What would you do? Horse fell on it's knees on the road!!

[mulledwhine]

I witnessed a horse today go right down on it's knees on a Tarmac road.

I was a bit shocked that the rider just popped back on and continued with the ride.

Personally I would have kept off and gone home to inspect any damage.

So as title, what would you do ?

 

[Ranyhyn]

I would have inspected it, definitely.

 

[BlackVelvet]

My horse did this a few years back and it was AWFUL poor thing scared himself rotton and i was in floods of tears..not one car stopped or slowed down either he ended up being really lucky and only taking the skin off his knees, back leg and for some reason the skin off above his eye!! I got the vet out straight away as there was alot of blood and he was quite upset with himself, couldnt even think about getting back on!

 

[Arizahn]

Hippo stumbled coming in from field one evening. OH threw his shoulder in under her neck and stopped her from falling. He was in agony for days, and I was furious at him for risking being squashed, but that horse would walk through fire for him now

 

[fidleyspromise]

It may seem heartless and you'd be shocked with me

Mine was messing about, feel on her knees and my mate told me her knees were grazed and bleeding. I got off, she seemed ok, artificial cuts. I starte dto lead her her home but she was being such a **** and we were 2 hours from home so I hopped back on and rode her home.

She was fine, no lameness, heat or swelling. I was more concerned than she was.

She has grown out of it, but I had to get knee boots because it became a regular thing with her. She was so busy mucking about that she forgot where to place her feet / she got distracted and down she went.

 

[WelshTilly]

My moose did this just before setting off on a sponsored ride last year, I managed to stay on but but got off to inspect her thoroughly thankfully she had no damage marks etc she walked / trotted away fine and showed no lame strides.... If there was anything visible i would have taken her back to the trailer to double check...then taken it from there ...

 

[fidleyspromise]

duplicate

 

[BlackVelvet]

I ALWAYS ride with kneeboots now and i am surprised by the amount of people that dont!

 

[cassie summers]

my mare did this a couple of months ago she trod on her own foot tripped went down on her knees i went straight over her head but i checked her over she was fine so got back on and carried on it happened in slow motion she stayed very calm just looked at me flat on my back

 

[SpottyTB]

This happened to me a few years ago .. unluckily it wasn't on smooth tarmac it was on a bumpy/gritty road..

She tripped and went down - i stayed on (ended up holding onto her ears?)... looked to my friend and said "phew i think we're ok!!) my friend - white as a sheet said "no H, you're not.. look at her knee's.."

My poor lass had ripped two pockets in her knee's and they were gushing with blood.. had to trailer her to a friends yard, get the vet out (£400 later..)

Would 100% always, get off inspect it and 9/10 go home as probably bruising and they'd be a bit sore!

 

[Cheiro1]

I would check but would carry on it there wasnt serious damage.

That said I wont go on the road without knee boots on her, so one would hope she wouldn't hurt herself!!

 

[SpottyTB]

I ALWAYS ride with kneeboots now and i am surprised by the amount of people that dont!

I spent £100 on a good pair of jefferies knee boot's.. but unfortunately the rubbed the hell out of my mare so in the end i just took them off

 

[indie999]

my arthritic horse stumbled a lot for about 5 years and the number of folks that told me to keep riding and bute up etc. He was vetted etc after a bad bout of lamenes(xrays etc that showed arthritis in both back legs) and we would just walk trot odd rare short canter just to keep him ticking over but last year out of no where (fortunately I had gone onto a grass verge) and without any warning down he went it was like sitting on a camel and all I could see was the ground in front of me. He really panicked to right himself but got back up.

I got off then and that was the last time I rode him!! He had nice knee stains. But I still get people saying ride ride etc! Even though he looks ok he is not. He is now retired and with hindsight I should have retired him before this happened.

If it happened in a horse that had no previous issues and I was sure it was a one off(ie pot hole etc) then I would get on but if there was something not right I would get vet. Stumblers are dangerous etc. I was stupid.

 

[SusannaF]

I led the pony home the one time it happened to me. He only slightly grazed his knees (literally left foot-long ginger hair skidmarks on the road) but he was 20 or so and I didn't know if he was bruised or not so I played safe. Got eaten alive by clegs on the way.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Depends on the damage it happened to s friends horse as I was riding next to here.
Very nasty injury, vet was called imidiately, we used our gloves as pressure bandages.
Lucky vet wad near by and my sister was at the yard to brought the trailer straight to us.

 

[Shantara]

Ned recently slipped and went down on his hocks. I checked him over and there was no damage, so I got back on and rode home!

If it had been bleeding, or he'd not been wanting to put pressure on it, I would have walked him home.

