# Horse is Falling When Saddling/Picking Up Hooves



## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

For the pasture thing I definitely thought he wasn't getting enough sleep. I've seen it happen at shows before. Good job figuring it out, so many people overlook lack of sleep.

As for the cinching and picking up his hooves, it could be a learned behavior, especially if you let him get out of riding/ hoof cleaning.

It did however look almost like his 'stay apparatus' (Can't remember the correct term, I've been in the sun too long today, LOL.) in his front leg gave out.
He could also be reacting to pain. His shoulders could be sore again.

I'd see about putting up a camera and recording him for say 24-36 hours and see what he does when you're not around, it could give you a clue about what he's doing or not doing.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

The vagus nerve runs under the girth buckle area. Try cinching up loosely, walk 50 ft. Pull a little tighter, repeat the walk, pull a little tighter and again...

You may have cinched up too tight a few times and now the nerve is aggravated. Or have you changed something?



I don't cinch up all that tight, I can get fingers under mine most of the time. I may stop into a ride a bit and adjust the girth.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Horse mysteries - you have to love them.

My first thought in seeing the video was the saddle fit. I don't like the way it's tipped up in the back and likely pulled down in the front (which may be digging into him as he doesn't look like his top line is filled in the way it could be). Do you need to tighten the cinch as much as you appear to be doing on the video? Is it possible the combination of saddle pressing in at the front and tight cinch is limiting his breathing capacity and/or making him physically uncomfortable?

My next thought was that I think there is a soreness issue some place. You mentioned he went lame after a particularly hard/long ride? Given his age and if he isn't ridden a lot (as in enough to keep him in working condition (by this I mean well toned muscles, strong elastic tendons, etc.)), then he could have done some tissue damage at that point. Sometimes, tissue damage takes a long time to heal. 

This was followed quickly by my last thought that this may well be a combination of things happening which, of course, makes for a tedious journey of finding and eliminating the problems one by one. 

If I was in your situation, I would probably hold off riding for awhile and continue monitoring the situation while saving my pennies. During this time, he may also "fluff up" his top line which wouldn't do him any harm. Taking him for hand walks would be a good thing, if you like.

Good luck with everything and keep us updated.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

Is he holding his breath to "bloat" up? My pony used to hold his breath until he dropped to his knees.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

No your saddle and/or girth is pinching off a major nerve and he's fainting. If you do a google search for vagus nerve, horse a few things come up but they are all old posts on other message boards.










Check the saddle for fit and don't pull the girth tight so fast. 
He's a little thin so he probably doesn't have much protecting that major nerve.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

Went back and watched again. Right where the girths buckle is.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Since this only happens with the saddle on, it makes sense that it is a saddle issue - whether it's bad fit or training. 

When cinching, take your time. So cinch up to snug only - little effort, just so the saddle doesn't move. Then walk him around a bit, and without moving the saddle, tighten the girth again. Not really tight still - just snug. Walk again; snug again - try to stretch out his front feet forward to eliminate any bunching. Walk - and final tighten. 

See how that works out.

Also, if you put the saddle on without a pad and take pics from the front, side and back there are people here that can give you guidance on whether the saddle fits properly.


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## CossackCowgirl27 (Mar 4, 2015)

Thank you everyone so much! I wondered if the nerve thing was a possibility/saddle fit, plus I know he's underweight and I'm trying to get his weight back up. Honestly with my horse, I can never tell when he's in pain or not. He is so obstinate he won't show me where he hurts.  I have had a forty+ year experienced horsewoman look him over, poke him all over the place and she couldn't tell if he hurt or not. He doesn't show pain, he just keeps going.

I bought him a weight supplement and have been trying to get his weight back on him. I haven't ridden him for four weeks until yesterday, when I decided to try him out and see how he was doing. Apart from the cinching up, he did really well on his ride. I NEVER cinch up a horse that tight on the first try. I always groundwork and then cinch up again, do some more leading and then cinch up one last time. In the video I was trying to demonstrate what he does when he's cinched, because of course when I went to do him up he didn't fall that time for the camera.  

