am I really that bad a rider :(

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swampdonkey

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feeling really low and sorry for myself tonight,
long story but I came off last april and broke the back of my pelvis, 6 months before I could ride again.
Then slowly started to build up my confidence on new horse who has been a real star, especially hacking.
Last week in the school I came off after a spook, silly spook, he dropped a shoulder and I came out the side door, landed on my feet but pulled a muscle in my leg, been quite painful but not too bad. carried on riding after a few days. confidence not too shaken.
Then tonight hacking out, mine and other horse were quite perky in the fields, did plenty of walking then when they had settled we asked for trot, both fine so we asked for a canter, other horse bombed off and mine followed, they were going a lot faster than we wanted so we were both giving a taking the reins, just asking them to steady up a bit.
Coming to the top of the hill and I started to sit back a little and took a pull and then my horse just stopped dead from fast canter and I went over the top of his head.
Not sure if he saw something that frightened him, or stopped in a strop because I took a pull (but know that I did release, didn't just hold him).
Black and blue on my back and leg and very sore.
Feel like all my confidence has gone with him and feeling like I should give up.
Would most people be able to sit that? Am I just a bad rider?

Should I just sell and stop punishing my body, that isn't getting any younger.
 
Canter to full on breaks with no warning are not the comfiest of things so dont beat your self up over it :). Dont give up with him he sounds like he has brought your confidence on loads from when you got him, spring fever is arround what with the grass growing like mad lots of horses are being uncharachteristicly silly.
 
Don't beat yourself up...(you sound black and blue enough as it is ;))Sounds like you're just starting to get back into the swing of things and it takes guts to get going again when you've been badly injured. Horses dropping a shoulder, suddenly stopping and/or changing direction are the classics for getting us off aren't they? No one has a completely sticky bum so I very much doubt that you're a bad rider based on what you've said.

Sadly we don't bounce so well as we get older but I wouldn't give up. Maybe just try and not get into the same position again in an open space on a fresh horse until you get your confidence back a bit more :)
 
thanks dafthoss, Just don't want to turn into someone that just rides in the school but can't see me trusting him not to do it again.
I was in my dressage saddle so not sure that was wise :( do you think I would have been better balanced in my gp?
 
I doudt there are many people who could sit to a full blown canter then sudden stop.....you have gavity to think about i know i cant from previous experiance. Was jumping nag and she decided to bomb of i pulled them released reins to try to get her to slow and she stopped dead and i went flying over the top and landed on my bum.....hurt for a week or two after.

Xx
 
If it helps, and dafthoss was witness to this embarassing event, I fell off my lad the other week out cross country schooling. Not a dirty stop, not a full on slamming on of brakes, not a massive over-jump or a cat leap, not a horse-hitting fence disaster... No...

I fell off when my pony decided to canter about two strides slightly sideways on a gentle bend :confused:

Some days, you just fail :cool: Or at least, some of us have those days anyway :o Don't take it to heart, I'll take a bet you're not as bad as you think.
 
Don't worry!
Between this week and last week so far:

Jumping about (80cm?) jump. The Pudding went over it beautifully- like triple cleared it :p
- I came off (rather gracefully) out the side door for no reason.

Having a cool off bareback... Bailey had a wee shake. I came off in spectacular style! - Full on bum plonk!

Up in the fields, we were going amazingly fast (considering I have a lazy sod) And then we stopped... and then suddenly we started again and I came out the side door :D:D

Baby Highland- blew a big raspberry.. and half sneezed.. not sure what he did to be honest :rolleyes: I lost both stirrups. "Don't ask!" :rolleyes:

This bearing in mind.. that last week I sat out a broncing baby highland- a side darting and bucking fat highland, spinning, bolting and cat leaping over jumps.

We all have our days... and weeks :rolleyes: :p
And to be honest the canter to stops are a great one for getting the rider off- just so happens mines tends to throw his neck up while he is stopping and therefore I don't come off :p
- But yes I have slid down his neck before too! :p
 
Sounds like you have been pretty unlucky!

What about one of those inflating body protectors? cant remember the name, they are about £400.00 but it would be a shame to give up.

