If your horse is lying down and won’t get up, it is likely there is something wrong. A healthy horse that is lying down simply to have a rest will be able to stand up again by himself without difficulty, unless he is cast (stuck against an object such as the stable wall). It is important to know how to help a cast horse stand because if he is left lying down and unable to move for several hours, he will sustain muscle damage.
Before you try to help the horse stand up, consider why he may have gone down:
It may sound obvious, but is the horse breathing? There is the awful possibility that the horse may have died. If you are unsure, check to see if there is any response when you touch the eye. The horse’s eye will remain open after death, while the horse’s eye is typically closed while sleeping. If the eye is open and responsive, then check the ABC (airway, breathing and circulation).
Is there any obvious injury, particularly to one of the limbs, preventing the horse from standing? It can be difficult to spot a fractured limb tucked underneath the horse.
Is there any sign of disease such as colic or laminitis, which may make a horse reluctant to stand? Look to see if there are signs of the bedding being churned up. In such cases they will often get up with help and persuasion.
Could the horse be foaling?
Is the horse dull and non-responsive, suggesting some kind of brain damage? It could be that the horse has hit his head, although an equine herpes infection is a possibility.
Is there a physical obstruction preventing the horse from rising? If so, you may need the vet or the animal rescue department of the fire brigade to help move the obstruction first, before trying to get the horse to its feet.
Has the horse been healthy? An important thing to consider is whether the horse was normal before he went down. For instance, if he was off his feed and had a high temperature, he may have an infection. If he was galloping across the field and then fell, it is more likely to be an accident.
While these may all sound like obvious considerations when written down, the sight of a horse down can be distressing, which means owners aren’t always able to think clearly when it happens.
How to help a cast horse to stand up
If you are faced with a cast horse, you should immediately summon help. With luck, the horse will wriggle around and free himself before assistance arrives, but if this is not the case then you will need to take action.
When moving a horse that is down, take care that neither he nor you gets hurt. Old, arthritic horses or ponies may go down and then be too stiff and sore to stand, yet if they are rolled over, they can often stagger to their feet.
Remember that even a horse you know well can be unpredictable when trapped or distressed. A cast horse can seem deceptively subdued, and then panic and struggle dangerously, regardless of anyone in the way. You must always be very careful to avoid injury when helping a cast horse to stand, so wearing a hard hat, gloves and sturdy footwear is wise.
The simplest way to help a cast horse to stand is to manoeuvre them away from the obstruction, such as a wall, by placing a towel around the horse’s neck, then pulling on that just enough to get the head and front legs away from the wall. You may only need to move the horse a short way before it can stand by itself. Placing another towel under the horse’s head will help to protect the underlying eye during the process. Take care to stand behind the horse’s back to avoid being kicked.
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If this isn’t possible, an alternative option is to loop a lunge line or long rope over the horse’s foot just above or below the fetlock on the lower limb nearest the wall. It is safest to do this by leaning over the horse’s body to avoid getting within kicking range of his feet. Pulling his forelimbs round with a rope may permit a horse to right itself.
Sometimes the horse will need to be flipped over, using ropes around both back and front legs to move the horse away from the wall. If using this technique be sure to stand well back and allow the horse to get up on his own. Then, reassuring the horse to keep him calm, carefully remove the ropes.
Once the horse is up, check him over carefully for injuries, and continue to keep an eye on the horse for a couple of hours afterwards, in case he has colic. Always remember that he may have an injury on the underside that prevented him from rising by himself, so check for signs of any problems that may be invisible when the horse is turned over or stands up.
If a horse has a tendency to become cast on a regular basis, you may find moving to a larger stable helps. Alternatively the addition of anti-cast bars on the stable walls can give the horse something to push against if they do roll too close to the wall. Banks may help discourage a horse from rolling close to the wall, but they will not prevent a horse from becoming cast.
Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.
