Work Up The Trippy Gaited Horse
By Gaye DeRusso
No one tells you. But if you ride enough gaited horses, you know that some can be quite trippy. There can be many causes. But I want to share with you, how I would work one up to find the cause. This is for tripping with the front feet, if it’s your horses back feet read the article on stifles. If the horse is constantly falling down, this is unsafe and get the vet first but read what you should have the vet check for, at the bottom of this article.
1. X-ray its front feet. It’s not that expensive and worth every penny . The only way to know if the feet are the issue is to see what’s inside of them. It’s also very helpful for your shoer or trimmer. We have found navicular, ringbone, thin soles, foot unbalanced, toes too long, wrong angles with the shoeing, to name a few. Get those feet x-rayed.
2. Poke the horses front feet with a pen. Some horses cannot feel their feet well or they have been nerved. If your poking and there is no reaction get the vet out to check him.
3. If this was a show horse, they may not know how to handle the terrain on trail, and they may have had heavy shoes all their life, without that weight some do not lift their feet as high. It may take a year for them to adjust. So, condition them and give them time.
4. A horse from a different state may not handle the terrain well, it can take up to a year for them to figure it out and get in condition to handle it. Going from flat to constant hills is quite strenuous. So, condition them and give them time.
5. Watch the horse walk. Some just do not pick their feet up much. Read my article on the daisy clipper. If the horse keeps their feet low, I make sure the shoer takes the toe back as much as they can and I have the shoer roll the toe, if that fails, rocker the shoe and if that fails a square shoe or natural balance shoe. These things help the horse break over the front feet easier and by having less toe, they get more clearance off the ground. If all fail and your positive that is the cause, then add weight to the shoe, as horses usually lift their feet higher when they have added weight, and a heavier shoe is safer than a horse falling down.
6. Teach them how to use their feet. Some horses just have no idea. Use poles. I start with 4 in a circle like you see in my videos and add more over time. Lunge them over them and watch. Do they step on them, do they trip on them and or do they fall over them. Start out at a walk and then have them go faster. Watch everything or video and watch later. Watch if they pay attention, watch if they can figure out what to do, watch how they balance themselves, watch how they use their head and neck and how they use all their legs, because your life depends on them picking up those feet. Sometimes they just don't have good proprioception or out of shape and no muscle and sometimes they just can't do it for medical reasons. So, use the poles 3-5 times a week for 5-10 minutes. In a month they should be pretty good at going over the poles, if not, time to call the vet. If they are better keep it up until they no longer trip on the trail anymore. Some will need to do it for the rest of their life to help.
7. Pacey horses and horses that just gait when loose, may not pick their feet up high and can trip more. So, teach the pacey horse to trot. Use cavaletti poles, these are poles in a row. Make the poles about 12 inches apart. Then you can make them closer or farther away depending on the horse’s stride. Start with 4 and once they understand what to do keep adding more until they start to trot. Do it 3-5 times a week, until they start trotting some when loose. Trotty horses pick their feet up higher. Even if they never trot when loose it will still make them more surefooted and agile.
8. Ride with some speed and purpose. Some trip because they are just lazy or bored. So, wake them up, gait or canter every 10 minutes or so or when you feel them not paying attention. Make them walk over branches and rocks, give them things to do and make sure when going over tree roots, that they are paying attention to their feet. Even a little tap with a stick before going over obstacles can keep them awake.
9. Check your saddle fit. If it doesn't fit well, it can cause compression on their spine and their nerves which can cause them to trip.
10. Ride them with engagement and keeping them light on their front end. Horses that are strung out will have more weight on their front end so it’s easier to trip and they are more likely to fall all the way down to the ground because all the weight is up front. When more weight is on the backend, horses are less likely to trip or if they do trip, less likely to fall all the way down.
