Horse Leaning Back When Picking Its Feet Up

[acorn92x]

A friends horse did this on several occasions last night very uncharacteristically - my friend picked near off fore leg up to pick her foot out and she leant back on her hind legs, almost in a rearing position and pulled back, breaking the twine she was tied up to. She then tied her back up to another point and did the same thing again. Horse is physically very well, perfectly sound, no heat, swelling or anything questionable. Feet are fine no pulses or anything suspect looking. She did pick the leg up quite quickly, not really giving the mare time to balance properly but it just seemed odd that she did this more than once. She was absolutely fine once she was a bit slower and had picked all of the other ones up and was happy to pick the jumping leg up once she was a bit slower. Has anyone known a horse to do this before? Was very strange as it looked like was about to sit down!

 

[gothdolly]

My 4 year old cob does this when he forgets his manners.

 

[oldie48]

My old horse did this on one occasion and he did sit down. I think he'd fallen asleep or was just not "with me" and when I picked his foot up it just unbalanced him. He was absolutely fine afterwards and never did it again.