Horse knuckling over unexpectedly

[Archangel]

My horse (heavy cob) has occasional trips, back and front legs. They don’t happen often but when they do it is dramatic. It could be as a result of a lapse of concentration or falling over his feet but he is an educated horse and never donks along. He is schooled in the field but every other horse I work in there manages to stay on their feet!

Front trip - his legs just go.. twice it has ended up as a somersault (once with me on him and once just trotting over to see me in the field) - both times slightly down hill.

Hind leg trip – these worry me - he was filmed on the lunge and very obligingly did 2 hind leg trips.
By going through it frame by frame his foot does not come forward in time and he puts almost the front wall of his hoof down first then knuckles over, pitching forward onto the front of his fetlock.
He loses his back end momentarily but recovers and leaps in the air and lets fly with both back legs. Both times the trot prior to the trip was balanced.

His legs/joints are clean and he doesn’t drag his toes or have poor foot conformation or plate like feet.

He is 13 and was diagnosed with an inoperable kissing spine last year. However, he is lightly schooled and hacked to keep his back lifted and strong and is doing very well.

I am going to get the vet out (again) but wanted to see if anyone else has encountered this problem. I am thinking it is to do with his spine or even arthritis

Thanks in advance and well done if you got this far

 

[BigRed]

What a strange thing. I have to say, that if I had a horse like that, I would not be confident to ride it. My friend has a 20 year old Section D and that locks up its hock sometimes and stumbles very badly behind. She calls it leg-lock but I think the proper terms is fixed or locking patella which is not uncommon in some heavier natives, but your problem sounds a bit more severe. I hope your vet comes up with a diagnosis.

 

[MrsMozart]

Got to the end, but no words of wisdom though, other than get the vet, which you're doing anyway. Hope all is okay with your lad.

 

[spaniel]

Has your farrier seen the video and commented? It could be that the KS have altered his balance quite a bit and your farrier may be able to alter the angle of the feet enough to help him stay upright?

 

[Archangel]

Thank you for the replies - good suggestion about the farrier, I will give him a ring (he actually saw him go head over heels in the field so will know what I am on about).

I hadn't thought of the patellas, I got a bit fixated on the fetlock knuckling over. Hopefully the vet will look at the videos tomorrow and I can get some answers.

It is such a shame, he tries his heart out but he can be a bit alarming to ride sometimes. He doesn't have much natural shock absorption so when he trips you feel as if your teeth are going to fall out!