Come A Cropper

[Reasoner]

Anyone know the origin of the phrase
'to come a cropper' (meaning to fall heavily, or generally come unstuck)?
So far, I've only come across the theory that it may come from allusion to a headlong 'neck and crop' fall - in horseracing that is.
Can anyone do better?
Cheers

[jno]

there's an explanation towards the bottom of this page

http://www.word-detective.com/030698.html

[ELVIS68]

"To come a cropper"

It means to become a cafe owner and walk about in a raincoat with a 1970`s shoping bag and drink orange juice in the rovers