Bailing out

[tazzle]

depends on the circumstances

I have baled out through choice once ...... straight choice of trying to remain on horse bucking then bolting towards thick trees or voluntarily landing in some thick grass. My five second risk assessment was that I would probably sustain less injuries baling out in this instance.

When bolted with on a road towards a car .... tough choice but I stayed on as hedges either side of the narrow lane, hard tarmac to land on vs maybe headbutting the car . I managed to stop horse as was fairly sure it would not jump the car........ luckily I was right

I do not think that there is ever, ever a straight right or wrong, there is just assessment of the risks and personal choice. It is only with hindsight that we can ever say whether the decision was right or wrong.... and even then its not always clear.


I have been taught the "how to" about baling out properly ( and I have done it in the past) but as I get older and less supple and not as riding fit as I used to be its an option I hope I never have to utilise.

I am also far more of the mind anyway that I put far more effort into training for every circumstance i think I will ever meet as well as making sure we have two way communication in place before leaving yard and before any increase of paces..... I also try to take note of any changes and try to stop any "upping of alertness" before we get to the stage of "leaving" .

Hopefully then I wont have to make that sort of choice again

But anyway, i will never ever bail! I would rather die in style

I would rather live to enjoy my grandchildren .

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Every person has different reactions - and different fears.

Having had breakers & schoolers for a number of years I have had a few 'wont stop' Fuzzies, BUT only 1 genuine bolter in all that time.
Not pleasant to ride as you never knew when it was going to manifest itself - this was a 14hh SHP that had a fantastic career ahead of it. We never knew what would set him off, and reluctantly came to the conclusion, along with his owner that it was dangerous to carry on. This pony went through things in blind panic/rage - would not stop, culminating in a nasty accident with a parked vehicle & rider went over the top of the vehicle, incredibly landing in a bush safely! The only solution was PTS as pony was embedded in the vehicle
Vet did a PM - brain tumour

Back to the OP - nope, never bailed off anything at speed, even the SHP. The only bail I have ever done was one TB - when it went over backwards & I managed to tip out the side door as it toppled onto its back

 

[Katd66]

Real risk of crush fractures and damage to joints.

I prefer the roll-across-shoulder approach... Or better yet, staying on

Yup! Dislocated ankle too! A proper mess!

The horse was going up and down as well as forward so wanted to throw myself away as opposed to just rolling off under his legs!

 

[Mike007]

I did the Frankie Dettori leap off and landed on my feet - the weight/force broke my leg and ankle.

I do not recommend this dismount when the horse is moving!

Legs are easier to fix than necks.The trick about falling is to direct all the force into an extended rolling motion .The faster you stop (eg landing on your feet )the greater the impact.

 

[Natz88]

My haflinger is a very well known bolter, although he not done it for AGES (touch wood) he has got so much better. He did bolt with me once straight out onto a main road, but luckily nothing was coming & he did stop eventually. I have never bailed out, but someone used to always say to me 'If in doubt, bail out'

 

[JFTDWS]

Legs are easier to fix than necks.The trick about falling is to direct all the force into an extended rolling motion .The faster you stop (eg landing on your feet )the greater the impact.

My concern about swinging over the front is that it would take a pretty impressive mid air twist not to land on your feet - risking compression fractures of the spine too, by the way.

If you swing over in a traditional dismount, you're more likely to be able to land on your shoulder and roll across your back / repeatedly away - your neck should be nowhere near the point of impact, unless you are thrown too far forwards (e.g. by mistiming the dismount during the highest point of a buck)

 

[ClassicG&T]

Never been in a bolting horse situation that i thought "oh s**t, this is it!!" but do you think about dismounting properly or do you just fling yourself off? just curious...?

 

[skydancer]

My horse bolted and to be fair if it is a true bolt you are better to try and stay on imo as i would not like to have hit the floor on purpose at that speed

 

[tazzle]

My concern about swinging over the front is that it would take a pretty impressive mid air twist not to land on your feet - risking compression fractures of the spine too, by the way.

If you swing over in a traditional dismount, you're more likely to be able to land on your shoulder and roll across your back / repeatedly away - your neck should be nowhere near the point of impact, unless you are thrown too far forwards (e.g. by mistiming the dismount during the highest point of a buck)

I agree with this ..... way I was taught too .......and to push away using the horses shoulder so not to roll under the horse

 

[emmab13]

Have only ever had one REAL bolter, once went three miles at flat out gallop down the white line in the middle of the (luckily straight) road. We called him Enzo! Never bailed, but equally never cured him. Was pts after getting kicked in the field.

