Tripping

[rallan15]

Recently my barefoot horse has started tripping a lot. This is both when schooling and when hacking. It only seems to be when he's walking though and occasionally in trot. We're getting the farrier out to see if he maybe needs shoes and if he's not sure we'll get the vet out but in the mean time I was wondering if anyone else has experience of their horse tripping? What caused it and how did you solve it?

 

[ester]

I wouldn't anticipate that shoes would improve a tripping problem (it is usual for it to occur in walk, less elevation than in other paces). If his hooves are in good shape and he doesn't have long toes how old is the horse?

 

[rallan15]

I wouldn't anticipate that shoes would improve a tripping problem (it is usual for it to occur in walk, less elevation than in other paces). If his hooves are in good shape and he doesn't have long toes how old is the horse?

He was 8 a couple weeks ago, his hooves get trimmed regularly and look fine but I'll get the farrier to give him a trim in case that's the problem

 

[MissTyc]

I wouldn't expect shoes to help unless he's so foot sore that he's dragging himself along.

I have several experiences

- my 8 yo (shod) mare starting tripping during schooling and hacking. No other signs of lameness, but she turned out to have Ringbone that we were able to manage for another 10 years after diagnosis (without shoes in her last 6 years as a hacking horse)
- my 7 yo gelding then started tripping all the time. Obvs I was worried because of my previous experience, but turned out he was basically a lazy sod (story slightly more complex that this, but ...). When worked correctly and encouraged to carry himself the tripping resolved but comes back as soon as he slops along. X-rays found nothing and he's never had a lame step.

I hope you figure it out - I think some horses move in a way that lends itself to tripping and can often be helped with more dynamic exercise; raised poles, etc.

 

[rallan15]

I wouldn't expect shoes to help unless he's so foot sore that he's dragging himself along.

I have several experiences

- my 8 yo (shod) mare starting tripping during schooling and hacking. No other signs of lameness, but she turned out to have Ringbone that we were able to manage for another 10 years after diagnosis (without shoes in her last 6 years as a hacking horse)
- my 7 yo gelding then started tripping all the time. Obvs I was worried because of my previous experience, but turned out he was basically a lazy sod (story slightly more complex that this, but ...). When worked correctly and encouraged to carry himself the tripping resolved but comes back as soon as he slops along. X-rays found nothing and he's never had a lame step.

I hope you figure it out - I think some horses move in a way that lends itself to tripping and can often be helped with more dynamic exercise; raised poles, etc.

Thanks. I'll speak to my instructor about some different exercises we could try. I'm hoping it's just him being lazy and not a serious problem.

 

[ester]

If you were interested it might be beneficial to get some slow motion video of his hoof landings of him walking from the front and the side to see if that throws anything up. You could bring the breakover back in shoes/add rockers etc but that would seem a bit like a sledgehammer to crack a nut to me.

MissTyc has some excellent examples there of the possibilities. (I asked age incase arthritis might be likely)