Falling

featherbrained

I don't fall often. I ride a very steady, well behaved (read=LAZY) horse who almost always spooks in place. And we just trail ride, mostly in familiar places. Not to say scary situations don't come up occasionally, but even still, I've been riding Sully for 7 years, and I was his trainer when he was green, and I've only actually fallen off him three on the trail, and once during a saddle malfunction at home

However, last Tuesday we were on a really slow and boring trail ride, I had a head cold so I wasn't feeling great or riding great, and he did a forward spook at a hay bale, of all things. I toppled right off the back, landed hard on my hip on asphalt. Hurt like a mudder! No permanent damage, but I haven't been able to do much this week. I did get right back on him (without a step, and he's 16.2 and I'm FAT!!! ) and ride him home.

I'm hoping to get back on today. I think I'm healed enough to manage something short!

My previous fall, to this one, happened on the side of a busy parkway. In that instance, he did a very little spook at a deer crossing in front of us, but it was wet, he lost his footing and fell himself. Easiest fall ever. Except that he sort of landed on my foot. That didn't feel good I was at my heaviest then, and couldn't mount back immediately, but walked him half a mile to my parents' house, used a picnic table to get back on, and rode home.

Tell me about some of your falls!

belles783

So glad you weren't seriously hurt!! That's great you got back on though...and from the ground on such a tall horse...you rock!!

Unfortunately, falling is something I am all too familiar with! He does this spin and run move that gets me every time lol!

I have had my horse since last July and from July 2012 through December 2012 I fell off 7 times...

My worst fall was last December. I was trail riding with a friend at one of our state parks, we were having a great ride and just walking. Out of nowhere, Tank spooked at something, took quick steps from left to right and as hard as I tried to get him under control, I couldn't, and I hit the frozen ground...HARD! Thankfully I had my helmet on (I never ever ride without it) because my head smashed on the frozen ground and I heard the helmet crack. I don't know how I landed on my head and my butt at the same time, but I got the BIGGEST bruise and hematoma on my butt that I have ever seen, and believe it or not, I STILL have a lump on my butt almost a year later! The bruise was HUGE but for obvious reasons I don't have pics lol! I didn't break anything and there were very nice people in the area when it happened, one of which happened to be a nurse and gave me a quick exam before letting me stand up and they gave me a ride back to the trailer. My friend rode off to get my horse who ran off, but luckily he had been there tons of times and knew the trails and his way back to the trailer. I was told by the people that gave me a ride that a big hawk kind of dive-bombed Tank's head and that was why he spooked...I didn't see it because of the visor on my helmet...you just never know with horses!

In the days after the fall I was questioning myself as a rider and if I should have even bought a horse...I thought about selling him back to the person I bought him from, but those thoughts passed and determination set in. After this fall I decided I needed to fix some things before I got seriously hurt... Since my horse was a stray who showed up skin and bones, I don't know much about his past. It's obvious he has been abused since he is head shy and often very nervous... After this fall I took things very slow with him...we worked on desensitizing and building trust and my trainer worked with him quite a bit... I think I pushed him too hard too fast in the beginning and decided to back off and take things slow and let him get to know me and trust me... After some time, I believe two months, and although I was absolutely terrified to get back on him, I did it...

This year has been great with him! I switched from riding him in an english saddle to a western saddle so I have more to hold on to. Since he is a WIDE draft cross and I have stubby legs it's hard to get a good grip lol! Also, since I feel safer in the western saddle I have more confidence, which he definitely feeds off of. We still have the occasional spooks but he responds to me MUCH better and trusts that I would not put him in danger... When we come across things that scare him I just give him a nudge letting him know it's ok and although I can tell that he is scared he will walk by or over whatever it is..which is FAR better than the spin and run!

featherbrained

Wow, that is scary! The three times I've done "involuntary dismounts" on the trail, Sully was as surprised as me, too surprised apparently to make a break for it! That's always been a bigger worry to me than my own injuries, is him running off and getting hurt or lost.

Love the name Tank! lol

All that work that you've put into Tank is really paying off for you. That's what I've done with Sully, too, but we started him as a three year old; I was the second person to ever ride him, and the only one since.

I NEVER have any outward bruises from my falls. Kinda disappointing lol

I ride in a knockoff Aussie stock saddle with no horn. If you have horse that does a lot of that sideways stuff, I highly recommend these saddles. It's the closest thing you can get to a seat belt Not to mention the most comfortable trail saddle ever. I think I paid $300 for mine new, and I got a second one second hand for like $150. The reason I switched from Western to this one is because it was the only thing I could find that didn't cause Sully back pain. And now, I won't ride anything else.

belles783

I'm cracking up at "involuntary dismount" lol!

Tank came with his name, so I can't take credit...but thanks!

