Horse fell over backwards

L

Laurah1986

New User
Joined
3 January 2026
Messages
3
Visit site
My horse fell over backwards this morning for no reason. I was moving him from the arena to the paddock and he stopped, almost went to step back but just flipped over. It wasn’t slippery and he wasn’t stiff so no idea why. He then fell again when he tried to get up before managing to get up on the third attempt. He trotted off down his paddock and looked sound afterwards but he won’t let me near him or touch him.

This happened in the summer when I went to catch him, he stepped/pulled back as I put his headcollar on but as his front legs stepped back his back legs didn’t and he flipped over.

I’ve spoken to the vet, he’s had bute and is being checked on Monday by his normal vet but would there be a reason for this? Neurological, arthritis?

He’s a big boy and I’m worried.
 
Welcome to the forum.

Defo one for the vets, but in the meantime keep yourself safe around him. Don’t go in the stable with him in case he comes down on you and you are trapped. Be very careful outside with him, too.

It doesn’t sound at all good, tbh.

If you can film any odd behaviour to show the vet, do so.
 
Very similar to my old mare's early presentation with Lyme's disease. Unfortunately by the time we (as in my vet and many eminent specialists) had pinned down what the issue was she became quite ill. She did survive after treatment for symptoms but was never too safe to trust again, she was only ever handled by me or one of my sons and never ridden again. I really hope you can find some answers and yours has a better outcome than mine did. Do be very cautious when handling though, my mare exploded several times with no awareness of where she was or who we were, but that did diminish in time.
 
He’s going to stay out till he’s checked again on Monday, he’s kept at home so no one else will be handling him or going near him. I’ve had him 10 years and this year is the first for these episodes. Hes 18/19 now and isn’t ridden anymore as he gets severe sweet itch and it wasn’t fair.
 
Years ago I had a companion pony who did this. She went up and over in her stable for no reason. The vet decided she had a pituitary gland tumour or a full-blown brain tumour. She also had seizures when she would fall down and look very confused. He was concerned for our safety as he felt she could fall over on top of someone in the stable. He put her down.
 
He’s only handled by me and he’s kept at home so the risk to anyone else is minimal, I am always careful handling him as he can be temperamental at the best of times and is a very heavy stocky cob. Going to leave him where he is until his vet comes on Monday to be safe. It was just so scary this morning as he just flipped himself over, I thought he was going to land on the gate. I’ve only seen this once before in my old boy but he had an internal rupture and was put to sleep as his blood pressure was falling. Jack managed to trot off ok and is still moving ok this afternoon.
 
If the vet can't find a very obvious and manageable cause I would seriously be considering euthanasia, for his safety as well as anyone that has to handle him. My first thought was a brain tumor or some sort of issue with the spinal cord.
In the mean time please please make sure anyone who goes in the same area as him wears a hat and boots as an absolute minimum.
I'm really, really sorry this is happening to you both .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top