Does your gaited horse trip, stumble, fall or does his back end give out?
Do you own The Spotted Stumbler, The Tennessean Tripper, or The Missouri Fox Tripper? Any horse can trip, but it can happen more often with a gaited horse and it can happen with any of the gaited breeds.
The ones with longer strides that slide their feet just above the ground such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horses and the gaited horses that are the pacey horses tend to trip more. The horses that have shorter strides like the Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain Horse, Missouri Fox Trotter and the horses on the trotty side, pick up their feet higher, cover less ground and tend to be less trippy.
Gaited horses are described as surefooted, not as a tripping horse. Surefooted means the horse can handle steep footing without missing a step or tripping. It can also mean they will pick the better part of the trail to go on when terrain is rough. Why then do some gaited horses, trip or stumble.
Some gaited horses do not pick their feet up as high as regular horses. It is bred into them for smoothness and endurance. Instead of picking their feet up, they usually slide their feet forward. If you understand this, it will help you to understand why some of them stumble. When you are on the trail, your horse does not see depth as you do. They also cannot see right in front of them since their eyes are on the side of their head. So when a tree root is sticking up, or the ground is uneven because a rock is hiding under the dirt, it is possible that when your horse slides its foot forward it may catch the obstacle and trip. So why will some trip while others never seem to trip at all.
First, you want to make sure your horse is not lame or in pain, both of these can cause a horse to start stumbling. Have your vet do a a lameness exam.
Epm can cause horses to trip, see the page on EPM for more info. But it is not the only cause. It is a good thing to check but know, many horses are now carriers of it, so read up on it and then check with your vet.
Navicular disease can cause them to trip because they are in pain, Only X-Rays of their front feet, can show what's going on in their feet and it helps the shoer, so a good investment.
Arthritis in their neck or a nerve being pinched can cause tripping. Poor shoeing or being barefoot and the horse has sore feet. Boots help but they do not give the same support as a shoe and sometimes the horse has thin soles and just cannot deal with being barefoot.
Saddle fit is a big one. People don't realize how important saddle fit is. If your horse's back is not comfortable, they can trip, but also behavior issues, such as bucking, won't go down hills, tries to bite when you put the saddle on.
So check with the vet, have a saddle fitter check your saddle and speak with your shoer.
Second, are your horse’s toes too long? Some Gaited shoers leave the toes long to help with gait, or for the show ring, but for the trail this can spell disaster. The gaited horse needs to be shod like a regular horse with normal angles. A long toe can catch on many things if your horse does not lift his feet high and he will stumble over and over again. Also maybe your horse is good after he is shod but trips as his feet get longer, then you may need to have him shod more often or you could try him barefoot and see how he does. Another option is to have the shoer roll the toe, if that does not help, rocker the shoe and if that does not help, then square the shoe, all of these help so your horse can break over faster and get his feet out of the way.
Third, how is your horse’s conformation? Have you ever watched him walk from the front and the back? Does he interfere? Is he catching his foot on his other leg? Look for sores around the fetlocks or blood, there will be some if he is catching on the other leg. You can use splint boots or bell boots or both. You can also speak with the shoer to see if there is anyway to help your horse.
Fourth, how big is your horse’s stride? A horse with a big long stride is great for the flat and the show ring. The bad side is that they reach out so far they may just land their foot on a tree root or right in front of a rock and then stumble. So although it is fun to have that big walk it may not be the best for steep terrain. Horses that have a shorter stride and pick up their feet higher may be better for very steep terrain.
Fifth, is your horse paying attention? If your horse goes up and down steep terrain with out a bad step. Gaits on the trail without tripping but when you are heading home and he is tired or he is being lazy, he falls on his face? Then the horse is not paying attention. Gaited horses can do things so easily that if you let them they look all over when they are walking and since they are not paying attention to their feet, they can trip. The answer here is to ride on a shorter rein. Keep his attention by giving him little task to do on the way home, a circle here, a leg yield there, walk over some trees and branches. Keep them awake! Usually the slower these horses go the tripper they get. They can even trip in the arena if you have deep footing or it goes from hard to deep, remember they are sliding their feet, and they do not see the change in depth of the footing, so pay attention to the footing.
