How to help a young horse get over a fall

[Melissa.s.9924]

Recently I obtained a 5 year old OTTB. I’ve ridden her about 5 times after giving her down time off the track. She was always really good and starting to even relax in the walk. She has problems with half halts but was starting to get the hang of it. I had to switch barns then had an issue with rain rot so this was the first time in a month riding her.

I decided not to longe her as she was actually much more relaxed at the new farm. We made a few laps both directions on a long rein. Her neck was level and I wanted her to see everything with both eyes. She was looking to the outside of the arena when she heard a thunder of hooves behind her which triggered her to try and take off. Since her body was curved to the rail I pushed my hands forward so she had plenty of room to move. She was curved so much that when she tried shifting her weight to spook her legs came out from under her and she landed on top of me.

We were both fine. The entire right side of my helmet was crushed. She was shaken up after the fall. I could tell she was upset. She laid her head in my arms. She got horribly worked up when I went to roll my stirrups. I couldn’t get back on because of the state of my helmet. Any time the saddle comes out it’s like I’ve destroyed everything we have built.

Does anyone know how I can help her move past this? I’m taking baby steps and she still trusts me but she is very sensitive. I know what I should have done. It was a horrible mistake on my part. I feel horrible it even happened.

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

First, let yourself get past the emotion of this. It’s horses. Sh*t happens. All hanging onto the negative does is create an energy of uncertainty. Neither of you needs that.

Just go back to training. Longe in a surcingle for a while, then longe under saddle. Then get back on.

If you’re not already, working with a professional is usually a good way to get started with any new horse.

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

Lunge her in tack, put a rope halter on her and wave a flag around her. Get her comfortable with HER space. Remind her that she is in control of her own feet and level of alertness.

[thehorsedream]

When mistakes are made or things out of your control happen, you need to go back to whatever step in the training process that they are comfortable with and work up from there. So if she is not okay with the saddle, go to the first step before the saddle and work with her there. You may have to go back further than that.

Breathe. Take your time. You haven’t ruined everything. This is a normal set back in training and everything will improve with time.

[SuzieQNutter]

Horses don’t reason.

If they are in a float that rolls, they cannot figure out that if the go in the float again it can roll again, so they load up okay.

Put on a lunging cavesson and lunge until she at least walks and trots perfectly in both directions. By until I am meaning every day for days, weeks or months.

Then add a roller. Do the same.

Then add loose side reins. It is not side reins that kill and injure horses. It is people using them incorrectly that kill and injure horses with side reins. If you don’t know how to use them get lessons.

Lunge with saddle until lunging perfectly. Lunge with sidereins on saddle until lunging perfectly.

You are probably already riding her again now!

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=Melissa.Van Doren;8456384]
First, let yourself get past the emotion of this. It’s horses. Sh*t happens. All hanging onto the negative does is create an energy of uncertainty. Neither of you needs that.

Just go back to training. Longe in a surcingle for a while, then longe under saddle. Then get back on.

If you’re not already, working with a professional is usually a good way to get started with any new horse.[/QUOTE]

echo you matey…

its happens… just make sure your saddle is fit for purpose. as you mentioned stirrups…ie get an expereinced person to check the tree is ok

as mentioned agree with this post the more you dont do and give an excuse then the horse has the advantage they are not humans so lets get you to understand a horses mind and how it works

the horse only has 2 fear factors the 1st is to flee the 2nd is to advade you being ridden driven or handled

now as one ie you have lack of confidence as in giving her time off to get over this that the other as excuses etc

then listen had and listen good

a horse when a perosn show lack of confidence or hesistation or be handy handy round its head area /body for example going to put a bridle one head moves so hands everywhere what ever…

creates a doubt in a horses mind------------ a doubt to a horse is one confusion as he trys to interpretate what your asking…the doubt then turns into a fear a factor

and like i said they only have 2 horses are very easy to understand if you understand how they work in there minds

as this posted said negative energy or vibes from you to the horse wil create fear factors

so be assertive firm confident… as the horse looks to you for guidance trust…use your voice as that biggest asset and aid you have

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=Melissa.Van Doren;8456384]
First, let yourself get past the emotion of this. It’s horses. Sh*t happens. All hanging onto the negative does is create an energy of uncertainty. Neither of you needs that.

