Why is it especially important to keep a horse hydrated while on box rest?
A fit horse on unexpected box rest due to injury can trigger large colon or fecal impactions. An impaction is a blockage in the horse’s gastrointestinal tract. It is usually caused by a build-up of food or partially-formed faeces, which prevents the normal passage of gut contents. If an impaction is untreated, a horse can die of severe shock or a ruptured bowel. Inadequate water intake, either due to inaccessibility or poor palatability, can also lead to impactions and colic. Water lubricates the gut and exercise keeps it moving, removing the excess digestive gases that build up during the day, and can contribute to impactions. So a box rest diet needs to be sufficiently laxative. Horse Quencher causes most horses to dive right in making it a handy health insurance policy and a ‘must have’ on every rehab yard.
