My horse paniced in the cross ties and went down on a concrete aisle. We cleared OUT of the way while he flailed about, trying unsuccessfully to get traction.
After he finally gave up, we tried pulling on the lead rope, but he still couldn’t get up. What finally worked was pulling on the lead rope AND pulling on his tail. He was able to get his feet under himself and got up.
I work with an equine vet and have helped with quite a few down horses. I have never done it by myself, but at times it has been just me and the vet. I would agree with propping the horse up on hay bales and keeping him sternal (on his chest). If the horse has been down on one side for a long time, try flipping him over with lead ropes on his down legs like someone else suggested. The legs on the down side can get tired or numb if he’s been down for a while. If you can get him sternal, pulling his front legs out in front of him so they are straight out instead of tucked under his body can really help. I wouldn’t try anything more than this by myself. You can very easily get hurt. Machinery can be help, but only when used the right way. Here in Massachusetts, we have the MSPCA Equine Ambulance program. They are trained to help horses in these situations and are wonderful people to work with.
[QUOTE=Liz2642;4003395]
I work with an equine vet and have helped with quite a few down horses. I have never done it by myself, but at times it has been just me and the vet. I would agree with propping the horse up on hay bales and keeping him sternal (on his chest). If the horse has been down on one side for a long time, try flipping him over with lead ropes on his down legs like someone else suggested. The legs on the down side can get tired or numb if he’s been down for a while. If you can get him sternal, pulling his front legs out in front of him so they are straight out instead of tucked under his body can really help. I wouldn’t try anything more than this by myself. You can very easily get hurt. Machinery can be help, but only when used the right way. Here in Massachusetts, we have the MSPCA Equine Ambulance program. They are trained to help horses in these situations and are wonderful people to work with.[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately I don’t think we have anything like that in Illinois, especially here in central IL, out in the boonies.
Thanks for the advice though! 
I love COTH. I feel so much more prepared for an emergency situation now.
I’ve been faced with the same situation, and this is what I did, although I would NOT recommend it:
35-year-old stallion was down in his pasture and couldn’t get up because he decided to lay down on a hill and his legs were pointing up the hill. I was all alone, with no idea when the BO would be back. Watched the stallion for about 15 minutes, until it became clear he was not able to even get up onto his sternum. I took two lead ropes, attached them to his bottom legs, and rolled him over so his legs would be pointing down the hill (I tried it from the uphill side, and realized I was directly in the line of fire if he flailed, so I had to roll him TOWARDS me, which scared the cr*p out of me since I envisioned him rolling down the hill at me). Then once he was pointing down the hill I realized after watching him a while longer that although he was on his sternum, he wasn’t getting up on his own. This was the really stupid part. I got up next to him and pushed against his shoulder with my shoulder as hard as I could, encouraging him to stand up. He finally started standing up but had to lean on me the entire time he got his legs under himself and pushed. Fortunately he was a smallish Arab so weighed maybe 800 lbs. but at that moment I realized how dumb I was and how easily I could have been crushed, all by myself, alone at the barn. I was happy he got up, though. A few months later he went down for the last time. He was the sweetest old boy I’ve ever known and I still miss him.
I agree with all, when repeated often this can be a horses way of telling us that it is “time.” I boarded with a n old warmblood who was doing it once a month, then once a week then after the third time in one week we knew it was time. He had a bad habit of lying down on a hill and getting stuck. One time he rolled up against a mesh fence. If a horse is prone to this and quiet, I would put fleece lines hobbles on all four pasterns so ropes can easily be attached and the horse can be flipped. Getting them up off their side is key- rub the legs, keep em warm, spread hay for traction, etc.
Agree with pulling straight back hanging on to the tail to help them balance when they start trying to get up. My vet gave me this advice when my wobbler was having problems.
Unfortunately getting a lot of practice with this lately, we have a 31 year old larger fellow who’s owner doesn’t want to admit he’s checking out on her. We have found him down and stuck about 4 times in the last couple months, but he is stalled not out in pasture. The first time it took 3 people an hour to get him up, the next time it took 2 people about 30 minutes, then the last couple times we are back up to an hour and anywhere from 2-5 people. If he looks like he’s been trying a while we just rock him sternal and give him some banamine, hang out like that for about 15 minutes, and then start pushing and pulling. He typically just wears out and if he gets enough of a rest can get up assisted. Just makes you feel bad doing the arm flapping, yelling thing at the poor old man, but thats all we can do to get him motivated enough to help us get him up. The last time you could tell he just wanted us to go away :no:.
My horse is down. He either slipped on ice or hit down to roll and ended up on ice. He is eating hay. How do I get water in him?
You call the vet. Now.
You call whatever responsible adults exist in your world.
You don’t spend time joining a forum to ask internet strangers when you have an actual emergency on your hands.
If the only reason he can’t get up is the slippery ice, put something beneath him for traction. Hay, straw, manure, sand, dirt, whatever.
If he can’t get up for another reason, call the vet.
We have local group here that is Excellent! The Little Fork Voluteer Large Animal Rescue Team! Here is how they do it:
If you go to there Facebook page, the timeline photo is one of my horses. 
Well Glad who joined yesterday to post this query and bump this old thread hasn’t been back, so I assume either the horse is fine, the horse is dead, or there was no horse, just trying to get us all worried.
I have a horse that is down and we tried to help him by using ropes but he does not want to get up or won’t work with us. I really need to get him up because he’s down in some woods Please help.
Same response I made a year ago. Call vet call fire department call whatever responsible adults exist in your world.
If he is very old or very starving he could just be dying. Happens. Vet could pts.
For future reference don’t bump an ancient zombie thread with a time urgent post. Make a new post.
BO here had one like that. BUT, each time she got up when the other horses left. BO finally convinced the vet that this was one time too many. BO had spent all afternoon trying to get her up.
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