Down horse....scary!

[BarnBratCSA]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I know you guys will appreciate how scary this was... I met the BO today at 8:00, we were going to go look at some horses, he wants to buy me some more lesson horses. But when i get to the barn, one of his big clydesdales is laying out in the aisle.  I thought he was dead from the doorway, didnt know he was alive till I saw him blinking.  Apparently, he layed down wierd in his straight stall and couldnt get up, must've been thrashing all night.  Under his belly and on one of his front legs near his "armpit" was all cut up and hairless, and on the same side his eye was all swollen.  They had to tie a rope around his back legs and pull him out of the stall with the bobcat.  But he couldnt get any traction on the concrete because of his shoes, so when the vet came, we had to drag him out of the barn to the dirt.  He's so exhausted from trying to get up that he's just not trying anymore.  We tried to help him up a few times, but he's so tired.  So the vet left, said give him a little hay and some water and let him rest for an hour and try to get him up again.  I had to get to work, but I hope that they've gotten him up.  It was so sad and scary.  Seeing him dragged out by the bobcat was almost too much to watch.  Poor guy!!! #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[MacnRio]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#OMG, that would be very scary to see!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Did the horse try to panic when he was being dragged?  You'd think he would..... That would be scary for the horse...... but at the same time it was the only way to help him.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Glad he'll be alright!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[horsemad!]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Oh!  The poor boy.  I hope he'll be alright.    Keep us posted.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I despise standing stalls...  I know that many many many draft horse people use them, but this serves to illustrate why I think they're not safe nor fair to the animals. #ed_op#IMG src="http://www.forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Sad/8.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Oh my goodness. Hope he'll be OK!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Not a fan of standing stalls either.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[babytigger]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#geesh! hope the big guy is OK!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#and standing stalls...wow -didn't think anyone used those anymore!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[chenders01]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#WHY would anyone use standing stalls in the first place??  Imagine having to stand for "XX" number of hours per day, only being allowed to move a few inches in any direction.  That almost borders on animal cruelty, IMO. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Poor horse...I hope he ends up being okay #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Sad/11.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I am sooooo happy that I decided to put Tequila on pasture board...not that she can't hurt herself out there as well, but at least she gets to move around and won't likely cast herself on anything when she rolls out there.   #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[horsemad!]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I do hope you were knocking madly on wood when you said that, Chenders!  Don't wanna jinx yourself.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Many, many draft horse people use standing stalls.  Always have.  Have you been to the Horse Palace @ CNE?  99% of the big guys are in the standing stalls as that's how they're stabled at home.   I still hate 'em!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I've seen cast horses in box stalls too..but then again, I had a mare once who never ever got cast, and then one day she got cast rolling in the indoor arena..of all places. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Standing stalls are scary. Very scary. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Pretty_Pony72]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#That would be really sad to see!! Being dragged anyway.. thats how the move the dead horsys and its sad but its the only way... #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I accually don't mind standing stalls... i wouldn't like my horse in them! But the only ones i have seen horses in, they are in not even half of the day and well taken care of.. not to my English standards, because they are cowboys lol. But they go out everyday lots.. Its sad to see but if they are being taken care of its fine i guess. At this place horses are comming and going all the time. It was sad we had a horse, i was showing it for the summer and it got a huge stall would ly down just loved it. Then went back to the other place with standing stalls.. he kept pawing like he wanted to ly down.. it was sad. I miss that horse.. hes at a big fancy barn now #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#But also these are mostly ponys, big horses get stalls.. I would flip out if i saw MnR's Moose in one *(only draft i have ever met up close hehe except for the Budwiser horse! )* thats just not fair..#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[horsemad!]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I've seen cast horses in box stalls too..but then again, I had a mare once who never ever got cast, and then one day she got cast rolling in the indoor arena..of all places. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#

#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl#I've seen 'em cast in box stalls and in the arena too... I even saw one cast in a 10 acre paddock... stuck up against a round bale.  They do have a way of getting themselves into trouble!#ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[chenders01]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I do hope you were knocking madly on wood when you said that, Chenders!  Don't wanna jinx yourself.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#

