Bailing out

[siennamum]

I've never ridden a bolter. Am always amazed how many people claim to have ridden bolters, I've had some monsters which were horrificaly strong. I've never been told to bail, and have distinct memories of going round and round fields, with all my weight into the inside rein to try and get control.
My 1st pony could only be stopped by dismounting, which was interesting when she was galloping down a road, & many is the time I hit the ground running, lost my footing & ended up being dragged down the road. (she was also impossible to catch) Quite why my mother bought her for me aged 7 is a mystery really.

 

[Inchy]

I've bailed on a rearer that was going over - got to vertical and thought 'oh s*#t we're still going...' And slind off while horse landed upside down in a hedge...

My only attempt of bailing off a bolter worked brilliantly leg over front, drop and roll! Then was lying on the floor a split second to long (winded and a bit sore) when said horse had looped round and galloped over me...and I had 5 broken ribs and lots of horse shoe shaped bruising!

 

[monkeybum13]

I did bail a few times on one particular pony who would spook, spin and run and there was nothing you can do.
Whether it was a confidence thing or not I'm not quite sure, I certainly bailed less in the last few years, including one time where I tried to cling on, got chucked off anyway and thought I'd broken my leg but it was only a dislocated hip, phew!

Things like bucking, hissy fits I don't bale out of, I stay on and to teach them a lesson, oops! I've got quite good at clinging over the years!

I rode a rearer for a while (didn't ride her for long after she started rearing often as she wasn't mine) and did jump off twice when she went vertical as it was safer, still ended up with a bloody nose. The other times I would cling on, she had developed the habit and new how far she could go without going over.

 

[Circe]

Ive never bailed out.... thought about it once when my horse was falling over.
It was one of those slow motion situations where I had time to think about if he was going to find his feet again, then realise that he was infact falling, was probably going to land on my leg and I should try jumping out of the way. Anyway, just as I was getting my feet clear of the stirrups, about to do my first bail out, the clod hopper managed to struggle back up.
Ive never been on a bolter ( had some faster than intended rides home ), bucking and rearing I try staying on. When the horse stops still for a second, I dismount really quickly.
I'm not a brilliant rider, I just hate falling off, so normally manage to cling on until the horse stops.
Kx

 

[Mince Pie]

I think with me it depends on where I am when the horse bolts, and what is in the area. If it is all fields, tracks etcetera then I will hang on, but if there is a road even vaguely nearby then I will bail every single time. Luckily I have only had to bail twice and walked away with minor bruises each time although was winded badly both times.

 

[Mince Pie]

I think with me it depends on where I am when the horse bolts, and what is in the area. If it is all fields, tracks etcetera then I will hang on, but if there is a road even vaguely nearby then I will bail every single time. Luckily I have only had to bail twice and walked away with minor bruises each time although was winded badly both times.

And yes, both times were proper bolts.

 

[millitiger]

I have been bolted with once and stayed on- across 2 main roads and then up another main road once. I lost both stirrups but decided as we were heading home I may as well stay put.

I have bailed once- 4yro having a real broncing fit on a hack and was just getting higher and more twisty with every bronc. She was genuinely scared by the whole episode and the easiest way to break the cycle was to get off, so I let go, landed and rolled next to her.
Got back on and she was fine, just needed the broncing cycle to break and I couldn't do it from on her.

I have ridden lots of naughty/young/green horses and only bailed once but I do think more people would use this option if they knew how to fall 'properly'- most people cling on for grim death because they have no idea how to bail safely.

 

[nikCscott]

The way to bail out is to lean back and kick one leg over the pommel (having first lost your stirrups,and then relax and let it all happen.This reduces the chances of a neck breaking nosedive.

I'm glad someone explained- as i was thinking it would be hard to 'get off' at full speed but that makes sense - hopefully won't ever need it though.

Only bailed once off a rearing mare and her back started to flex like she was losing balance

 

[Wagtail]

I've only ever bailed out once, but really glad I did. I was riding a friends ex racer when she took off and had a bucking fit I dismounted in the traditional way but at speed landed on my feet breaking both ankles, dislocating an ankle and breaking my leg which are now held together with lots of bits metal! So glad I bailed as I was told by doctors if I had been thrown and landed on my head/neck/back it would have been a very different story.

