# Horse fell to front knees



## coreyk67 (May 24, 2011)

In my previous post i informed you of how new i was and would have a ton of questions ... here is another 
The last few rides have gone well and I have definitely gotten to know Caesar much better. I am more relaxed and confident and was starting to think “hey this might not be so bad". With that being said i ran into a little problem today. I took him out for a ride in the pasture he is used to and he stumbled a few times then fell to his knees. I just knew i was going to fly over his head but managed to stay in saddle. I started to head back to the barn and he stumbled twice again, so i dismounted and walked him the rest of the way so he or i wouldn’t get hurt. I examined his hooves and he seemed ok to my untrained eye. I am really worried about this, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
CK


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

If all other medical problems and/or physical problems have been ruled out I'd say your horse needs to learn where is feet are. Set up ground poles a few in a row and do alot of trotting and walking over them. It's ok if your horse hits his feet alot he will eventually start to pay attention to his feet
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

When is the last time that he was seen by a farrier? If it has been more than 5 or 6 weeks, then he could certainly be needing a trim.

What was the temperature when you were riding? If it was very hot, he could have just been feeling hot and lazy and not wanting to pick his feet up.

Or, he could just be one of those clumsy horses that is naturally prone to stumbling around. The only thing I have ever found to help a horse like that is to ride them through rough country and dead-falls where they really have to watch where they put their feet. Enough miles of that and it seems to translate to smoother ground as well.

If he continues to do it consistently in cooler weather after his feet are trimmed, or if it gets worse/more frequent, it couldn't possibly hurt to consult with a vet just to make sure there is nothing more serious than clumsiness going on.


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## dudey (Dec 16, 2010)

i would say his feet may be to long or he is lame?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Definatly could be his toes, I have one that at the 6 week point or so will start to stumble on his right front. I've helped this by squaring off his front toes instead of rounding them. Also he stumbles more when he's out of shape and starting to get tired, muscling him up helps.

If it's a young horse or has never been ridden much I would say he's still trying to figure out how to carry the extra weight.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

What kind of horse is he? Were you walking or trotting?


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## coreyk67 (May 24, 2011)

He is a Tennessee walker and I was slowly walking him.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My geuss is there is something more then just his feet going on. I would think there is something neurological happening. I can't remember all the ways to test for that. I know walking down hill is one thing to do...


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Was it a show walker in an earlier life? Stacks are not easy on them and cause problems. Also some show people and breeders have been known to purposely damage their horses (founder, soring, etc) to gain more front end action for shows. The association is trying to clean things up but it hasn't been easy.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I have to wonder if the pasture had holes in it. Sometimes, with uneven footing, the horses are pretty unsure of their feet and end up stumbling a bit.

If not, my vote is for neurological. A horse with a bit of an overgrown toe is not going to go on his knees on smooth ground repeatedly. Here's a link on Wobblers Syndrome....I would read it and write down any similarities.

http://www.equinewobblers.com/Diagnostics/Neurological_Examination.htm


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

TWH (even flat shod ones who have never been in stacks or sored, etc.) trip a lot. The barn I'm at shows walkers (again, flat shod) and they often have tripping issues. It comes from not being balanced at the gait, I believe. Gaited horses need to be balanced by the rider to gait correctly, and when the rider isn't balanced, the horse isn't, and vice versa, so then they start tripping. Hope you get it sorted out, and that may give a little insight if his feet are fine & such.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

He stumbled on one ride.....

I would make sure he is up to date on his trimmings and make sure when you ride him he is paying attention and not napping.

Then, if he continues to trip worry about there being something physically wrong with him. Otherwise I would write it off as one of those days. Like when you are walking down the hall and you trip on nothing because you are thinking more about what sweater you want to wear tomorrow on that hot date than where you are walking.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

horseluver2435 said:


> TWH (even flat shod ones who have never been in stacks or sored, etc.) trip a lot. The barn I'm at shows walkers (again, flat shod) and they often have tripping issues. It comes from not being balanced at the gait, I believe. Gaited horses need to be balanced by the rider to gait correctly, and when the rider isn't balanced, the horse isn't, and vice versa, so then they start tripping. Hope you get it sorted out, and that may give a little insight if his feet are fine & such.


