Instructions
Move your horse to a different stall if there is a stall available that has a better view of the other horses and activity going on around her. An open window where your horse can hang her head outside in the fresh air is best during stall rest.
Adjust your horse's feed to avoid him having excess energy while confined to her stall. Talk with your vet to find out how to prevent a horse on stall rest from having too many carbohydrates, fats, and sugars, while still meeting all of his nutritional needs.
Use a recreational feeder to feed your horse her smaller portions of feed. A recreational feeder releases small amount of food while he plays with it. These are commercially sold under names such as Pasture Pal or Equiball Feeder. You can also make your own by putting small holes in a 1-gallon plastic milk jug. Be sure to make the holes the right size to let only a couple of pieces of food at a time.
Give your horse lots of extra attention during stall rest. He may start to act up and display bad behavior trying to get attention. If that doesn't work, then he may slip into apathy. Horses on stall rest miss the attention that they normally get during normal work and riding. Spend time grooming and massaging the horse and do other activities in the barn next to the horses stall so you can talk to him while you work.
Provide her company in the stall when the other horses are turned out. You can either leave another horse inside with her, choosing a different horse to leave behind each time, or get her a stall buddy of a different species. Goats, pigs and stable cats can make excellent companions for horses on stall rest.
Keep his mind active by teaching clicker training or basic ground manners while he is on stall rest. Talk with your vet first to make sure it is alright for your horse to do gentle movement inside the stall. Use low-carbohydrate treats such as apples and carrots when training a horse on stall rest.
Play with your horse inside of her stall. Tack shops sell many different stall games that you can play with your horse, as well as stall toys that you can leave in the stall for your horse to play with. You can also make up your own games such as stall soccer.
How to Care for a Horse on Stall Rest
Stall rest is typically required for your horse after severe illness, surgery, lameness or large wounds. If your horse gets miserable and cranky after a day or two inside because of bad weather, he is not going to enjoy a few weeks of confinement for stall rest. Make a few minor adjustments to your routines during stall rest to help both you and your horse get through it.