I have landed on my head after being bucked off at a flat out gallop (so much for people who say horses can't buck when they are flat out). The landing was soft grass, but I was knocked out for twenty minutes and had a bad neck for two years. I have landed on my head three other times. Twice through bucking (once in the collecting ring and once in the deep snow), and the last time was being launched off the top of the lorry ramp by an over exhuberant horse. I am so lucky I was not seriously hurt any of those times. But there really was no opportunity to bail in any case. The galloping one, because I was up in my stirrups and had been galloping a third of a mile when she threw in a series of totally unexpected bucks. The other two bucks were from a TB that could not unseat me at canter, but developed a tactic of launching into a huge buck from walk and stepping backwards so there was nowhere to land! I have sat the most awful combinations of bucking and rearing in quick succession - bailing out was never a consideration. I really don't think it would have been possible to do safely. Luckily, the vast majority of the time I have remained on the horse.

 

[Wagtail]

I've never ridden a bolter. Am always amazed how many people claim to have ridden bolters, I've had some monsters which were horrificaly strong. I've never been told to bail, and have distinct memories of going round and round fields, with all my weight into the inside rein to try and get control.

I have to touch wood here, but I have never been on a bolting horse either. I have been on some that were damned hard to pull up, but not blind panic bolting. It must be terrifying.

 

[baily]

I had to bail out years ago when the youngster i was riding bolted on the road towards a a gated rail crossing which was down..i ended up head first in a ditch...horse kept going..he jumped both gate's missing the train by moments!!!! I glad to say both he and I were ok but how he didn't get hit i will never know someone was watching over him!!

 

[Chavhorse]

I once bailed out from a horse that was flat out panic bolting but only because it was going flat out towards a canal and gathering to jump it, I knew there was no way in hell it was going to clear it and the thought of being underneath 500 kgs of horse in deep water was not a good one. Horse had truly lost all sense of its own self preservation.

Strange thing is I remember kicking my feet out of the stirrups and letting go of the reins so I could push myself up and away from the horse and I still remained firmly glued in place and really had to push hard up and away to get off (strange what the mind remembers).

Anyhow I hit the ground at speed and produced what my poor friend who was with me at the time describes as a "Barnes Wallace Bouncing Bomb" effect being thrown up and down again 3 times before rolling into the canal with the horse anyhow!

I came to with a lovely man from the Air Ambulance leaning over me and most of the bones in my right hand side either broken or fractured and the mother of all concussions.

It is something I sincerely hope I never have to do again.

 

[Caledonia]

Been blind bolted with twice.

First time the horse eventually ran out of steam, but it took forever, and I was in a huge huge 50 or so acre field and I managed to get her on the turn using my hands and my weight until she was exhausted. But I stayed on because I thought I had enough space. It was horrible though.

First time I bailed was from a horse I went to try in a small time dealers yard. I gave it a smack with a whip when it wouldn't go over trot poles because the dealer thought it was just being nappy and it just went. Poor wee horse must have had a horrendous life to react like that. I should have been more thoughtful, but I'd never ridden anything so damaged before.
It was heading for a 6' high concrete wall with a barbed wire fence coming out of it a 90 degrees. I would never have sat it turning to not hit the wall and then the wire and I didn't want fired into them at that speed, and it was so gone it may not have turned either - it only wanted rid of me. So I baled out and saw stars. Thank god I had a hat on - I hadn't been going to bother ......

Second time I baled I wasn't being bolted with, but riding and leading up the edge of a stubble field, bringing 2 horses in from a turnout half a mile away. They were only in headcollars, and I was riding bareback. I decided to canter to save time. I'd done it loads before, but this time they took off.
The field went steeply downhill in a hundred yards, and the horse I was riding bucked for fun galloping, especially down hill. I knew I'd never sit him or pull up and I might end up fired in between both their legs, so I slid my self back off his bum and would up star shaped skidding along the ground with a grazed lip and nose and the front of my johdpur boots packed with soil!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

I had a pony as a child (about 9) who developed a clever trick of taking off either in the school or the field and basically going round and round and round until I bailed out. He would then immediately halt. He wasn't bolting in its strictest terms as he was not in panic mode, but I had no control and could not stop him. So I bailed off him about 3 times before I learnt not to let him start that game.

