Anyone ever had a near fatal incident on a horse?

Such awful stories by all of you but with lucky escapes!!! I'll always make sure that I wear clean knickers, matching socks and make sure my legs and arm pits are shaved!!!!
 
SaharaS......OH MY GOD!!!!!!! I am amazed by all these stories you are all so brave. I've had one nasty fall do far when I was a teen...horse tripped on landing after a fence, fell on me, lots of injuries but nothing too major although my back still suffers now from the facet joints that were damaged...but some of your stories are incredible I think I would have lost my nerve had I been through all that!
 
BabyA said:
Such awful stories by all of you but with lucky escapes!!! I'll always make sure that I wear clean knickers, matching socks and make sure my legs and arm pits are shaved!!!!
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this made me laugh...also best advice is always ALWAYS fall off if you can as its less painful than being used as a rearers mattress!

HKD...ouch! there has been alot of controversy about the polo helmets/face guards & safety goggles...but looks like you had a very lucky escape...totally understand your only riding your own horses now, I'm much the same its so hard to be able to trully trust someones opinion of their horses 'safe-ness' if they are not going to be the one riding it! I'm also now very worried not by anything they do or falling off...except rearing / being landed on can happen so fast..have watched & played several polo matches that have gone a similar way, some of the horses had heart attacks mid game/gallop and some just slid as yours did with fatal rider results. Well done pony for being careful:)
 
Yes dreadful scary stories and I suspect those with 'worse' stories to tell are no longer riding and members of horse forums or worse still sadly not around to tell the tale :(
 
Ha ha @ clean undies and pits shaved! I had an accident when I was a teenager. Managed to belly flop onto a rock, falling from a lil pony. 2 weeks in intensive care and my spleen and part of my liver removed later...
Much to my mothers disgust I was riding again within the month!!
I did have a tb a few years back who would chuck me off at every oppertunity... Did knock my confidence enough to not ride for a year.
We must be nuts!! I love riding again tho, bought myself my dream horse who has been an enormous confidence giver.
 
In September 2007 I lost my mare and nearly my life as well. Went out hacking in hills (normal here). No mobile as no signal for miles. Was quite far from home, 3 miles maybe and she was walking along as normal, fairly bouncy but an Arab, so to be expected. We were heading along a ridge to come down towards the direction of home and she just went down. I was trapped underneath her as it all happened so quickly. To this day, it haunts me, and I still have no real idea of how long it took me to get out. She thrashed onnce or twice and my leg was caught underneath, still in the stirrup. I suppose I must have been there for 20 minutes or so, but was so scared, I just don't know. I knew eventually whilst I was under her that she was gone, but I think I went into shock. I broke 2 ribs, and my leg was black, although not broken. It took me hours to get home, more cased by the upset by the fact that I had no choice but to leave her.
She had suffered a massive heart attack, 8 years old, super fit and never a day ill prior. I will never, ever get over that. The vet was even in tears when they came later to do post mortem, but it was just her time. I was lucky that my injuries were such I could get home, as it would have taken hours for someone to find me. They did know the route I had taken, but often did go off for the day so probably would not have looked till evening. It will be 5 years this year and I still have moments where I completely panic. I rarely ride alone now, and my confidence has gone. I still have horses, but will never ride like I used to. If they so much as look at me funny I panic that something is going to happen to them. Its so hard to justify when there was no real reason- she just went.

Sorry, that was abit long! I don't really ever talk about it but people have suggested it might help. Thanks for reading.

I agree with Yasandcrystal. many dreadful stories and many others who will never be able to tell.
 
Omg... Fourpaws, I don't think I could ride again if it had hapened to me. It's a nightmare situation, and the panic attacks surely linked to post traumatic stress??
 
I think so, yes. I have struggled to be honest. I had two horses since of my own, neither who I could do justice. I now have a small fell pony who I got with the idea of showing in-hand. I am slowly managing to ride, though am still very nervous. Rescue remedy a plenty on those days! Have tried counselling, natural remedies etc but nothing really seems to settle me. I certainly live on my nerves when dealing with the horses, but love them so much, I just can't bear to stop completely. That seems worse than the way I feel just now, if that makes sense!!
 
