After a fall.......

[stormox]

Horse not human! If their horse has a fall, ridden or unridden, like a fall xc, racing over fences, slips in the yard or field. has a tumble on an icy road - what would you do? Just get back on and carry on after checking the horse? Lead it home? Call a vet to check over?
Assuming there's no obvious injury would you just carry on as normal the next day?
I turned my mare out yesterday, the field is on a hill, she had a whizz about, slipped over winded herself and after a few yards sliding down the hill got up with a bemused expression and started eating. She seems fine so I'm just going to carry on as usual but it got me wondering what others did....

 

[shortstuff99]

I think it would depend on how hard the fall was and the reaction of the horse at the time. From a XC fall I probably would have a vet check over, a slip in the field I would probably give a couple of days rest and then assess. I had a horse fall eventing once and did have mine checked by a vet.

 

[Foxychops]

It would depend on circumstances of the fall. Xc , jumping ,on the road, those types of fall I would be concerned. A slip in the field wouldn't concern me as much. I would ride or trot up once horse has had time to recover from fall to make sure they are OK. Of course a fall in the field can be as bad but wouldn't worry me initially.

 

[LegOn]

I would trot them up & make sure they werent lame - give them some buteless maybe just incase! I would ride the next day or the day after to access any soreness - if they felt off then vet or physio depending if they were lame or not.

 

[Fiona]

I would trot them up & make sure they werent lame - give them some buteless maybe just incase! I would ride the next day or the day after to access any soreness - if they felt off then vet or physio depending if they were lame or not.

I think this would be my approach too...

I had an accident prone TB mare who seriously injured her SI joint falling over on concrete in our yard but it took me ages to put two and two together, and realise that her stiffness behind only started after she had had the fall.

Fiona

 

[MissTyc]

Pretty much as above. Depends on the fall. My now 10 yo homebred warmblood used to take so many tumbles in the field that I discussed wobblers with the vet. She fell so often she got good at falling and learned to roll with it. Thankfully, she grew into her legs by 4 years and has remained upright ever since TOUCH WOOD ... My friend's mare, however, misjudged a stride in a grid and took a tumble - although she seemed sound, it was clear a few days later that she had hurt herself a little. She needed a few days off and some stretching to loosen up tightness in the shoulder ... You can only deal with what you have in front of you - assess the fall/impact, check the horse, ride if seems OK but remain open to the idea that they might be hurting a little somewhere and then address it!

 

[Nicnac]

I would walk home and get physio out just to check over. My daughter's horse had a slip on 1st March, very innocuous as was in walk but on very wet short grass on top of tarmac. He actually hurt himself trying not to fall so am pleased I had him checked over a couple of days afterwards. He was perfectly sound and looked fine. Another time, my horse fell quite badly jumping and again physio just eased off any muscle pain/bruising. I would give them a few days off after a fall as they are big lumps to hit the ground and will always have some ouch.

(My daughter wasn't so lucky. 1st March fall she was knocked out and broke C7and dislocated C6 in her neck resulting in 3.5 months in a brace and the jumping one, she broke her collar bone and shoulder but we didn't know so she got back on and jumped )

 

[Orangehorse]

Went to a talk by a physio, who said that in the heat of the moment horse gets back up, we get back on and carry on. But it is worth getting someone to have a look as a few days later the effects can show.

 

[onemoretime]

I would get the Back Girl out/Physio and have the horse thoroughly checked out.

 

[Circe2]

I definitely recommend getting the physio over - but then again, only you saw the fall/can judge by what you saw. If nothing too terrible, a day or two of rest is the best place to start - and if there is no stiffness or sign of lameness after that, back to normal (maybe slightly lighter work, to test the waters - if what the horse normally does is strenuous).