Since then I have bailed off only one other horse and that was a youngster who was truly bolting, genuine 'panic, I'm going to die' gallop. He was a project who had been serverly messed around, I got him so far with the backing process but once I mounted him in an arena (I'd already sat on him quietly in the stable) he just completely paniced.

After the time when I bailed I took him back to basics AGAIN, spent several months long reining, sitting on him in stable, even had my very experienced boss leading me up and down the barn on him in walk and trot. Eventually we decided it was time to try the arena again, he did exactly the same thing. As my leg went over the saddle he bolted so violently my boss could not hold him (was on the lunge, boss' hands ripped to pieces). I tried to stay on him this time thinking I could ride through it but he began propping violently to dislodge me and I was thrown. Ended up in hospital with a spinal fracture.Wish I'd bailed the second time TBH. Horse was not ridden again, poor fellow, I had been his last chance but although a sweet boy, whatever had happened to him in the past had made him genuinely dangerous

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

If I were in a field, I would probably stay on but the one time I was bolted away with, was with my old loan horse, a cob who had a VERY thick and muscley neck. Shen locked her neck and took off with me. I'm not wimpy or petite rider either but I could not stop that blasted horse. We were on the paved lane which is slippery at the best of times and I had visions of her slipping on top of me so I steered her towards a high hedge at the side of the lane and bailed on that and landed in the ditch. I could see her hooves flying over and away from me. I would bail if I were on a road or somewhere dangerous! Luckily now, I have a sensible TB who stops if you loosen the reins and a not so muscley neck!!

 

[smiggy]

Is it just me or anyone else read this thread and first thought is "actually I just wont get on my horse again "

 

[Kat]

I've never truely bailed, although I have on a few occasions, given up trying to stay on if you see what I mean.

I think generally you are safer trying to stay on than bailing as it is very difficult to get clear and avoid a really nasty fall. There is always the hope that the horse will run out of steam.

Having said that there are occasions when bailing is obviously going to be safer, the level crossing example being a good one, and the concrete wall with barbed wire.....

Often even if you can't stop you can turn the horse so it can be safer to stay on board even if heading for a road. My friend narrowly avoided being trampled (she was very lucky) when a group of ponies took off together and she bailed because she thought that they were going to go over or through a barbed wire fence and onto a busy road. In fact they turned and continued off road. Not sure whether they turned due to self preservation or rider input but they did despite being pretty out of control. They weren't bolting but they had taken off in a fairly major way.

Most recently I had that do I hold on or let go moment when my youngster fell. I didn't want to risk being landed on if she went right down, but also didn't want to panic her and make matters worse. Luckily just as I was getting to the point where i thought, actually I'm pretty close to the ground here it won't hurt much she started to get to her feet. Amazing how it goes so slowly sometimes and you have time for quite a debate in your head!

I've also done the "I know I'm going to come off soon, may as well go now" decision, when you know the horse will probably bronc until you come off or you are past the point of no return but you still have enough left to think about a soft landing!

I've never been in a situation to throw myself clear though.

 

[lula]

I've bailed on a rearer that was going over - got to vertical and thought 'oh s*#t we're still going...' And slind off while horse landed upside down in a hedge...

My only attempt of bailing off a bolter worked brilliantly leg over front, drop and roll! Then was lying on the floor a split second to long (winded and a bit sore) when said horse had looped round and galloped over me...and I had 5 broken ribs and lots of horse shoe shaped bruising!

sounds like he had it in for you that one
OUCH!
x

 

[noodle_]

i bailed out from my horse utterly freaking out spooking (sat the first two the third was just pure dangerous)

She was reversing, spinning and threatning to bomb... so i bailed out mid spin and made the little bugger walkpast what was scaring her................a tree. ffs.

i value my safety - im not ashamed of bailing out or admiting when somethings too much!