11. Keep a diary and write in it after every ride, so you don't forget. You may see a pattern after enough rides, such as he tripped after we rode 3 hours. No tripping today we rode for 1 hour. This may mean the horse is not in good enough condition or needs more breaks. Or he tripped every time we walked on gravel, and he keeps walking on the sides of the trail. This can mean his feet are sore and if barefoot he needs shoes for protection or pads to protect his soles. Some horses have such thin soles that boots will never give enough support. Or he only tripped once on a root, this could be normal as he didn't see it and of course we all trip. Tripping occasionally on something and catching themselves is normal, but tripping and falling down is not. So, if he trips, falls down and lays there and starts eating, could mean he is very lazy and needs to be woken up more on the trail.
12. Have someone else ride them. Did they trip? If they didn't it could be how your riding or that you are throwing off the horse's balance.
13. If he only trips in groups, it can be your riding too close so he cannot see what’s in front of his feet or he doesn't pay attention when riding behind. So, try riding lead, if no tripping then its him not paying attention.
14. Have a chiropractor or body worker work on your horse once a week for a month. This should help if they soreness or muscle tension that is causing the tripping.
15. Call the vet. Have the vet check the eyes first so they don't forget. My Horse Tilly has cataracts, so I know she cannot always see the footing well and I have to help her. Have them check the horse’s neck, and spine many gaited horses get neck arthritis which can cause tripping. Also, they will find if the horses back is sore which could mean poor saddle fit. Make sure the horse can feel its front feet, they usually poke them with a pen. You want a full checkup. If the horse is lethargic, you may need labs to see if it is anemic or has other issues. And yes, I hear you, have them do a neurologic exam and check for EPM and for tick related diseases. But many vets will just start with EPM and if it comes back positive, they don't check for anything else. This is a mistake as many horses are carriers of EPM and don't actually have it. So, get a spinal tap if positive and make sure that it is really positive. Otherwise, the horse may still trip after EPM treatment as that was never the real cause. And the medication has some anti-inflammatory effects so you may think it helped until the horse gets off the meds and the tripping comes back. So, guide them on what you want them to do and do not just test for EPM. Your life can depend on the right diagnosis and the right treatment. But you have to be proactive to figuring it out.
By Gaye DeRusso
No one tells you. But if you ride enough gaited horses, you know that some can be quite trippy. There can be many causes. But I want to share with you, how I would work one up to find the cause. This is for tripping with the front feet, if it’s your horses back feet read the article on stifles. If the horse is constantly falling down, this is unsafe and get the vet first but read what you should have the vet check for, at the bottom of this article.
1. X-ray its front feet. It’s not that expensive and worth every penny . The only way to know if the feet are the issue is to see what’s inside of them. It’s also very helpful for your shoer or trimmer. We have found navicular, ringbone, thin soles, foot unbalanced, toes too long, wrong angles with the shoeing, to name a few. Get those feet x-rayed.
2. Poke the horses front feet with a pen. Some horses cannot feel their feet well or they have been nerved. If your poking and there is no reaction get the vet out to check him.
3. If this was a show horse, they may not know how to handle the terrain on trail, and they may have had heavy shoes all their life, without that weight some do not lift their feet as high. It may take a year for them to adjust. So, condition them and give them time.
4. A horse from a different state may not handle the terrain well, it can take up to a year for them to figure it out and get in condition to handle it. Going from flat to constant hills is quite strenuous. So, condition them and give them time.
5. Watch the horse walk. Some just do not pick their feet up much. Read my article on the daisy clipper. If the horse keeps their feet low, I make sure the shoer takes the toe back as much as they can and I have the shoer roll the toe, if that fails, rocker the shoe and if that fails a square shoe or natural balance shoe. These things help the horse break over the front feet easier and by having less toe, they get more clearance off the ground. If all fail and your positive that is the cause, then add weight to the shoe, as horses usually lift their feet higher when they have added weight, and a heavier shoe is safer than a horse falling down.
