# Anti cast! Roller or rail?



## Elsbells (11 September 2015)

My mare cast herself last week and is now lame although only bruised thankfully. She's done this once before 2 years ago, she a great one for have a roll in the stable, even with me in there and I don't want it happening again. 

I'm looking for advice please. Should I buy a roller or have anti cast rails fitted? Ideas and experiences please.....and suppliers.


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## EQUIDAE (12 September 2015)

How big is the stable - if it is large enough there shouldn't be any issue with casting.

Another thing to consider is proper banks - 3 foot high ones for them to work properly. lf there isn't enough room in the stable to put proper banks then there isn't really enough room for a horse. 

Most stables now seem to be 1Ox12m which historically was pony sized stables - BHS guidelines are 12x12 for a horse.


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## Tnavas (12 September 2015)

Deep fat and high banks are the best way to stop horses becoming cast, add plenty of used, clean straw, thumping and adding more straw until the bank is solid and thick.

Even in big boxes horses may get cast, they roll over and find themselves with legs too close to the wall.

Using and anti- cast roller will work but make sure that it is fitted to the horses back shape as if too narrow or wide it will be uncomfortable.

Size of stable is important too - if its too small its easy for the horse to make a mistake and lie down too close to the wall, 12 x 12 is OK for up to 16.2hh but any larger a 14x 14 is advisable.


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## AdorableAlice (12 September 2015)

EQUIDAE said:



			How big is the stable - if it is large enough there shouldn't be any issue with casting.

Another thing to consider is proper banks - 3 foot high ones for them to work properly. lf there isn't enough room in the stable to put proper banks then there isn't really enough room for a horse. 

Most stables now seem to be 1Ox12m which historically was pony sized stables - BHS guidelines are 12x12 for a horse.
		
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My boxes are huge, the biggest is 24 x 24 and yes I have had a horse cast in there.  Obviously small boxes pose a bigger risk but if a horse gets down too close to a wall there is potential for it to get cast.

Anti cast strips are the most effective way of giving a horse leverage to push itself out of trouble.


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## splash30 (12 September 2015)

I have a serial caster (if that makes sense) I have two sets of rails at different heights one wood and one rubber matting and he also wears a roller with big banks.


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## Tnavas (12 September 2015)

splash30 said:



			I have a serial caster (if that makes sense) I have two sets of rails at different heights one wood and one rubber matting and he also wears a roller with big banks.
		
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Yes makes sense - we had one at work a very valuable racehorse - he could get cast in an arena if you cave him a chance.

I had a hard time trying to get staff to understand the process of banks, on my days off they would keep taking them down declaring they were dirty and he's got far too much straw - you'd usually find him cast on at least one of my days off.

Did all the precautions finally work on your horse splash30?


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## splash30 (12 September 2015)

Its a on going battle, he has to wear the roller every night no matter what, except we think he went over on it the other night! *Good job he is amazing at his day job ;-)
His worst time was he got so stuck he gave up, we couldn't get him up, had the vets etc, we had to pull him round with a quad bike by his head (that def doesn't do them any good)
He just seems to lack spacial awareness of any form in any space.


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## Tnavas (12 September 2015)

Many years ago my instructor lost the best ever pony who died as a result of getting cast. He had struggled so hard that he had kicked through the timber wall and a piece of wood had penetrated his skull killing him. A very sad day and a horrible end for such a treasure.

The ones that lie there and wait to be rescued are the best. I met my favourite horse the first time lying under a fence rail, with a fence post between back and front legs. We had to see saw him out from under the fence with a whole load of us hauling on the head collar rope. He suffered 7th cervical damage that took a couple of years to sort and manipulation under general anaesthetic.

The only other thing to do is to re line the stable with angled walls, they angle from a wide bottom sloping back to the original wall and go up to chest height. So the floor area is smaller than chest height. Does that make sense?


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## be positive (12 September 2015)

AdorableAlice said:



			My boxes are huge, the biggest is 24 x 24 and yes I have had a horse cast in there.  Obviously small boxes pose a bigger risk but if a horse gets down too close to a wall there is potential for it to get cast.

Anti cast strips are the most effective way of giving a horse leverage to push itself out of trouble.
		
Click to expand...

My old horse used to get cast regularly and even managed to do so in the indoor school, he never panicked once he thought he was stuck the minute he rolled over and his foot touched a wall he would lie there and wait for mum to rescue him even if he could get up easily if he had bothered to try, an anti cast roller made little difference as his bed was so deep it either went into it so he still manged to roll over or it moved round with him if it was not really tight which is not ideal for their backs.


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## AdorableAlice (13 September 2015)

Why do the frustrating creatures roll by the fence or wall when they have lots of room elsewhere !  My big horse always rolls adjacent the post and rail in the paddocks.  In 11 years I have never seen him roll in the middle of the paddocks.

For those who have to help a cast horse up, always wear a hat when you do it and always carefully assess which legs need the ropes on.  It is very easy to get a flaying foot in the face when they are down and you are trying to help them.


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## Elsbells (13 September 2015)

Thank you for all the replies and ideas. I'm going for the rails as well as better and bigger banks and let's see how that goes? She's had me so worried. Why do they do that?!!


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