Tripping up/stumbling

[djb]

Wondered what your thoughts might be about tripping/stumbling.

My horse seems to stumble quite a lot on his front legs - more on one than the other. Usually it is worse on grass/uneven ground in walk - not as bad on trot and seems fine in canter. It's bad on tracks, etc and I avoid places like that for that reason.

He doesn't seem to stumble in the school although he did do it twice last night but I have not known him stumble before in the school.

I have watched him and he seems to put his toe down first sometimes or doesn't pick it up properly off the floor.

He is shod every 6 weeks without fail and his toes aren't long.

He is very much on his forehand - could this be the cause. I try to ride him actively forwards but sometimes this seems to make him worse as I feel I am making him fall onto his forehand.

He has recently had the physio and his back, saddle are fine.

Would be grateful to hear anyone's ideas/ experiences.

 

[sally2008]

If he is landing with his toe first then I would say he does need to have his foot balance addressed even though you're having him shod regualarly. Toe landing is usually a sign that the breakover point is incorrect and will cause him to have to make additional effort to raise the foot from the floor, which will in turn cause extra stresses and strains on his joints and ligaments, potentially storing up problems for the future.

You might want to consider putting him into early breakover shoes, such as Natural Balance, to help him. Just one word of caution, if you do decide for go for Natural Balance, please, please, please make sure that you use a farrier who is property trained in the techiques as putting an NB shoe on a traditionally trimmed foot is a waste of time and effort.

 

[dixie]

Have you had a vet look at him.

I don't want to alarm you as it could be absolutely anything but we had a mare who did this a lot and her joints had become arthritic and had signs of navicular. She stumbled quite a bit but most of all knuckled over going down hills.

 

[djb]

I mentionned it to the vet on another occasion but he didn't seem to say anything about it.

One thing I forgot to mention was that he has sidebone - could this make him stumble?

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

This sounds exactly like my old man, he had had sidebone problems before i had him and was sound when i bought him and it never bothered him again, but he was always prone to stumbling as you say worst in walk better in trot brill in canter, try lots of half halts to get him off his forehand this will help, also my horse also suffers with arthritis so that could be contributing

 

[Patches]

Blimey, did you steal my horse!!!!!

Patches was just as you described, to the letter. I had the vet look at her and the words navicular were mentioned. I was upset. She was so obviously lame when trotted on hard surface in a tight circle. I was shocked.

However, when she was x-rayed it was clear to the vet that the only problem he could find with her feet was one of balance. Although he toes didn't look long visually, according to the x-ray they were! She had to have her feet shod according to the x-rays and the change was instant! She also went from having her feet done every 6 weeks, to every four. Now has extremely exaggerated rolled toes and the shoes offer more heel support than before.

She no longer stumbles on the road, walks down hill better, feels more footsure too. Doesn't stumble on a proper surface but will very occasionally still trip in the field in trot. Only when she's lolloping about though.

 

[filly190]

Is your horses head carriage high? If so it could be just a case of head in stars, tripping over feet.

My forward going youngster does this and it is so annoying, my instructor is helping me deal with it at the moment.

 

[djb]

No - his head carriage isn't very high. In fact it's the opposite sometimes and he gets quite heavy in my hands and leans a bit.

 

[Patches]

When my mare was a bit anxious and held her head higher she NEVER tripped. She goes around long and low and leans, gets on the forehand very easily (not easy to collect her) and with her feet being out of balance that was enough to make her trip. I used to feel a need to almost hold her up.

Not needed anymore, new shoeing technique was the answer for mine.

 

[djb]

Patches - sounds like mine too!

Farrier is coming on Saturday so I'll speak to him about it.

Thanks

 

[Patches]

Does your horse have rolled toe shoes? Can make ALL the difference.

 

[djb]

No - he's just in normal shoes - I'll talk to the farrier on Saturday. Thanks for your replies

 

[Louby]

Its more than likely that hes on his forehand, my boy does it when hes in lazy mode out hacking but never in the school.
One of my past horses did this and sort of motorbiked round corners but she had been very well schooled before I bought her. Eventually she changed and started to do mini rears which wasnt like her at all. Vet did nerve blocks and xrays and she had Navicular. She was lame when trotted on a small circle on hard ground. I found out later that she'd been on box rest for almost 12 mths prior to me buying her so maybe they knew and thats why she was for sale. I didnt get her vetted though!!
Good luck, Im sure its nothing serious. I was gutted and thought it was the end of the world when I found out. Ive since realised, theres lots that can be done and horses do respond well to various forms of treatment, even going barefoot or remedial shoeing.

 

[TheresaW]

Sounds a lot like my Mac. He only trips and stumbles in walk, is fine in trot and canter. He also carries his head quite low and can be heavy. He has arthritis in his fetlock which doesn't help, but he does have rolled toes which have made a difference.

 

[BenjaminBunny]

My horse tripped and stumbled a lot and was very on the forehand - all this was because of suspensory ligament damage in his hind limbs - he struggled to bear much weight on them

hopefully is now on the road to recovery

 

[ecrozier]

Hi
Yet another person who has had similar experiences here!
My mare has always stumbled a bit. She was diagnosed years back now with navicular but after about 9 months treatment etc that has never bothered her again. She is arthritic now though (only 15), but due to various lamenesses etc has never been in work long enough to be schooled properly, so still very on the forehand, which definately doesn't help!
Never sure what it is though, the navicular, the arthritis or the leaning!!
Rolled toes helps a lot. and just have to keep half halting and trying to get her to sit back on her hocks a bit!
A really good farrier can make the world of difference too...mine also shoes to x-ray on her and our pony mare (ex-lami!)
Good luck!