# Horse continuously tripping?



## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Hey, I have had my Belgian/QH gelding for a month and I have run into a problem. He stumbles and trips like crazy, mostly under saddle but will do it every now and then on the lead line. The first two or three times I rode him he was fine, then one day he was suddenly reallllllllly bad, he tripped every few steps and when I stopped him his back legs slide into his front and it spooked him into a canter. I tried him on different footing, same thing. I called our farrier and he trimmed the hooves but said there is nothing wrong there and he probably needs to just wake up more and stop shuffling. I would agree with him but he seems to trip more when he picks up his pace, like he is way less balanced at a posting trot than a jog. The barn manager says he is just fat and lazy and needs to move out more but I am scared if I pick up the pace anymore he is going to wind up hurting himself and/or face planting. 
any tips, have any of you encountered this before?


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Is the same leg repeatedly? Or does he switch?

If it's always the same leg, it could be an atrophied muscle in his shoulder causing him to not pick up that leg far enough. My mare's been doing this for months. Between asking my farrier and my vet when he did chiro on her, that's what they figured. Farrier said he noticed that the toe of that hoof was worn down more than the other. They suggested front leg stretches forward and across the front and lunging on that side to build up her shoulder muscle inside.

ETA: I just noticed you said it's gotten as bad as every few steps. It could still be an atrophied muscle or his shoulder could need adjusting by a chiro. Do you have any in your area?


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Poseidon said:


> Is the same leg repeatedly? Or does he switch?
> 
> If it's always the same leg, it could be an atrophied muscle in his shoulder causing him to not pick up that leg far enough. My mare's been doing this for months. Between asking my farrier and my vet when he did chiro on her, that's what they figured. Farrier said he noticed that the toe of that hoof was worn down more than the other. They suggested front leg stretches forward and across the front and lunging on that side to build up her shoulder muscle inside.
> 
> ETA: I just noticed you said it's gotten as bad as every few steps. It could still be an atrophied muscle or his shoulder could need adjusting by a chiro. Do you have any in your area?


he has tripped with his back legs and the front, but the atrophied muscle sounds very probable because I noticed he is way less balanced to the right than the left. So stretches and lunging to the right will help?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When you lead him at a walk watch to see if he is doing a toe first landing. A heel first is often imperceptable and may appear as a flat landing. Walk faster as some horses will do toe first landings when lazy. This can account for tripping.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

If his sides are noticeably unbalanced from left to right, I would try a chiropractor.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

It never hurts to have a chiropractor or other sort of back specialist out anyway... in my experience a lot of horses have at least minor back problems when you buy them. Then if there is a problem you can deal with it. 

It can be a lazy thing or a learned behaviour. Some horses trip and then the rider stops "riding", lets them have their head, lets them slow down etc and they learn that tripping gets them out of work. 

Have you tried loose lunging him in a round yard, keeping him at a good trot for a while? Does he keep tripping or does it reduce when he warms up? Does he trip in the paddock?


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Something Neurological could be wrong:-(,a back or neck injury/strain can cause tripping & incoordination.Having a lameness evaluation by a good equine vet would be in your best interest:wink:.


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## DimSum (Mar 28, 2012)

In addition to the above, fitness or lack of it could also be a cause.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

You may not like this advice but the next time you ride, give him a smack with the crop to wake him up. Some horses function almost in sleep mode and pay little attention. Are you riding him or basically being a passenger?


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

DimSum said:


> In addition to the above, fitness or lack of it could also be a cause.


I know this is part of the problem, I should of mentioned earlier, he is also quite over weight, he was owned by an elderly couple that sold him because they were too old to do much with him. So he is quite fat and lazy.


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Saddlebag said:


> You may not like this advice but the next time you ride, give him a smack with the crop to wake him up. Some horses function almost in sleep mode and pay little attention. Are you riding him or basically being a passenger?


That is also what my farrier said. I tried making him hold a really fast energized trot to wake him up but he started tripping more as he moved with more energy.


