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Post by mandal on Jan 6, 2012 18:57:33 GMT 1
I suppose there's always going to be split opinion on whether box rest is ethical, but especially in situations like mine, at livery, the owner has the right to decide for their own horse and they then have a responsibility to make sure others handling their horse aren't risking life and limb when doing so. I wasn't questioning a need for box rest in certain circumstances perhaps more that how the box rest is managed and implemented can become a question that is never asked because it is 'easy' to manage the horse with a chiffney. My comments were general and I do concede there may be times when using a chifney may be the best/safest choice in given circumstances and if the use is thought through carefully, which I'm sure it was in your case Michellep.
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Post by june on Jan 6, 2012 21:12:34 GMT 1
I always use a long rope, a Dually, a hard hat and gloves when taking a horse out after box rest, regardless of how well I know the horse. I would generally turn them out in the arena first as that is close and doesn't involve crossing open spaces, so they can work off some steam or into the round pen, which again is close although it does involve some open space, before taking them out to the paddocks. I don't own a chifney, so I guess my answer would be, no, I can't envisage every using one, but I've learnt over the years with horses that you should never say never!
However, I can see specific circumstances where it might be necessary to use one to keep a person safe. That doesn't mean it should be used as a matter of course but as a one off, or very temporary measure until appropriate training can be put in place.
I took one of my horses to Cambridge Vet School for an op several years ago. They used chifneys on every horse they led around the place which seemed a bit excessive to me, but I guess if you are handling other people's horses then you don't want to be putting in a call to the owner to tell them their horse is loose in the vet complex.
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Post by lawyerbunny on Jan 7, 2012 19:42:11 GMT 1
Absolutely lawyerbunny, no offence taken! Good stuff (and apologies if my last reply sounded a bit curt, was rushing to bash something out at my desk without being spotted ). Where the alternative is potential injury to horse and/handler, and you don't have the luxury of time to train through any problem (and the problem is a temporary one caused by particular circumstances), I don't think ethics should stand in the way of using something that gets the job done properly and safely. It's not abandoning your ethics to do so, but aren't there occasions when being able to stick to all of your ethical principles can be a bit of a luxury? Interesting that they're used as a matter of course at Cambridge Vet School. Can understand that an unknown horse in a potentially stressful environment and with no turnout, coupled with students, might lead to that. I've seen horses led to/from boxes at the racecourse before in chifneys, which seemed a bit much to me.
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Post by luce1308 on Jan 8, 2012 20:45:19 GMT 1
the only time i use one was when my throughbred was on 8 weeks box rest adn when she went out was nuts adn reared all the time. she wasmuch more control able with this . never used it before or after only when needs must. didn't have a dually at the time otherwise I might have used that
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Post by portiabuzz on Jan 8, 2012 22:26:01 GMT 1
Have only ever reached for my dually...never used one and i would never try. The thought of misuse makes me wince x
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