I definitely want to figure out if the saddle fit is causing it. I know he's very sparse on his withers and needs to get some muscle and fat up there. I have tried everything to get his weight up and have gotten him scheduled to see a dentist next week to get his teeth done and see if that helps as well. He's been having a bit of trouble chewing. I think his new weight supplement is helping as well.

Again, thank you everyone! I'll check all the things you all mentioned and see if any of them "fits" his case. I really appreciate the help, and so does Bodie.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

One really quick and easy thing to try:

Do you know someone with a different type/size saddle to try? He looks to have really high withers and may be feeling pressure. Also, try a different type of girth/cinch strap. I had a horse that needed a wider ropers cinch to distribute the pressure. Just easy and cheap experiments.

18 isn't horribly old but _is_ senior and needs to be kept in shape. Us oldsters get out of shape easily.:wink:


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

try a different lenght cinch (shorter by a good 4 inches), so that the buckle, when pulled tight, is not so high. it might put pressure on a different spot.

I , too, thought the saddle did not look like a good fit, but it's hard to really judge that from one angle like that.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> try a different lenght cinch (shorter by a good 4 inches), so that the buckle, when pulled tight, is not so high. it might put pressure on a different spot.
> 
> I , too, thought the saddle did not look like a good fit, but it's hard to really judge that from one angle like that.


Yes a shorter cinch & a western cinch guard may help too.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi, 

From your description, mention of being lame from sore shoulders, and from the video, saddle pain is a very likely problem. Saddle doesn't fit & is restrictive, if not actually painful. It's over his shoulders, and also doesn't sit on him well - it's raised at the back when the girth is tightened. In the vid you appear to reef up that girth quite strongly too. That's a possible problem too, as is the girth possibly being too tight. Pinched nerves are also a not uncommon part of saddling problems, generally relating to above.

The falling in the paddock is probably a different issue(tho saddle pressure can caused chronic damage). I reckon yes, sleep deprivation is a likely problem too, _due to_ failure of 'stay apparatus', rather than it being a _cause._ That is, the tendons & ligaments in a horse's legs (should) work in such a way that they allow the legs to 'lock' at rest and keep the horse standing without any muscular effort, so they can sleep standing. It's not uncommon for hoof imbalance, etc, causing the stay apparatus to fail. I believe that is behind recent ideas of horses needing to lie down to sleep deeply, and supposed 'narcolepsy' in horses.

So... Looks like you may need a different saddle for him(looks like how it's sitting, if you move it further back into a better position, it may extend too far back, over his lumbar spine) & if he's had some pain from it, chances are there is atrophy, so maybe wait & exercise him unsaddled for a bit before fitting. 

I'd also consider doing up the girth more gradually/maybe not so tightly, and don't physically pull his leg out like that either. I know it's common practice, but forcibly stretching a horse's leg like that can cause pain & if you reckon the girth is pinching skin, chances are it's too tight, and you can also resolve this by just walking the horse around a few steps in either direction.

I'd also consider the possibility that hoof trimming is not being done well & high heels for eg are causing failure of stay apparatus. I'd also consider a veterinary chiropractor or such, as there are likely body issues that have come out of these problems.


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## CossackCowgirl27 (Mar 4, 2015)

Thanks again, everyone! I will check out the saddle fit for sure. I am aware you should never cinch the horse up so tight on the first cinching, but because he wasn't being cooperative and "falling" when I first began to tighten the cinch (he usually falls right as I began to tighten it, but of course because I had the camera out he didn't do it.  ) but I had no idea about the nerve on his belly that might cause this.

Oh, Loosie, I'm pretty sure it's not his feet. I have a wonderful farrier and Bodie has never had such great feet. This guy has done a fabulous job rehabbing my sister's horse and doing Bodie's feet up so that he's not been sore after being trimmed. I'm very happy with his work.

Thanks again everyone!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

CossackCowgirl27 said:


> and doing Bodie's feet up so that he's not been sore after being trimmed.


That should be the bare minimum expected of a farrier! He may well be great, but also consider that if he's new, the horse may have chronic foot problems from previous.


