# Box rest - Calmer which works?



## MagicMelon (4 July 2012)

My horse on long term box rest is not dealing with his controlled daily walks very well, to the point he has injured himself further twice and each time have to stop the walks again while he heals enough to start again (which doesn't help).  Yesterday was the beginning of 5 minute walking again (after his leg swelled up horrifically last week) and he was dreadful, I simply lead him round a small paddock, he's walks along quite happily but then bam out of nowhere he leaps off the ground, bucks, rears bolt upright etc. he literally explodes. It only lasts seconds but its pretty impressive and is very very risky for his injured leg. For my own safety, I'm going to try long-reining again which I did a while ago because at least then he's not going to leap on me (he has already kicked me in the back during one of these explosions). He's such a lovely, gentle boy so this is very out of character for him but he hates being on box rest and is a naturally very active, sensitive horse so I can't blame him TBH.  

I really do think I need to try a calmer of some type on him.  Just enough to stop these explosions.  Obviously there are lots on the market and I know some work for some horses and not others, but recommendations which would fit this circumstance would be great.  Thanks!


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## Bobby Boy (4 July 2012)

I feel your pain, my daughter's connie was the same after he damaged his suspensory ligament, we used a couple of different things but found with him sedalin paste worked the best but still not brillant
We ended up not walking and sedated him to get him into his normal field and turned away for a month then started ridden walk work which worked for us

Good luck


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## ILuvCowparsely (4 July 2012)

Have you tried magic calmer?? Or magnesium

 It works well with my gelding.
  I am lucky my mare copes in her stable.

 Is there a yard nearby with a horse walker or equine spa???  Haven't read before so don't know why he is on box rest


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## AdorableAlice (4 July 2012)

MagicMelon said:



			My horse on long term box rest is not dealing with his controlled daily walks very well, to the point he has injured himself further twice and each time have to stop the walks again while he heals enough to start again (which doesn't help).  Yesterday was the beginning of 5 minute walking again (after his leg swelled up horrifically last week) and he was dreadful, I simply lead him round a small paddock, he's walks along quite happily but then bam out of nowhere he leaps off the ground, bucks, rears bolt upright etc. he literally explodes. It only lasts seconds but its pretty impressive and is very very risky for his injured leg. For my own safety, I'm going to try long-reining again which I did a while ago because at least then he's not going to leap on me (he has already kicked me in the back during one of these explosions). He's such a lovely, gentle boy so this is very out of character for him but he hates being on box rest and is a naturally very active, sensitive horse so I can't blame him TBH.  

I really do think I need to try a calmer of some type on him.  Just enough to stop these explosions.  Obviously there are lots on the market and I know some work for some horses and not others, but recommendations which would fit this circumstance would be great.  Thanks!
		
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Magicmelon, the vets are letting you down, they should be offering you help.  My horse is into month 11 of box rest and has started rehab.  I know exactly what you are going through.

I tried most of the 'shop bought' calmers, Top Spec and Magic were helpful at the beginning but they are not really aimed at long term confined horses.  Ask your vet about Zyklene and Vetplus Calmex.

Zyklene is based on mares milk and gives the sleepy feeling a foal gets after suckling.  Some horses are improved on it (there is a thread on it), my horse would not eat it and even when I managed to disguise the milky smell it did not have any effect.

Vetplus Calmex was a miracle potion for my horse, he was calm and biddable, his appetite went up leaving him able to settle on a small holed haynet all day.  It is a powder, quite a lot actually, (think angel delight powder) size packet and smells like newly cooked cakes.  Horse loved it.

When the walking started (2 handlers + full breaking tack), he stayed on the Calmex and had 80mg ACP 75 minutes before walking, that is a low dose of ACP for a 17.2h 700kg+ horse, but it just made the world a nice place for him.  An additional benefit is the horse can be allowed to pick grass or have his hay on return because ACP does not inhibit the swallow reflex.

Get help Magicmelon, before his hurts himself even more or kicks you into touch.


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## leflynn (4 July 2012)

I had the same recently, I had to attempt to walk my TB in hand for 20mins a day after 3 months of box rest.  I tried using a magnesium based calmer (horse first relax me) which made no effect whatsoever.  I also tried parelli on him, again little to no effect.

