Collapse and cast in horses 

Horses that are found ‘down’ are usually collapsed or cast. There are some key differences between the two which are explored below, but both should be treated as an emergency.   

Collapse  

Horses can collapse due to:   

• Exhaustion due to exercise and/or heat
• Neurological disorders  
• Irregular heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmias)  
• Sleep deprivation   
• Broken limbs   
• Colic  
• Other pain-related conditions  

It is essential to call your vet as soon as possible because a collapsed horse is an emergency and, depending on the cause and how long the horse has been down, may result in death. Monitor the horse closely until the vet’s arrival and take advice over the phone from the vet about what to do while you are waiting: if the weather is hot, the vet may advise cooling using cold water; if it is cold, then it may be necessary to cover the horse with rugs to warm them up.   

Once the vet has arrived, they will assess the horse’s condition and try to determine the cause of the collapse. They may administer pain relief and intravenous fluids. In most cases, the aim is to get the horse into a standing position as quickly and safely as possible.   

Cast  

Horses usually become cast (stuck on their side/upside down) in stables but they can also become cast under field fencing. Many horses that become cast remain surprisingly calm whilst they are down but may panic when standing so great care is required with their handling. Some horses become distressed when cast resulting in kicking out or trying to move and they may have an increased respiration rate and heart rate and start sweating.   

Depending on the severity of the situation, you may feel confident to roll the horse yourself. However, if the horse is distressed, you may need your vet to attend to administer sedation. It is important to find experienced help to roll the horse and anyone involved should wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as a riding hat, suitable footwear and gloves. Typically, a lunge line is looped over the hooves that are ‘under’ the horse. For example, if the horse is cast on their left side, the lines should be looped over the left hooves. The lunge lines should not be tied to the horse’s legs or hooves. You need to gently pull the lines to help roll the horse away from the wall. Be prepared for the horse to try and get up as soon as they are over. Have the stable door open and be ready to drop the lines and get out of the stable.  

These situations can be incredibly dangerous, so it is important to take great care to keep you, any additional handlers and the horse as safe as possible.

Once the horse is up, they should have a head collar with lead rope applied and they should be thoroughly checked over for injuries. They may benefit from a hand walk or some time turned out, if they are able to do so. The lunge lines should be gathered and stored out of the way.   

There are various strategies for preventing horses becoming cast. You can apply anti-cast strips around the stable, alternatively, horses can live out with open-fronted shelters. Quite often horses that regularly become cast have some underlying problem such as musculoskeletal pain or the space in the stable is inadequate, investigating an underlying cause is important.  

Collapse/cast in a horse box or trailer  

If a horse collapses or becomes cast in a horse box or trailer, it is important to act quickly. Park safely and call the relevant emergency services if you require traffic control (police) or help with removing partitions (fire brigade). Where possible, open and remove partitions to allow for maximum space. It is important to exercise great care with an un-sedated horse, especially when opening up the horse compartment as they may well panic further and attempt to escape as soon as they see the door open. Some horse boxes and trailers come equipped with quick release partitions – check with your manufacturer if you are unsure. You will need to call your vet, ask for the vet at an event or find a local vet that can attend if you are away from home. We recommend sedating the horse so that you can release them as safely as possible. You will then need to follow similar steps as above, bearing in mind the added complication of having a smaller space to work in to get the horse standing.  

We strongly advise that you set up a camera so that you can continuously monitor your horses whilst they are travelling, and act quickly at the first signs of horses becoming distressed.  

 For more information on travelling safely, why not check out our advice pages Travelling safely: is your horse fit to travel? and Travelling your horse safely: horsebox and trailer requirements.