Christ this has been one hell of an interesting read, My injuries i have got are pathetic to some! I feel stupid for being so nervous when im riding!

But by this is it me or is it the only time a driver is courtious (i.e if its me i actually put my car in a bush and let the horses have as much room as the trees will allow me to...only last night did this lmao!) are horse owners! or lovers.

Other road users simply dont have a clue! not to mention the crap i got from some one at work when he said riders should never ride two a breast at any circumstances! PAH! i bit back at that one, i said well if people would be safer in there cars and give younsters more room, and any horse in that instance, we would have no reason to have to! :mad:

looking forward to more stories!
 
I got double barrelled by my lovely neddy whilst lunging. I was sending him out on the circle when he span, leapt in the air and kicked out. One hoof caught me on my nose right between my eyes and the other caught me on the point of my elbow.

I was by myself and had to phone for help but it took me a while to stop seeing stars and dial a phone number on my mobile which was covered in so much blood I kept on having to wipe it off to see the screen. Once I'd called someone I blacked out.

I was lucky I just had a broken nose with a slice across my nose and a chip off my elbow. I was very lucky I wasn't any closer to him at the time as I'd hate to think how much worse it could have been.

I am now nervous sending a horse out on the lunge.
 
fourpawswhite said:
In September 2007 I lost my mare and nearly my life as well. Went out hacking in hills (normal here). No mobile as no signal for miles. Was quite far from home, 3 miles maybe and she was walking along as normal, fairly bouncy but an Arab, so to be expected. We were heading along a ridge to come down towards the direction of home and she just went down. I was trapped underneath her as it all happened so quickly. To this day, it haunts me, and I still have no real idea of how long it took me to get out. She thrashed onnce or twice and my leg was caught underneath, still in the stirrup. I suppose I must have been there for 20 minutes or so, but was so scared, I just don't know. I knew eventually whilst I was under her that she was gone, but I think I went into shock. I broke 2 ribs, and my leg was black, although not broken. It took me hours to get home, more cased by the upset by the fact that I had no choice but to leave her.
She had suffered a massive heart attack, 8 years old, super fit and never a day ill prior. I will never, ever get over that. The vet was even in tears when they came later to do post mortem, but it was just her time. I was lucky that my injuries were such I could get home, as it would have taken hours for someone to find me. They did know the route I had taken, but often did go off for the day so probably would not have looked till evening. It will be 5 years this year and I still have moments where I completely panic. I rarely ride alone now, and my confidence has gone. I still have horses, but will never ride like I used to. If they so much as look at me funny I panic that something is going to happen to them. Its so hard to justify when there was no real reason- she just went.

Sorry, that was abit long! I don't really ever talk about it but people have suggested it might help. Thanks for reading.

I agree with Yasandcrystal. many dreadful stories and many others who will never be able to tell.
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Gosh fourpawswhite that is a shocking tale I am not surprised you lost confidence. It reminds me of when my daughter's horse started napping in a lesson. Instructor could see she was scared - horse was a 16.3hh TB ex racer and daughter a slip of a 13 yr old. Instructor thankfully told her to dismount. Within a minute of her dismounting the poor horse collapsed and saddle had spun around under his belly. To cut a long story short it took 10 mins for him to finally get up - I was praying like hell and his back leg was swinging he had broken it clean through above the hock. Horrific time and to think my daughter could have been on him or worse out on a hack. She was fine physically but mentally traumatised as was I. :(
 
