When horses often stumble, what can be done about it? With some horses you notice that they drag the tips of their hooves across the ground, especially at a walk, but also often at a trot. In the field, where the ground is uneven, toe dragging leads to stumbling.
You often see this habit in school horses that have become jaded due to the constant change of riders and therefore drag their hooves tiredly through the riding arena. However, this also happens with active and lively horses and already at the beginning of riding and is not always a sign of tiredness. Instead, it is a kind of laxity. The horse is "too relaxed" and does not pay attention to its leg movement. In this case, you can get the horse to lift his feet by actively pushing him.
What helps when horses often stumble
Regular work with poles helps to re-educate the horse. Place the poles at stride length (80 to 100cm) apart and let the horse walk over them first at a walk, then at a trot. This forces the horse to lift all its legs in the right arc, otherwise it will trip over the cavaletti.
This exercise works best in the middle stride when the hind hooves are already stepping over the footprints of the forehand. The horse is placed on the reins by gently pushing with the thighs and cross to create a soft connection between the rider's hand and the horse's mouth over the reins.
Walk straight towards the cavaletti and bend slightly forward just before to relieve the back, without changing the tension of the reins. The hands are only brought down slightly to allow the horse to stretch its neck. When striding over the poles, the rider must urge the horse on so that the horse is attentive.
You can encourage the space grip of the legs by gradually increasing the distance between the bars.
For the work at the trot, the cavaletti are laid out with a distance of 130cm.
If horses often stumble or drag their toes, they may also have hooves that are too long. It is best to talk about this with the farrier and make sure that there is no more than six weeks between shoeings.
