# Weighted bell boots



## stormy370 (Mar 14, 2011)

I have a TWH that is very lazy and stumbles on trail rides if he is not kept "awake". I have tried shortening his hooves and rolled toes. He is very healthy, just laid back and gets too relaxed. He does not stumble on rough terrain or if excited. Does anyone know if slightly weighed bell boots might make him pick up his feet better?


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

I use to have EXACTLY the same problem. We finally got ride of this horse because we could not trust him to stay standing he actually fell with my hubby twice (that is not counting the almost falls and plain old stumbles). He was a wonderful, goofy, funny horse and we loved him. We tried several toe angles also. We finally decided he was just long legged and gangly. We could not figure out why he stumbled so much. I will be interested in seeing what everyone else has to say.

Rhonda


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## crimson88 (Aug 29, 2009)

I don't believe so, since weighed bell boots are normally used to enhance the horses gait. I guess you could just try it tough.


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## NoHorse (Feb 18, 2011)

I think it sounds right. Plus, why not? It's not like they're permanent. Could you try some sort of experiment to see if weighting would work first, then buy them? I don't know how much they cost.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

What we did with my dad's horse was tied (sewing would probably be better especially if done to last) bells onto his bell boots, and that noise kept him awake, and thinking about his feet. Unfortunately as we were just trying it out, we did a crappy job, and the bells started falling off. And by then I wasn't riding him as much anymore, and my friend had moved, so I just didn't get around to redoing the bell boots.


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

Sounds like you got a "Tennessee tripper"! In conversations with gaited horse people around here, sometimes the young or inexperienced horses just don't pay attention, like you said, and they trip on the trail. I think horses who've done a lot of arena work with nice, even footing have to learn about uneven footing and balance on trails. One thing that I've heard recommended is lots of work over poles, working up to having the poles sometimes placed randomly so they have to watch their feet and can't anticipate how many steps apart the poles are going to be. Good luck!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I've got a Missouri Tripper! (Fox Trotter). :lol:

She's 17 but was used as a broodmare most of her life, so maybe she doesn't have a ton of trail experience. She is rather insecure when ridden alone on trails, but does great with other horses.

Anyway, it does help to keep her feet trimmed often and make sure she has a generous break-over. The break-over is the biggest thing with trippy horses I think. But an out-right cure I have not found. 

(And all the breed info. states how sure-footed they are! Well, I'm sure for the most part they are, but MY girl is not. I think maybe she is looking around too much to pay attention to what is on the ground in front of her sometimes).


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## jdw (Mar 17, 2011)

Does it scare yall riding a tripper/stumbler though? My son's horse does that, so I started riding him. It rather freaked me out! Though he has not fallen, I could just see the train wreck! I have noticed it is sort of better when his feet are really short, but who can trim that often? I am also curious to see if there are any good ideas to this. We have considered getting rid of him as well.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

It would bug me more if she had actually fallen with me, but she hasn't (yet- knock on wood). 

It does bother me a little. Riding is a little less fun when you are worried about the horse falling on it's face, but she seems very sound and healthy otherwise. She actually has a ton of "go" so I don't really think it is a true soundness issue. I think it's more that she is kind of dittzy and looking at everything. She will trip 2-3 times a trail ride (3-4 hours long) so it's not like she is _super_ trippy. But just when you get kind of relaxed, she will take a good trip, just enough to keep me awake. :lol:

I had a dear friend who owned an awesome mule but she was afraid to ride her because she tripped. I never really understood that though, because the mule truly was awesome in every other way. But she was an older lady with health problems, so maybe that has something to do with it. 

I wonder what the "normal" number of trips per trail ride would be? In other words, what is considered normal or acceptable? I don't mean the horse flat-out falling, but just stubbing their toe and sort of tripping a bit?

My Mustang hardly ever trips. He might on occasion, but it's not notable. Izzy trips probably 2-3 times on a long ride. She has never actually gone down, so I don't worry about it too, too much. But if the horse was falling with me, that would not be a good thing! Is there a "normal" amount of tripping?


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

jdw said:


> ........... I have noticed it is sort of better when his feet are really short, but who can trim that often? I am also curious to see if there are any good ideas to this. We have considered getting rid of him as well.


I keep my horses barefoot and trim them myself, so it is easy to touch up their feet when they need it. I hardly ever "trim" per se, mostly I touch them up with a rasp before they get long. Sometimes I will take the nippers to them though.

I really think having a good, prominent break-over will help (if not cure) most trippers. I wouldn't get rid of the horse without trying something new with your farrier. As a matter of fact, make sure you tell your farrier the horse trips and he should trim and/or shoe in a way to help the horse get the toe out of the way quicker. He could use (or fashion something similar to) a Natural Balance Shoe and I think there is a strong chance that would help. 

So don't get rid of a good horse just because it trips, because something as simple as a shoeing or trimming method could cure it. If you exhaust your farrier's resources, then maybe it isn't fixable. :-|

Here are an article that discuss the importance of break-over:

Bare Foot Horse


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

We had a TWH tripper!!! He was a wonderful horse and we tried everything with the farrier. NO help. This horse seemed to just be like a long legged gangley teenager who tripped over their own feet. even tho this horse was 6 years old and he fell once and tripping badly several times. My hubby was tired of being drawn up in a knot every time he rode him. especially down a steep hill so we sold him.

I now have a mare who has been wonderful but suddenly started tripping when she was going slightly downhill. we discovered her toes were too short and she did better with a longer toe. She was barefoot all summer and her feet had gotten pretty chipped up. When she was shod it was just too short. she tripped and actually fell with me twice. I was at my wits end. Finally when her toe got longer she was much better. This summer (we ride mostly in the winter) I will have to keep shoes on her.

all horses trip some, especially on a trail ride, they are so busy looking around or being half asleep behind someone else that they trip a little. That type of tripping doesn't bother me but when they start falling or almost going to their knees then it is an issue. 

If it was a great horse, have the farrier and vet check them out before you get ride of them.

Rhonda


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## jdw (Mar 17, 2011)

Thank you, trailhorserider; that is what I will do. he is a good horse, and i wouldn't want to get rid of him w/o trying to fix it. Is it hard to learn to trim yourself? LOVE my ferrier, but can't afford to keep as I would like.


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## stormy370 (Mar 14, 2011)

I think I have found the answer with this horse. I had the farrier put on shoes with rocker toes and he is much improved. The toes are curved up like a sled. Only stumbles maybe 2-3 times on a 2 hr. ride on average. My farrier said the shoes could make his rack more rough, but I can't tell a difference. Thanks for all the suggestions.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

A farrier friend watched a big lick twh get her big padded shoes removed for the first time and she didn't move for hours. Offering food didn't work. She had no idea where her feet were. Hay was set across the paddock. When hunger won out her steps were very slow and cautious.


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