Random-do young horses often fall over?!

[Pc2003]

My 2yr old seems to fall over quite a lot! Nothing serious or untoward but if they hoon round the field he often hits the deck. Today he did a big spook and ended up face planting. Last week he came bombing over to me, couldn’t stop and then fell over. I’m not concerned as such but when do they find their feet a bit more?!

 

[JJS]

Mine fell over once before she was one, when she was galloping around and skidded on a muddy patch, but she’s never done it before or since. She’s as steady on her feet as my mature horses.

 

[BBP]

Mine is 13 and still doesn’t really care where he puts his his feet! Nothing wrong with him, just no common sense or sense of self preservation. He fell over a good few times under saddle too, thankfully not recently. My sisters Connemaras wouldn’t dream of falling over, even as youngsters you could see them balance into turns and prepare to stop, mine just accelerates.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes, both of mine had a few tumbles when they were testing the limits of gravity as youngsters. It generally involved trying to take a corner far too fast and they would end up on their side, leap up and then carry on galloping as if nothing had happened. Thankfully they did learn from it.

 

[Nudibranch]

They often do...not to worry you but I had one who seemed to do it more often than usual and was generally unusually clumsy. He was pts at 7 with arthritis in multiple places and more than likely wobblers too. But that is pretty rare!

 

[Pc2003]

Ye it normally involves a muddy corner turn. When we had the bad ice he was like bambi on an ice rink!
Oh god I don’t need another lame one 😂

 

[ester]

errmm Frank fell over quite a lot in his early 20s, he wasn't used to slopey, greasy fields with no shoes/shod playmates who had better brakes.

 

[BBP]

13 and still testing gravity

 

[Meowy Catkin]

That's it exactly BBP, just without the splat!

 

[Pc2003]

13 and still testing gravityView attachment 30551View attachment 30552

Did he stay on his feet?
There is no way on earth my 2yr old would still be on his feet 😂

 

[AdorableAlice]

As a young horse Ted The Twit, slid past me on his side on several occasions. You would think a part Shire would have sufficient foot size to remain upright, but no not him.

 

[BBP]

Did he stay on his feet?
There is no way on earth my 2yr old would still be on his feet 😂

He did on this occasion but a couple of weeks later tried to incorporate a big yeeha into this manoeuvre and went a massive kersplat! Only just sorted his back out from it now.

He seems to go for a 50% success rate as good enough! If in doubt add more speed!

 

[ycbm]

'Often', no I don't think it's normal for one young horse to fall over often, though young horses do often fall over. I would do the neurological tests for wobblers, you don't need a vet.

Turn a very tight circle in each direction. The hind foot should cross over on the inside of the outer one. He should not kick himself.

Back up. He should back in equal diagonal pairs.

Pick up one hind foot and putt it down on top of the other one. He should take it off again.

Pull his tail to one side. He should brace back against you.

If he fails any of those then I would call a vet.

 

[Pc2003]

I think I’ve seen him go over 3 or 4 times maybe since December so that’s probably not ‘often’ is it? It’s always been in the field... mainly when slippy mud. I’ve had other youngsters and pretty sure I can’t remember seeing any of them go over tho.

 

[Equi]

The first time i turned out my new show gelding (who was on show lease) he did a spectacular movement like the one photographed above and ended up on his side, rolling down the hill and then skidded to a stop a good 10ft from where he fell. Had he been a full sized horse he would have been dead, but he was only 30" so didn't have much space to fall...but holy mother of god my heart didn't slow down for a week.

 

[ycbm]

I think I’ve seen him go over 3 or 4 times maybe since December so that’s probably not ‘often’ is it? It’s always been in the field... mainly when slippy mud. I’ve had other youngsters and pretty sure I can’t remember seeing any of them go over tho.

Assuming that you aren't there 24 hours a day, and that he falls over at the same rate when you aren't there, I would, I'm afraid, be worried if I saw any horse other than a fairly young foal fall over that often. Can you do the neuro tests today and let us know the result?

 

[AnShanDan]

I'm sure some are more prone than others to tipping themselves up. We had a 14.2 event pony from a 5 year old and he used to slip and fall fairly often, mostly ridden but sometimes in the field. He just lost his balance, usually cornering and over he went, to my knowledge he was never injured thank goodness. He did however fall and injure an adult rider after we sold him which was pretty dramatic. Sold him age 9, went on to be reserve for British Pony eventing team and continued eventing with several kids until he was 20+.