 

[Amy567]

Had this happen twice to me and my mum actually, first time, horse tripped and grazed her knees and eyelid, mum fell off and broke her elbow and dislocated her collar bone, so I rushed the horse back home and just hosed off said horses knees, and mum was rushed to hospital by a man in the village as no one else was home and I was about 14.

Second time, I was on my mare Kiki, first time doing jump cross and she was going brilliantly took everything slowly (have no history on her) and she was getting a bit cocky and decided she wanted to canter through the water, however, I wanted to trot, so mid transition, and she fell down a hole in the cause way! Cut her lip took all the skin off of her knees, we thought she'd bitten her tongue there was that much blood pouring from her mouth, but she hadn't, it was just from her lip. Rushed her to the vet for a check up and antibiotics as it was in water, and god knows what she could have contracted, all healed, though her conformation isn't quite 100% anymore as it was when we bought her, as her knees are slightly further forward than her lower leg due to the trauma, so her legs aren't technically straight, but she was fine after a few weeks

But definitely, off straight away and walk them back home on foot! Maybe she didn't realise the horse had cut itself?

 

[MrsHutt]

It's strange, but this has happened to a number at our yard. I think it could be as it's a bit hilly. Most of the injuries have been pretty superficial, but one nice little Arab had nasty cuts that took a while to heal, no lasting damage, though! Most of us wear knee boots when we go out now.

 

[Pedantic]

My Po did it once, I was really upset for him and fussing him, he didn't seem that bothered even though he had took the fur off, his skin was just a bit grazed, got back on and carried on, he was fine.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

I think i would have inspected it and then probably headed home. It has never happened to us but it really worries me as Brooke is getting older. we always ride in the westropp brushing and knee boots.

 

[1Lucie]

This happened to me on a hack on my friends horse but we were on grass. I went straight over his head and landed quite badly, getting my foot stuck in stirrup. Luckily for me, i feel into long grass and was wearing a body protector.

Once i was up on my feet i gave my friends horse a pat, he didnt appear to have any injuries. I walked him back in hand after checking him. Checked him again when back at the yard with his owner.

He was absolutly fine but there was no way i was getting back on!

 

[Littlelegs]

I'd inspect damage, trot up & make a decision based on that. Some of it depends on the horse tho, with a highly strung fit horse that's a handful, I'd rather be on it than on the ground if its sound.

 

[LizzyandToddy]

My horse has done this twice, stayed on both times also

I hopped off to inspect any damage, he had literally only taken the top layer of skin off, wasn't lame, and yes I hopped back on to walk home. Horse was totally un-bothered, gently cold hosed and used gentian violet when I got home, took a few weeks and healed up fine.

Unless the horse is obviously distressed, or lame, I see no reason not to get back on board.

 

[Neburu]

My pony did this in 2009 he threw me off on a grass verge when he spoiled at a plastic bag and as he bolted he tripped over his reins and fell I'm the road. Once I was up I had to Chase him a bit but luckily for Me some people at a factory caught him and when I caught up I went into shock when I saw hom. Blood everywhere the skin on his right knee was a hanging flap and the left was no better. He cut his right elbow with his jingle hoof when he fell and shredded open his top lip. The factory manager called the vets for me and they came out to where we were and they also rang my mates mom to come and meet me. After Khan was bandaged up I had to walk him 15mins to the yard as he doesn't load. And he was in hospital for 8 weeks and had to have surgery on the right knee.

He took one year to recover and only came sound enough to ride for a few months of the next few years. He's now retired with arthritis in his knees.

So Yeh I would be checking horse over straight away.

 

[Neburu]

Please excuse spelling mistakes.
It's the predictive text on my phone.

 

[rascal]

We always use the all in one brushing/knee boots on the road after an accident another rider had with my pony years ago. Not worth the risk, a bit like going out with no hi viz.

 

[meesha]

my chap was ambling along behind v small pony (normally I insist on gong in front as pony so slow) on steep road downhill - literally fell over own feet and i ended up on his neck -he got straight up and seemed ok in self but I jumped straight off - checked him over - blood on both knees and blood on muzzle - walked him home phoning vet as I went. He never went lame on it but I would do same again - although if I had to I would ride back if horse seemed totally fine but wouldnt carry on ride. V imp to trot them up next day as well to see if any delayed reaction.

 

[Kat]

Mine always wears westropp knee brushing boots on the road, they have saved her some nasty injuries. Wouldn't go out without now.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would check th eshoeing and have rolled toes put on the fronts. Would also wear Jeffries knee boots.

 

[hula]

Mr Cob fell the other month after horse we were out with flipped at donkeys ran into him causing him to bolt and slip on a muddy farm track.

He took all the skin off his nose, knees and I got a facial fracture. He was lame with his hind leg for about 7-8 days. We had a lucky escape... I have since invested in knee boots, much to his disgust (he did the most exaggerated walk I have every seen the first time he had them on). He is now used to wearing them I might add.