# horse layed down during trail ride?



## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

Has he had any kind of check up recently? I know some horses just feel like stopping for a self-decided break, but if it is out of character then I'd be worried. Has he been active in pasture?? Does he lay down and roll a lot on his own recently? I'd hate to think maybe colic. Subbing to see what others think.


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## amp23 (Jan 6, 2011)

I work with a young horse that sometimes decides to lay down in water, no matter if it's only a few inches or a foot of water. It's something that's not unusual for her, so we don't worry too much about it. A friend of mine had her horse try to lay down with her once, turned out he had an itchy spot on his belly - after our ride she took him into dirt where he layed down again to scratch it.

Are you sure the saddle fits him? Maybe his acting up is from pain and his laying down was to get you off of him? I'm no expert or anything but I'm just curious about he situation and what others say!


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

he did have a vet check and everything was OKAY, i have seen him lay down to sleep but so does my other paint, he loves to run adn stuff in the pasture and my paints will "fight" with each other. hes a good horse and this trail ride was mid augest.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Young horses when they get sweaty have a tendency to want to lay down and roll. Especially when they cross sandy, dusty or powder snow areas. It is something I've had to teach many of my youngster. No rolling with a saddle.

It is amazing how fast they can drop and roll while you are traveling down the trail. But if you are watching you will see the signs. Head down, looking at the material under foot. They don't threaten to roll in hard or rocky places. It will always be insofter material.

Its a more frequent occurance in the winter. The horses are haired up and become sweaty quickly. Soft powder snow encourages them to drop and roll to rub off the sweat.

Try to catch it before they drop. When you sense they are looking for a place to roll. start asking for some movement, Get their mind on you and off the discomfort of being sweaty. Ask them to side pass, disengage their hind end, dance around a sagebrush, Just some movement that they have to think about and focus on your request.

If they do drop. get your feet out of the stirrups. and then work hard on getting themback on their feet. If you need to, stepoff and holler, pop them with the end of your mecante or lead rope. But get them up quick and don't let them enjoy being down. They will soon learn that there is no enjoyment in trying to roll with a saddle on.

Young horses also get tired. So I view the stopping as more a conditioning or maturity problem than a training problem.
Continue to ride and exercise, Over time they will develope the muscels and be willing to go farther. You may have to walk and lead them once or twice, but always keep trying to get back on and ride. Don't let them learn that you will quit when they stop. Also being herd bound will help motivate a young horse. If the other horses all leave, They often get a second wind and are more willing to follow the other horses back toward the trailer or barn.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

he showed no signs of going down at all, and we jsut go to the trail and rode for twenty minute and then he layed down, he was fine, not sweating. i brought my moms horse and they dont like each other but my other gelding (the top horse) needs supplements so he can go on trails again and not become stiff during a ride.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Sounds like a possible back problem. Get the Vet out.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Painted Horse said:


> Young horses when they get sweaty have a tendency to want to lay down and roll. Especially when they cross sandy, dusty or powder snow areas. It is something I've had to teach many of my youngster. No rolling with a saddle.
> 
> It is amazing how fast they can drop and roll while you are traveling down the trail. But if you are watching you will see the signs. Head down, looking at the material under foot. They don't threaten to roll in hard or rocky places. It will always be insofter material.
> 
> ...


I agree with all this. Sounds like he's not as finished as you think.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Painted Horse said:


> If they do drop. get your feet out of the stirrups. and then work hard on getting themback on their feet. If you need to, stepoff and holler, pop them with the end of your mecante or lead rope. But get them up quick and don't let them enjoy being down. They will soon learn that there is no enjoyment in trying to roll with a saddle on.


I had to do this once with a 15 yr old Arabian. He put his head down in a sandy place and boom, he was down! I kicked my legs out of the stirrups, got off and sort of yelled at him and pulled the reins. No rise! Finally I had to kick him in the shoulder to get him up. :lol:


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

i know he isnt finnished yet, the vet checked him out hes fine.


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## SarahAnn (Oct 22, 2011)

He won. So he'll probably try to do it again. He wanted to get you off of his back and make you walk him home, and you did... you were outsmarted by the ******! I would agree that he just needs to learn that it's not acceptable to do that, and that YOU call the shots, not him... Keep us posted on how he's doing!!


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

i got on after he rolled and rode him back to the trailer he didnt like it but he went. hes a pain in the butt!!! he also thinks hes boss in the pasture until my and Harley put him in place. he also will back up and pivot with no halter.


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## SarahAnn (Oct 22, 2011)

What a funny guy!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

Oh my is he. He is just a funny guy and i think he knows it, ill have to video him one day and post it
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SarahAnn (Oct 22, 2011)

I have had a horse lay down in a PUDDLE with me on her. I was SOOO mad! Horses are just funny creatures  Proof that God wants us to be happy!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Our TWH, Lucy, drops without any warning. She dropped twice on the same ride. The second time I wasn't able to get my foot out in time. I kicked her butt like crazy, but she felt it was time for a nap, lol. As an after thought, I remembered she doesn't like her flanks touched. I'll have to remember that if she does it again
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Radiowaves (Jul 27, 2010)

After my horse layed down once while we were on a trail ride (I bailed out while he was on the ground) I believe he was as surprised as I've ever seen him! He was like "WHAT are you doing down THERE???" Fortunately, it was in a nice soft patch of shavings that had been thrown out....

