EQUINE health
STALL
REST
A MENTAL
DISASTER
OR
COMFORT
?
ZONESpending a lot of time in a stall when the horse
is used to outside grazing and/or work can be
very difficult for the horse to adjust to mentally.
A lazy, quiet horse that is content to be
placed anywhere is a far better candidate for
stall rest than a “hot horse” who has endless
nervous energy to burn off. So how do you deal
with it when your horse must have stall rest?
THE REACTIONS TO STALL REST
Medically prescribed stall rest can be a challenging task
for not only the horse patient, but for the owner/caretaker
as well. In the general scheme of things, stall rest is at the
top of the list of non-compliances when ordered by the
veterinarian. My horse was unhappy, the horse was jittery,
the horse was bored, my horse told me he/she wanted out,
or I just felt sorry for the horse are just a few of the excuses
given to veterinarians by the owners when confronted
with stall rest orders not being completed. It is the biggest
change anyone can make in a horse’s lifestyle and it
shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Looking through the horse’s
perspective, when out in a
field grazing, a horse is constantly
moving about exploring
the field for the perfect
mouthful of grass while
examining all the surroundings.
Eating is constant and
there are plenty of interactions
to keep the mind
busy. Whereas, in the stall,
a flake of hay is presented,
examined, then consumed
and then what? NOTHING…
….BOREING!
Some horses are content with a period of relaxation and
rest between flakes of hay while others become unhinged
with boredom. Vices are picked up such as stall walking,
circling, weaving, chewing wood, cribbing, teeth chomping,
and even challenging anyone who comes into the stall
with flattened ears and mouth open. These habits are hard
to break once started. If it continues, gastric ulcers can
develop as well as high crazed anxiety. It is no wonder that
stall rest veterinary orders are not routinely followed.
STALL REST PROBLEM SOLVING
There are some little things that the owners/caretakers can
do to prevent or at least delay these vices from developing.
Suggestions are as follows:
1. Place the hay one flake at a time in a slow feeder net so
that large mouthfuls are not obtained but only small tidbits
can be pulled out a few at a time. This mimics grazing. It
also places a slight challenge to the horse to determine
which feeder hole is the best from which to obtain the largest
strand of hay. If the horse doesn’t seem to be able to
get to the hay, pull a few clumps of hay halfway
out of several of the holes and he/she will
catch on quickly.
2. Try to have the stall with an open window or
upper door so that the horse can gaze to the
outside world and observe what’s happening.
Many times this mind occupier seems to calm
the horse presumably since he/she thinks they
are actually outside.
3. Offer horse toys in which the horse has to
manipulate it to get a treat, hang a Jolly Ball®
on the wall so that it can be pushed back and
forth in play, or hang a different type of salt
block for the horse to explore and potentially
nibble on. There are a host of toys on the mark-
et. A particular favorite of mine is the roller bar. When
placed above the grain feeder, the taste of the grain is left
on it and the horse plays with the rollers to get the taste off.
4. Turn some music on. Each horse may have its likes and
dislikes as to the type of music. I have found that easy
listening and symphonic music calms whereas upbeat and
hard rock type stations may not have the same calming
effect. Some horses also find that talk radio stations serve
them well as it is the human voice that they concentrate
on as having companionship nearby.
5. Try a daily grooming and/or massage. Not only is it halthy
for the horse, but it can have a relaxation result. Grooming
is a win-win in that you get time alone with your horse and
the horse gets a whole body massage.
6. If there is a pasture partner that your horse enjoys, place
that partner where your horse can see the friend easily
from a window. If possible, re-stall the friend near by when
everyone else goes out. Keeping a visual
contact with a partner has been proven to
have a calming effect. Sometimes having
a mate of a different species (e.g. goat,
burro etc.) also helps in the mental adjust-
ment capabilities. This is especially true for
lengthy stall rest confinements.
7. Minimizing overall barn routine changes
is also helpful. Hay in small amounts should
be given more frequently, feedings should
be conducted at pre-set times, tiny portions
of grain (which should be significantly re-
duced from the normal quantity anyway)
should be spread out into multiple feedings
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