Anyone else just feel like they have bad luck?

[toppedoff]

Been back riding for 6 weeks now. Had a few well sat moment but all a sudden I decided to rack the falls up!

2 falls on Friday,
1 Fall on Monday,
Tuesday I got ran off with
Andd today I fell off.

I'm getting a bit fed up. Doesn't happen to anyone else, everyone else gets the stronger horses and quirky ones can sit em. Moment I get one that's a bit sharp I come off. It is so so frustrating I absolutely hate being the weakest rider in the group

Especially when you just know everyone is being judgemental and loves making comments behind your back. How fun

I absolutely love and hate horses at the minute I don't see how these sharp moves will teach me to sit when I fall every single damn time.

 

[VRIN]

Are you at a riding school? If so are they not perhaps putting you on inappropriate horses? Maybe have a word with the instructor and explain how you are feeling.

 

[LEC]

Get stronger - I lost a lot of strength 2 years ago through chemo and fell off all the time. I got so fed up I started cross fit while on chemo.
Wobble board, weights and body fitness.

Start with Joe Wicks HITT stuff on YouTube as all free and uses bodyweight. It will do the same job. Work on your flexibility with YouTubes as well.

Wobble board will help your pro perception - can you stand on it with your eyes closed? Can you squat on it? Etc etc

Well done on keeping going. Unfortunately you have a lot of falls to do to catch up with those who have fallen off as kids.

Chin up, you haven’t started with riding cobs. You are on Ferraris.

 

[JFTDWS]

. Moment I get one that's a bit sharp I come off. It is so so frustrating I absolutely hate being the weakest rider in the group

Two sides to this - strength and fitness are massively important. And they come more easily to some people than others - you might have to work harder to get there than others seem to. It isn’t necessarily fair, but it’s true in my experience.

The other side is, how much of that is a self-fulfilling prophecy? If you believe you’re the weakest rider in the group, and that you can’t handle the difficult horses, it becomes inevitable. Sometimes being cocksure - even if unfounded in reality - is the route to success.

That last bit is terrible advice - I don’t want to encourage you to take risks and get hurt. But if you’re getting on the horse anyway, you may as well tell yourself you can manage it, you’re the best rider on the horse and you’re going to stay on and do the job well.

 

[Clodagh]

Are you at a riding school? If so are they not perhaps putting you on inappropriate horses? Maybe have a word with the instructor and explain how you are feeling.

Racing school.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Bad luck is just your spin on it and is the wrong mindset.

Steve Jobs didn't make an iPod at the first attempt. The story is he made over 100 failed versions so he got it wrong 99 times. If he'd said to himself I've failed 99 times so I may as well give up this would be a different world.

When asked he didn't describe them as 99 failures but 99 steps forward in learning which eventually got him to where he knew he could get.

You're on an accelerated learning programme so you have to get through your developments quicker. That means you have to get through the 'failures' quicker too.

Having said that, there are things you can do; get stronger by building your core and Pilates is a good way forward. Make sure you are working on your planking practice.

When you hit your head, replace your helmet and go through the required concussion checks and any required rest period. A second bang to the head after an initial one cam be more serious.

 

[AmyMay]

Get stronger - I lost a lot of strength 2 years ago through chemo and fell off all the time. I got so fed up I started cross fit while on chemo.
Wobble board, weights and body fitness.

Start with Joe Wicks HITT stuff on YouTube as all free and uses bodyweight. It will do the same job. Work on your flexibility with YouTubes as well.

Wobble board will help your pro perception - can you stand on it with your eyes closed? Can you squat on it? Etc etc

Well done on keeping going. Unfortunately you have a lot of falls to do to catch up with those who have fallen off as kids.

Chin up, you haven’t started with riding cobs. You are on Ferraris.

This all day long.

Most of us couldn’t ride one side of the horses you’re being put on - and we’ve been riding forever

 

[dixie]

As it’s at racing school, can you get some feedback as to why it’s happening so much at the moment.
Is it the same horse?
Some horses are much harder to sit on than others so it could just be something simple like that. There’s not much usually in front of you on a TB, so they wouldn’t be the easiest to sit if they span.

 

[teapot]

Been back riding for 6 weeks now. Had a few well sat moment but all a sudden I decided to rack the falls up!

2 falls on Friday,
1 Fall on Monday,
Tuesday I got ran off with
Andd today I fell off.