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## CossackCowgirl27 (Mar 4, 2015)

loosie said:


> That should be the bare minimum expected of a farrier! He may well be great, but also consider that if he's new, the horse may have chronic foot problems from previous.


Hahaha, no kidding! The farrier previous of this one trimmed him up short and then told me to put shoes on him-- after he trimmed him short.  I didn't appreciate that very much. From my talks with Bodie's two other owners, he's never had any foot problems. He's never been foot sore and he has good feet. The owner that had him when he was six was a farrier, and continued to be Bodie's farrier when he sold him to the gal I got him from. I had my own farrier I used at the time through a barn I was working at, so when I got Bodie I switched him to this barn farrier. Then quickly switched to my sister's farrier when the guy trimmed Bodie so short. 

Thanks for your thoughts!


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## Salinas (Mar 19, 2015)

PLEASE call your vet! From the video it is obvious that your horse is unable to say balanced when you apply pressure to his side. NO amount of cinch pressure or saddle will cause a healthy horse to fall. Watch the video and note how he struggles to keep upright by moving forward and back. At one point his left hind quarters even collapses. Then when you pick up his foot he does collapse and struggles to keep from falling by moving forward. This indicates a serious neurological problem which could be caused by an infection, virus, tumors or injury to the spine. DO NOT RIDE HIM!!! It is dangerous for both of you and could worsen his condition. Keep him in a safe place (small corral or well padded large stall) where if he does go down he won't get hurt and has room to get back up. Don't try to diagnose him yourself, but call your vet now.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

While I would never advocate NOT calling a vet, I still agree with the saddle and cinch issue. Personally I feel that this young girl could save her money for emergencies and at least try a few other things with different saddles to see what effect she gets. Then, if no results are seen she can still call. JMO


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

If you google "horse faints when saddled" a few things come up. Most of them on other message boards so I can't link direct. May help.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

This happened to my mare when her cinch was tight and I picked up her left front hoof to clean it. It's that nerve that causes them to start to black out. Same thing used by Endospink for his TAP to lay horses down.


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## Malice (Mar 10, 2012)

I, and also a friend of mine, have had this happen and its makes perfect sense now in understanding its a nerve issue.
When I first bought my gelding I had him saddled and the girth tight, ready to ride, when I realized that I hadn't picked his feet. Picked up right hoof, everything fine, but when I picked up his left front he instantly became heavy and fell ontop of me. Neither of us were hurt, thank god since he was tied and I was halfway underneath him, and my first thought was it was a girth issue, thinking it pinched him causing him to react and fall. Bought a better fitting more cushiony cinch and have never had that problem again in 3 years.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Salinas said:


> NO amount of cinch pressure or saddle will cause a healthy horse to fall. ... This indicates a serious neurological problem .... DO NOT RIDE HIM!!! ... Don't try to diagnose him yourself, but call your vet now.


Salinas, I mostly agree with you. I don't believe it's a good move for this girl to mess around with saddles etc, as it's obviously far more than that - falling in the paddock too, etc. Agree fully that it is not a good move to ride the horse ATM either. But yes, re the actual saddling, chronic pain/damage from a badly fitting saddle can indeed make a horse stagger too. And I don't believe it's necessarily neurological - failure of stay apparatus, causing chronic fatigue can do this. Whatever the cause, I'd be starting with a good chiropractic vet.


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## Salinas (Mar 19, 2015)

Blue said:


> While I would never advocate NOT calling a vet, I still agree with the saddle and cinch issue. Personally I feel that this young girl could save her money for emergencies and at least try a few other things with different saddles to see what effect she gets. Then, if no results are seen she can still call. JMO