Don't bail when being bolted with, too scared of hitting the ground, but we do have a very wilful rodeo-style bucker, who from previous experience will continue bucking for as long as it takes until you're off.

A broken and dislocated finger and whiplash BEFORE eventually falling off has taught me to bail on about the second buck, land on my shoulder/arse and keep hold. Then get back on, he normally expresses his opinion just the once!

 

[tonitot]

I bailed once but I did try to stay on first

I was riding a filly at work up the gallops and when we jumped off at the bottom I basically lost my balance and ended up completely on one side of her. I had my arms wrapped round her neck, my right foot in the stirrup, my left leg was hanging down on the right side so I had nothing on the left side of her at all. I got about half a furlong up the gallops and decided to try and pull myself back up, whilst holding the fairly keen filly and steer whilst cantering up the gallops (just kept her behind the horse on front so she didn't bugger off with me lol) I got my left arm up over her neck so my chest was on her withers and put as much weight into my right stirrup as I could to get my left leg over. Got as far as getting my knee onto the saddle and the filly decided to jump up onto the bank and back down again which put me right back where I'd started! After that I decided to let go and jump as far away from her as possible as I was the last in the string so wouldn't have gotten trampled by anyone else except the horse I was on. I winded myself and hurt my head a bit but thinking back to it, it's quite funny. I think it was the right thing to do though, my saddle was so far gone that if I had gotten back on I wouldve been pretty much bareback on a racehorse and so she either would have protested to that or I wouldn't have pulled up

 

[The Amber Gambler]

As crazy as it might sound, I don't have the bottle to bail out! Been on a couple of horses/pony's that have bolted & have never bailed out, came off bad once, it is terrifying but for some reason I hang on, I try to risk assess the situation at the time (don't know why?!) but decide that I will leave it to destiny whether I come off or not lol, by bailing out I have chosen which for some reason I don't feel comfortable with! My friend on the other hand bails out even when the horse hasn't bolted, if she thinks she is going to come off (whilst cantering or SJ etc), she decides before destiny has a chance, now that to me is crazy lol

 

[JFTDWS]

I agree with this ..... way I was taught too .......and to push away using the horses shoulder so not to roll under the horse

People aren't done agreeing with me today God knows why, normally I just get eye-rolling

I worked it out the hard way - practical experience and common sense - I'm relieved people "teach" that way too!

 

[Mike007]

My concern about swinging over the front is that it would take a pretty impressive mid air twist not to land on your feet - risking compression fractures of the spine too, by the way.

If you swing over in a traditional dismount, you're more likely to be able to land on your shoulder and roll across your back / repeatedly away - your neck should be nowhere near the point of impact, unless you are thrown too far forwards (e.g. by mistiming the dismount during the highest point of a buck)

If you try to swing over in a traditional dismount at real speed your head will probably be the first point of impact (and your last)You are also extremely likely to go under your horse.By swinging your leg over the pommel ,(and that is all!) you fall rotating ,and do not land on your feet for more than a moment but fall straight into a roll.Then your reflexes take over as in any other fall.Also because it is a very simple quick manoever, you dont tense . I defy anyone not to tense up doing your "dismount"Relaxing alows the reflexes full control and reduces the damage.

 

[JFTDWS]

If you try to swing over in a traditional dismount at real speed your head will probably be the first point of impact (and your last)You are also extremely likely to go under your horse.By swinging your leg over the pommel ,(and that is all!) you fall rotating ,and do not land on your feet for more than a moment but fall straight into a roll.Then your reflexes take over as in any other fall.Also because it is a very simple quick manoever, you dont tense . I defy anyone not to tense up doing your "dismount"Relaxing alows the reflexes full control and reduces the damage.

No, your shoulder is the point of impact because you swing your leg over and push your self away from the saddle/ shoulder - you don't roll forwards over the horse's neck. I know from experience you land on your shoulder - and you can see this is how stunt riders land in films etc (this is what I mimicked when teaching myself to dismount at speed). Landing on your shoulder puts you into a roll, naturally.

