Stall Rest/Rehab Enrichment - Hit me with all ya got!

[FjordBCRF]

We battled laminitis in May of 2021 and are now fighting round 2 this May.

We’ve been on stall rest since Monday. Im coming out early before work and again after to BEMER/Ice/Liniment his legs and hand walk for just a couple minutes to see how he’s moving and to visit his friends down the aisle.

I have a GreenGuard HayPlay bag coming for him today that will go in his slow feed hay net to help keep him occupied with that longer. Im looking into making him a texture board for in his stall and just found a little corner scratch pad to put in. He already has an auto-feeder which is worth it’s weight in gold.

Ive played with clicker/target training in the past and am going to start that back up to keep his brain going. Im planning to bring him into the arena for a bit while other people ride so he can watch. We already to liberty//trick training and once he is more comfortable Ill start that back up again.

Ive heard of making different teas for sensory stimulation and would totally be up for something like that.

Any ideas that aren’t food heavy would be fabulous.

[McGurk]

Following. My 4 yo was on stall rest last year and it was a nightmare, would love ideas!

[Posting_Trot]

A unbreakable mirror made of mylar. One manufacturer makes one specifically for horses!

Horse Mirror

[FjordBCRF]

Even better, its affordable!! Going in the cart!

I also have this corner scratcher in my cart:

Amazon.com: Equi-Essentials Stall Corner Scratcher 3-Pack Black : Health &...

I better wait a little while to check out…

[GoodTimes]

Following as my 7yo mare is on stall rest right now. We’re about three weeks in, 2-3 months to go. She’s tolerating it quite well, but I still feel bad.
There are horses in the barn who are on night turnout, as well as some on day turnout, so she can always see other horses from her stall. I might order a mirror though as well.
She doesn’t have shoes on so I’ve got a low hanging hay bag for her, I should probably get one with smaller holes to slow her down a bit more though.

I’ve also got a likit for her. Her stall front has bars so I hang it outside of her stall and she has to lick it through the bars. It seems to slow her down enough without her completely ignoring it, and this way the barn staff aren’t bumping into it while cleaning her stall.

[WavyRider]

I ordered one of these and was surprised by how small they were. IMO not worth the cost. I used a $20 rubber doormat instead and my horse loved it!

[BeeHoney]

It really depends on the horse, the facility, and the situation, but I think the thing that horses on stall rest suffer most from is the separation from social contact with other horses. I try hard to find ways to keep stall resting horses connected with a friend. A stall with a half wall and a quiet buddy next door is ideal, where the horses can (safely) groom one another a little over the wall. Alternatively, when medically allowable and when the resting horse will not get too excited by it, tiny layup paddock turnout with a dead quiet old horse. I have no qualms about using or increasing sedatives (with vet’s approval) if it will help a horse be able to get out of their stall a little more or be able to be around a friend a little more.

[luvmyhackney]

I used to freeze Bundt cake pans with water with a little sugar free Gatorade powder for flavor. Then hang in the stall.

Tires hanging in a stall, milk jugs with rocks, dog rope toys.

Those scratchers you linked are tiny. I gave them to the goats. Plus you don’t want him pushing on stall walls.

[FjordBCRF]

Our mirror should be here today! My HayPlay bag from GreenGuard just came in so I filled that with his AM hay ration and put it in a haynet for soaking. I didn’t use my super slow feed one to start but I’m sure he will get efficient fast…as he does LOL. Thankfully is has a hole in the bottom, I was worried about it being a pain to drain.

[FjordBCRF]

I also have little tiny target stick that is good for target training and neck stretches! We did that last night while getting BEMERed.

[Alterration]

Hope he feels better soon! We are on stall rest as well (deep nail to the hoof) so I feel your pain. Hopefully you can keep him occupied!

[Bonnie2]

I hang empty gallon jugs, detergent bottles etc with baling twine. The guys love banging them and chewing on them and the price is right!

[FjordBCRF]

I may have to invest in another HayPlay bag so prepping is easier. The caretaker said it kept him busy for almost 3 hours yesterday which is pretty good considering it’s a whopping 7lbs of hay

I’ll put the smaller hole net on tomorrow as he seems to have his technique optimized LOL. I’m almost going to try the net IN the hay play and see what he thinks about that. Trying to change things up in any little ways I can.

IMG_2848

[Jarpur]

He does have his technique down!

I hang my horse’s Hay Play bag lower, whether in the stall or out in the sacrifice paddock, similar to the way it’s shown on the GG website. To the point that it’s partially on the floor/ground, trying to give more of a grazing effect.