Some scary stories there! I've not had any near fatal, but I've had a few. Last one was last month, big idiot tb kicked me in the face, resulting in a broken nose. Could have been worse, it was only a glancing blow. Same big idiot whilst out on a ride in an unfamiliar area (marked as a bridleway on the map!) slipped on a big patch of sheet rock covered in a very thin layer of soil. It was on a slope and we didn't stand a chance. He slipped and fell, half got up and slipped again, scrambled around, half got up and slipped again, tried again, slipped and went down again, this time with his front legs underneath him. He just lay there, groaned and closed his eyes. I thought he was dying. After a minute he got up and stayed up long enough to get off the rock. He didn't panic once, if he had I think he'd have killed both of us. I stayed on all through it-was terrified of coming off and him slipping over on me. He had bruised ribs and lots of pulled muscles and is terrified of anything even slightly slippy. On another occasion same horse had a panic about who-knows-what? and jumped on top of a car (never underestimate insurance). I stayed on then too!

Had an idiot arab go to run out of a basic upright, change his mind and try to jump the wing. I got pitched off and then had landed on me. Broken back, bruised spleen and lots of strained ligaments. Put me off for a long time! Bought a recently backed 5 yo tb with 'issues' to get my confidence back on (still have him nearly 14 years on!), he ran me over one night. Not his fault, he got caught up in some electric tape and jumped into me. Concussion and superglued head!

Weirdest one though was me and the above horse coming in one night during a thunderstorm. Almost back at the barn, when lightening touched down in the field next to us, all the lights went out and the horses in the barn were running round in circles. I looked at him and he looked at me with a 'what the **** happened there?' expression. Scared? Muchly!
 
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What awful stories, it is a wonder why any of use ever have horses at all! Fourpaws, you are very brave, what a tragic loss :(

I have had many very close encounters but generally (minus 2 occasions, I have walked/hobbled away fine)

I have a few stories though! My sister was riding my horse for me (she was 13) and went out for a hack with her friend (nothing unusual there). Her friend was riding a big ex racer who was a little clumsy on his feet but generally an easy ride. She came off mid gallop after tripping, horse ran over her face and head, left her unconscious with her cheek hanging off and blood pouring out. My poor sister had no idea what to do, got off my horse, ripped her tshirt and wrapped it around the girls face to stem the bleeding and hold it in place. She sat with her until she came to, then sat her on my horse, then got on and sat behind her and walked her back to the yard (2 miles away, no signal on her phone!). The girl had no recollection of the event and was more than happy to sit on horsey. She was taken to hospital and kept in for 4 days whilst they carried out various tests. My poor sister was a absolute superstar and I am very proud of her! She still has nightmares about it and hasn't ridden since! Her friend has made a good recovery, with a whole cheek sewn back on with just a small scar!!

Another time we were at a mounted games comp and someone in my team got run over by her pony after she missed her vault, she fitted non stop for 24hrs and they had to put her into an induced coma in the end, that was very scary!
 
fourpawswhite what a tragic story, I can't imagine the grief and shock you went through.
I think thats the most scary part of some of the things told here that they where so without warning.

EDickens your sister is seriously amazing, how brave and quick thinking.
It's a shame that its put her off riding though. :(
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
That's it! I quit riding all together...


*picks up cross stitch weekly magazine....*
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I hear you... *note to self: Do NOT read threads likely to undermine already pathetic confidence* :o

fourpawswhite said:
In September 2007 I lost my mare and nearly my life as well. Went out hacking in hills (normal here). No mobile as no signal for miles. Was quite far from home, 3 miles maybe and she was walking along as normal, fairly bouncy but an Arab, so to be expected. We were heading along a ridge to come down towards the direction of home and she just went down. I was trapped underneath her as it all happened so quickly. <snip>
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That must be so awful Fourpaws...

Virtually exactly the same thing happened to a youngster at a local pony club in the summer... Went for a little hack with a friend and her pony literally dropped dead from a heart attack underneath her, trapping her... 12yrs old and way too little to pull herself out... The poor friend had to ride home and get help... Not an old pony so very unexpected...

I saw her shopping for some riding bits a few weeks later... Still dreadfully upset but going to the club camp on a borrowed pony so she could be with her friends... Kids are often able to move on from traumatic events a bit easier than us adults - so hopefully she'll still have a bright, horse inclusive, future...
 
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