I am more nervous these days, I broke my neck in a fall about 9 years ago, then my mare went lame and has been barely in work since. I never got back to 'fast' riding.

Not sure I ever fancy galloping again but I enjoy dressage and quieter hacks with a few 'controlled' canters!

Maybe get your confidence back in the school before you head out again
 
what a shame, sounds like you have been in the wars! No wonder your confidence is shot. Canter to halt...eek, bet most people would have landed on the deck. Only you know if you really want to give up, somehow i think you don't. Only you know how you feel though. would you maybe think about having a few lessons with a good confidence giving instructor. I lost my nerve a bit and did this and it really helped, even after just a few lessons. maybe strick to walk and trot if you do go out and maybe just canter in the school til you are sure your brakes are in good order. Hope it goes well for you. Confidence is such a fragile thing. xx
 
swampdonkey said:
thanks dafthoss, Just don't want to turn into someone that just rides in the school but can't see me trusting him not to do it again.
I was in my dressage saddle so not sure that was wise :( do you think I would have been better balanced in my gp?
Click to expand...

I think dressage tends to sit the bucks out better but with the GP you'd be alot better with that for the *canter* to *STOP* occurrences :p
You have the knee rolls for the support as well ;)
-I have just bought a WH- and the gallop to stops are rather tricky in it :p:rolleyes:

Don't get yourself down!:D
 
We all have falls that we'd rather forget. I jumped a fence a stride early, leaving my poor horse veering out my way! I took the fence out with my head.

Another time, he moved sideways as we cantered into a fence. Because I asked him to. I didn't expect him to listen, so toppled out the side door. Poor horse was, once again, left riderless having been doing what he was told.

Countless others too... Don't beat yourself up!
 
That all sounds horrid, you're being fantastically brave. Give yourself a big hug. But don't give up on hacking out. I actually prefer going out on my own, I dictate pace, no other horse to set mine off. If yours is happy out on his own, do a bit of that.
Falling off is deeply traumatic for me these days, just have to rationalise to myself that I'm far more likely to die in my car driving to stables than if and when I hit the deck off horse.
 
god, this could just be me, broke pelvis as well (ouch) so with you there, tbh confidence never back 100% since then, not that I was brimming with confidence in the 1st place!
Take now, in the last 2 weeks, have had 3 falls from my mare, and I had only fallen twice before in the year and half that I have her. We were doing so well also and my confidence had soared. Tonight I have cried tears over her and how we just seem to be going backwards at the mo ((hugs))
 
I once came off my pony doing a 60cm pairs relay. Got to fence 3 and just swerved, I completely took out the jump, but you know what the bugger did? Jumped the other jumps with reins and stirrups everywhere!

We all have out bad days so don't beat yourself up! :)
 
thanks everyone for messages.
Can hardly move this morning, very very sore. Really can't phone work and tell them that I am going to be off again from a horse related injury :( (think I would get the sack).

Am quite annoyed that I won't be able to ride for a while though so maybe I don't want to give up!
I think the sooner I get on the better, definately will be sticking to school and maybe walk hacks for a while.
The annoying thing is I only hack out for his benefit, much prefer schooling myself.
Just wish I could ask him why he did it, then I would know for next time.
 
Unfortunately I think riding horses and falling off them goes hand in hand. I know it is confidence knocking but maybe you should just look back and think that it was actually quite funny?! I think most of us have been there when a horse has stopped/swerved unexpectedly and we've done the flying through the air move! I would hazard a guess that your horse saw something - that would normally explain a sudden stop like that. Could have been worse, you could have just been slammed on to the pommel - ouchie!!Lol

I would just treat itas being par of the course - yep, bruising bloody hurts and you're probably still a bit nervy having been through the pain of a broken pelvis. I know I was a bit wussy after I'd broken my collar bone when my horse slipped on the road on me. However, I just try an tell myself the likelihood of it happening again is pretty slim so i just get on with it. I think you have to really. If it does make you feel better then have a few rides in the school but in all honesty, i would just say get out for a ride again - maybe not a gallop but a bit of a walk/trot about.
 
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