6. Teach them how to use their feet. Some horses just have no idea. Use poles. I start with 4 in a circle like you see in my videos and add more over time. Lunge them over them and watch. Do they step on them, do they trip on them and or do they fall over them. Start out at a walk and then have them go faster. Watch everything or video and watch later. Watch if they pay attention, watch if they can figure out what to do, watch how they balance themselves, watch how they use their head and neck and how they use all their legs, because your life depends on them picking up those feet. Sometimes they just don't have good proprioception or out of shape and no muscle and sometimes they just can't do it for medical reasons. So, use the poles 3-5 times a week for 5-10 minutes. In a month they should be pretty good at going over the poles, if not, time to call the vet. If they are better keep it up until they no longer trip on the trail anymore. Some will need to do it for the rest of their life to help.
7. Pacey horses and horses that just gait when loose, may not pick their feet up high and can trip more. So, teach the pacey horse to trot. Use cavaletti poles, these are poles in a row. Make the poles about 12 inches apart. Then you can make them closer or farther away depending on the horse’s stride. Start with 4 and once they understand what to do keep adding more until they start to trot. Do it 3-5 times a week, until they start trotting some when loose. Trotty horses pick their feet up higher. Even if they never trot when loose it will still make them more surefooted and agile.
8. Ride with some speed and purpose. Some trip because they are just lazy or bored. So, wake them up, gait or canter every 10 minutes or so or when you feel them not paying attention. Make them walk over branches and rocks, give them things to do and make sure when going over tree roots, that they are paying attention to their feet. Even a little tap with a stick before going over obstacles can keep them awake.
9. Check your saddle fit. If it doesn't fit well, it can cause compression on their spine and their nerves which can cause them to trip.
10. Ride them with engagement and keeping them light on their front end. Horses that are strung out will have more weight on their front end so it’s easier to trip and they are more likely to fall all the way down to the ground because all the weight is up front. When more weight is on the backend, horses are less likely to trip or if they do trip, less likely to fall all the way down.
11. Keep a diary and write in it after every ride, so you don't forget. You may see a pattern after enough rides, such as he tripped after we rode 3 hours. No tripping today we rode for 1 hour. This may mean the horse is not in good enough condition or needs more breaks. Or he tripped every time we walked on gravel, and he keeps walking on the sides of the trail. This can mean his feet are sore and if barefoot he needs shoes for protection or pads to protect his soles. Some horses have such thin soles that boots will never give enough support. Or he only tripped once on a root, this could be normal as he didn't see it and of course we all trip. Tripping occasionally on something and catching themselves is normal, but tripping and falling down is not. So, if he trips, falls down and lays there and starts eating, could mean he is very lazy and needs to be woken up more on the trail.
12. Have someone else ride them. Did they trip? If they didn't it could be how your riding or that you are throwing off the horse's balance.
13. If he only trips in groups, it can be your riding too close so he cannot see what’s in front of his feet or he doesn't pay attention when riding behind. So, try riding lead, if no tripping then its him not paying attention.
14. Have a chiropractor or body worker work on your horse once a week for a month. This should help if they soreness or muscle tension that is causing the tripping.
15. Call the vet. Have the vet check the eyes first so they don't forget. My Horse Tilly has cataracts, so I know she cannot always see the footing well and I have to help her. Have them check the horse’s neck, and spine many gaited horses get neck arthritis which can cause tripping. Also, they will find if the horses back is sore which could mean poor saddle fit. Make sure the horse can feel its front feet, they usually poke them with a pen. You want a full checkup. If the horse is lethargic, you may need labs to see if it is anemic or has other issues. And yes, I hear you, have them do a neurologic exam and check for EPM and for tick related diseases. But many vets will just start with EPM and if it comes back positive, they don't check for anything else. This is a mistake as many horses are carriers of EPM and don't actually have it. So, get a spinal tap if positive and make sure that it is really positive. Otherwise, the horse may still trip after EPM treatment as that was never the real cause. And the medication has some anti-inflammatory effects so you may think it helped until the horse gets off the meds and the tripping comes back. So, guide them on what you want them to do and do not just test for EPM. Your life can depend on the right diagnosis and the right treatment. But you have to be proactive to figuring it out.