Horse Regularly Gets Cast

[Trak_Eventer]

Hi COTH pals -

I have a young horse (3yo) who has been regularly getting cast. This has been happening since she was a foal, it has been increasing in frequency as she has gotten older/bigger. Over the last two months, she has gotten cast where she has needed help 3 times. Luckily, she does not panic and patiently waits for someone to notice and help her. However, I do worry about the frequency that it is happening. She is turnout overnight, so luckily no concerns there. Pasture board is not an option.

Has anyone experienced this or have tips/tricks to help?

[NancyM]

Yes, I’ve had one who did this just the same. A home bred filly. And I hauled her out of fences every few days. She’d just lie there and wait to be rescued. Like you, I was quite concerned, and had NO idea what to do about it, foreseeing her getting badly hurt at some point.
Then, an old fella at the track told me what to do about it. I wasn’t happy about the prospect of doing this…He said… “Beat her while she’s down with a broom”. Yikes. Really??? “Yes” he said. Make her scared to be stuck in the fence so that she CARES. Eventually, yes, I gave it a try. And yes, it did work. She didn’t want to get stuck in the fence again. It was enough to make her “care” about avoiding getting cast in the fence. The broom doesn’t really hurt, but it’s just the thought of being attacked while stuck in the fence. Apparently, they are smart enough to learn this lesson.

[ThreeWishes]

My big horse 16.3 looooooves to roll in his stall. On 3 occasions he’s cast himself. And I realized on other occasions he’d done it and was eventually able to right himself given the scratches on the walls. And small injuries. So I started banking his shavings. And I mean BANKING his shavings as high as I could. So far for the two past years he has not cast himself. I know some people say this doesn’t work. But for me it has given him enough purchase to rise again.

[sascha]

Treat for ulcers. Go for a few days worth of treatment. If the horse stops casting herself keep treating. No need to go all in right away. We used to use, er, ranitidine (I think, my memory is shot) 25+ years ago and the results were night and day.

Had one yearling that would be ‘rescued’ by us and as soon as we’re were out of sight he’d lie himself upside down again against the wall. Eventually he gave up and just started getting up by himself when someone would come into the barn. When we twigged to that we called the vet and got him started on treatment. Successful outcome and the change came within a couple of days.

[luvmyhackney]

Bank the shavings really high and deep.

Plus try ulcer meds.

[punchy]

You could add a strip of wood a few feet up—like wainscoting—so that she can get a grip on something to help her flip herself back over. Although if she just lays there when it happens, she won’t be able to take advantage of using it.

I think @NancyM is getting to the heart of what the problem is—your horse doesn’t at all mind lying against the wall for hours. I do feel like this is something horses tend to grow out of.

[Amy3996]

Another vote for ulcer meds. I got my guy as a coming 6yo and found out rather quickly that he was a habitual caster. Stalls, run in sheds, anywhere he could. He was another who would just lay there calmly for the most part, but did struggle when he wanted to get back up. Banged himself up pretty good several times.

Scope showed severe ulcers. Treated them and knock on wood, he hasn’t been cast in 2 years and counting. I also have the rubber anti-cast strips up in his stall as a precaution. They were pricey but well worth it for the peace of mind.

[trubandloki]

Have you looked at where/when your horse gets cast?

I ask this because I knew two horses (one of them mine) who seemed to get cast every time they were put into a larger stall. I know this sounds backwards, but somehow the smaller stall worked well for them, but the larger stall lead to them rolling in a way they got stuck.

I do agree with the anti-cast strips on the walls. You can use wood or strips of rubber mat (or buy the product sold for this).
I also agree with the thought that you should check about ulcers.

[Bluey]

We had one yearling colt turned out with four other colts that every day when they came in the large pens to water at noon and rest laying around, he would get cast rolling against the panel fences, mostly in the same spot.
At times as colts started to leave he would get himself out to follow them, or another colt would come by and pester him until he scrambled around and got up, other times we came by and helped him up.

That lasted several months, until one day he quit getting cast, who knows why.

[Jarpur]

Many years ago, back when I boarded, another horse there was a chronic caster; he was kept in an anti-cast roller.

This place had excellent care, all the spacious stalls had attached runs, and there was plenty of turnout on good pasture, so no obvious stressors from management.

eta auto-correct typo

[atr]

We have one enormous horse in our barn that gets cast all the damn time. In her stall, in turnouts large and small, and she panics about it and rips her legs up. Her turnout is now lined with rubber mats, except the gate, which has proved to be an omission that must be corrected.

Shes been treated for ulcers, her owner is a vet and beside herself about it. I’d be concerned that she could get herself into even worse trouble with an anti-cast roller.