How long have you had Sully? What kind of horse is he?

I fought with myself about riding in anything other than english since that is how I have ridden my whole life, but I caved since I just wanted to ride my horse. I did consider an australian, but I went with a synthetic western. It's an Abetta and weighs less than my english saddle. It is kinda weird looking and doesn't have a skirt...apparently it's design is a mix between western, english, australian and calvalry, and it fits his hard to fit back perfectly! Best part is that I can move my legs and they are not stuck in place with stiff leather fenders... It kinds give me the english riding feel with more security lol... Hey, whatever works and lets you ride and enjoy your horse...right

epiphany29

Ahh falls, I will tell you about 2 of mine.

The first luckily happened when I was in my 20's and mostly immortal. I was riding my about 5 year old TB who out on the trails of the airbase in San Diego. Planes flying overhead, cars running down the 4 lane freeway and he was plodding along like an old draft horse. Then lo and behold, a coyote runs across the path and suddenly I am in the air, and he's off to the left. I promptly fall to the ground (no major pain as I remember, but I was immortal at the time). He runs off leaving me to walk about 2 miles back. The whole time I am trying to figure out how I am going to find him in the 100 square miles of desert he could wander through. When I got back to the barn he was standing in his stall. I am not sure if I was madder about the potential of not finding him or about him looking at me like I was slow and lazy and he wanted his dinner.

The other I had just last fall. I came off my new 7 year old TB who normally is asleep on the trails. I should have known it was going to be a bad day when I got on and she felt like a coiled spring. She did a couple sideways maneuvers (the ones TBs are good at) and off I came. I landed on my behind, her back foot on my calf and my head slammed into the ground breaking my helmet (man I will never ride without one again). I never got a headache, but I have a scar to this day from the massive bruise on my calf (I have a bleeding disorder so my bruises are more like...holy crap do you need a transfusion?).

Conclusion....Don't get another TB. Wear bubble wrap!

AnnaZimm70

I got an OTTB last fall. She's 16.2 and I am dreading that first fall which I know is inevitable! I know the "coiled spring" feeling well, and am always relieved when it has passed.

It's been a long time since I have fallen off a horse, but only because my old guy (a little 14.2 Arab) was very docile and I was very used to him! When he was younger I remember a few spectacular airborne moments when he went one way for a jump and I went the other.

My daughter is learning to canter and is fearless. The result is 4 falls so far since we got her horse (14.2 standardbred) this summer. Fortunately, she is young and resilient!

featherbrained

I'm cracking up at "involuntary dismount" lol!

Tank came with his name, so I can't take credit...but thanks!

How long have you had Sully? What kind of horse is he?

I fought with myself about riding in anything other than english since that is how I have ridden my whole life, but I caved since I just wanted to ride my horse. I did consider an australian, but I went with a synthetic western. It's an Abetta and weighs less than my english saddle. It is kinda weird looking and doesn't have a skirt...apparently it's design is a mix between western, english, australian and calvalry, and it fits his hard to fit back perfectly! Best part is that I can move my legs and they are not stuck in place with stiff leather fenders... It kinds give me the english riding feel with more security lol... Hey, whatever works and lets you ride and enjoy your horse...right

Exactly right. That's how I ended up with the aussie, it was the only saddle in a shop full of 2000 dollar saddles that actually fit his high wither and La-Z-Boy back :P The downside of it is that it weighs about 26lbs; I get a workout just hefting it up there!

The first luckily happened when I was in my 20's and mostly immortal.

LOL I miss those days! I never ride without a helmet, even though every time I've fallen I've not ever hit my head. I'm like one of those weighted balloon clowns, you know the ones that look like bowling pins and you can't knock them over :P

I got an OTTB last fall. She's 16.2 and I am dreading that first fall which I know is inevitable! I know the "coiled spring" feeling well, and am always relieved when it has passed.

Even my half-dead draft cross gets that feeling sometimes. If I can't work it out on the longe line, I usually just do something with him that doesn't involve riding. I really have gotten to be such a wimp! lol

Belle, Sully (Sullivan) is an almost 10 year old BelgianXPaint. Your Tank looks like a Belgian cross as well? I love Belgians. I got Sully when he was 22 mos old, and never regretted it for a second.

I rode a TB once, when I was immortal. He scared the *kitten* out of me! I loved it!

belles783

That is awesome you have had Sully since he was so young!! Yes, we believe Tank is a Belgian cross of some sort...he is WIDE and has somewhat feathered feet, especially in the cold weather...he is short though, about 15:2 on a good day... I'm not sure what he is crossed with...

I board at a barn with 4 OTTB's...man are they wild! You could not pay me to get on either of the mares! Maybe in my "immortal" days, but not now...NO WAY! Lol!