#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yeah, you just KNOW I'm gonna go out tonight and Tequila will have injured herself  #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Shocked/6.gif"#ed_cl#  Or, got herself cast somehow...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I don't have any statistics but I would wager that pasture-boarded horses have less injuries than stalled ones.  But that whole "standing stall" thing...it just seems inhumane to leave them confined like that!  At least in a box stall, horses get to move around.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Chisholm]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Wow that is tough.  But there is nothing wrong with Standing Stalls as long as they are the right size for the horse.  Sounds like this poor guy was too big for his stall.  And horses can do almost more damage to themselves getting cast in a box stall.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yep, Tuffy managed to get cast against a round bale outside once! #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[chenders01]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yep, Tuffy managed to get cast against a round bale outside once! #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#That's crazy!  #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Shocked/1.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I can't see this happening to Tequila...she'd just eat her way out LOL!!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#LOL chenders..that would be my horse..but then again, I have a horse who will lie down in his stall to eat his hay, so he doesn't have to bend down.#ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Teasing/12.gif"#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well, in Tuffy's case she got her back stuck against it so her face wouldn't have been able to eat her way out! A younger horse might have been able to wiggle/roll itself free, but seeing as at the time she was 23 and of a portly build she was unable, the SO and I had to go out and roll her over. Happily she did it first thing in the morning so we were both still home, I'd hate to think if she'd been stuck all day, and I'm sure the alpha mare would not have been thrilled at having her breakfast blocked off.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[horsemad!]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Wow that is tough.  But there is nothing wrong with Standing Stalls as long as they are the right size for the horse.  Sounds like this poor guy was too big for his stall.  And horses can do almost more damage to themselves getting cast in a box stall.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#In theory, should a horse be able to lie down in its standing stall?  I used to teach for a large school where 90% of the horses were in straight stalls and I don't recall in the 7 years of being there any horses getting cast (and many of them did lie down)...  the predicament they were more fond of getting themselves into was turning around and getting the tie stuck between their front legs so they had to stand like a pretzel until someone found them.  Many spent a whole night in the pretzel position having gotten themselves twisted up after night check.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Let's face it, horses can get hurt anyhow and anywhere.   I prefer my boys to have lots of room to move around and believe horses should be able to turn around fully and lie down (relatively) safely where they're stabled.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[rubberman]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My old guy got cast in a six inch drainage ditch in the middle of his field.  He lay down on his slide and slid into the small indentation and when my wife went to get him up he would not make any effort to get up (I guess he was comfortable and saw no reason to make an effort).  I was out riding, so my wife got concerned and went accross the road to  the flea market to get four men to help get the horse up.  However, when the horse saw these four strangers come into the paddock he decided that it was time for him to get up on his own (darn it ruined his beauty sleep LOL).  So a horse can get cast just about anywhere (although in this case I think the horse was relaxing and not really cast).#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[MacnRio]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I've only seen standing stalls once, and the horses WERE able to lie down....  They were attached to a lenght of rope, which had a wooden "weight" on the end. The rope was then through a loop. So, if the horse walked forward, the weight of the wood kept the rope clipped to the halter taught (as it slid through the loop), and if the horse decided to lay down, it had enough rope to do so and the block of wood would come up until it met the loop.  They just couldn't lie down.  So, enlighten me, are their standing stalls where they can only stand and shuffle around a bit?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#On one hand it makes mucking easier I suppose (it was two mares that were in the standing stall - a regular stall split in half).  But on the other, it does seem mean that they can't move around too much....  But, the one barn had the standing stalls for these two (30+ yr old) mares because their owner (older, in mid 70's) used to work for the military and that is how the horses were stabled, and these two horses were stabled like that all of their 30+ years.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Differn't strokes...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[BarnBratCSA]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Let me first start by saying that thestraight stalls in this barn are FAR from cruel...the horses can lay down and move around comfortably.  To must of us "light horse" people these seem odd, but I dont know many draft people who use box stalls.  I think it's almost better for big horses.  A horse that size wouldn't be able to move right in a 10'x12' box stall...they're too big! The straight stalls are perfectly fine and they're not cruel.  These horses are so well cared for! It's actually a 15-horse barn and he shows his Clydes all over the place, so he's taking great care of his show hitch.  They dont spend much time inside, and the time they do spend in is usually spent eating. They can lie down comfortably and this is the first time in my 7 years of being there that I've seen a problem. I dont think the straight stall caused the problem.  It could've just as easily happened in a box stall!  So thanks to all of you who stuck up for the straight stall for draft horses.  Also keep in mind that most drafts spend their life in straight stalls, and it's what they're used to.  On the rare occasion we do put one of the big guys in a box stall, they actually seem uncomfortable and out of sorts.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I'm going to the barn shortly so I'll let you all know tomorrow how he's doing! #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#