That's often due to walkers being trimmed/shod with a longer toe due to the belief it is needed to give them more action. Happened to me when I first got into walkers and using a farrier that was "the best walker shoer" in the area. Poor horses were tripping all over the place and I just thought that's what they did myself. Didn't like that farrier much so used another one suggested by a relative, he took off a good two inches in length and my horse stopped tripping (was also foot sore for a bit). Anyway, I keep em short now and he only starts tripping when he's about due for the next trimming.


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## coreyk67 (May 24, 2011)

He was trimmed about 4 weeks ago. 

Is it possible that I am just to big to ride a horse? I chose him because he is a big guy as am I. Im 6'3" and weigh about 280.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Confused, maybe I did not read it right.

How often has he tripped?


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## coreyk67 (May 24, 2011)

The last 3 times i have ridden him he has stumbled a little, but the last time he actually fell to knees. I have only owned him for 3 weeks.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Can you get pics of his hooves?

My old TWH mare was a serial tripper until I started trimming her hooves myself with a shorter toe and well mustang rolled. I noticed many of our farriers left a long toe on "because that's how you trim a TWH." :? She was also a very lazy horse.


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## Hali (Jun 17, 2009)

Sometimes horses just trip. Just like you or I. And just like humans, some horses are clumsier than others. It's no big deal, although sometimes it can be unnerving if it's a big stumble. Just keep riding. 

If he stumbles all the time I might be concerned, but a little trip here or there while rambling around a pasture isn't a big deal.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

My Arab used to fall to his knees quite often when he was younger. He has scars on both knees where he fell one day down hill on rocky ground. He did it wa;l, trot and canter. 

We never figured out what is was - I guess he grew out of it, he hasn't done it in years and years.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My old Black horse was 38 when he died and he never stumbled to his knees. He was a TWH. My new TWH is only 7 but she also has never stumbled to her knees. Now, yes, the stumble but they are sturdy and safe trail horses on rough terrain. Maybe it was "just a stumble" but I would not write it off to being a walking horse....


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

I guess I worded that incorrectly- I wouldn't consider it normal because he's a walker for falling to his knees, but the smaller trips could just be from being off balance. 

If he's constantly tripping (like every time he's ridden, multiple times he's ridden) then no, I wouldn't write it off to being a walker. I just wanted to pop in and say that walkers can trip more often (from my experience) when not balanced by their rider. 

I don't believe the walkers there are left with long toes, as I remember one of the BO's asking the farrier to not leave long toes, if he does, we have him correct it. 

Please don't take just my advice into consideration, I probably should have stayed silent, but I did want to offer what I know about walkers into the conversation. I am by no means an expert, but after riding alongside them for many years, I have picked up knowledge here & there. 

Best of luck, OP, sorry for any misunderstanding. Hope this problem gets sorted out and you have many good rides with your TWH.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My only reason for being concerned was because the horse was walking when it fell to it's knees. Walkers do tend to suffer from ring bone and other feet related issues so saying a walker trips isn't FAR off but the concern i have is in the walk...


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Ohhh, well, yes, that changes things. :/

Sorry, OP, didn't realize that. I'd have the farrier out, personally, and maybe the vet if the farrier can't find anything wrong.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

For your safety and his, you should get a vet to look at him. Before you panic, you should realize that some horses are just clutsy. I have an old walking horse that was unsure of his footing when he was young. He fell to his knees several times. It scared him enough that he started watching where he was going. My arab mare (the one in the avatar here) was tripping a little, so I got my farrier to put a 2 degree steeper angle on her front hooves. She never fell, but she would catch a foot on a rock and trip occasionally before he changed it. The angle change worked wonders.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I'm sorry if I missed it, but how tall/heavy is he? You may be too big for him if he's built without much thickness to him.


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## coreyk67 (May 24, 2011)

He is a fairly big boy, right @ 16HH and a little over 1100 lbs according to the previous owner.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Could just be out of shape, they do stumble more when in poor shape.


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## danastark (Jul 17, 2008)

My draft cross tripped and went down on his knees at least once when I first started riding him at 3 1/2 but once he got his balance with a rider on his back, he has never gone down. He does tend to stumble unless we roll his toes or I let him get lazy and not balanced. My farrier and I have worked together to get his feet right. I tell him what the issue is and then he works on it so you may need to do that.

Could be too that when he first stumbled, you looked down and your weight didn't help him to catch his balance. I remember being told that if you look down when jumping, you place at least 40 extra pounds on your horse's front end.


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