 You are missing the big picture. The horse has had recent weight loss, lameness, falling in the pasture 3X when nobody was girthing him up and then his struggle to stay upright when pressure (cinching) is applied to his side (as seen in the video). These are all signs and symptoms of a neurological disorder. Trying a new saddle or cinching technique does not address any of these issues. Calling the vet and describing these symptoms to him should cost absolutely nothing. She should also email this video to the vet. Will he recommend the horse be examined? I'd put money on it. If this young horse owner cannot afford a vet then she should call her local humane society or several horse sanctuaries/rescues to see if their vet will see the horse for low or no cost. 
Horse fainting and sleep disorders are also not benign and thinking it's "OK" or "nothing to worry about" is not in the best interest of the horse. And the best interest of the horse is a horse owners responsibility. As for saving her money for an emergency, this IS an emergency. 
Many horse illnesses are treatable and can save the horse if caught early, but delaying treatment can result in the horse not only suffering but being rendered completely unusable.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I wouldn't be too quick to tie the "almost" falling in the pasture with the falling while being cinched -- with a grain of salt. Without actually seeing the pasture occurrence, it's of course impossible to tell, but sometimes we humans overstate the risk of falling. I've seen horses very sleepy, on their feet, start to sway and then catch themselves lots of times.

I guess it depends on the actual pasture incidents...


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I also think this horse may benefit from a neurological exam. I would give this horse a neurological exam at home, and try pulling on his tail while he is walking. See if he looses his balance easily. 

Recognize the Signs of Equine Neurological Disorders from Practical Horseman | Equisearch | Practical Horseman Magazine


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Salinas said:


> You are missing the big picture. The horse has had recent weight loss, lameness, falling in the pasture 3X when nobody was girthing him up and then his struggle to stay upright when pressure (cinching) is applied to his side (as seen in the video). These are all signs and symptoms of a neurological disorder. Trying a new saddle or cinching technique does not address any of these issues. Calling the vet and describing these symptoms to him should cost absolutely nothing. She should also email this video to the vet. Will he recommend the horse be examined? I'd put money on it. If this young horse owner cannot afford a vet then she should call her local humane society or several horse sanctuaries/rescues to see if their vet will see the horse for low or no cost.
> Horse fainting and sleep disorders are also not benign and thinking it's "OK" or "nothing to worry about" is not in the best interest of the horse. And the best interest of the horse is a horse owners responsibility. As for saving her money for an emergency, this IS an emergency.
> Many horse illnesses are treatable and can save the horse if caught early, but delaying treatment can result in the horse not only suffering but being rendered completely unusable.


Yes, I may be missing the "big picture". However, OP stated that he NEARLY fell in the pasture which is not the same as falling. 

I am not nearly experienced or educated in this matter enough to give advice. I simply stated my opinion. I do hope she finds the source of the problem soon.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

NM & blue, just because, in your experience, horses nearly falling in the paddock is not rare(I've only seen this twice personally, in my life with horses - 1 was a wobbler, 1 had such high heels he couldn't straighten his knees) doesn't mean it's acceptable & not a problem. On the contrary, if its normal in your experiences, I'd suspect that in your area lots of problems go unrecognised!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Loosie - truly almost falling is definitely far from "normal," but I have seen lots of people think that the horse is almost falling when in fact, they are just drowsing but for whatever reason don't choose to lie down. Some people think that when a horse sways, they are almost falling when they are actually not anywhere close to falling.


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## Salinas (Mar 19, 2015)

4horses said:


> I also think this horse may benefit from a neurological exam. I would give this horse a neurological exam at home, and try pulling on his tail while he is walking. See if he looses his balance easily.
> 
> Recognize the Signs of Equine Neurological Disorders from Practical Horseman | Equisearch | Practical Horseman Magazine


 
Thanks for this very good article. It explains well some of the causes of neurological problems.

As we've seen in the video the horse already falls over when the owner lifts his foot (which eliminates the "saddle problem" theory) thus we know he can't remain standing when pulled off balance. So the question is, "What will the owner learn from doing her own neuro exam?" She already knows the horse falls in a situation where a healthy horse can maintain his balance. What she needs to know is the cause of his falling and only the vet can tell her that after doing his own exam (including tests for infection, tumors, etc.)


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Actually, I wonder if the horse does have the problem when the foot is lifted without the saddle on... OP?


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## Salinas (Mar 19, 2015)

NorthernMama said:


> Loosie - truly almost falling is definitely far from "normal," but I have seen lots of people think that the horse is almost falling when in fact, they are just drowsing but for whatever reason don't choose to lie down. Some people think that when a horse sways, they are almost falling when they are actually not anywhere close to falling.


