Horse falls?

[skewby]

My horse fell again tonight, straight after a jump, in our yard's XC fields. He and I are fine though he took a real perler and winded himself, it was horrible. He did this the week before last too. The first time it was my fault, I was warming him up for XC and trotting downhill over uneven ground, he started to gawp at something in the distance and I didn't get him back in time and down we went.

Tonight I went and checked where he fell and the jump does have a nasty hole, hidden by the long grass, right behind it. Also I had fluffed a jump earlier so possibly one of his boots was already loose (it was after the fall, but it did occur to me that it may already have been like that and had caused the fall).

He and I are just getting our confidence back XC, and this really isn't going to help. I'm hoping both falls are random one-offs, for the reasons I've posted above. But has anyone else had this problem? He used to be a stumbler because he's naturally on his forehand, though he has improved loads.

Any ideas or advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[Weezy]

Main advice is only jump where/when you are assured the ground is up to it - I tend to hack around jumps warming up having a good look at how the ground lies before jumping so I can tailor my approach and ride away.

Glad you are both OK!

 

[skewby]

Thanks weezy

I think he probably did go down the hole that I found. The trouble is the grass is long in our XC fields so you couldn't see it until you went and actually walked on it!

I am hoping that this is what he did, and not that I have a horse that can't stay upright!!

Very achey today

I just hope he's ok, and that his confidence is still intact, it has never been great and I was trying to build it up!