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Saskia said:


> It never hurts to have a chiropractor or other sort of back specialist out anyway... in my experience a lot of horses have at least minor back problems when you buy them. Then if there is a problem you can deal with it.
> 
> It can be a lazy thing or a learned behaviour. Some horses trip and then the rider stops "riding", lets them have their head, lets them slow down etc and they learn that tripping gets them out of work.
> 
> Have you tried loose lunging him in a round yard, keeping him at a good trot for a while? Does he keep tripping or does it reduce when he warms up? Does he trip in the paddock?


I haven't tried lunging him yet, but I have kept him trotting under saddle even though he was tripping and it didn't get better, it got worse the longer I did it. I have never seen him trip in the paddock but he is very careful with his steps on the lead rope and in the field and I am not sure but it looks like he really lowers his head for balance while being lead.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Can you post some side pics of his feet? Sounds like his breakover point is set wrong and it's creating a point where he becomes unbalanced and has to catch himself, ie trip.


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

I will get pictures and post them tomorrow


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Start with feet. The feet dictate if there is any sort of shoulder/back/hip problems. If the breakover isn't right, it can create problems like tripping.

Secondly, have him evaluated by a vet and chiro. There could be some issues there. I had Sky tripping up a storm when I first got him come to find it was his feet and also his lack of experience. Got his feet under control and then put poles around the arena to practice picking his feet up.

You mentioned that he slid his hind legs and smacked his front legs?? What kind of footing was this on?


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Start with feet. The feet dictate if there is any sort of shoulder/back/hip problems. If the breakover isn't right, it can create problems like tripping.
> 
> Secondly, have him evaluated by a vet and chiro. There could be some issues there. I had Sky tripping up a storm when I first got him come to find it was his feet and also his lack of experience. Got his feet under control and then put poles around the arena to practice picking his feet up.
> 
> You mentioned that he slid his hind legs and smacked his front legs?? What kind of footing was this on?


We got his feet done as soon as he started tripping and our farrier is very good and I trust him but I will be posting pics of his hooves later for another poster to see. 
When he tripped with his back legs we were in the indoor arena, it's sand but it isn't crazy deep like some arenas.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

If he vet checks as sound, I'd just give him time to slowly get in shape. I know how sore I was when I started running too much, too fast! Muscles, joints, lungs all need time to acclimate to being put back to work, before they can work efficiently together.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I would have a thorough vet check done and I would do it as soon as you can. That way you can rule out health issues. I think a chiro is also a good idea.
How old is this horse? Maybe you said but I don't recall seeing it. You can try other things from now to doomsday but if he has something physically wrong it won't get better until that is addressed.
Please keep us posted...


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## DraftXDressage (Aug 29, 2011)

I would have the vet out to check him for EPM and other neurological conditions.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

EPM isn't an issue in Canada, just your more southern horses.


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Dustbunny said:


> How old is this horse? Maybe you said but I don't recall seeing it.
> Please keep us posted...


He is presumably seven, his previous owners had a very limited history when they bought him and had to use his teeth as an indicator. They past on everything they knew.


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## 5Bijou5 (Mar 16, 2013)

UPDATE 
I got a new instructor today and she had a look. 
He actually rode almost well today! (only tripped maybe four times which is a giant improvement) We are keeping him really engaged like some of the posters on here said to do, also we are working with lots of trotting poles, I think he also needed some time to adjust from having his over grown feet trimmed, and to adjust to the footing in the arena and to adjust to the amount of exercise being asked for. 
He only really tripped when he spooked. ALSO he went for a good gallop in his pasture after we put him back, this is the first time he has felt comfortable enough on his feet to really move! I think we are really getting somewhere! 
Thanks for everyone's suggestions I considered all of them and used most of them. You guys really helped.


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## TBforever (Jan 26, 2013)

he may just being lazy and not picking his feet up, if he hasnt been ridden in so long, it may just take time to work out his balance and get use of a saddle and rider on him


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