It turned out our efforts of 20 min walking in hand were actually 20 mins of rearing and planting in hand, even led in a chifney/bridle/by two people on lunge lines.  Nothing made a difference, he'd explode out of his stable and explode around the yard/arena,  I lasted 2 weeks and gave up in a heap of tears fearing injury to us both (he had front suspensory ligament damage) so I called my vet.  He said to leave him in another 2 weeks then dope him up and turn him out in a small paddock so we were sure his leg would hold (after checking his leg).  If he couldn't have done that it would have been ACP/Sedalin time as vet didn't want injury to either of us.

It took one glass of wine (for me and YO), a tube of domesedan and a vaguely sunny afternoon and we managed to wobble him to the paddock where a calm friend was waiting.  He was spazzed out for 90mins, then woke up from his *dream* to find he really was in a field and has been a daft bat/hooligan in the field ever since, he's calmed right down and he now calmly walks alongside me no headcollar to bring him in  We are now at the walking under saddle point for 40 mins!

Good luck and I hope you get a better plan of action


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## applecart14 (4 July 2012)

MagicMelon said:



			My horse on long term box rest is not dealing with his controlled daily walks very well, to the point he has injured himself further twice and each time have to stop the walks again while he heals enough to start again (which doesn't help).  Yesterday was the beginning of 5 minute walking again (after his leg swelled up horrifically last week) and he was dreadful, I simply lead him round a small paddock, he's walks along quite happily but then bam out of nowhere he leaps off the ground, bucks, rears bolt upright etc. he literally explodes. It only lasts seconds but its pretty impressive and is very very risky for his injured leg. For my own safety, I'm going to try long-reining again which I did a while ago because at least then he's not going to leap on me (he has already kicked me in the back during one of these explosions). He's such a lovely, gentle boy so this is very out of character for him but he hates being on box rest and is a naturally very active, sensitive horse so I can't blame him TBH.  

I really do think I need to try a calmer of some type on him.  Just enough to stop these explosions.  Obviously there are lots on the market and I know some work for some horses and not others, but recommendations which would fit this circumstance would be great.  Thanks!
		
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I can totally recommend Zyklene sachets from your vet.  They are very good and are mixed once per day with your horses feed.


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## xxMozlarxx (4 July 2012)

I agree with AdorableAlice the vets have let you down and sadly they often do this..leave instructions for walking in hand but no support for how this can actually be done safely. I would suggest you ask your vet to give you potassium bromide, you give it on a daily basis all through the box rest period, it takes the edge off the nutty behaviour without doping. It worked really well for my boy after KS surgery and he was a fruit loop. Why vets dont offer this support I don't know.


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## Bobby Boy (4 July 2012)

Zyklene had no affect on mine and is really expensive !

I think it will just have to be trial and error to see what works


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## AdorableAlice (4 July 2012)

xxMozlarxx said:



			I agree with AdorableAlice the vets have let you down and sadly they often do this..leave instructions for walking in hand but no support for how this can actually be done safely. I would suggest you ask your vet to give you potassium bromide, you give it on a daily basis all through the box rest period, it takes the edge off the nutty behaviour without doping. It worked really well for my boy after KS surgery and he was a fruit loop. Why vets dont offer this support I don't know. 

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I forgot the bromide, it's cheaper too.

I have been fortunate with my vet, she is a really good horseman and her father trained NH, so she has grown up on a yard full of proper horses. She is also a dear friend who thinks forwards and see's the problems before they actually happen.  I am very very lucky to have her caring for my horses.

I do wonder if vets wait for the client to ask for help before offering, I also think vets, rightly so, are very careful about leaving quantities of dangerous drugs with 'unknown or lesser experienced clients' absolutely no offence meant to anyone posting on this thread, it is a generic comment.  If you think about it, a vet leaving a quantity of sedatives on a big livery yard with children running about etc,  is potentially very dangerous.


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## PennyJ (4 July 2012)

I think you need to speak to your vets and INSIST on them prescribing a calmer for your horse.  I found Sedalin worked very well for my mare when she was on box rest.  

You really should not be in the position where you are risking serious injury to yourself when you take him out on his "controlled" exercise.  

Otherwise, would you be able to create a "pen" outside that he could be confined in during the day?  That can work quite well, and by the sound of it, would be helpful for his sanity and thus your safety


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## ILuvCowparsely (4 July 2012)

AdorableAlice said:



			Magicmelon, the vets are letting you down, they should be offering you help.  My horse is into month 11 of box rest and has started rehab.  I know exactly what you are going through.

I tried most of the 'shop bought' calmers, Top Spec and Magic were helpful at the beginning but they are not really aimed at long term confined horses.  Ask your vet about Zyklene and Vetplus Calmex.

