Horses require box rest during injury recovery, but prolonged stall confinement creates significant physical and psychological welfare challenges that require proactive management.
Box rest is often medically necessary but represents a significant welfare compromise. Horses denied movement, social contact, and foraging opportunities develop chronic stress responses that can delay healing and create lasting behavioural problems. Welfare-conscious management during box rest involves maximising enrichment, providing visual and olfactory social contact, offering continuous forage access, and maintaining human interaction. Veterinary advice should balance medical needs with welfare costs, seeking the shortest effective confinement period combined with careful environmental enrichment.