Stall rest can be one of the most challenging parts of a horse’s recovery, for the horse and the person caring for them. Asking an animal naturally designed to move, graze and socialize throughout the day to suddenly spend most of their time confined can be a big adjustment, even when we know it’s necessary for healing.
I experienced this firsthand when my own horse was placed on extended stall rest for an indolent corneal ulcer. With a subpalpebral lavage (SPL) line in place and an eye that needed time to heal, regular turnout simply wasn’t an option. Suddenly, a horse accustomed to regular turnout, riding and activity was spending nearly all of his time confined to a stall or being hand walked for exercise and hand grazing outside.
It gave me an entirely new appreciation for the challenges of stall rest, not only managing the medical side of recovery, but supporting the horse mentally along the way.
Why Is Stall Rest So Difficult for Horses?
Horses are designed to move. They naturally spend much of their day walking, grazing, interacting with other horses and responding to the world around them.
Stall rest can change nearly all of that overnight.
Depending on the injury or condition, a horse may go from regular turnout and exercise to spending 23 or even 24 hours a day in a stall. That sudden change can lead to boredom, frustration and stress.
Some horses adapt surprisingly well. Others may begin pacing, pawing, calling to other horses or becoming increasingly reactive. And unfortunately, the horse who medically needs to remain quiet is sometimes the horse who has the hardest time doing exactly that.
Fortunately, there are ways we can make stall rest a little easier.
Create a Predictable Daily Routine
One of the simplest ways to help keep a horse calm on stall rest is consistency.
Try to keep feeding, medications, grooming, hand-walking and other daily activities on a relatively predictable schedule. Horses tend to thrive on routine, and knowing what to expect throughout the day can help make confinement feel less disruptive.
If your veterinarian allows hand-walking or controlled grazing, these outings can also become something your horse looks forward to each day.
Always follow your veterinarian’s specific restrictions. A horse recovering from an eye injury may have very different limitations than a horse recovering from surgery, a tendon injury or an orthopedic condition.
Keep Forage Available and Make It Last
Forage isn't only important nutritionally, it also gives your horse something to do.
When appropriate, slow-feed hay nets can help extend eating time instead of allowing your horse to finish their hay quickly and spend the next several hours with nothing to occupy them.
Smaller, more frequent forage meals may also help break up long days in the stall.
Keep in mind that your horse's nutritional needs may change when their activity level suddenly decreases. Stall rest is a good time to talk with your veterinarian or equine nutritionist about whether adjustments should be made to concentrates or other parts of the diet while still providing adequate forage.
Provide Safe Enrichment
A little enrichment can go a long way when your horse is spending most of the day in a stall.
Depending on your horse's personality and medical restrictions, consider slow feeders, horse-safe stall toys, treat balls, grooming sessions or simply spending some extra quiet time together.
Social interaction matters, too. When possible, allowing your horse to see and interact safely with other horses can help maintain some normalcy during confinement.
And don't worry if your horse couldn't care less about the expensive stall toy you bought them. Some horses are far more interested in hay, grooming or watching barn activity than playing with toys.
The goal isn't to entertain them every minute of the day. It's simply to provide safe opportunities for normal behaviors and break up long periods of inactivity.
Don't Overlook the Mental Side of Stall Rest
When a horse is injured, most of our attention naturally goes toward the physical problem.
Is the injury healing? Is the swelling improving? Are the medications working? When is the next recheck?
But a horse's mental wellbeing matters during recovery, too.
Stress and anxiety can make confinement more difficult for the horse and can also make necessary treatments, medication administration and controlled exercise harder for the people caring for them.
Creating a consistent calming routine can be particularly helpful during longer periods of stall rest.
Can CBD Be Part of a Horse's Stall Rest Routine?
For some horses, CBD for horses can be incorporated into a daily wellness routine to help support a calmer, more balanced demeanor during periods of confinement and environmental stress.
CBD isn't intended to sedate your horse, nor is it a replacement for veterinary-prescribed medications when sedation or medical treatment is necessary. Instead, it can be used as one component of a broader management plan alongside routine, enrichment, appropriate nutrition and veterinarian-approved activity.
For horses facing several weeks of stall rest, consistency can be especially important. Incorporating CBD into a regular daily routine may provide ongoing calming support rather than waiting until a horse is already worked up or frustrated.
VetCS equine CBD products are veterinarian-formulated specifically for horses and designed to fit easily into everyday feeding and management routines.
Some horses may also benefit from additional situational support during particularly challenging moments, such as veterinary visits, changes in routine or the transition into stall rest.
As always, talk with your veterinarian about your horse's individual needs, particularly when your horse is recovering from an injury or receiving other medications.
Take Advantage of Veterinarian-Approved Movement
If and when your veterinarian gives you permission to begin hand-walking, controlled grazing or another form of limited movement, those few minutes outside the stall can become incredibly valuable.
Follow the prescribed amount of activity carefully, even when your horse is convinced they're ready for much more.
Depending on the reason for stall rest, too much activity too soon can set recovery back. The ultimate goal isn't simply getting your horse out of the stall. It's getting them back to normal activity safely.
Remember That Stall Rest Is Temporary
One of the hardest things about stall rest is that recovery rarely feels fast enough.
There may be good days followed by frustrating ones. A horse who was perfectly content during week one may decide by week three that they've officially had enough.
It can be exhausting for owners, too. Between medications, barn visits, veterinary rechecks and constantly worrying about whether everything is healing correctly, the weeks can feel very long.
Celebrate the small milestones along the way: fewer medications, permission to start hand-walking, a positive recheck, the first few minutes of controlled turnout and eventually that long-awaited return to normal life.
After weeks of managing an SPL line, multiple eye medications and stall rest with my own horse, I can tell you those milestones feel pretty incredible.
Helping Your Horse Through Stall Rest
There isn't one perfect formula for keeping every horse calm and comfortable during stall rest. Your horse's personality, injury, normal routine and length of confinement all play a role.
But combining a predictable routine, appropriate forage, enrichment, social interaction, veterinarian-approved movement and calming support can make the experience easier for both horse and owner.
Most importantly, work closely with your veterinarian and remember why you're doing it in the first place. Stall rest may be frustrating, boring and exhausting, but it's often an important part of giving your horse the time they need to heal.
And thankfully, it won't last forever!
If you're considering incorporating CBD into your horse's daily routine during stall rest or another stressful period, the VetCS team is always happy to help with product selection and individualized dosing guidance.