Best falls- off horse

[Mildred]

My worst was a few years ago from my big beautiful dapple grey irish horse (who was subsequently found to have horrendous KS). Our yard is on a fairly fast country road with a large gate, so we have to get on outside the gate in the small pull-in. I was on gate duty, went to get on and my horse reared straight up, bronced on landing then reared again - each bronc shot me forwards and each rear set me back in the saddle - all the while I was acutely aware of making bizarre whimpering immininent death moans and could hear the lady I was with saying 'oh ****' repeatedly. He wouldn't stop bucking/rearing and I couldn't seem to succumb to the forces of gravity for quite some considerable time, until eventually he put in a spin which sent me rocketing towards the road where I landed flat on my back. I managed to get up and get me and him back into the yard, at which point a double decker bus went trundling past and I can't even begin to imagine what would have happened had it been just a few seconds earlier! I broke my scaphoid bone in my wrist, had whiplash and a seriously sore back. I don't recommend being chucked off onto a road but the poor horse was trying to let me know just how much pain he was in and obviously I didn't get the message quickly enough!

Another funny one was a friend riding another of my old ex-racers who was trotting along the road nicely beside me on my baby pony, when he saw some malevolent looking cow parsley hiding in the verge, so he sensibly jammed the brakes on to avoid any witchcraft/magic spells emanating from the plant, and sent my friend neatly over his head to land on her backside on the road, whereby he obligingly dragged her backwards on her bum for a bit, much to my intense mirth

 

[JFTDWS]

Fabulous, Mildred!

One of my stupider falls was a result of sheer, unbridled teenage cockiness. I was hacking through some woods with a friend - two teenagers out on very safe but fun loving ponies, who invariably had a horsey girl version of cock measuring contests - very much a set up for disaster We were joking about how little attention we were paying to our mounts in between gallops, just plodding along chatting, and saying "oh look, I don't need my reins/ stirrups / etc". Showing off, I said "I don't even need to sit on mine" and threw mysef onto his neck in front of the saddle. J chose that moment to head straight for a clump of grass, stuck his head down to eat and I was left clinging round his neck at a near-90 degree angle to the floor. Dying with laughter, I let go and landed in a patch of nettles

I never lived it down... From that moment onwards it was all "JFTD, y'know, the one who can fall off a stationary horse!"


More recently, I was showing off Ferg's tricks and got him to kneel down so I could jump on his back. Mid scramble I remembered I was wearing rather tight jeans and wriggling into the right position was difficult. I ended up just rolling right over his back to the other side, where I lay laughing. YO looked on in a mixture of horror and amusment

 

[ibot]

they are all so sad and funny not sure what to do first

 

[fuffy]

I parted company with my TB filly when she flybucked at the horse next to her while cantering.. landed neatly on my knees.. she stopped at once and I got up unhurt biggest problem and laugh was getting back on board!

 

[muff747]

I once finished a hunter trial course at a local riding school hanging off the side of my horse.
We cat jumped the last and I was boinged onto the pommel - whence my TB set off like the clappers to the finish. I was hanging on for dear life and my left leg had just managed to hook under the stirrup flap as I was hanging over the right side, watching my horses legs flying past my nose end. He stopped at the finish in front of about 20 spectators and all I could do was let go with my leg under the stirrup flap and drop to the ground - gracefully as possible

 

[Billabongchick]

Not a riding one but when I polo groomed in NZ we hosted an international tournament that meant marquees and portaloos being put around the main pitch. It was getting dark and I had about 8 horses to walk from the 2nd pitch after a semis match back home through a field and past the main pitch. My boss refused to help take any horses back so I led 3 at a time. Got to the portaloos with the first bunch and they took one look, snorted and bolted towards home... I held on for grim life skidding face first like an inept waterskiier through the grass/poo piles with 3 sets of shod hooves flying near my head. Eventually had to let go when my arms gave out only to find my dear boss back at the yard (after I'd picked myself up crying and followed them home) holding his prize winning wild eyed ponies... To be fair he did then apologise for not listening when i'd told him they'd been silly all day about the new stuff round pitch and he came back to get the last 2 batches with me!

Also one where I was getting them fit with hill work on the dairy farm. The one I was riding bucked once (lost a stirrup), bucked again (dislodged me to behind the saddle so i was sat on his bottom) then finished it off with a 3rd whopper which sent me sailing over his head.... Little charmer...

