Stumbling horse

S

SteveD

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My horse stumbles quite a bit and Im trying to identify the possible cause....we have put rolled toed shoes on him, thats made a little difference. he has had his tack and back checked, all OK.
He doesnt seem to do it when I have him wound up a bit and working on the bit.
Typically stumbles on one front leg, particularly in walk where he seems to drag his feet a bit. So I have been doing grid work with him to make him think about where he is putting his feet which seems to work whilst he's doing it...then he goes back to his old ways...maybe he's just dopey !!

Anyone got any clues/suggestions...its got me baffled

BTW, he is a shire X Cob and built like a tank...
 
There could be a few reasons. First, and most likely, he is on his forehand, so not engaging behind. Lots of schooling, and half halts...beware of complicated gridwork as I have nearly been buried by forehand heavy cobs whilst doing this...
Another reason is vitamin and mineral deficiency - selenium in particular I believe causes stumbling, slight lack of co-ordination and is common on certain areas in the UK (and it's usually a good idea to give Vit E too).
Rolled toes sound a good idea - make sure you are not tipping forward or looking down when you ride him too.
S
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also he could be off balance in his shoes - ie one heel is higher/lower than the other. my horse has a slightly lower heel on one side, and that is the foot he stumbles with. get a chiropractor out and see if they can identify the cause - we have just had one out called ellen and she was fantastic!

didnt know about the selenium shilsdair, but i am going to try that!
 
Bet he leans on your hand too when he gets lazy and on the forehand?

My cob mare used to stumble alot in walk. Like your horse, if she was on her toes her head would come up, shoulders would lift and she'd go all light in front and carry herself so much better.

I must be the only horse owner that wants to feed their horse to fizz them up so that they are on their toes and light in my hand! Otherwise, she's just so chilled out she ambles along without a care in the world and clumsy as anything.

Extremely exaggerated rolled toes in front have helped her no end, as have heel support as her heels were a bit sore from her feet being unbalanced ( she was lame on a circle when being worked up for her tripping).
 
patches - i feed my horse up so that he fizzy! it only works some of the time, and im feeding as much as he will eat
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he gets 2 scoops of high % oat feed in the morning and at night
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[ QUOTE ]
also he could be off balance in his shoes - ie one heel is higher/lower than the other. my horse has a slightly lower heel on one side, and that is the foot he stumbles with. get a chiropractor out and see if they can identify the cause - we have just had one out called ellen and she was fantastic!

didnt know about the selenium shilsdair, but i am going to try that!

[/ QUOTE ]

I taught for a while in the carseland near Stirling...we had problems with the school horses being lazy, unco-ordinated, stumbling, basically muscle problems, and selenium deficiency was identified by the vet...due to the soil type.
Be careful not to make up your own supplement...use an approved broad spectrum vit/min one as excess selenium can, of course, be toxic.
S
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Is this horse new to you? My mare stumbled terribly when I first got her, even fell right down twice, but after a few dressage lessons and a bit of schooling she doesn't do it all now.
 
SteveD - how old is horsey-o? Probably no need for alarm but my 20yr old started stumbling and to cut an extremely long story short, he was bi-laterally lame in his front feet. Nerve blocking one foot produced shocking results. Poor boy must have been in absolute agony for months: DJD and navicular syndrome. But if a horse is equally as lame in BOTH feet, you don't see it, or it can show up as stumbling. I'd get a lameness workup if no improvement very soon.
 
Thanks to everyone for their advice and guidance. I have a very good farrier and his feet are in excellent shape and balance. I have him done religioulsy every 5-6 weeks.
I'll try and fizz him up a bit and see if that helps first. He does improve once he's more engaged behind.

Thanks Again, Steve
 
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