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Stall rest blues.....

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  MHFoundation Quarters 
#1 ·
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.
 
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#2 ·
Stall rest sucks! I know because my fellow Nelson had to be on stall rest due to a nasty injury he incured on his hind right. Though, Nelson was only on stall rest for a month, no where near where you fellow has been.

I'm sorry :( Have you looked into a suppliment like:

SmartTendon Pellets - Horse Tendon & Ligament Supplements from SmartPak Equine

SmartFlex Repair Pellets - Equine Joint Supplements from SmartPak Equine


Entertainment ideas? Hmmm. What about some NH Games? Like working with the "Carrot Stick" lol - the carrot stick. When I worked with Nelson on the ground, I did stuff with him and the carrot stick. I played the "friendly game" with him and I just came up with more creative ways to "play" with Nelson with the Carrot Stick...lol....the carrot stick.

There are a few people here who love to play games with their horses, and do tricks with them. What about things like that?

Or you can throw bordom breakers in his stall? Likits, likits with balls? Hanging Balls? lol.

I wish I had better ideas for you!
 
#3 ·
Thanks for your reply. Forgot to add that he is on SmartFlex Repair and desert yucca. He has a stall ball, mineral block and he gets all of our empty milk jugs to bang around too.

Will try the carrot stick. Open to anything to keep him happy and entertained even if just for a little bit.

Going to take his handwalk to meet my daughter getting off the school bus today...should make them both happy!
 
#4 ·
Hi,

9 weeks stall rest for tissue injury?? I'd be questioning that & considering that more (gentle) exercise may be more helpful, especially as the stall rest will have effected other areas. Also if he was only out half a day before, he probably wouldn't have been doing much in the paddock anyway & you might consider turning him out for that exercise time rather than in hand. Particularly if you turned him out at night he's not likely to do too much.

Re clicker training, it's not that, or hand feeding treats that causes 'rude' behaviour, it's whatever behaviours are reinforced - intentionally or otherwise - by whatever method/reward is used. Seen plenty of 'rude' horses that have never been hand fed. That doesn't make me think lack of hand feeding causes it.
 
#5 ·
Thanks Loosie. He has had several sets of scans and it was definitely tissue damage. We went down HARD and he rolled himself over with his leg knee deep in a hole, so there was quite a bit of crank on that knee. He is doing MUCH better, he is moving with just a little soreness now. I have been pushing for more exercise time but vet is against it...as this is the first major tendon injury we have had on the farm in 30 years of raising horses *knocking on wood* I've been a bit wary to stray too much from vet's suggestions. I'm dying to get back on him, pretty sure I dislike it much more than he does...lol!
 
#6 ·
It sounds serious, I agree with your vet.. play it safe if you want to ride your horse again!

I don't know what else to tell you to do other than what you are doing already... Perhaps some carrot stretches? I know you don't like treats but in this case it would be beneficial.
 
#7 ·
Thought I'd post an update...laser therapy seems to be helping immensely! Just in the last few days he has improved so much, still sore but it's minimal compared to what it's been. Vet gave go ahead yesterday for more exercise, but still none unsupervised, after all he is a young green fella who would probably overdo it given the chance lol! We have a sunny spring like day predicted today so I think we will head out and take a "trail-walk" through the woods :) Soooo anxious to be able to get him back into training!
 
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