What is Overreaching and How to Prevent It

In Pivo’s equestrian and horse health guide, we aim to explain nuances and details of horse riding, that are overlooked and missed out. We also strive to help riders improve their skills with our helpful reads and of course, with Pivo. In this article we talk about what is overreaching and how you can prevent it. Overreaching is when a horse strikes the back of its front foreleg with its hind hooves while in motion. Overreaching can cause different levels of injuries to the front legs or feet, from bruises to severe lacerations. Read on to know more.

Overreaching Causes

First let’s look at what causes this. Some of the most common reasons for overreaching are:

Conformation Issues: Horses have different anatomical characteristics (conformation). For example, those with short backs, long pasterns, or a naturally hard hind leg action are more prone to interference issues, striking, and overreaching.
Inexperience: Young and green horses are still developing their balance and motor skills. They tend to have more exaggerated movements than more experienced horses, making them more susceptible to overreaching.
Improper Training: Poor development of balance, muscle strength, and coordination can lead to overreaching, especially during high gaits or activities that require precise movements.

Accidents: Unfortunately, no horse is 100% exempt from overreaching injuries. For example, jumping horses can suffer strikes due to a bad landing or a missed approach.
Tiredness: Even a perfectly balanced horse can experience slight coordination loss from fatigue, which may lead to overreaching.
Playful Behavior: Some horses can injure themselves and overreach while playing, bolting, and bucking in the yard.
Improper Shoeing: Hoof trimming and shoeing significantly impact a horse’s balance and gait, for better or worse. Poor farrier work can cause a horse with no conformation or balance issues to overreach.

Overreaching Consequences

The consequences of overreaching vary depending on the zone, angle, and intensity of the impact. The most common overreaching injuries are bruises, cuts, and tissue damage to the forehand’s fetlock and pastern, including the heel. The most severe and concerning wounds are those that affect the heel bulbs and the coronary band because of the numerous blood vessels and veils they encapsulate.

While some injuries can be superficial, repeated events can lead to lameness and severe pain. Although all overreaching injuries need immediate attention, it’s crucial to be aware of lacerations and open wounds in tissues like the heels due to the numerous blood vessels and veins underneath.

Overreaching shouldn’t be overlooked. While accidents can happen, it’s important to take preventive measures to minimize the odds and harsh consequences of these injuries.

Overreaching Prevention

Below, you will find a list of recommendations that, when combined, will help you to keep your horse sound and protected. Also, we want to show you some procedures to identify horses prone to overreach or suffer interference injuries and basic advice about how to help correct balance and coordination problems. While Pivo films all you rides, it’s a great way to keep an eye out for preventing overreaching and other issues that can be identified when you watch back you Pivo footage. By keeping a steady record of all your filmed rides, you are able to improve pertaining issues and your riding skills as well.

1. Identifying The Problem

Paying attention to your horse’s movements is a great way to identify any issues. Lunging your horse is a good way to check for coordination issues. As ridden horses have a different balance, it’s also important to study their mechanics while riding.

In any case, video footage is essential to evaluate progress or seek expert advice. Pivo is a fantastic tool for tracking your horse’s movement. Thanks to its consistency and steady tripod, you can shoot different takes from the same angle, helping you to see how your horse moves in different circumstances.

This thorough observation will help you identify interference, overreaching, and forging problems. While they might seem the same, they are slightly different things:

Interference occurs when hooves make contact with another leg. For example, when horses brush their forelegs while turning, or a front hoove impacts the knee hock.
Overreaching, as we saw, is when a hind foot strikes the lower section of the front leg, especially the heel or its surroundings.
Forging is similar to overreaching, but the hind hoof impacts the forefoot’s sole. While riding horses that forge, it’s typical to hear a “clacking” sound as the hooves strike against each other.

Lastly, the least desirable way to identify the problem is if you find wounds, cuts, or injuries and/or if your horse shows signs of lameness or pain.

2. Using Protecting Gear

Protective tack like bell boots and overreaching boots are excellent ways to keep your horse protected. You can find countless models in different materials, finishes, and colors to protect your horse from overreaching and strike injuries. Bell or overreach boots come fully closed, covering the hooves’ front and rear, ideal for protecting horses from self-indulged and external injuries.

On the other hand, open-front models are super practical, lightweight, breathable, and easy to wear. They are not so good at protecting the front of the hooves, but they are highly effective in protecting your horse from overreaching. Most of these models feature extra-cushioned backs for enhanced protection.

3. Proper Shoeing and Trimming

Always work with experienced and well-known farriers who are talented and skilled and also open to discussing shoeing health and issues with your veterinarian. No matter the level or discipline you practice, build a good team between the groom, farrier, veterinarian, coach, other professionals and, of course, yourself as the rider or horse owner.

Have your horse’s hooves regularly cared for, ensuring perfect hoof balance, proper alignment, and a correct stance. Sometimes, adjusting the angles of the hind hooves can be enough to minimize or eliminate overreaching risks. It’s essential to keep horses with known conformation issues always trimmed on time.

4. Muscle Development And Strengthening

Exercise your horse regularly and encourage his coordination, for example, by practicing pole work. Proper flatwork is excellent for achieving well-balanced, sound, and symmetric horses, improving their coordination and stride consistency. Also, don’t forget to record your exercises daily to maintain a journal of your rides, Pivo Cloud helps you store all your recordings in one place, so you have a timeline of all your practices and can also maintain your horse’s development by watching every important movement and stride.

5. Proper Training And Balance

When working with horses, it is common to establish little goals to achieve great things. While moving towards every new milestone, don’t forget to always work on your and your horse’s balance, control, and, most importantly, rhythm, which is key to success in all equestrian sports. With Pivo‘s Horse Tracking feature, track every move and watch back all the small goals you set for each day. With the Lessons feature, you can also connect with coaches from around the world for interactive remote training or send over your videos for feedback!

Final Words

If you fear your horse is overreaching, seek veterinary help immediately, contact your farrier, and talk about it with your coach. They will help you deal with the problem and help you find the best way to plan a health and fitness program specially tailored for for your horse.

Also, you always have Pivo, a smart tool that, besides helping you capture all those wonderful equestrian moments, is of great help to study your horse’s movements, find any issues, and track your and your equestrian buddy’s improvements.