Just go back to training. Longe in a surcingle for a while, then longe under saddle. Then get back on.

If you’re not already, working with a professional is usually a good way to get started with any new horse.[/QUOTE]

echo you matey…

its happens… just make sure your saddle is fit for purpose. as you mentioned stirrups…ie get an expereinced person to check the tree is ok

as mentioned agree with this post the more you dont do and give an excuse then the horse has the advantage they are not humans so lets get you to understand a horses mind and how it works

the horse only has 2 fear factors the 1st is to flee the 2nd is to advade you being ridden driven or handled

now as one ie you have lack of confidence as in giving her time off to get over this that the other as excuses etc

then listen had and listen good

a horse when a person show lack of confidence or hesistation or be handy handy round its head area /body for example going to put a bridle one head moves so hands everywhere what ever…

creates a doubt in a horses mind------------ a doubt to a horse is one confusion as he trys to interpretate what your asking…the doubt then turns into a fear a factor

and like i said they only have 2 horses are very easy to understand if you understand how they work in there minds

as this posted said negative energy or vibes from you to the horse wil create fear factors

so be assertive firm confident… as the horse looks to you for guidance trust…use your voice as that biggest asset and aid you have

get her back out there and continue… and get on her asap as it you not her.

[goeslikestink]

do your thing and get back on asap-------- as its you not the hrose
so get back up and on her and ride her as you mean bisness as they prefer that you give her the confidence to go on as your stronger on top than you are on te ground so get up onher

[Melissa.s.9924]

Thanks for everyone’s advice.

Maybe she isn’t holding onto what happened. It started to take 20 minutes to get her saddled. Shockingly I’m unphased by what happened which truly is shocking given my history but that’s a long story. I have been back on her since.

I think I do need to go back to longeing for a bit getting her acquainted to her new surroundings. I decided to carry my saddle with me everywhere today like I did when she was afraid of the whip. It seemed to be effective once she realized I wasn’t trying to put it on her. By the time I did saddle her she didn’t even notice.

[Magicboy]

That’s a good strategy…glad she’s doing better

[goeslikestink]

MATE- just grab hol of her and be direct… gosh look if i had her her and brought her home to my yard i shove her in a stable and then tack her up and ride her…

the only thing that doesnt change in her life is the work, the feed might the freind might the owners might

but the work helps them keep there mind focused on me i am boss i lay the rules

think- if was going to show today and tomorrow the enviroment has changed twice in two days

but the work hasnt- my point is dont make excuses be direct give her more confidence and guidance its not her its you be direct- not mamby pamby horses dont understand that attuitude and you will end witll a neavous horse

be FIRM ASSERTIVE an ACT

[Melissa.s.9924]

I was totally going to ignore you but I just can’t help myself. The cut the shit attitude doesn’t work for her and from my experience doesn’t work on most ottbs. She was a nervous wreck before me but you’d hardly see it now. Glad I could inspire your rant but I never once blamed my horse in this. Actually if you read my original post I recall blaming myself… ??

Anyways, patience worked with her. May not be your favorite method but that’s ok.

[OTTB2]

If you don’t have the confidence at the moment to get back on her have a pro get on her to get her comfortable again. Other than that all above advice is good. You need to remember lots of these OTTBs are hot wired in the head from all the years on the track. They need to understand its not going to be the stress filled environment that the track normally is. Once you get those old track memories out is where I believe the road becomes more smooth.

[keepthelegend]

I think what Goeslikestink is trying to say is that you can’t tiptoe around the horse. Just from reading a few posts, she appears to be a very hot, sensitive, reactive horse and you were very lucky to not be hurt. You did not cause her to fall down. She got worked up because her big spook that occurred while she was already not paying attention caused her to fall and she overreacted to the fall as well. I know this type well - she needs a professional rider at this stage. Ground work is a great idea, but you need to try and not worry so much about upsetting her and walking on eggshells and get her listening to you and desensitized, in a nice way, and that will gain her trust.

