When your horse trips

[Shelly_D]

Ok, here is a question for you. When I was at my riding lesson last week my horse tripped a few times, causing her head to drop as she regained her footing. When this happens do I give her the reins to catch her balance or do I keep them tight? I guess "tight" isn't the word, but you know what I mean.

[Rebecca]

I think you should let the reins slip but take up the contact again quickly. As I understand it though, the horse is less likely to trip if you had a more firm contact to start off with, and were riding the horse forward. So if the horse trips perhaps the right thing to do is to give with the reins so you don't hurt his mouth, but then take up a firmer contact than you did have, and concentrate on riding the horse forwards so that he is less likely to trip again. Perhaps someone who knows more about riding than me could comment on that?

Rebecca

[JumperGirl]

Rebecca is right, you should let the reins slip through your hands a little bit so that the bit does not bang the horse in the mouth. When the horse regains balance, collect the reins again.

[Liz E.]

Yep, I agree. By the way, is there anythign wrong with the horse that it kept tripping? Sometimes it could be rocks in the ring, a stone in the shoe,(in my old lesson horse's case:) blindness... j/w.

[Liz E.]

lol, I didn't mean to put a :) there. I just meant "In my old lesson horse's case: blindness) Just clearing that up so you didn't think I was laughing at blind horses!

[Maci]

Like said above, but when she "recovers" herself, take it back up. It is important not to hold on the reins when your horse trips, because they need their head and neck to help regain their balance, and if you restrain that, then BOP! You both fall! Not very good....:(

Maci :)

[Peace]

I used to have a terrible problem with horses tripping and sometimes actually falling with me. I learned several things from those experiences (forgive me if you already know - I am, at times, a champion horse klutz). I had a habit of driving pokey school horses with my seat - not very balanced, bad idea. And some horses I've known will trip if the farrier is a little overdue and their feet are a tiny bit too long.

The most important thing I learned is not to look down to see what tripped the horse - doing this may allow you a much closer look at whatever it was :D ! Give lots of rein so the beastie can catch her balance, and grab some mane to re-balance yourself, (well, you may not need to - I sorta spaz out when I feel the world drop out from under me!) If you tighten up on the reins, you may bang her in the mouth. This also produces interesting results, depending on the critter!

[Liz E.]

Whenever a horse trips with me, my instructor is all "Are you okay?! Are you sure?!!" lol, I'm always fine,of course. Sometimes a little bit thrown off, or whatever, but not anymore than I would be if the horse trotted when I asked for a walk or something. I can see how looking down would cause even more problems, but even if you have the urge to, remember to remain calm. You're still in the saddle, aren't you?! ;)

[k9 Equine]

One of the school horses I ride "trips" when he wants to get out of work. As my instructor knows why he is doing it, this is what she has me do - as mentioned here, give a little with the reins so he can regain balance, then collect again and immediately move him out. If walking then trot; if trotting, either speed up or move into the canter, then transition down to the prior gait halfway around the ring. It's a little "punishment" of extra work for slacking-off. Once is usually all it takes to "cure" the tripping.

Good luck!

~ KE

[Liz E.]

I hope that the tripping problem is solved. I'll take yoru advice too,k9.

[floppy]

a horse i shared up until october 2000 tripped...but noramlly going downhill ro after 20mins fo light riding..he was put to lseep in october 2000 because he acutally had a probelm with the way his feet had grown inside the hoof and on top of the hoof...corrective shoeing helped make it comfortable...but there was nothing to do to help him live longer because he wa sonly ten adn on alot of medication and int he end could only be taken for a light walk aroudn the block...