 

[maggiehorse]

a few years back i entered my super safe unflapable and bombproof tb gelding in an indoor sj class , we jumped fence one and two nicely then the double , as he landed over the second part he decided to bronc he bronked all way round end of school the backwards over a parrelel , then across the school by which time i was bloody cross and slightly unseated so i gave him a hefty thwack , so he bronked across the arena and jumped the wall into the spectators area , gave him another heafty thwack and took him straight back in and jumped a nice clear round , spectators all huddled together as far from arena as possible and no i never considered bailing out oh and he never bucked again

 

[Capriole]

by choice, stay on, if only through not having the balls to throw myself off a speeding rampaging horse!

. Ive only bailed once, and it wasnt a bolter, it was a horse that had come down with me, we were on a hill and he was struggling to jump up and I threw myself off the side to give him a chance, but that all happened very fast and was instinctual.

I think a lot of horses must get a bad name as a bolter when theyve done nothing of the sort, theyve taken off and the rider hasnt had the ability to stop them rather than it being a true bolt. And Im aware of the odd (very odd ) person who thinks embellishing things makes them sound a better horse(wo)man.

 

[D66]

In my book the bl**dy minded "I'm not going to stop whatever you do" is as much of a bolt as the mad panic variety and is very nearly as dangerous.
I learned to ride on a pony I didn't have the skills to stop (bareback, we didn't have a saddle for a few months). She would gallop flat out for the gate, slide to a stop and drop her shoulder launching the unfortunate jockey into the gate. After that introduction I didn't fall off much.
Even when I was older and bigger she had an occasional habit of not-stopping but I never ever bailed out - I'd have had to walk home.

When I know I'm going to fall off, there is a point of no return, where I know it's too late and it's going to hurt - then I relax and fall. If the horse is in an enclosed space it's best to let go the reins so that your arm is not in tension when you hit the floor so it's less likely to break.
Old Pony Club instructions were:-
If you're out on a hack hold on if possible to try to keep the horse safe.
If hunting hold onto your horse to avoid others having to catch him for you!

 

[LaurenBay]

There is a huge difference between a true bolt and a Horse tanking off with you.

It it was a true bolt, I would bail. I have have a Horse bolt in blind panic before, I was thinking about bailing. But decided to stay on. I should have bailed!!! Horse ended up falling over, I got my foot stuck in the stirrup. When Horse got up, so did I (kinda hanging off the side now though, as foot stuck) my leg went through a concrete pipe, which tore of the wall. I didn't feel the pain at the time. but still have a nasty scar to show for it!! I hope I am lucky enough to never be in this situation again. If it does happen I will bail out.

Tanking, I would stay on for though. Most of the time you should be able to stop them.

 

[marley and danni]

iv bailed out iv stayed on lol!

iv also come off!!

all at galloping seepd (on ex race horse :O_ 1st time i came off because he tanked and i didnt know how to use his breakes properly!

2nd time i stayed on an manged to stop with 1 stirrup.

3rd time i stayed on turned him into a bush

4th time he blind bolted out of excitment and couldnt stop at all used everything including the hossible 1 rein stop! stayed on and hoped hed stop he didnt and came to his knees he skidded tht much and i came off!! (didnt hurt though :S) he was fine

and 5th time (down same track at 4th time) tried to battle my fear!! i bailed out at galloping speed ( ouch!!!!) didnt wanted to end up in the bush at the bottom again

5th time when i bailed out he stoped as soon as my weight was off his back and trotted over to me!!

luckly hes not done it since!!!

xx

 

[MagicMelon]

Depends on the circumstances and the horse. If a horse is properly bolting and is for example, aimed at a road or fence then I'd choose to jump off. Learnt early on that a bolting horse is generally not good to try and stay on after a pony bolted with me up a field, out of an open gate straight onto a road where he slipped over and we skidded down the road on our sides.

Last bail out I did was on a friends horse who is known for having fierce temper tantrums where it was known that if it starts broncing on the spot then the broncs and rears will get bigger until you fall off, once they started I knew I had no hope so lept off at a suitable moment to land on my feet. Basically if the ending doesn't look good then I think its definately safer to hop off (if possible!).

 

[ArabianGold]

I would try my hardest to stay on, you have more control up on top than you do if your legging it after your beast on the ground.