tripping on back leg whilst being schooled??

cob&onion

cob&onion

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 January 2011
Messages
2,744
Visit site
Whilst schooling a horse i know occasionally (about once/twice in every schooling session) sort of trips on his back leg? its hard to explain but its as if the leg sort of collapses or trips? it happens in trot, horse ridden on surface but surface can be slightly uneven and deep in certain parts (but not so bad to maybe cause this reaction)........never does it out hacking.
Any ideas?
 
I could just be that your horse is weak behind or not engaging his hind quaters so needs more work to get him round and step underneath himself (use his bum!) or just something he does!

A few horses with medical conditions that I know that trip behind had OCD in the stifle or wobblers - but I higly doubt it will be either of those as if OCD your horse would be lame behind and if wobblers it would be incredibly weak behind/unable to step under itself evenly when turned in a circle etc :)
 
Snowysadude said:
I could just be that your horse is weak behind or not engaging his hind quaters so needs more work to get him round and step underneath himself (use his bum!) or just something he does!
Click to expand...

This^^ My mare occasionally does it when she isn't paying attention and working properly, just a short of 'miss' on a hind if that makes sense? She never does it when working properly! I would work on exercises to get him to use his power from behind, so lots of transitions, circles and serpentines and reacting correctly to half halts should all help.
 
Mine has a tendency to do this if he is not engaging his hind-quarters - I describe it as he leaves a leg behind. He has had an sacro-iliac injury which I have to manage which is why he does it.

So as others have said likely to be weak behind for some reason including just not being very fit or has never really been asked to work over his back and engage hind-quarters properly. As well as all the exercises people have recommended I would also ensure any schooling session didn't go on until he was too tired - short and sweet to strengthen without causing strain or more tripping.
 
Yep definitely agree... when I was bringing my chap back into work and I wasn't asking for much engagement (long time off, slowly does it) he did this too. I worried, thought he had spavin!! Now, after nearly 5 months (yay) we're there and the tripping has stopped.
 
Without wanting to panic you it was the only real sign that my horse had PSD. He didn't trip very often and did it less when he was concentrating so I assumed it was nothing but it turned out the poor boy was in pain.
 
sussexbythesea said:
Mine has a tendency to do this if he is not engaging his hind-quarters - I describe it as he leaves a leg behind. He has had an sacro-iliac injury which I have to manage which is why he does it.

So as others have said likely to be weak behind for some reason including just not being very fit or has never really been asked to work over his back and engage hind-quarters properly. As well as all the exercises people have recommended I would also ensure any schooling session didn't go on until he was too tired - short and sweet to strengthen without causing strain or more tripping.
Click to expand...

could be this^^ does he also drag a toe in walk? You could get somebody to help you do a flexion test, leg stretched out behind to test if sacro-iliac problem, hold in this position for a least 30 secs then immediate trot off on hard surface and look for lameness in first few strides.
Off to get my lad checked with vets this arvo because he has this exact problem and is lame with this flexion test. He slightly drags a back toe and it is getting worse, we have been managing with physio but this time around we have decided on a proper check and diagnosis.
 
What is the surface? We have wood chip at the yard, and in the corners it can get a little deep and the horses lose their back leg a bit due to surface slipping underneath them.

Or he's just being lazy?

If it is causing you concern though, get it checked out.
 
Mine has a tendency to do this if he is not engaging his hind-quarters - I describe it as he leaves a leg behind. He has had an sacro-iliac injury which I have to manage which is why he does it.
Click to expand...

Yes, mine too. He also has a "sticky stifle"... not quite the same as proper Upwardly Fixated Patella, but it is sometimes just slightly slow to release, so there's a delay as his hind leg releases and then comes forward. I think the two (stifle and sacroiliac) are linked.

The "disappearing back end" is most noticable when trotting downhill.

Agree, it often comes with worn or squared off hind toes.
 
My horse had this too, it got progressively worse in the school although he was always fine out hacking, he is going up to Rossdales next week for a bonescan. Suspects are PSD, locking patella, sacro-illiac injury or something in the pelvis. Vet, physio and chiro have all checked his back, he trots up sound even after flexions but the 'tripping' isn't better even on bute. We always assumed it was just him not engaging properly while schooling, he'd happily do a full up BE Novice xc!
 
Horse on our yard does this out hacking. Has had hocks injected for spavin and seems perfectly sound otherwise, wonder if it is to do with this.
 
jangles said:
My horse had this too, it got progressively worse in the school although he was always fine out hacking, he is going up to Rossdales next week for a bonescan. Suspects are PSD, locking patella, sacro-illiac injury or something in the pelvis. Vet, physio and chiro have all checked his back, he trots up sound even after flexions but the 'tripping' isn't better even on bute. We always assumed it was just him not engaging properly while schooling, he'd happily do a full up BE Novice xc!
Click to expand...


What was the cause of your horse's tripping? Did they find a diagnosis? How is he now?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top