Horse fell over!

[Suzie94]

Hi everyone! First post

so I have a 7yo section D mare who was only broken 2 years ago and has mainly just been hacked by her previous owner and so she’s fairly new to the arena!
Iv only owned her for 6 months and so far we’ve got on really well. She came to me quite unfit though and since becoming fitter she’s started to become naughtier in the arena and try’s to get out of work... so to help her feel comfortable in there and find her stride/ balance a bit better I’ve started to free school her. Which she loves.
however today she was cantering around enjoying herself when she suddenly toppled over herself! The sand was a bit wet and deep and perhaps she just got her footing wrong but she completely tripped up and rolled over! Then she just got back up and carried on…. It almost looked like she’d just got down to have a roll as it was fairly slow motion. But she was cantering and tripped into it..
I’ve owned horses for years but never seen one fall over like this before. Could there be something wrong? Or is she just clumsy? She often trips slightly when I’m trotting her and she’s feeling lazy so I don’t think she has great balance perhaps?
Or doesn’t pick up her feet properly? She seems completely fine which is good news but I’m just worried!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would give her a few days off work to recover from any bruising. I am guessing that she finds your arena surface difficult to work in, especially as you have asked more of her. Can you school somewhere else?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I started to wonder if something was wrong when I read the bit about her being naughty to get out of work. It's not how horses think.

I imagine that there is some sort of issue. It could be simple, she's school sour or finds the surface difficult. Or she could have a physical issue which is the underlying cause. As she has now also fallen over, I personally would talk to a good equine vet and explain everything.

 

[Polos Mum]

If she often trips is that only in the school or out hacking too? Is there any pattern to it ?

If the school is wet and deep I would certainly avoid for a younger more unbalanced horse

I would ask your farrier whether he thinks there's anything there that could be contributing - long toes can make the trip so maybe shorter shoeing / trimming cycle

Did you have her vetted 6 months ago ? There's lots of rare but nasty things that cause tripping - maybe keep a log of when she does it what you were doing etc. and look for a pattern / track whether it gets worse.

Just my personal opinion but I don't think they 'try to get out of work' more often they try to get out of pain so maybe slow down the pace a little bit if she's struggling.
You can do loads of good schooling out hacking so maybe give her time away from the school while she builds up strength.

 

[Flicker]

Nothing to add to the good advice here. She will be finding work hard, not ‘being naughty’ - either that’s because she’s green / unbalanced or because she’s sore.

Take the pressure off her a bit and have a chat with your farrier and vet.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Agree with above comments and I would think free schooling is not going to help your situation at all it literally achieves nothing apart from letting them think they can run around aimlessly doing what they like.

 

[millikins]

I too would want to investigate the "naughtiness" but our Dales mare did something very similar last year. Cantering in the school, put her foot in a hole and her back end is so powerful it more or less overtook her front end as she too is quite young and still a bit unbalanced. Sadly this resulted in a rider fall and broken collarbone.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would not ride her in the arena for the next 4 weeks but gently hack her out at a walk on the roads and tracks and see if she stumbles again. If not then I would then give her short trots on the road and see what happens. If there is no stumbling on the roads or tracks then it may bee the surface of the school that is creating the issue. Ensure that you always put on knee boots when you ride her as you do not want her coming down and injuring her knees. If you have any concers then call in an equine vet to check her over.

 

[Suzie94]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

she’s absolutely fine and very forward going on a hack. never stumbles or trips, not even in trot. But she doesn’t like schooling much. When I first got her I had her checked by the vet and they said she was in good health but just a bit unfit and young!
so I’ve just been building her up really slowly in there. By naughty I mean bucking and trying to stop at the gate when i ask her to work with me on her back. When this started I got the vet out to check her back and legs etc and she said she seemed fine and said when horses start to get fit they do often develop some behaviours like getting over excited as they now have the energy!
Plus she does the same on the lunge line or when free schooling so I know it’s not the saddle or me either.. she’ll buck and get all silly and then once she’s got it out her system she’s good and we finish on a good note. But obviously when I’m on her back I don’t appreciate her trying to get it out of her system!
Now you mention it- it could be the school surface she doesn’t like and struggles to balance on? She is green and unbalanced and I’ve been helping her with this with pole work etc. And regarding the opinion that free schooling is bad- that’s just a matter of opinion as I’ve been recommended it to help her work out her paces and balance etc. She listens to me really well and this is the first stumble she’s had while free schooling!
The vets coming out again next month to do her teeth and vaccine so I’ll tell her everything and see what she thinks.
I also have a very good farrier so I will ask his opinion to.

I just don’t know if it’s her being green, unbalanced and got over excited or something I need to worry about. But I really appreciate the advice. I’ll continue to take it really slow with her in the school and not over face her

 

[Melody Grey]

Schooling and the arena are hard work. Even being broken two years ago, she may still be very weak depending on what she’s done since. I’d give the school a break and up the hacking personally.

 

[AmyMay]

I suspect she just slipped, and went over. You’d be surprised at how easily it can happen - which is why I never loose schooled in an arena.

 

[Suzie94]

Schooling and the arena are hard work. Even being broken two years ago, she may still be very weak depending on what she’s done since. I’d give the school a break and up the hacking personally.

Thank you! I think this is what I’ll do. And just stick to 20 mins easy work in the arena to keep it really gradual

 

[millikins]

Is she shod? Our mare stopped tripping with a set of front shoes on.

 

[Suzie94]

Is she shod? Our mare stopped tripping with a set of front shoes on.

yep she’s got all 4

 

[Flicker]

Long reining in walk over raised poles and ridden hill work in walk are two excellent low-speed ways to build back, core and glute strength which is so necessary for ridden school work. Sometimes weaker horses feel like they are bucking into the canter transition but it is actually just them jumping into canter because they lack the strength for a smooth transition. This can feel a bit intense!

Edit to add: I suggest long reining so she can find her balance over poles without having to worry about a rider too.

 

[Suzie94]

Long reining in walk over raised poles and ridden hill work in walk are two excellent low-speed ways to build back, core and glute strength which is so necessary for ridden school work. Sometimes weaker horses feel like they are bucking into the canter transition but it is actually just them jumping into canter because they lack the strength for a smooth transition. This can feel a bit intense!

Edit to add: I suggest long reining so she can find her balance over poles without having to worry about a rider too.

thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely give this a go. As soon as she’s in the school whether it’s on the lunge line, free or with me on her she straight away wants to trot so slowing her down is a good idea.

 

[PSD]

Have you had her saddle checked? I’ve known horses trip when their saddles don’t fit. Could explain the napping too

 

[PSD]

Have you had her saddle checked? I’ve known horses trip when their saddles don’t fit. Could explain the napping too

Nevermind. Didn’t read the loose schooling part!

 

[Flicker]

thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely give this a go. As soon as she’s in the school whether it’s on the lunge line, free or with me on her she straight away wants to trot so slowing her down is a good idea.

Start her off with one pole at a time so she can rebalance herself inbetween rather than a line. I usually pop one at A and C to start, then add at B and E x