Hi everyone! Stumbled across this page today and decided to post.
I have a 4 yr old QH stallion on stall rest right now and we are running out of things to keep us both entertained and happy. Background on injury...had groundhogs tunnel from outside under my indoor arena, there was no visible surface disturbance and with it being winter and snow on the ground I could not see where they had been outside either. I was working my fella, Woodstock and we found one of their tunnels and we went down, he went in the hole with his rt front to his knee and we both rolled over. I was fine, he was not. He pulled soft tissues (tendon and a ligament) in his knee. He has been on meds, stall rest now for 9 weeks, daily rubdowns, cold wraps and laser therapy. We are now up to 20 minutes a day of handwalking.
He is a big character and my hubby refers to him as my Dennis the Menace, he is well behaved but very smart and the wheels are always turning. He is one who needs to be challenged and was prior to injury getting a 1/2 day turnout and ridden daily, so this is a big change for him to be so sedentary. I am looking for things to keep him entertained and his mind stimulated while we are not able to forward his saddle training. I do everything that was the norm that we can without causing more injury. Our latest fun is playing fetch with a jolly ball and he will also bring me his feed pan, drop it at my feet and waits for his treat. Any suggestions of things we can do in his stall or in conjunction with his allowed 20 minutes of handwalking would be great as we have a long haul to get him back to where he was. (i have even balanced my checkbook in his stall to keep him company...lol) OH and I should mention, don't suggest clicker training...not a fan of hand feeding treats at all. Met way too many spoiled, nippy treat hunting horses over the years. Mine do get treats, but in their feed pans only.
I have a 4 yr old QH stallion on stall rest right now and we are running out of things to keep us both entertained and happy. Background on injury...had groundhogs tunnel from outside under my indoor arena, there was no visible surface disturbance and with it being winter and snow on the ground I could not see where they had been outside either. I was working my fella, Woodstock and we found one of their tunnels and we went down, he went in the hole with his rt front to his knee and we both rolled over. I was fine, he was not. He pulled soft tissues (tendon and a ligament) in his knee. He has been on meds, stall rest now for 9 weeks, daily rubdowns, cold wraps and laser therapy. We are now up to 20 minutes a day of handwalking.
He is a big character and my hubby refers to him as my Dennis the Menace, he is well behaved but very smart and the wheels are always turning. He is one who needs to be challenged and was prior to injury getting a 1/2 day turnout and ridden daily, so this is a big change for him to be so sedentary. I am looking for things to keep him entertained and his mind stimulated while we are not able to forward his saddle training. I do everything that was the norm that we can without causing more injury. Our latest fun is playing fetch with a jolly ball and he will also bring me his feed pan, drop it at my feet and waits for his treat. Any suggestions of things we can do in his stall or in conjunction with his allowed 20 minutes of handwalking would be great as we have a long haul to get him back to where he was. (i have even balanced my checkbook in his stall to keep him company...lol) OH and I should mention, don't suggest clicker training...not a fan of hand feeding treats at all. Met way too many spoiled, nippy treat hunting horses over the years. Mine do get treats, but in their feed pans only.