Horse stumbling on hacks

[FinellaGlen]

My new pony is very good on hacks considering we've only been a partnership for a few weeks now but she has a tendency to stumble. We do ride over quite rutted ground which doesn't help but I am wondering how I can make her watch where she is putting her feet so that I don't nearly go over her ears so often? She also almost sat down twice today which is an interesting new variation on a theme. I wonder if she would be better if I asked her to walk a bit quicker? She is fine in trot by the way.

 

[Shilasdair]

Maybe her front feet are a bit too long in the toe - rolled toes can sometimes help a bit with breakover. Or another cause could be lack of selenium and Vitamin E...but as you feed her well, that should cure itself. The other two reasons I could think of are that she might not be fit yet....and she may not be used to going off road, on rougher ground, if that's where you go.
Hope this helps
S

 

[Bert&Maud]

Rather than making her to walk quicker, try to make her more active instead. You don't say how old she is, but maybe her weight is a little on the forehand which makes it more difficult to bring the front feet away from the ground. You could try doing some half halts out on your hacks at walk which would make her more active and encourage her to take more of her weight behind.

 

[the watcher]

I think a tendency to be a bit downhill and on the forehand is quite common in Highland ponies, they do need to be ridden in quite an active way to prevent this, and in our case, I had the pony shod in front with Natural Balance shoes which take the breakover back a little

 

[Murphy3]

Yep, Natural Balance helped sort my guy out. When he came to me 3 years ago he had soup plate feet - the first time I brought him up the forestry track I actually got off and led him as I thought he was going to come down on his knees - its a horrible feeling. My farrier put Natural Balance shoes on initially while his feet were being progressively trimmed to a better shape. Now he's back on ordinary shoes and never trips at all. He was very much on his forehand as well and my teacher has also done a lot of work with us to get him working correctly.

 

[Shilasdair]

You've just reminded me of a lovely hack I once led out on a Highland called Kirkie who ran away with me downhill, stumbled, and did a complete forward roll (luckily I landed clear

)
She then thought I had brought her down for her naughtiness and was a perfect angel for me forever (although a demon for everyone else!)
Don't you love Highlands???

S

 

[Tiggy1]

Finella you have a HiPo mine is realy bad at going down hills !
Bought because i thought she would be good on rough ground but to be honest toatla poof!
Any advice would be good!!

 

[the watcher]

tiggy, it sounds brutal but mine improved after I pushed her on a bit and she can bowl down hills with ease now, as long as I keep my leg on and leave her head alone so she can find her own balance

 

[dwi]

Have you had her eyesight checked? My friend's horse was stumbling alot even with specially fitted shoes and it turned out she was blind in one eye and had a defect in the other. It probably isn't the case with your horse but it would be good to rule it out

 

[FinellaGlen]

Thanks everyone. Her feet look "normal" and not particularly long at the toe but I will ask the farrier what he thinks next time he comes. I think that I need to get her walking more actively, definitely. She is fine on the road and in the school but if the surface is at all uneven that's when the problems start.

 

[magicchett]

My A-rab does this when i got her! Quick stumble in walk out hacking led to annular ligament damage!! She had only really done schooling (which led to bad habits and nervousness!..poor girl) ...still dealing with this bad leg! So now its only light hacks!,...cant say ive noticed it much anymore,...maybe shes thinking about her bad leg!

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

I have this problem, and I have been over his head when he went right down, e both ended up lying on the floor. The best thing to do, is ride with a constant contact on his mouth, no more riding at the buckle, and keep the walk active, not quick but active. If going over rutted ground keep the leg on to make the impulsion more.

Has helped me and H not fall over again. it gave a me and him a real wake up call, especially as after it he layed on the floor for what seemed ages before getting up by himself.