world go by. This was in total about six weeks to start with but ended up about three months.
Second time around we had brought him home to live and it was more difficult just having two horses that needed each others company. We managed but didn't do strict box rest and we kept making him small paddocks that once he'd eaten down and got muddy - then we made another. One of the luxuries of keeping them at home is that you can do that for them, realise that is not always possible when yarded.
Third time pretty much a repeat of the second - but it was hard as he tolerated the small paddock less and kept escaping which made his leg worse as he most likely hooleyed once "free".
Fourth time we agreed with the vet we would keep him on normal daytime turnout with Storm and no riding until re scanned and better healed.
Sadly, the last time he injured it, it had taken such a bashing his fetlock dropped and even after trying rest he couldn't go on and we had to pts.
All of this happened over a few years, bear in mind, not overnight, so if you go with your instinct with Tobes and know that he can't cope with 24/7 box rest then don't go with that. You have to weigh the reinjury risk up and only you know how he will react. We also made good use of Sedolin when turning out and after that a long term calmer for a while.
 
In my personal experience I do think that some vets are too quick to prescribe box rest as a bog standard "this is best for the damaged limb" response. I find only some appear to remember that the damaged limb is part of a whole horse who has a need for a normal life.
Most equine vets I have come across who have their own horses often seem to have "grown up" horses (ie big brown ones who compete etc!) who are living in part of the time anyway and its not such a big sweat for horse or owner to be stabled as it is for those of us whose horses live out and in my case hate being stabled.

I am of the opinion that prolonged box rest is very bad for many horses, being such an unnatural life. I have certainly known several who have developed problems from the box rest itself.

If at all possible I would always go for field rest, even if it takes longer as at least the horse can be happier as they are out and about.

Corry had 8 weeks post op box rest that was totally essential and she was a star. Arns, well I am not sure how he would have managed that. Think he would be so very unhappy.

When Arns damaged his collateral ligament a few years ago I was advised box rest but did small paddock rest instead. It maybe took longer but kept both our stress levels down and he came sound.
 
We never use box rest, and a few of my very old fashioned friends don't either, and neither does my vet believe in box rest, for 99% of things.

We trn them out with a group of calm friends, and leave them to recover for as long as it takes. Friend's mare did her shoulder very badly She was turned out with remedial wedged shoes, on the most uneven, steep field they had, on recomendation of farrier and vet and it took a year, and she's right as rain and working well into her mid 20's. For bad injuries, we bandage well to keep the muck out and change it daily, Never had any bother, the ONLY thing I have kept in recently was Frances' Chestnut gelding last year as he had bother with foot abscesses (as did a lot of folk here) I kept him in for 4 days to get shot of them once and for all.

Box rest causes more problems in the long run, circulation is compromised and healing as a consequense.
 
I can't remember whether friend's pony damaged a tendon or ligament, but she was simply turned away for about 6 months I think and came perfectly sound. She wasn't the sort to go flying about her field though.

Gutted to hear about Tobes. Let us know how you get on.
 
Another who wouldn't box rest...

Damage = inflammation = local toxin deposits

Stationary = decreases circulation as low demands for oxygen etc = toxins taking longer to remove

Similarily stationary = no demands on tissues = wastage

Movement = circulation boost = demands on structures = nutrition to area + demand placed on tissues = correct healing

On majority of things for me, including laminitis (subject to suitable alternative turnout) box rest wouldn't be my option.

Demands placed on the structures also means that new fibres are developed in alignment - so they run parallel with the structure - without that demand they fibres develop in a # type style which results in contraction and scar tissue.

Sorry for long waffley post! In people we try to get people up and walking same day/next day in joint replacements which are brutal operations! Because it's important that wastage doesn't occur in order for the joint to remain supported
 
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On the majority of things I wouldn't box rest the only time any of mine has been box rested or in a stable sized paddock was when jasper cut his leg down to the bone and the only way it would heal properly was if he stood still majority of the time. As it started to heal he was able to go out in a stable sized pen and then gradually increased it.

I wouldn't even generally box rest for lami. Especially if alternative turnout is possible. I am lucky that way. I have a grass less area to turn out on. Majority of issues will be helped with gentle movement.

It's another reason why my horses live out. They don't get excited about going out. They don't generally hoon about too much. So if they had hurt themselves they could be trusted to be quiet enough in a field with another of the quieted ones as company and not run around with the herd.
 
I prefer field rest, or if absolutely essential (e.g. because horse's feet are so painful it must have a soft bed) then the biggest box possible. Horses are designed and built to move all day.
 
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