Horse Falls Down

[llott226]

I have a 5 year old horse. She was fine for a few months, now she falls down when I ride her. I sent her to a trainer for 90 days, and she fell with him also. Things improved until ....now. I took her to a show, lunged her 2 times before I mounted her, and rode aprox. 20 feet before she fell to her knees this time (at a walk)! Other times it was all the way to the ground. She has been vet checked, and UTD on all vacinees. She is currently shod on all 4 feet. I have never noticed any lameness in this horse. This occurs at any gait. What do you think is wrong?
This horse is used for a trail class. No speed events.

[horseluvr91]

Does she pin her ears when you ride her???

[appychick]

your horse could very well be doing this to get you off of her. She may not be lame. I know someone that had a horse that would lay down while they were riding her.

[zinecure]

I have a 5 year old Arabian gelding that falls quite often too. Sometimes he will be standing still eating and fall onto his knees. Yesterday while riding him, he was not paying attention to anything but another horse and fell over while walking. He falls over because he is flat out NOT paying attention, I swear, he has fallen on his own head one too many times.

I have tried everything from dressage work to working him on cavaleti's (SP?). He falls at least once a ride, but only on trails. When we do arena work, he may have a slight trip, but nothing major. On the trails (i was intending on using him as an endurance horse) he gets into lala land and really falls over, I am taking emergency dismount or be crushed.

I have no idea why he does this, I am scared he is going to hurt himself.

If you find out a way to fix this issue, I would love to hear it.

[Div]

My opinion is that some horses simply don't pay enough attention to what they are doing, so they stumble/fall down.

My part-Arab mare did this twice within 12 months, both times we were out trail riding. The first time we were crossing a tarmac path. She fell, skidded, and took all the skin off the front of her knees and fetlocks. She was stabled for two months. 8 months later, we were crossing a gravel path, she noticed some people up ahead, pricked her ears, stumbled, and went down again. Skidded on the gravel and took all the skin and flesh off her knees. She had gaping holes in her knees. Stabled for another two months. Total vet bill for her falling down escapades: just under $2,000. She does not get ridden any more.

Before that, I rode a pony who used to stumble constantly. The vets and a chiropracter did just about every test on her and could find nothing. Their conclusion: She just didn't look where she was going.

As for the horse only falling when on the trail; he's probably so busy enjoying the scenery that he doesn't look where he's putting his feets, so down he goes.

I don't think there is any cure for inattention. If your horse is truly falling every time you ride. IT. IS. NOT. SAFE. One day, you will get hurt. The second time my mare fell, she fell on my leg (luckily it was between her foreleg and ribs, where there's a nice little indentation) and flung my head against a tree (luckily I was wearing a helmet). After that incident, she was put into early retirement (she was only 10 at the time). I wouldn't ride a stumbler any more, because that fall really made me see how dangerous they are.

My advice would be to avoid the activities that make your horse stumble. If it stumbles constantly, get a new horse. That sounds harsh, but the fact remains that your safety is paramount, and with a chronic stumbler you are not safe.