 Please refer to the video again. Each time the rider tightens the cinch, watch how the horse tries to maintain his balance by moving front to back. When she gets the cinch to maximum tightness he is swaying noticeably and moving front and back legs to compensate. Then when she lifts his leg he goes down. This poor horse appears to be unable to tolerate the pressure on his spine from the increasingly tight saddle, then crumples when one leg is pulled out from under him. It is cruel not to get this poor horse to a professional medical evaluation.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

I plan to continue researching this issue, but I too am curious if this horse wobbles and "falls" when a foot is lifted with no saddle. 

It's a very interesting subject.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Salinas said:


> Please refer to the video again. Each time the rider tightens the cinch, watch how the horse tries to maintain his balance by moving front to back. When she gets the cinch to maximum tightness he is swaying noticeably and moving front and back legs to compensate. Then when she lifts his leg he goes down. This poor horse appears to be unable to tolerate the pressure on his spine from the increasingly tight saddle, then crumples when one leg is pulled out from under him. It is cruel not to get this poor horse to a professional medical evaluation.


Yes, but I was not referring to that, but the "almost falling" in the pasture.


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## CossackCowgirl27 (Mar 4, 2015)

NorthernMama said:


> Actually, I wonder if the horse does have the problem when the foot is lifted without the saddle on... OP?


He's stumbled once or twice before when I've picked up his foot without the saddle on. He did it over six times to my farrier a couple weeks ago, but Bodie is notorious for "falling" on his farriers "by accident" because he gets ornery with them. Every farrier that's ever done his feet has had the delightful experience of Bodie trying to sit on them.  And that one I can for sure tell you isn't something that's happened recently. While the saddle thing is a recent development, Bodie has always done the falling on his farriers because he is somewhat... bored and ornery, to put it in nice terms.  Though it was my farrier who recommended I get Bodie's weight back up before I ride him, saying that he needs some more top-line. We're working on that. I'm not going to ride him anymore until I have this falling thing resolved, and I've got him on maximum weight gain to see if that will help.

I value _everyone's _ opinion and am evaluating what to do. I have him scheduled to get his teeth floated next week and will have the guy look him over while he's there. Thank you again, everyone!


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## Salinas (Mar 19, 2015)

C. Cowgirl, Do you really think that an animal who's primary instinct is self preservation would fall because he is "bored and ornery?" Do you think an animal with a primitive brain the size of a baked potato can make a decision to fall "by accident?" 

Cowgirl you KNOW (and fear) that something is very wrong with your horse. You proved this by coming onto this forum to ask questions. You are worried enough to post a video of yourself making your horse fall. But when you posted the original question you were hoping that someone would tell you everything is OK and there is nothing to worry about. And yes, quite a few members of this forum told you lots of things that you wanted to hear. But you know deep down that there is really something wrong with Bodie and the best answer for him is an exam by a vet. And you fear the vet may tell you something you don't want to hear so you are going to try all kinds of things first, hoping that after years of falling Bodie will suddenly be cured.

I read your profile and see that Bodie is your first horse and you love him very much. I remember the fear I felt when similar situations arose with my own horses and believe I know how you are feeling. But the bottom line is that when you acquired Bodie you made a commitment to love and care for him, which includes putting his health and comfort ahead of your own feelings. It is your job and your responsibility to get him help as quickly as you can.


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## CossackCowgirl27 (Mar 4, 2015)

Hello everyone,

thank you for all the comments and suggestions. I wanted to update you all on Bodie- he is doing MUCH better now and is gaining weight. He's also happier- the dentist appointment helped a lot and we've not had the problem since. The guy who floated his teeth said he thought it was because of the amount of weight he lost due to stress (and our winter), and once his weight went up, _boom!_ Problem solved.

Again, thank you for your suggestions. I appreciate it.

-CC


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Thanks for updating us.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Guess I missed this thread at the time.