I don't know if there is a degree of personal preference involved - I know that I can dismount at speed in a reasonably relaxed manner but that doesn't mean everyone would find that easy. I don't see how you could land from your method other than on your feet or possibly onto your hip - neither of which are particularly forgiving.

 

[Always Henesy]

Bailed out once aged 17 in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain when the mare I was riding decided to bolt. Stony track - sheer cliff face one side & sheer drop the other. Coming up to a bend in the track - she went one way - I went the other. Stubborn moo that I am wouldn't let go, so ended up with my arms around the horses neck facing backwards and her legs pummeling into my body. I had to let go in the end...unfortunately she galloped straight over my face....fortunately she was only shod on the front. Cut my head open front and back, fat lips, swollen eyes and every bit of skin gone from my face and my right arm. I honestly thought I was going to die...
In the days of no mobile phones I couldn't phone to tell my mother. Came home with stitches, wound dressings up my arm and a face/head twice it's usual size.
I may also point out that I had NO hat on as in Spain back then, they were unheard of. I was very lucky to come home...
I have also had a horse bolt with me on Ashdown Forest - straight across a road in front of oncoming traffic. We skidded to a halt the other side but I did stay on that time.
My mother would still rather I rode horses of the wooden rocking variety and I am now 37...

 

[floradora09]

I do not think that there is ever, ever a straight right or wrong, there is just assessment of the risks and personal choice. It is only with hindsight that we can ever say whether the decision was right or wrong.... and even then its not always clear.

I'd agree with this. I have bailed once, when I was a very inexperienced rider (about 9 at the time) and was only used to riding the plods at my local riding school. My friend offered to let me ride out with her on one of her two hunting ponies, and their hacking route involved starting off down a main road. Ponies were very fresh, we couldn't hold them, they wound each other up, a keen jog turned into an out of control canter (leaving her poor mother behind on foot shouting!) her pony fell on the road (both her and pony were fine, escaped with a few bruises and a bent stirrup iron)... the pony I was on overtook and I had no way of stopping so pulled onto the verge and jumped off. Someone caught them further down the road and everybody was fine.

In hindsight I would never have jumped off, nor hopefully let it get to that situation where I would even consider it. At the time I had no way of knowing how to stop, and the fight or flight instinct kicked in!

 

[Fools Motto]

I've been lucky, and never have experienced a true bolter. Faster than you like canter/gallop yes, but not a blind panic bolt.
My instinct would be to hang on and try all the buttons and break peddles I could! Really would depend on where it was happening. Around a XC course is one thing, but down a main road is a / has to be a different kettle of fish?!
I am also useless at falling off. I leave a huge dent in the ground and have a habit of getting caught under their feet.

 

[Mike007]

No, your shoulder is the point of impact because you swing your leg over and push your self away from the saddle/ shoulder - you don't roll forwards over the horse's neck. I know from experience you land on your shoulder - and you can see this is how stunt riders land in films etc (this is what I mimicked when teaching myself to dismount at speed). Landing on your shoulder puts you into a roll, naturally.

I don't know if there is a degree of personal preference involved - I know that I can dismount at speed in a reasonably relaxed manner but that doesn't mean everyone would find that easy. I don't see how you could land from your method other than on your feet or possibly onto your hip - neither of which are particularly forgiving.

I guess if you have plenty of time it would be possible to dismount,but I have used my method,(taught to me by a very experienced jump jockey)in some very tight circumstances including a rotational.It is blindingly fast, you dont have to think , it does not involve a series of movements giving you time to worry. One moment you are on the horse ,the next you are brushing the dust off.You certainly dont land on your feet, at 35 mph there is no way that the forward momentum would alow you to even if you tried.

 

[JFTDWS]

I guess if you have plenty of time it would be possible to dismount,but I have used my method,(taught to me by a very experienced jump jockey)in some very tight circumstances including a rotational.It is blindingly fast, you dont have to think , it does not involve a series of movements giving you time to worry. One moment you are on the horse ,the next you are brushing the dust off.You certainly dont land on your feet, at 35 mph there is no way that the forward momentum would alow you to even if you tried.

Ah now with jockey length stirrups I can see how this would work. I'm not convinced it would be so fluid a movement, or easy to achieve with longer stirrups and a normal ride position. I just can't conceive how it would be achievable in normal circs - which the traditional dismount is - regardless of time - you literally swing your leg over as you push away - a very simple movement.

