Enforced stall rest during injury recovery creates significant welfare challenges for horses, requiring careful management to minimize psychological suffering.
Box rest welfare represents one of the most challenging periods in an individual horse's life. Horses evolved for continuous movement and social interaction; confinement contradicts their fundamental behavioral needs. The psychological distress of box rest manifests in hyperactivity, stereotypic behavior, and altered temperament that creates safety risks when horses are eventually handled. Managing the welfare of box-rested horses requires creative environmental enrichment including forage toys, visual access to other horses, and controlled in-hand exercise where permissible. The economic pressure to return horses to work prematurely must be resisted - both for welfare and to prevent re-injury that requires even longer rest.