Sixth, is it the rider? Yes you can make your horse trip. I have seen people flailing in the saddle, swinging their legs, doing all sorts of crazy things and then wonder why the horse stumbles. Could you carry someone on your back while they were flailing all around and walk in a straight line? I doubt it. You need to stay quiet in the saddle, ride balanced, and keep your legs under your hip, heels down, and upper body straight. If you are on the heavy side then you really need to be balanced, as it is much easier for you to shift your weight and throw off the horses balance. You may even be too heavy for the horse. So try dropping some weight, getting a lighter saddle, carrying less equipment and trying to ride better and if all fails, get a bigger horse to carry your weight easier.
Seven, is it that the back end is giving out? Does it feel like you just got a flat tire? Gaited horses are looser in their stifles, so for a normal gaited horse, its back end may give out once in awhile, depending how loose its stifle is. If it gives out all the time, then you need to have a vet see the horse, because it maybe subluxing. Hills can help a lot, to keep the stifle in check, but you have to ride hills at least 1-2 times a week. It is always best to check with your vet though if you are uncertain.
Eight, from the horse's back you can see more of the footing and you see it clearer than your horse. Some horses have cataracts which a vet can diagnose but only if you get their eyes checked. Some just have poor vision like some people but they do not give horses an eye test or make glasses for them. So you may have to guide him when holes, roots, bumps etc. come up on the trail.
Nine, Some horses have not been ridden on trails, or ridden on trails with rocks, roots, holes and obstacles. So they just have no clue how to use their feet on those trails. So if this horse has not been ridden much lately or is a show horse, or is from a different state or rode on trails different from yours, than sometimes it just takes time for them to learn how to pick their feet up. Just like people, some are naturally athletic and some are not and have to learn. So when you see something a tree root sticking up, shorten their stride, get their weight on their back end and guide them over the obstacle. Also, know that horses do not see gopher holes, and holes like we do and many will just step in them and fall, so steer them around any holes that you see. And yes that means you have to pay attention and look for them.
Use poles in the arena, help them to learn to pick up their feet and to get more muscle. Hand walk them on the trail and teach them how to walk over these obstacles.
My advice is check your horse's eyes, your horse's feet, conformation, have your saddle checked by a saddle fitter, have a vet look at your horse, and have your farrier watch your horse move and keep the toes trimmed back and use a shoe that helps them, make sure you are not riding too hard when he is out of shape. A tired horse will trip, you may need to stop and let him get his energy back then continue the ride. Do not let him be lazy. Keep his mind active. Keep a good weight in the saddle and ride balanced. Do not ride on a too loose or floppy rein if you are unable to pick your reins up in seconds. If you see holes, roots, rocks, help your horse and steer him around them or give a little pop on the rein to get his head up and his weight on his back end. You can always say pick up or something else so he knows to pay attention to his feet.
If he does trip, do not drop the rein. You need to sit back as far as you can and yank the rein up and even kick him hard to get your horse to jump up and pay attention. Make him think tripping is a bad thing to do and of course it is a bad thing to do. Do not be passive. Most of the horses I have seen trip are usually not paying attention and this is one of the easiest fixes. Many of these horses are calm and kind. So they do not freak out when they trip, some will even fall and just sit there. You must make them think falling is very bad and that is why you need to scare them some if they are constantly stumbling and all else has checked out. Wear spurs and or carry a stick and if they trip, wake them up! Make them think that was the worst thing he could do. Sometimes they just need someone to make them scared to trip and they start paying attention in a whole different way to the trail footing. Riding over poles and off the main trail so he has to pay attention to where he is going will also help.
Lastly, if your horses Vitamin E is low, they can also be trippy. So supplementing with Vitamin E and Selenium can help. So if you have not checked ask your vet to check your horses levels.