It was too late when I realized what was happening so I just figured I'd ride him down...  

Radiowaves




usandpets said:


> Our TWH, Lucy, drops without any warning. She dropped twice on the same ride. The second time I wasn't able to get my foot out in time. I kicked her butt like crazy, but she felt it was time for a nap, lol. As an after thought, I remembered she doesn't like her flanks touched. I'll have to remember that if she does it again
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Twister rox (Sep 3, 2011)

*I completely understand your situation*

My first horse, many yrs ago, loved to roll. He would roll everytime we turned him out to the pasture after we rode. It wasn't unheard of him to try and roll with me & saddle on. But it would only happen when we were riding and had to stop and wait for other horses ahead of us to start going again. He wasn't always particular in what he rolled either; snow, water, sand, newly tilled field. I do think part of the problem may have been dry skin because of all the rolling and scratching on our fence posts he would do. He also loved it when we curry combed him.

My recommendations would be:
1.see how dry his skin is. 
2.The vet may think he physically fit, but a chiropractor may be able to give a different perspective. 
3.The more riding you do with him, the more you'll be able to see the little hints. It took me a bit. As soon as my horse put his head down to smell the dirt/snow/etc, I knew the next step was going to be his front hoof do one paw mark. This would take 1-3 seconds. As soon as I suspected he was even thinking about it, I got him moving. 
4. I would also check the saddle fit, the girth and the blanket. Make sure there's no pinch or any burs hidden. 
As a side note, my horse was a little crazy arabian that I loved and learned a lot on. But I have never seen another horse have a personality & attitude like him. We had a love/hate relationship.:lol:


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Do you want to fix this or would you rather pay someone to fix him? The next time you ride and he goes down, get off and pull his head down so he's laying flat. Sit behind his head and hold the reins so he can't get up. This is where you must have utmost patience. He'll likely lay there a bit but when he wants to get up don't let him. Rest on his neck behind his jaw if you have to but don't let him up. You can make his life miserable by giving him the odd whack (a little heavier than a tap) with a riding crop. By holding him down you are asserting your dominance. When he lets out a big sigh he will no longer struggle and you can let him up. Just be on him as he's getting up.


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

i originally read this post when it first came out a week or so ago and thought wow never had this happen. must be a crazy experience... well my sister had the same thing happen when she was riding in our small arena with her spotted twh. he just dropped and started rolling with the western saddle on. luckily she hoped off before he fell on her leg. but wow... i honestly understand now what your taking about. it is scary and nerve raking.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

haha i was more mad at him it was my saddle i just had fixed from my Quarter horse bucking my off, and now he was rolling with it on. i had gotten off to work with him and when i got to his head he dropped rolled, rolled, layed there looked around and then desided to get up and shake off. also i was planning ot get him finnished out by sending him to the trainer to get him a well rounded horse. so that i dont have to worry about that, hes growing and hes getting close to 16.3hh. and its scary when he has his tantrums. but such a loving horse.


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

We were riding at the beginning of summer, my hubbys SSH was following me, we were in a trail that was VERY sandy and had some deep sand brought in and apparently fairly freshly put down. My hubbys horse did the exact same thing... he dropped his head, smelled, pawed once and down he went. Hubby got off, yelled and kicked and the horse got up, shook off and looked at hubby like "WHAT?????"

That same day, we had just crossed a river and were standing on a deep sand bar with pretty white fluffy sand, Hubby knowing better now was not in the middle of the sand but at the edge on some rock. My mare was standing quietly while I spoke with some other riders, she then absolutely dropped like a rock, no smelling, pawing or anything. but she dropped and tried to roll in the pretty white sand. I got off her and yelled and kicked her to get up and she did.. but she did look guilty. not like hubbys horse who had no idea why he was being yelled at. hahahah!

Now we know better and will watch closer when they are sweaty and sand is around. 

Rhonda


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## BellaMFT (Nov 15, 2011)

My 12 y/o paint does the same thing. You get him in a sandy spot on the trail and he'll lay down to roll. We sent him to a trainer for 30 days to help us with it. We do have to keep on him when we are going through sandy stuff. If we think he is thinking about it we make his feet move faster. Good luck. Not an easy habit to break. It's good to here you had him vet checked.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Saddlebag said:


> The next time you ride and he goes down, get off and pull his head down so he's laying flat. Sit behind his head and hold the reins so he can't get up. .


Good plan. I had a horse that did this several times. I sat on his neck, while pulling his nose up. He was stuck. Ruined his day sorta like he had ruined mine. He never tried it again. 

Sending him to a trainer may be the safest plan. You could really get hurt playing around with him.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When the horse lets out a big sigh, he's accepted his fate, that he's vulnerable to attack and is going to die. Then you, this wonderful person, lets him up. I've had this work with sand, dirt and puddle droppers. Never had to repeat it.


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