Zyklene is based on mares milk and gives the sleepy feeling a foal gets after suckling.  Some horses are improved on it (there is a thread on it), my horse would not eat it and even when I managed to disguise the milky smell it did not have any effect.

Vetplus Calmex was a miracle potion for my horse, he was calm and biddable, his appetite went up leaving him able to settle on a small holed haynet all day.  It is a powder, quite a lot actually, (think angel delight powder) size packet and smells like newly cooked cakes.  Horse loved it.

When the walking started (2 handlers + full breaking tack), he stayed on the Calmex and had 80mg ACP 75 minutes before walking, that is a low dose of ACP for a 17.2h 700kg+ horse, but it just made the world a nice place for him.  An additional benefit is the horse can be allowed to pick grass or have his hay on return because ACP does not inhibit the swallow reflex.

Get help Magicmelon, before his hurts himself even more or kicks you into touch.
		
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 My mare is coming up to 11 months in her stable, fortunately she is a calm non stressy mare.  So have not had to use calmer  I have not had to use bridle yet .


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## AdorableAlice (4 July 2012)

Leviathan said:



			My mare is coming up to 11 months in her stable, fortunately she is a calm non stressy mare.  So have not had to use calmer  I have not had to use bridle yet .
		
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Did you make that statement to make us all go green with envy !!!!

What has she done to put her in for that long


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## TarrSteps (4 July 2012)

If you want to know how wrong it can go  handwalking look up some of Puppy's old posts on here. 

I'd agree, insist your vets take some responsibility. I have more than once told vets that have told people to "just get on with it" to pop in and take the horse for a spin themselves and show us all how it's done.  Interestingly, the vets I know who are also good horsemen are always the quickest to "manage" the horse and the situation for safety.

I've had good luck with valerian, which is relatively cheap and easy to get.  I give it to the horse daily then "top up" with sedation if need be for procedures and other excitements.  The last horse I rested did not respond well to Sedalin, taking so much it made him uncoordinated and more dangerous.  On the valerian I was able to use a much lower dose and it just smoothed him out, rather than either not working or putting him on the floor.


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## xxMozlarxx (5 July 2012)

I've never seen a horse react badly to the potassium bromide.


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## Mizzbecx (5 July 2012)

I find the herbs that they sell on cheshire equine iridology fantastic!!!!

Natural herb mixes that really work, I have tried the calmer off here and it's the best I've ever tried!


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## ILuvCowparsely (5 July 2012)

AdorableAlice said:



			Did you make that statement to make us all go green with envy !!!!

What has she done to put her in for that long
		
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No it never crossed my mind that.  Though why you would be green I don't know, there are thousands of horse who cope very well on box rest.

 My mares son does not cope with box rest at all  he had to have magic calmer daily when he stayed  in he is a pain in the bum on box rest.

So in answer to your statement I just said  I was lucky with my mare  in her situation as if she had not coped well she would not be here.

 She is a recovering laminitic. 

 No one can praise themselves or blow a trumpet they just have to think themselves lucky if their horse is good in a stable.


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## AdorableAlice (5 July 2012)

Leviathan said:



			No it never crossed my mind that.  Though why you would be green I don't know, there are thousands of horse who cope very well on box rest.

 My mares son does not cope with box rest at all  he had to have magic calmer daily when he stayed  in he is a pain in the bum on box rest.

So in answer to your statement I just said  I was lucky with my mare  in her situation as if she had not coped well she would not be here.

 She is a recovering laminitic. 

 No one can praise themselves or blow a trumpet they just have to think themselves lucky if their horse is good in a stable.
		
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It was a joke for heavens sake !!

my boy has coped well for 11 months, but has needed and received help as required.  Good luck to anyone going through it with their horse.


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## xxMozlarxx (5 July 2012)

AdorableAlice said:



			It was a joke for heavens sake !!

my boy has coped well for 11 months, but has needed and received help as required.  Good luck to anyone going through it with their horse.
		
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..I thought it was a joke....


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## AdorableAlice (5 July 2012)

My boy has his big scan tomorrow.  The turnout postage stamp paddock is ready, the lean-to will have a big bale of straw in later.  The fencing for his little girlfriend to live next to him is nearly ready.

There will be either tears of joy if he gets the all clear to go out or tears of pure frustration if he has to stay in.  Fingers crossed, it's been a flipping long year nursing him.


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## janinek1981 (8 July 2012)

Adorablealice... I want your vet!!!!


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