If you have any questions on tripping, please feel free to contact me. Many people, non gaited horse trainers and veterinarians do not understand the gaited horses and will say they are neurologic because of the way they move. So if your horse is falling down or tripping all the time, I may be able to help you.
themajesticrider@yahoo.com
Do you own The Spotted Stumbler, The Tennessean Tripper, or The Missouri Fox Tripper? Any horse can trip, but it can happen more often with a gaited horse and it can happen with any of the gaited breeds.
The ones with longer strides that slide their feet just above the ground such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horses and the gaited horses that are the pacey horses tend to trip more. The horses that have shorter strides like the Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain Horse, Missouri Fox Trotter and the horses on the trotty side, pick up their feet higher, cover less ground and tend to be less trippy.
Gaited horses are described as surefooted, not as a tripping horse. Surefooted means the horse can handle steep footing without missing a step or tripping. It can also mean they will pick the better part of the trail to go on when terrain is rough. Why then do some gaited horses, trip or stumble.
Some gaited horses do not pick their feet up as high as regular horses. It is bred into them for smoothness and endurance. Instead of picking their feet up, they usually slide their feet forward. If you understand this, it will help you to understand why some of them stumble. When you are on the trail, your horse does not see depth as you do. They also cannot see right in front of them since their eyes are on the side of their head. So when a tree root is sticking up, or the ground is uneven because a rock is hiding under the dirt, it is possible that when your horse slides its foot forward it may catch the obstacle and trip. So why will some trip while others never seem to trip at all.
First, you want to make sure your horse is not lame or in pain, both of these can cause a horse to start stumbling. Have your vet do a a lameness exam.
Epm can cause horses to trip, see the page on EPM for more info. But it is not the only cause. It is a good thing to check but know, many horses are now carriers of it, so read up on it and then check with your vet.
Navicular disease can cause them to trip because they are in pain, Only X-Rays of their front feet, can show what's going on in their feet and it helps the shoer, so a good investment.
Arthritis in their neck or a nerve being pinched can cause tripping. Poor shoeing or being barefoot and the horse has sore feet. Boots help but they do not give the same support as a shoe and sometimes the horse has thin soles and just cannot deal with being barefoot.
Saddle fit is a big one. People don't realize how important saddle fit is. If your horse's back is not comfortable, they can trip, but also behavior issues, such as bucking, won't go down hills, tries to bite when you put the saddle on.
So check with the vet, have a saddle fitter check your saddle and speak with your shoer.
Second, are your horse’s toes too long? Some Gaited shoers leave the toes long to help with gait, or for the show ring, but for the trail this can spell disaster. The gaited horse needs to be shod like a regular horse with normal angles. A long toe can catch on many things if your horse does not lift his feet high and he will stumble over and over again. Also maybe your horse is good after he is shod but trips as his feet get longer, then you may need to have him shod more often or you could try him barefoot and see how he does. Another option is to have the shoer roll the toe, if that does not help, rocker the shoe and if that does not help, then square the shoe, all of these help so your horse can break over faster and get his feet out of the way.
Third, how is your horse’s conformation? Have you ever watched him walk from the front and the back? Does he interfere? Is he catching his foot on his other leg? Look for sores around the fetlocks or blood, there will be some if he is catching on the other leg. You can use splint boots or bell boots or both. You can also speak with the shoer to see if there is anyway to help your horse.
Fourth, how big is your horse’s stride? A horse with a big long stride is great for the flat and the show ring. The bad side is that they reach out so far they may just land their foot on a tree root or right in front of a rock and then stumble. So although it is fun to have that big walk it may not be the best for steep terrain. Horses that have a shorter stride and pick up their feet higher may be better for very steep terrain.
Fifth, is your horse paying attention? If your horse goes up and down steep terrain with out a bad step. Gaits on the trail without tripping but when you are heading home and he is tired or he is being lazy, he falls on his face? Then the horse is not paying attention. Gaited horses can do things so easily that if you let them they look all over when they are walking and since they are not paying attention to their feet, they can trip. The answer here is to ride on a shorter rein. Keep his attention by giving him little task to do on the way home, a circle here, a leg yield there, walk over some trees and branches. Keep them awake! Usually the slower these horses go the tripper they get. They can even trip in the arena if you have deep footing or it goes from hard to deep, remember they are sliding their feet, and they do not see the change in depth of the footing, so pay attention to the footing.
