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Post by shell81 on Aug 25, 2014 22:01:43 GMT
Hi all I need some advice
I have an 11 hh welsh section a that box walks quite bad he is doing it threw the night and morning before he goes out he has put so much stress on his legs doing this it's caused djd in his hock I've tried giving him more hay in a small holed haynet blocked the stable at the front but he has started doing it at the back on a smaller circle he can't live out as he is lammi prone he is stabled next to his best friend and can see horses across from him and at the side of him I just don't no what to do he's damaging his legs and causing me £100's in vets bills any advice greatly appreciated
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Post by belfa on Aug 26, 2014 7:49:36 GMT
Hi I have a box walker who has bone spavin, no doubt thanks to this. I'm afraid the only way to manage it is to have him live out, even in a bare paddock with a muzzle on.
You at least can mange his lami this way but you'll never stop him box walking.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by Wiltshire Man on Aug 26, 2014 11:46:14 GMT
Putting few rubber car tyres around the stable floor to slow down his box walking with finger cross it will work as it happen often with other horses. Or having a stable with outside pen which will give him more freedom to relax him more !
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Post by shell81 on Aug 26, 2014 18:39:29 GMT
Putting few rubber car tyres around the stable floor to slow down his box walking with finger cross it will work as it happen often with other horses. Or having a stable with outside pen which will give him more freedom to relax him more ! Thanks for that I will try it I've just moved him to another stable on the yard to see if that helps I've tried everything possible and hung empty plastic milk cartons from the ceiling to try and break the circle turning him out 24/7 is not an option as he won't keep a grazing muzzle on and is prone to lammi I'm already trying to get his weight off but finding it very hard as the vet wants him out as much as possible as he is causing more damage being in to his leg and back but I can't work him due to being lame with his djd have a chiropractor coming on Tuesday the 2nd to sort his back out so hope he feels better then but as long as he is box walking he isn't going to get better as you can imagine I'm stressed to death about him
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Post by Karen, garrettponies on Aug 27, 2014 14:16:12 GMT
Have you got the option of strip grazing? I mean very small areas with enough to nibble at and keep him moving about. I have a paddock about the size of a 20 x 40 arena that I sectioned for one of mine, she got about a fifth of it. Enough for her to trot about and enough to eat but not so much she gained weight. Teamed with in overnight with soaked hay she lost weight.
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Post by brt on Aug 27, 2014 22:06:35 GMT
Get a stable mirror, doesn't work for all horses but has worked for a couple of mine. I use them if i have a stressy foal at weaning and seems to keep them occupied for hours !
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Post by cre8tivekid on Aug 28, 2014 9:30:05 GMT
Very interested in this as I have got to box rest a pony for 3 months who box walks - he has a mirror and a trickle hay net and still does it. Not sure that the tyres would be good in case he trips as he is meant to be resting. Have heard of people hanging things from the ceiling to put them off but not sure how this would work.
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Post by sjw87 on Aug 28, 2014 9:48:24 GMT
Look at best friend grazing muzzles - they attach to your own headcollar.
I have a mare who won't stay in and gets rubbed horrifically by grazing muzzles - I have one of these lined with sheepskin, the whole headcollar (stubben leather one) is lined too as that rubbed her and even the velcro attachments have been lined now.
If you can get a grazing muzzle to stay on him, it does seem the best solution.
Sent from my GT-I9195 using proboards
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Post by pipandflo on Aug 28, 2014 14:49:02 GMT
You have my sympathy, we had one that walked its bed into soup every night and wore a track in the rubber mats, we made a small pen outside (stable size) attached to the stable and she was SO much better,just wandered in and out but not with the desperation previously displayed. She was recovering from a fractured pedal bone so it was vital to keep her stiller.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Aug 28, 2014 15:17:49 GMT
Box walking is a stress reaction, presumably to being shut in, so the only thing that will cure it is to let him have time outside - a pen with access to the stable would be a good thing to try. I've had lami ponies living in my old sand school and that works well, but whatever you can manage to rig up to make him happier with his environment. I also have a "mudpatch" - a small fenced off area with access to a shelter which is adjacent to my yard and find they are much happier being able to mooch about even in a tiny outside space than shut in a box.
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Post by shell81 on Aug 29, 2014 8:28:05 GMT
Hi all I moved him stables in Tuesday still the same yard but not on the end where he was and could see everything he hasn't boxed walked for 3 days yippee keeping everything crossed I've cracked it all I can presume is he was stressed in the end stable as he could see out in to the field and was waiting to go out but fingers crossed he hasn't done it in his new stable :-) I haven't got the option to make him a small pen or leave him out all the time he is out from 11am till about6pm so isn't stabled for long I'm just hoping he doesn't start again 3 days of not box walking is good for him as he has done it constantly for 12 months and got worse been trying everything then thought I would try a different stable just shows that the tiniest of things can stress them out
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Aug 29, 2014 10:59:44 GMT
Great, hope it lasts.
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