I believe that it would be easy to land with your feet as the first point of impact - obviously, the momentum would carry you forward and away too, but that initial impact could do a heck of a lot of damage.

 

[Mike007]

Ah now with jockey length stirrups I can see how this would work. I'm not convinced it would be so fluid a movement, or easy to achieve with longer stirrups and a normal ride position. I just can't conceive how it would be achievable in normal circs - which the traditional dismount is - regardless of time - you literally swing your leg over as you push away - a very simple movement.

I believe that it would be easy to land with your feet as the first point of impact - obviously, the momentum would carry you forward and away too, but that initial impact could do a heck of a lot of damage.

Did it with my extremely grumpy hunter once. Climbing on from the horsebox ramp,got a spur caught on the spring. Wound up sitting on "the fastest hoof in the west,s" bum.Couldnt get forward ,no time to allow him to think. I was off and up before he had even realised. So yes it can be done from any saddle.

 

[JFTDWS]

alright, I'm not saying it's not possible, just that I can't quite invisage myself achieving it without killling myself - if it works for you, grand

 

[wtdnh131]

always managed to stay on but i know the time when i fall off will come, purely due to my average riding skills

 

[Mike007]

alright, I'm not saying it's not possible, just that I can't quite invisage myself achieving it without killling myself - if it works for you, grand

And there I think you have hit the nail on the head.I have total faith in my method and you in yours ,so if and when we wind up in the **** ,neither of us will hesitate and maybe make a wrong decision. We know that bailing out is an option and one that we can use and we believe we can do it.That is probably more relevant than our nitpicking about the best way.

 

[JFTDWS]

And there I think you have hit the nail on the head.I have total faith in my method and you in yours ,so if and when we wind up in the **** ,neither of us will hesitate and maybe make a wrong decision. We know that bailing out is an option and one that we can use and we believe we can do it.That is probably more relevant than our nitpicking about the best way.

Now that is very likely true (I hope!). I'm not entirely nitpicking, though - I'm also curious of exactly how it works mechanically. Don't suppose you've ever got it on film, have you?

 

[Mike007]

Sorry no pictures. but really it is the reverse of your method . I wind up facing away from the horse with my legs swinging back ,with the movement, and just go into a roll. Of course its a few years since I did this at speed,but even at my age I still would find it easier to use my method. TBH just dismounting now is a slow and painfull process.

 

[Stacey6897]

I've never regretted a tactical dismount, but I've regretted staying on, twice, first time I was jumping and somehow managed to dislocate my shoulder backwards, head of humerus got stuck behind scapula, I finished the course, obviously, then spent 6 weeks in body cast, second time I stayed on I broke a finger which now has screws holding it together

Worst thing I've ever got from bailing out is sand in my pants

 

[overtherainbow]

i was always brought up being told that its easier to regain control on the horse so would stick on. Having said that, i also do mounted games so vaulting off at a very fast canter is pretty standard so if i did end up in a situation it was better to be off i wouldnt be worried about it.

 

[JFTDWS]

Sorry no pictures. but really it is the reverse of your method . I wind up facing away from the horse with my legs swinging back ,with the movement, and just go into a roll. Of course its a few years since I did this at speed,but even at my age I still would find it easier to use my method. TBH just dismounting now is a slow and painfull process.

When you land, is your head facing backwards and your legs towards the direction the horse is travelling? Or the other way about? (Does that even make sense? I can't explain it properly!)

Yea I know, I dismounted the other day, collapsed my ankle as I hit the ground (thicko) and got my spurs in my ankle bone - owww honesty, I'm hopeless


overtherainbow - I once dismounted at a reasonable canter, messed it up and landed facing backwards, still holding pony's reins and trying to run backwards. EPIC fail.

 

[Mike007]

When you land, is your head facing backwards and your legs towards the direction the horse is travelling? Or the other way about? (Does that even make sense? I can't explain it properly!)

Yea I know, I dismounted the other day, collapsed my ankle as I hit the ground (thicko) and got my spurs in my ankle bone - owww honesty, I'm hopeless


overtherainbow - I once dismounted at a reasonable canter, messed it up and landed facing backwards, still holding pony's reins and trying to run backwards. EPIC fail.

Er,You start rolling and eventualy you stop.I would be worried if my head was facing back and my feet forwardIncidentaly a lot of stunt riders use this method. Think about westrerns ,Indian gets shot , lies back and falls off side of horse.