Horse tripping and falling over

Bettyboo1976

Bettyboo1976

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Hi

Just wondering if anyone had any experience of their horse tripping and falling over whist being ridden. Our horse did this to my daughter for the second time in a month last night. Thankfully after a trip to A&E she is fine, just a tad sore today. I am booking the vet to come give him an MOT , but I just wondered if anyone has had this happen to them before? He can sometimes be quite lazy about going forward but to be honest I think it’s something more. He’s got collapsed heels, could this be the cause? Or something more sinister.

Just looking for some reassurance. Thanks
 
One of mine started having trip issues and it was saddle fit. Because it wasn't comfortable she was reluctant to move out and started stumbling. It also ended up with us on the ground and me in A and E.
 
If the horse is not going forward it is likely to be very on the forehand and horses that are on the forehand are more likely to trip. If he's recently got like this it is worth getting him checked out for a physical cause, otherwise schooling him to be a more balanced ride will help.
 
My aged horse tends to trip if he's allowed to slop along on his forehand. He didn't do this when he was younger but now he's got a bit of arthritis in his hocks he's more inclined to pull himself along unless I insist he works correctly.
 
Bettyboo1976 said:
Hi

Just wondering if anyone had any experience of their horse tripping and falling over whist being ridden. Our horse did this to my daughter for the second time in a month last night. Thankfully after a trip to A&E she is fine, just a tad sore today. I am booking the vet to come give him an MOT , but I just wondered if anyone has had this happen to them before? He can sometimes be quite lazy about going forward but to be honest I think it’s something more. He’s got collapsed heels, could this be the cause? Or something more sinister.

Just looking for some reassurance. Thanks
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Without a shadow of a doubt it is related to the collapsed heels. What is your farrier doing to try and correct it?
 
chrisritch said:
Without a shadow of a doubt it is related to the collapsed heels. What is your farrier doing to try and correct it?
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware he is doing all he can to try correct/ help him to my knowledge (limited) there is no cure for collapsed heels? His feet grow very slowly.

He does tend to work on the forehand which we are trying to improve. Help in this area would be appreciated. He's fed fast fibre, mix, soya oil and pink powder. Would changing his feed help?
 
My horse has collapsed heels that are being remediated by going barefoot. He has never tripped being shod or barefoot being ridden and is very sure footed.
 
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We have tried barefoot before, but because if the collapse his axis is was wrong, (sorry probably the wrong term) last time his feet were shod the axis was correct/better previously he had wedges these have now been removed. when he has no shoes he is very footsore (our yard has lots of gravel/storey tracks) I am however thinking of trying barefoot now his feet are looking better. :)
 
Until the internal structures have improved and the sole is thicker your horse would be sore.
Mine had schockingly bad flat, splatted, and long toes. He pulled a check ligament so this was a warning sign to change.
Mine has to be booted for hacking but is fine on concrete, fields and the school. He wears Epics with theraputic pads when hacking.
I'm not trying to push barefoot, but the key is to address the diet, low starch and sugar. I now balance mineralss based on grass/hay and now showing good improvements. You need to have a good supportive farrier or trimmer to make it successful.

Happy to share some pics if you need some inspiration :)
 
Collapsed heels no cure???? Rubbish! :)

Collapsed heels are exclusively down to bad farriery and poor diet. I would address diet first and work with your farrier to improve the hooves. If no improvement, change farrier or get someone who is experienced in working with barefoot. It's a skill in itself.

But first, have you ruled out arthritis, eyesight, ringbone? Windgalls? X-rays needed.
 
this is interesting question!

My new PRE stallion has a tripping problem. He was shod badly in spain and his toe was allowed to get too long and he to has not much heel. A few months ago he tripped and literally decked on the floor! resulting in me landing on my head. He hasn't fallen over since and i would say tripping is better. He is only 5 and very green, he is also quite lazy too. So I think it is more of a schooling issue. After 4 months of being barefoot whilst we sorted them out, we put front shoes on a few weeks ago (school is very stoney and he wasn't coping too well) and he does seem better now. Again though like others have said, I have to get him going really forward and off his forehand (which he likes to do).

He always trips with the same leg too, front near side.
 
Ok... Can someone give me some help as to which diet I should be feeding, one that doesn't break the bank? Horse is tbx 15'2 worked 5 Days a week 40 mins schooling/ jumping or 1hr hacking per session. to point out our other horse has lovely feet.. Same farrier..

I suspect daughters riding may also be needing addressed. Faracat, I've no idea how to pm on my mobile but would love to chat more.

Thanks :)
 
First thing is to get your farrier to roll the toes of the front shoes.
Always put on knee boots on your horse so that if he stumbles again his knees are not injured.
Give your horse a measure of Formula4Feet with his feed once a day.
Get a farrier that can work on collapsed heels
 
My loan horse has been tripping and stumbling this year, he fell completely a few months back and landed on the floor.

After getting the vet out I've since discovered he is arthritic in most joints, he's now on daily bute. And having the summer off work before his owner takes him home. He almost fell on the roads with me about a month ago, and it's not worth the risk of injury to both of us to carry on riding him.
 
Bettyboo1976 said:
I suspect daughters riding may also be needing addressed. Faracat, I've no idea how to pm on my mobile but would love to chat more.

Thanks :)
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We used to have Clydie mare who had spent 2 years in a RS before we got her and knew every trick in the book. With a novice rider she would trip to get out of work/push them onto her preferred diagonal in trot. She even once appeared to the novice rider to be lame, until an experienced rider got on instead and the lameness miraculously disappeared. Perhaps daughter would benefit from lessons from an independent instructor, (not mum).
 
Mine used to trip and fall a lot. I lost count of the time we used to end up on the floor. Luckily I was never seriously hurt. To cut a long story short, he was diagnosed with navicular at the age of 6. I removed the shoes and he's never tripped or fallen over once. That was 2 years ago and he has been sound since. I think it's just something for you to bare in mind.
 
My mare started tripping a few years ago and farrier put natural balance shoes on her which made a difference. She then started tripping again last year and then ended up with a lesion on her hind sdft and as they operated they discovered her manica flexoria was also torn which is more common in cobs/ cob x's. Might be worth asking the vet to check for a torn manica flexoria!
 
Gentlegiant88 said:
My loan horse has been tripping and stumbling this year, he fell completely a few months back and landed on the floor.

After getting the vet out I've since discovered he is arthritic in most joints, he's now on daily bute. And having the summer off work before his owner takes him home. He almost fell on the roads with me about a month ago, and it's not worth the risk of injury to both of us to carry on riding him.
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This!! My horses heels were collapsing, despite having an excellent farrier, turned out he had arthritic changes in his hocks, and was over compensating by 'pulling' himself more with his front end. All of the excess pressure was going down the back of his tendons and through his feet. Regular farriery is essential, but I would maybe get the vet to do a bit of a work up for you, just to put your mind at rest. I ended up retiring my boy x
 
Yes the poor old boy is having the summer off work and I think will be so retired when he goes back to his owner. I know she will do what's best for him in any event.

But it is worth getting horses checked by a vet who have been tripping, just to rule out anything more sinister.
 
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