I'm getting a bit fed up. Doesn't happen to anyone else, everyone else gets the stronger horses and quirky ones can sit em. Moment I get one that's a bit sharp I come off. It is so so frustrating I absolutely hate being the weakest rider in the group

Especially when you just know everyone is being judgemental and loves making comments behind your back. How fun

I absolutely love and hate horses at the minute I don't see how these sharp moves will teach me to sit when I fall every single damn time.

How are you feeling health wise? Concussion can do all sorts of weird things, like loss of balance...

I bloody hope a) you've got a decent hat and b) they're actually looking after you duty of care wise because you've just wobbled your already slightly hurt brain a bit too much in one week.

 

[catembi]

I used to pretend that I was Mark Todd to help with the wobblies.

I am not sure if this would help you as I think you're in racing & probably ride really short, but if you could find something safe, you could try doing 10-20 minutes without stirrups a few times a week?

 

[SEL]

I rode on/off for a dealer in my late teens (would probably be on the dodgy dealer pages these days!).

Fell off a lot.

But I wanted to ride so I kept getting back on again.

Just keep cracking on.

 

[Birker2020]

How are you feeling health wise? Concussion can do all sorts of weird things, like loss of balance...

I bloody hope a) you've got a decent hat and b) they're actually looking after you duty of care wise because you've just wobbled your already slightly hurt brain a bit too much in one week.

Agree Teapot 100%. The parallels between repeated tbi's and dementia in later life are really concerning, the research is overwhelming.

I'm getting one of those MIPS hats for the next horse, such is my concern with the amount of concussions I've wracked up over the years. I've already predisposed myself to a 26% increased risk of developing dementia.

If you've banged your head each time you need to stop riding for a few weeks Topped Off.

It's not a case of sticking with it, or falling off will make you a better rider. Sorry to say but it's a very clear danger IMHO.

 

[Birker2020]

When you hit your head, replace your helmet and go through the required concussion checks and any required rest period. A second bang to the head after an initial one cam be more serious.

When I had my serious concussion many years ago the consultant said it can be very concerning to have another concussion so near to another and even more concerning to have 3 in the space of a year. He advised Mum not to let me ride until the Spring some 6 months after my accident.

 

[toppedoff]

All it was a headbutt from the horse as his head shot up. They know since I was being brutally honest and sat out first lot but rode second lot absolutely fine and been feeling fine all day with no troubles or anything

 

[McGrools]

This comes back to your feet forward thread. If you can get your lower leg and feet well in front of your body you will be in a better balance to sit any unwanted moves. Best of luck xx

 

[starbucker]

That many falls in a week you are pushing yourself too hard. Listen to and look after your body OP. EDIT - if you've had a break you will be missing strength give yourself time to catch back up

 

[Glitter's fun]

Firstly there's no sense in comparing yourself with other riders who all began riding at different times.

Everyone falls but if you are having more falls than your own usual, then there will probably be a reason.

For example, are you more tired or struggling to concentrate, or are they trusting you with sharper horses now?

 

[Alibear]

Others have written really good advice above, and I second LEC's recommendations; jogging and cycling can also help with your riding fitness; it doesn't have to be specific exercises for riding.
In addition, just in the hope it will provide you with some comfort when I learned to ride, I fell off every ride for a long long time. Then, in my early 20s, I purchased a somewhat challenging mare; she turned out to be a wonderful horse, but I fell off her just about every ride for over a year, and the most was 6 times in an hour. It took another year for falls to become rare rather than the norm.
My current average is once a year; I have friends who think that's terrible and others who think it's about right. But I'm riding a nicely trained Western horse, not a young racing TB.

 

[TwyfordM]

My friend rode for years before working in racing, she has ridden all sorts of nutty ponies etc and has great balance.

She can fall of several times in a week still when she's on a bad run of luck, they are sharp as hell and often have no sense of self preservation!

Shes worked in racing for I think over 10 years now too!

 

[Ceifer]

My friend rode for years before working in racing, she has ridden all sorts of nutty ponies etc and has great balance.

She can fall of several times in a week still when she's on a bad run of luck, they are sharp as hell and often have no sense of self preservation!

Shes worked in racing for I think over 10 years now too!

This.
You’re literally at the sharp end of it.
I also have a friend who is a brilliant rider. Incredibly brave and skilled. She still comes off - racehorses, young eventer, breakers.
She just keeps at it.