Sixth, is it the rider? Yes you can make your horse trip. I have seen people flailing in the saddle, swinging their legs, doing all sorts of crazy things and then wonder why the horse stumbles. Could you carry someone on your back while they were flailing all around and walk in a straight line? I doubt it. You need to stay quiet in the saddle, ride balanced, and keep your legs under your hip, heels down, and upper body straight. If you are on the heavy side then you really need to be balanced, as it is much easier for you to shift your weight and throw off the horses balance. You may even be too heavy for the horse. So try dropping some weight, getting a lighter saddle, carrying less equipment and trying to ride better and if all fails, get a bigger horse to carry your weight easier.
Seven, is it that the back end is giving out? Does it feel like you just got a flat tire? Gaited horses are looser in their stifles, so for a normal gaited horse, its back end may give out once in awhile, depending how loose its stifle is. If it gives out all the time, then you need to have a vet see the horse, because it maybe subluxing. Hills can help a lot, to keep the stifle in check, but you have to ride hills at least 1-2 times a week. It is always best to check with your vet though if you are uncertain.
Eight, from the horse's back you can see more of the footing and you see it clearer than your horse. Some horses have cataracts which a vet can diagnose but only if you get their eyes checked. Some just have poor vision like some people but they do not give horses an eye test or make glasses for them. So you may have to guide him when holes, roots, bumps etc. come up on the trail.
Nine, Some horses have not been ridden on trails, or ridden on trails with rocks, roots, holes and obstacles. So they just have no clue how to use their feet on those trails. So if this horse has not been ridden much lately or is a show horse, or is from a different state or rode on trails different from yours, than sometimes it just takes time for them to learn how to pick their feet up. Just like people, some are naturally athletic and some are not and have to learn. So when you see something a tree root sticking up, shorten their stride, get their weight on their back end and guide them over the obstacle. Also, know that horses do not see gopher holes, and holes like we do and many will just step in them and fall, so steer them around any holes that you see. And yes that means you have to pay attention and look for them.
Use poles in the arena, help them to learn to pick up their feet and to get more muscle. Hand walk them on the trail and teach them how to walk over these obstacles.
My advice is check your horse's eyes, your horse's feet, conformation, have your saddle checked by a saddle fitter, have a vet look at your horse, and have your farrier watch your horse move and keep the toes trimmed back and use a shoe that helps them, make sure you are not riding too hard when he is out of shape. A tired horse will trip, you may need to stop and let him get his energy back then continue the ride. Do not let him be lazy. Keep his mind active. Keep a good weight in the saddle and ride balanced. Do not ride on a too loose or floppy rein if you are unable to pick your reins up in seconds. If you see holes, roots, rocks, help your horse and steer him around them or give a little pop on the rein to get his head up and his weight on his back end. You can always say pick up or something else so he knows to pay attention to his feet.
If he does trip, do not drop the rein. You need to sit back as far as you can and yank the rein up and even kick him hard to get your horse to jump up and pay attention. Make him think tripping is a bad thing to do and of course it is a bad thing to do. Do not be passive. Most of the horses I have seen trip are usually not paying attention and this is one of the easiest fixes. Many of these horses are calm and kind. So they do not freak out when they trip, some will even fall and just sit there. You must make them think falling is very bad and that is why you need to scare them some if they are constantly stumbling and all else has checked out. Wear spurs and or carry a stick and if they trip, wake them up! Make them think that was the worst thing he could do. Sometimes they just need someone to make them scared to trip and they start paying attention in a whole different way to the trail footing. Riding over poles and off the main trail so he has to pay attention to where he is going will also help.
Lastly, if your horses Vitamin E is low, they can also be trippy. So supplementing with Vitamin E and Selenium can help. So if you have not checked ask your vet to check your horses levels.
If you have any questions on tripping, please feel free to contact me. Many people, non gaited horse trainers and veterinarians do not understand the gaited horses and will say they are neurologic because of the way they move. So if your horse is falling down or tripping all the time, I may be able to help you.
themajesticrider@yahoo.com