I know a mare who is chronically sleep deprived and will fall over (very similar to narcolepsy and much more common in horses). She will do it more when saddled. As said that nerve can be pinched in some horses and they will react to it. My guess is since she has that issue anyways the cinch (girth) makes it much worse. (She is fine when "awake" it is when she gets drowsy that she does this). However she doesn't do the sway back and forth in quite the same way yours does.

My guess is it's not a physical issue (in the sense of the stay apparatus) but rather neurological (sleep deprivation) and I think his weight/saddle fit just compounded the issue.

I'm glad he's doing better!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Falling under saddle cos he was thin? Must have been mighty skinny!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

loosie- you can see the horse in the video. Thin but not as bad as you are thinking I'm sure!

I do think the "less bulk more pressure on the nerve" (as well as other areas with that saddle) is valid.

That said I would guess the horse has and will have this underlying issue his whole life and the OP will need to keep it in the back of her head because no normal horse unless _extremely _emaciated (but that's not normal!) should be buckling under the saddle. It may of just made the issue worse plus a poorly fitting saddle.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If the horse squats with the farrier, ask him to try sitting on the opposite hock. Many horses find this more comfortable as it draws the leg inward toward the other. Also, if he leans with the fronts, ask farrier to change up the order. I agree with Yogi about pinching the lateral nerve with a too tight cinch.


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## edfitzfish (May 17, 2015)

*Call the vet*



CossackCowgirl27 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I was wondering if you could give me an opinion/advice/knowledge on what this is all about.
> 
> ...


There could be many reasons for these issues, but only the vet can help you understand what's causing it & help you fix it.
If you don't have money to spend, don't have a horse!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

edfitzfish said:


> There could be many reasons for these issues, but only the vet can help you understand what's causing it & help you fix it.
> If you don't have money to spend, don't have a horse!


Please read the thread. The horse is doing much better as the OP addressed the issues as she said she would..


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## boudiga (Apr 21, 2015)

It looks like a vaso-vagal attack caused by aggravation of the vagus nerve.


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## filly05 (Nov 11, 2012)

My 10 yr old that I've owned for 8+ years started doing this. She nearly collapsed at a show twice and I was terrified. I immediately thought it was her back and had a chiropractor out but it didn't help. Turns out it was the farrier. I had switched farriers after moving barns about 6 months earlier and the new farrier wasn't trimming her correctly and it threw off everything. That was in the spring, it took nearly till winter to fix it completely. I also ran into another girl at a show who had used the same farrier and had the x-rays to prove they weren't being trimmed correctly.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

filly can you explain a little more? I'm having trouble seeing how a poor trim would be severe enough to cause that behavior without being obviously bad, and show up only under saddle when the saddle is cinched.. how does that relate to feet?

Not saying there wasn't anything wrong with the trim, just unsure how a=b.


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## filly05 (Nov 11, 2012)

Because after a closer look all 4 feet had different amounts of heel, different toe length and even shaped differently in general (one rounded while one more square) I should have questioned it more when the toes were worn down on her shoes so bad after only 1 week and needed to be replaced when she wasn't on cement... Dirt/grassy turnout and a matted walk in shelter that was heavily bedded. When their feet are not trimmed equally it would be like a person wearing 2 different shoes that you can't take off. It will cause issues all over. It wasn't just when she was under saddle. It was just at the show when I realized there was something seriously wrong. I was completely blind to the situation, how she didn't want to trot or couldn't canter for extended amounts of time. I thought she was just being stubborn (which is normal for her). I felt horrible after realizing what it was. The old farrier I had used for 6+ years was trying to slowly retire, not taking on new barns and wouldn't come to a barn just for one or 2 horses. After this happen I started trailering her back to the old barn just to get her feet done and he agreed the farrier I had been using did more harm than good.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Filly I sympathize.

Does sound like your mare had some luckily fixed issues. However sounds like your mare clearly had other "symptoms" as well, whereas what I get from the thread is OPs horse is completely normal except for the random/girth related sucking back/falling. Of course as you said you can often explain away other symptoms but I'm still not convinced this is related.

Notice how the horse is almost falling as if falling asleep or unconscious? A horse intentionally trying to take weight of the feet looks very different, they are trying NOT to fall over just want weight off.


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