[ChelseaR]

That is not normal behavior. As an OTTB she is used to having horses moving at speed around her.

At five she is also not an uncoordinated baby not used to weight in the saddle.

Simply because she was looking to the outside is no reason for her to fall and fail to catch herself.

Assuming that the footing was good and she didn’t have anything restraining her like draw reins or a tight martingale - I’d get a vet out for a neurological exam before riding her again.

Sure she could have had a klutzy moment and hopefully that’s all it was but physically mature, sound, healthy horses generally don’t fall all the way down on their side when spooked at a walk in good footing.

[Melissa.s.9924]

The footing wasn’t the best. It had been pouring rain all week. We have a pretty good draining system but I didn’t intend on doing anything stupid out there just get her used to carrying my weight again. Her spook wasn’t a thoroughbred thing but I do think it was a baby thing and may not have been a spook at all but the opportunity to play. She is 5 after all. That persons rant thread which was obviously inspired by this thread is what threw me over the edge. I do believe they made some good points and everyone else as well. I tend to overthink things and give them human emotions when I do need to realize those feelings are my own. She was never dangerous to handle. It was a lot of my own guilt. I need to leave that at home. Especially since she falls in the pasture when she’s playing and shakes it off like no one saw.

Also the only reason I did not get right back on was only because my helmet had been crushed. Especially after how hard my head hit the ground the first time. It’s the call I made. It effected my ego not hers. My own hesitance directly caused the saddling trouble.

Goeslikestink I must apologize for my own rant. It turns out you were exactly right. So thank you especially for pointing it out and forcing me to look more at the way I was conducting myself while working with her and horses in general.

[Victorious]

Hey there-this is not exactly what you asked, but I have to comment. Your mare falling down makes me a little nervous. That she fell that hard with you in the saddle is a bit strange, but you did mention bad footing. As a general rule-horses don’t like to fall down. At all. It completely betrays their status to a potential predator. Falling in the field is straight up unusual. I get a super slippery field slip, or even a young foal side wipe out, but a 5 yo TB, off the track, falling several times? I’d be very cautious. You have one crushed helmet as proof.
That is literally my mother instinct, 2 cents worth of advice. I would regret thinking it and not writing it if something ever happened. That said-good luck!

[keepthelegend]

I agree all the falling is very unusual. Falling at a walk is super rare in any footing and falling in the paddock, if not galloping and twisting and turning on a very slick day, is rare. Put both together and its very worrisome. That could actually be why she is so nervous now - losing control of your body is scary and she could be feeling a bigger issue.

[goeslikestink]

urm are you working in a round pen or a proper school as in square

think----horses that are of the track behave differently
the saddle your using and your weight is heavier than a jockey and racing saddle and it lays different on a horse back same as an english saddle to western

and western is different to english riding

the falls if ridden and on the longe…and ridden work in a round isnt the best to bring on a ottb… the circles are to small on a horse that now using mussles its not used before so it or legs

think-… its legs havent the same strenght------- as its still young and still growing which horses stop around 7 bearing this in mind small circles wont crack it as it will find it hard to self balance as this all a new disapline so the horse has to be treated like a just broke in baby horse

by----- long reining thats two reins .

and by using a square school so you can lenghten and shorten the strides and go large … always go large with young horses unti they get there balance properly

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Honestly…I have a barn full of sensitive TBs. It’s what I prefer. If she was mine…she would be wearing the saddle a ton. Put it on her, put her back in her stall with small snack. Take her back out, take it off…give a treat. I would be tacking her up 2-3 times a day, and most of the time, not working her. I’d give her lots of positive praise…and not worry about her other anxious moments.

The sensitive horses also sometimes LIKE a routine. So I might test if she is one of those. Meaning, I would work her the same time each day, give her a reward often for each baby step she does well.

A horse falling down from spoke is not that unusual. It happens…hopefully just once. I probably would have her checked out by the vet. But otherwise, I’d ignore what happened and train the horse you have now no different than if she hadn’t fallen…as she likely doesn’t really think about the fall.