why does my horse fall onto his knees?

MrA

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2012
10,783
9,820
113
So worried, third time this has happened in a few months?

Once at trot, once over a jump and again at trot today.

Am getting saddler out asap this week, will then have a massage or back check done and then vet if nothing comes up.

Any ideas? Terrified its something serious, is pretty scary when it happens too :(
 
On his forehand?

Our Fjord mare did this when we first got her. She was built very front heavy and never really been schooled to get her nose off the forehand. It took a couple of years to get her up off her forehand, and once this happened the falling over stopped.....she could fall flat on her face in walk!
 
I think Wally is right - on his forehand.

Mine does it less now - except when tired - we went up for a few hours on the moor and on the last 15 minutes home, I was the one who held us up - left to him we would have been flat on our faces A LOT!!!

Walk and trot is trippy, canter - oddly not!! But I have done quite a lot of schooling - not nearly enough yet - and he is improving.
 
We can be quite trippy if out alone and my horse is built downhill and on the forehand (as his intended use is to pull for logging and such like). When I take him out with friend's horse, he's more forward going and doesn't trip.

On the forehand and not going forward maybe?
 
I'd wonder the same as the others. I'd also mention it to your farrier as it could be that his foot balance needs looking at.
 
He's really not a very heavy front-end horse, light in your hands and from what little I know doesn't seem to be on the fore hand. But I will ask some others what they think at the yard, thanks
 
He's pretty forward for a haflinger and my sharers especially ride him nicely forward, maybe too forward, could this be a problem? I will speak tp the Farrier after the saddler and back person has been thankyou
 
Tired, the surface, balance-feet, forehand or possibly you as in the position the saddle is putting you in?
Arthritis?
 
As above feet review (often long toes cause trippyness), back and tack check and then look at how he is going - silver trips when tired or not paying attention
 
I am thinking some of the above like on forehand or arthritis, hoping it is the former of course :frown:
 
If he's only doing it occasionally and not several times a ride I bet it's a balance thing
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Perhaps it is a balance/ being on the fore hand issue, any ideas on how to work through it?
 
Rubic tripped on occasion (never to the point of falling on her knees but a stumble and only ever in walk). She forged sometimes too (back hooves hit the front hooves in walk and in trot) so the farrier changed the way he shod the front feet. Rather than a single clip he rolled the toes and put shoes with a double clip on (like they usually do on the backs). It helped the forging a lot (in fact I haven't seen or heard her do it for quite some time but she was barefoot over winter which I also think helped) and funnily enough the tripping was greatly reduced - she only trips once in a blue moon now and usually when I'm letting her be lazy (and it was probably also partly due to her issues which have now been sorted by physio)!

I'd definitely mention it to your farrier next time he is up and your RI. If they have no answers or whatever they suggest doesn't work then I'd look to get the vet out.
 
Just had a little look back at your video.

I would say he does look like he is on his forehand.

I am not very technical, I know how to put it right but I can't explain it so hopefully others will come along and explain.

He is forward going enough, I would be inclined to use half halts for one thing to keep the impulsion but steady the pace, thus getting him to lift he feet up and get his weigh back on his haunches.

Have the farrier check his feet too, if his toes are long he will trip.
 
Last edited:
First of all tell your farrier, but since it's only happened 3 times in several months I doubt it's that. But he might want to tweack your shoes.

Then you need to start working on getting him to balance himself better. Lots of transitions, lots of lateral work. Work him from walk to trot, walk to canter get him shoving his back end under him and lifting his front end up.
 
Thankyou everyone you have been so helpful. I have text my farriers wife to let him know and ask what he thinks, I think he has only done it since having shoes on, perhaps it is something to do with that and being on the forehand. I took some pics of him hooning about the school last night and can see he does look downhill and that is without a rider and I think that shows he is on the forehand. Not entirely sure but if his back is okay I will have a lesson Fri with my RI and work on it. Thankyou for the tips wally, greatly appreciated. Just need to get through to the saddler now!
 
I really wouldn't worry, if you said he was doing it 3 times a week I might ponder, sounds like a clumsy Haffy who is not thinking to me.
 
newrider.com