My silly horse - advice on shoeing I think?? Or Rider error?

[Starbucks]

In the spring my horse tripped up on a track in walk, slapped it and completely buggered up his knees.

Anyway, they are better now and he's done it again on the road!! His knees aren't too bad this time (doesn't need vet), but why is he doing this??

This is a horse who has hunted, SJed and evented for 4 years and has never done an injury!

Both times he has been ready for shoeing but not desperate, he's done every 5 weeks. Two different riders neither of which have been me, my dads input is that they are letting him "slob along" too much..

Any ideas? I don't really want him wandering about in knee boots when he can hunt in big stone wall country without.. but maybe that's what he needs!?

 

[magic14339]

I would definately recomend knee boots I have a horse who has been known to stumble and I am always so glad to have the boots on!

Is the horse sound in every other way? I wonder whether it may be worth speaking to the vet if it is a new development? Have you changed farrier recently? He may just need the toe taking back a little more or it could be something veterinary hard to say really

 

[Starbucks]

No he's in really good form in every other way. He's really full of himself and bucked my mum off last time she rode him (in a I'm excited kind if way because i'm getting yummy new hayledge).. incidentally him falling over was the first time she dare ride him again!

and she fell on her head!

He seems exactly the same as always to me but he is getting more and more grumpy with certain horses/people he doesn't like.. but I think that's just the old man creeping up on him, he's a funny bugger.

But completely sound as far as I am concerned/know.

 

[Peacelily]

yeah knee boots and kick on a little bit - have slightly more contact - but not overboard if you're out for a casual hack...just more omph....

if he does feel a little more lethargic than usual it might be something to watch - but other than that - try the simple things first - then more if it hasn't stopped...

good luck!

 

[Starbucks]

this is my problem, I insist that my horse walks on when I ride him but my mum/other girl he fell with maybe do not so much...

but my mum rides him to help me out and will not take "your not riding him right" well and the girl is riding him for fun, and It won't be fun if I start trying to tell her what to do!

Arrgg!! But it's not them that have to pay the £400 vet bill and have a horse with nobly knees!

 

[fitzaud2]

You poor thing, I think it probably is rider error, but knee boots would work well anyway. dont fancy telling your mum, or the other girl that rides him that they are doing it wrong. You should get my ex to do it for you as he does it as a profession. (Reason i didnt ride for 7 years). I'll send on his number, if you like. He loves telling everyone they are doing it wrong. (Only joking about sending you his number), but he is really good at it.
Dont know how you should play this one, but i know my mare is unbelieveable for stumbling if you dont ride her actively. Maybe tell them you had a lesson with someone who said we should all ride her more actively, and give reasons why, and then it's not really telling them, you are only passing on a message. Hope it helps.

 

[PapaFrita]

I'm inclined to agree with your dad about them letting him 'slob along'. Unless you're going to tell the other riders to sharpen up their act, I'd put the knee boots on

You can always take them off when you go hunting. A lot harder to replace the knees!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Have you tried glueing a polo to the front of each of his knees? As he takes each step forward, he will spot the polo and lift his feet higher to get at it he he he.

 

[Shay]

I wasn't a newly tarmac'd patch was it? In some areas they use cheap tarmac for patching which is immensely slippy for the first week or so. I've had horses slip on fresh patches of the stuff and you get no warning. The two slips might not actually be connected? Just a thought...

 

[TheFarrier]

It sounds like rider error as the horse is showing no other signs of shuffling or stumbling or tripping except for the two very far apart episodes.

Let your farrier know that the horse has tripped a few times and that you will keep an eye on the horse, if this becomes a more frequent thing (or he does it with you on board) then ask your farrier to put him in double clipped fronts and roll his toes.