Turnout Ideas Needed!

[Ottbaxel]

Hoping for a little help from the hive mind here with ideas for my gelding.

We are having a little bit of an issue with him right now as his right front foot was giving him some grief. Long story short, his hoof wall is very brittle (getting better but still has a ways to go) so he was in glue-ons. We needed to adjust his angles as he was uncomfortable on that right front, so my farrier used a regular nail shoe for the time being. He is due for a full shoeing in two weeks, and that glue is very difficult to remove so we just need him to keep the shoe on for a few weeks. This new shoe is one size larger as well, so I am super worried about him pulling it. Vet said he absolutely cannot go out in mud at all, and he can’t be running either.

This is where we run into our problem…our normally amazing paddocks are pretty much all mud right now after the crazy spring weather this year. There are two paddocks and a round pen that aren’t muddy. The two paddocks are right by the road-so we tried him out there, but any time a horse or car went by he would start running and broncing. We tried to ace him, and it wore off after a couple of hours. On the other hand, the round pen is currently needed by a pony who recently had colic surgery.

Which leads us to my current options…put him back in the mud paddock that he doesn’t run around in so he can at least get outside, put him on stall rest for the time being, or give him heavier sedative drugs so he can go out in the paddock by the road. If I give him heavier drugs, he will test positive for a few months if I were to bring him to a show (which I do hope to do). I think the chances of him actually getting drug tested at a local show are slim, but it is still a risk I don’t like to take.

Anyways, I’m leaning one option, but what would you do if you were in this situation? Or does anyone have any alternative ideas? I’m torn about it and super stressed. The situation isn’t anyone’s fault whatsoever, but it’s a little crappy all around.

[RedHorses]

Can you temporarily make the road paddock smaller using electric tape and step in posts? Don’t give him enough space to run?

[Ottbaxel]

I might be able to try! He freaks out so badly in there though that I’m not totally sure making the space smaller will help him-he might just start leaping in place. Worth a shot though if the barn owner will let me before going to drugs or stall rest.

[NaturallyHappy]

Can you give him Trazadone and bring him in before it wears off?

[Ottbaxel]

The trazodone specifically is what we are trying to avoid if we can help it-it stays in their system for 70 days. ack!!

[Rackonteur]

I know what I would NOT do – load him up with drugs, unless for pain if he needs that; nor would I think about showing while I am worrying about his foot, IOW until he is completely sound, and happy.
So, that said, I would ask the vet about pulling his shoes and possible turnout barefoot until his hoof is sound.
If he were mine, that is.

[Ottbaxel]

his foot is sound now with the different shoeing. So showing over two months from now is not out of the realm of possibility.

[Bristol_Bay]

Stall rest is not going to kill him. Just do as much hand walking as possible.

[NaturallyHappy]

@Ottbaxel - WOW! I had no idea. I have a friend who is using it, which is why I suggested it. Thank you for telling me.

[trubandloki]

Can the pony that is in the round pen go into one of the smaller turn out areas near the road and not have an issue?

Can you get some more round pen panels and make a small turn out somewhere that your horse will be happy? (Clearly with the blessing of the barn owner.)

For two weeks it might simply keeping him safe in his stall and you having to be there more to make sure he is getting the mental and physical exercise to keep him happy.

[Ottbaxel]

That’s actually the issue-the pony can’t go in those paddocks because he doesn’t respect the electric fencing and gets loose

We just put up a small round pen in a different area of the property Wednesday night, and my guy paced the first half of the day yesterday but then seemed to calm down a bit. I’m hoping desperately that he can stay there for a bit and that he’ll keep his cool, but with the luck we’ve been having I’m not going to be surprised at all with it not working out either.

[Ottbaxel]

right? I tried to look it up in the USEF book too, and while it doesn’t say Trazodone specifically it does say longer lasting sedatives (which I believe Traz is) lasts NINETY days! That’s insane!

[Bonnie2]

I would not put him in the mud paddock. Stalled with hand grazing would probably be best for the foot.
Ace and dormosedan will keep pretty much any horse quiet for a few hours - but not all day. Nothing will keep them reliably quiet all day. So maybe turn him out when only when someone will be available to bring him in after a couple hours. Shoes and mud season are a misery! Good luck!