Question from Felicia about Horse Rolling
Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
Felicia asks: My horse likes to roll everytime he goes out. Sometimes he gets very close to the fence. Many times he rolls over all the way and back. I read that rolling is dangerous and a horse can twist a gut. Is it OK or what should I do.
The Old Gray Mare: What a great question Felicia. Horses just love to roll, don't they? It always makes us anxious when horses roll in their stalls, or too close to the fence, or near other objects or barriers. They can always find something to get into!
Unless you are constantly on vigil when your horse is turned out, it is difficult to prevent rolling. Generally, your horse will want to roll immediately upon being put out to play in paddock or pasture. Perhaps he needs to get the kinks out first by running. Either way, he will soon relax enough to roll.
It is best to let your horse suit himself. For the most part, these are healthy activities for your horse and he will be quite alright.
The rolling becomes dangerous if he gets cast, tangled or cannot get up. Another danger is getting a foot caught into a halter, blanket or strap. Firstly, do not turn your horse out in a halter, especially a hylon halter. If you must leave a halter on your horse while he is stabled or turned out, use one with a breakaway buckle or head strap to eliminate his getting hung up. If you use a turnout sheet or blanket or other clothing, you must be certain your straps are properly fitted and the clothing itself fits correctly in order to avoid shifting and pivoting. Additionally, if you choose to leave clothing on your horse while he is turned out, always check on him periodically throughout the day.
Casting under the fence or near or under an obstruction is more difficult. Here I would suggest that you remove any obstacles within the pasture that could cause potential harm. The best pasture is clear of all obstacles; keep your paddock or pasture in good condition and maintain only horse necessities in it such as a water trough, hay feeder, buckets, etc.
If you notice your horse has a tendency to roll near the fence, watch him for a while. If he tries to roll, spook him away from the spot before he can lower himself. Repeat as often as he insists on going to that spot. If he persists, set up some cavalettis or planks to interrupt the urge to roll there. Perhaps you can move a kiddie water pool there and fill with some water. You could set up a few low jumps using buckets and planks. The whole idea is to interrupt him from seeking out that particular spot. You could place a small tarp (or several tarps) along those too-close-to-the-fence areas and flood some water over it.
Hopefully, these suggestions will keep him away from that rolling spot. We don't want to create a different problem - that of being afraid of water - we only want him to avoid rolling in undesirable locations.
There is always a chance that a horse can twist a gut, but this is more unusual in normal activity than the norm. If he has gone down to roll, let him roll without interrupting him so he does not get spooked and lurch up suddenly - permit him to roll naturally, without interference. The time to stop a roll is before the front knees bend to go down.
Sometimes horses enjoy a hearty roll in a freshly cleaned stall when the bedding is optimum and cushy. Hopefully your stall is big enough to allow him to get back to his feet. Most horses are athletic enough to roll satisfactorily even in their stalls. The problem happens if there is space under the planks of the stall. If that is the case, my message is rather clear. Planks should extend all the way to the bottom of the stall with no chance whatsoever of getting a foot under them at any point along four walls. If the stall is not planked, then at least a heavy-duty fencing should be provided that extends all the way down and under the dirt, with small holes so that a foot cannot go through.
If he casts against the wall in the stall, first and foremost make your presence known. Do what you can go calm him. If he maintains relative sensability and is not fighting or thrashing against the wall, you may be able to coax him over. Perhaps he will allow you to move his head away from the wall and thereby get more space for his front legs. If he permits it, tug his tail away from the wall and his body may help push away a little. Hopefully, you can coo and coax him to remain calm and run for help. Helping a horse that is cast presents a whole new topic that can be covered in more depth in another article.
Meanwhile, I hope some of these suggestions help.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi OGM.You really covered it all. Everything I've ever read (in several different articles) all condensed very understandably into this one article.The first article I read on your list about annual physical exams was written to a large part of the population, but many readers might feel that they already know everything they need to know about that. This might also explain the dearth of comments.For this one, it is written to a small part of the population. And even though it is well written and very educational, not that many people will have cause to read it.See, you should never set me a task. I sometimes take it too seriously.:) Maybe next time you ask a similar question you said add that everyone but Dianne is welcome to answer. :) :)More hugs,DianneDianne, ha ha ha - fat chance! All comments more than welcome. I really appreciate constructive comments and even criticism because, in the end, it all goes into my and spins around in some of the empty corners, to come out again, hopefully improving the results next time. What I'm trying to say, awkwardly on the reread, is that I need exactly your type of response. Don't go away. If you can put up with me, I'll be grateful. Going out for din din later, but I'll get to reading more in thanks. Heidi
Heidi, you have an awesome knowledge of horses. What does the word cast mean?Hi Jennifer. Sometimes, when horses roll, they get down too close to a wall or fence or some obstacle. When that happens, they might not have allowed enough space for them to get their legs underneath them to rise up again so they get "stuck" or "cast" - As you might expect, getting cast can present a real problem. The horse might get so worked up that it starts to freak out and thrashes, thereby hurting himself. Or he might stay in that position too long and the weight of his body starts to work against him. My little 29" miniature horse cast one a few years ago. It was easy to get him up since he's so small he could be lifted up. In that case, he was smart enough to lay still and wait for rescue. I helped him roll over. Up he went. With the big horses, it's more difficult. That's why I talk about making sure that the planks of the stall extend all the way down to prevent legs going underneath and chancing breaking. Hope that sort of explains it somewhat.Really do appreciate the read!
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