How to minimise the welfare impact of box rest on horses during recovery from injury, meeting their needs within veterinary constraints.
Box rest presents a genuine welfare dilemma: the veterinary prescription to confine a horse is medically necessary for recovery from serious injuries, but the confinement itself imposes real welfare costs on animals adapted for continuous movement and social interaction. Horses on box rest often develop stereotypies within days, demonstrate heightened reactivity due to lack of physical outlet, and show signs of anxiety at the loss of normal social contact. Managing box rest welfare requires creativity within the constraints: appropriate enrichment, maximising social contact through stable design, the earliest possible introduction of controlled movement, and careful monitoring for developing stereotypies that indicate the confinement burden is excessive.