 

[Pc2003]

Ye I’m a bit worried now lol!
I’m going to get him in this afternoon and do those tests.
The other thing that is now playing on my mind (although asked farrier who wasn’t concerned at all) is that when I pick out his feet he sometimes doesn’t move it straight away once I put the foot down?
So he doesn’t correct it to foot flat position straight away?

 

[Pc2003]

Okay just left work early to get him in as I’d began to convince myself something was seriously wrong...
However, all those tests seemed absolutely fine, not the easiest to do the foot one as on my own but he turned tightly both ways and stepped under lovely, backs up great and correct and was extremely quick to correct his legs when I crossed one. He was ultra aware where they were. Phew 😊

 

[DD]

mine used too when he was young, usually honing about or playing with the other horse

 

[ycbm]

Okay just left work early to get him in as I’d began to convince myself something was seriously wrong...
However, all those tests seemed absolutely fine, not the easiest to do the foot one as on my own but he turned tightly both ways and stepped under lovely, backs up great and correct and was extremely quick to correct his legs when I crossed one. He was ultra aware where they were. Phew 😊

Then he's just a clumsy bugger, good news 😋

 

[TotalMadgeness]

My young one fell over in the school a few times - for example he'd try to buck and then face plant. But after he was diagnosed with weak stifles I put the falls down to this issue. Since being treated and physio'd he is now much more balanced and there are no signs of him falling over now. He passed the neurological tests I have to say.

 

[Annagain]

Nobody has ever fallen off my share horse. Plenty have fallen over with him though. I hit the deck with him when he tripped over a mole hill whilst going down hill. His owner had a similar outcome when he spooked at a tractor and got all his feet in a tangle and someone else when he tripped on a tree root. He also fell over in the field the other day trying to gallop and kick out at the farm dog at the same time (she was nowhere near close enough to get hurt) when she joined in a field hoon about. He did a 360 roll got back on his feet in one movement and kept going! He's 23 but has always be a bit of a clumsy oaf. To be fair to him it's a very long way from his brain to his feet.

 

[Mule]

I'm sure some are more prone than others to tipping themselves up. We had a 14.2 event pony from a 5 year old and he used to slip and fall fairly often, mostly ridden but sometimes in the field. He just lost his balance, usually cornering and over he went, to my knowledge he was never injured thank goodness. He did however fall and injure an adult rider after we sold him which was pretty dramatic. Sold him age 9, went on to be reserve for British Pony eventing team and continued eventing with several kids until he was 20+.

It seems crazy to event a horse that's that clumsy, no matter how talented it is 😲

 

[Mule]

You're all a lot braver than me. I wouldn't have one that couldn't stay on its feet.

 

[Annagain]

You're all a lot braver than me. I wouldn't have one that couldn't stay on its feet.

To be fair we're talking 5 or 6 occasions in 18 years, never the same circumstances and never just falling over, it's always a case of tripping over things or once, a spook causing him to trip over his own feet. He's just doesn't have very quick reactions!

 

[Mule]

To be fair we're talking 5 or 6 occasions in 18 years, never the same circumstances and never just falling over, it's always a case of tripping over things or once, a spook causing him to trip over his own feet. He's just doesn't have very quick reactions!

Ah ok I understand

 

[Pc2003]

Hopefully it’s just a case of him going way too fast in a slippy muddy field. He isn’t quite 2 yet so hopefully he will slow down as he gets older. Otherwise he can go elsewhere 😂😂

 

[MissTyc]

I had one youngster who went over regularly, including a slide under a fence, a rotational buck, etc ... It terrified me so much to watch that when it came to backing I didn't dare ride her as I was convinced there was something wrong with her. But at about 2.5 yrs she did grow out of it and is the most sure footed thing I have ever ridden. Turns on a sixpence, barefoot, in slippery conditions, jumps on any ground ... She took a lot of risks in her play as a youngster but also learned many lessons.

 

[cundlegreen]

Then he's just a clumsy bugger, good news 😋

You took the words out of my mouth!