 

[ROMANY 1959]

Going back to 1975... Riding fav horse at riding school doing bit Xc, cue we told to trot to water go down small step, trot to other side and then exit and canter to a brush fence... So me I think I will show them .. Canter to water and step, horse stops dead I go over head together with bridle and land in 20 inch of water on bum, holding up bridle so it don't get wet... !
Never went against instructors advice again..

 

[RLS]

i did once mount on and got put to much energy into it and went straight over the horse and over the other side

hahahaha, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I did this in front of an audience, trying to get on a 14.2hh arab.

On another arab, in a small SJ class, he corners a bit tight, slips on wet grass and we both fall over right in front of the jump. We both get up, I get back on, and we finish course!

 

[benson21]

One very very hot day (many moons ago!!) I had entered a dressage comp. We had permission not to wear juackets that day because it was that hot!! I entered the ring, the bell went, as I was getting hotter and hotter, thinking I wasnt sure if it was the weather, or my blood sugar dropping too low, signs of that are hot sweats!! Done half the test, then came to the realisation it was my blood sugars!! ******! Managed to finish the test, as I was coming down the centre line shouting to OH 'I NEED CHOCOLATE...NOW!!!', halt, imobility, salute, and a graceful slide to the floor! Commets were, nice test, interesting dismount!!!

 

[Annagain]

Too many to mention them all

The most mortifying one though was on my first pony when I was 12 and he was 5. I was coming home from Pony Club where he'd been an absolute star and we'd just done our first ever clear round. He could be a little s*d so I was very proud. We were coming across the common, where we normally cantered, but as there was a rugby match on we decided not to.

Unimpressed with this, and clearly having used up all his goodness at Pony Club , Blue proceeded to buck me off, much to the amusement of the 100 or so Rugby spectators. He clearly didn't think that was embarrassing enough though as he then decided the grass on the rugby pitch looked very tasty and trotted off there for a munch. The whole game ground to a halt as 30 burly men waited for me to retrieve the little b****r. . My "friend" was too busy howling laughing to help me.

 

[armchair_rider]

Hilarious thread. Apart from the really painful sounding bits.

Mine was a group riding lesson. I had decided that I was getting into the bad habit of riding with my stirrups too short so lengthened them - as it turned out they were now too long. We were trotting round and round the school and I was gradually losing my balance. Was hoping that we'd get to halt so I could get my balance back but sadly not. I slid gently out of the side door much to the astonishment of all present.

 

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

Fell off my horse at standstill - was out hacking and the farmer (due to a spate of fly tipping) had closed all the gates on the farm where we kept horses so whilst chatting to my friend I lent to undo the clip on top of the gate and fell off !!??

The worse was that whilst sitting in on the floor wondering what happened my horse just looked round at me and sighed

 

[9tails]

I dropped my whip, so got off to retrieve it then tried to get back on now dancing 16.2. Hupped and hupped, about to swing my leg over when the monster shot forward and I landed on the cantle. She threw an almighty buck and I sailed about 3 feet into orbit and landed on the back of my head on the ground. She stood there while I got shakily to my feet, then hurtled off gleefully chucking in bucks and broncs all the way to her stable.

 

[russianhorse]

My most impressive:

Took Dizzy to his first XC course. Obviously been practicing at home but at the start of the course, we come up to a solid log jump and he sets himself up ready to jump, then slams his breaks on

Cue me flying over his head, I somersault in the air landing on my feet, on the other side of the jump, facing him and holding his reins

We got disqualified, by my goodness everyone was impressed lol

 

[3OldPonies]

As you've all been brave enough to admit to your falls and I've had a damn good chuckle into the bargain; here are my worst and silliest:

Worst - me age 7 on a lovely pony, group lesson in a small paddock next to a stream. We're all excited because we're about to step up a gear and try cantering for the first time. Cue the gremlins . . . . came round the corner, applied the aids and pony shot into overdrive - headed straight for the stream, I thought OMG and bail out because I couldn't swim! But had a complete 'doh' moment and didn't let go of the reins, ended up underneath him with one back hoof planted firmly on my face and the other on my ribcage. Pony pulled up in front of the stream and looks back to see what has happened to his jockeyt (turns out he didn't like swimming any more than I did), instructor picked me up and I got back on - no tears at this point, I'm trying to be v. brave as only a 7 yr old can - finished the lesson - still no tears, saw Dad waiting at the gate and collapsed into a sobbing heap!!! All 'well hard' points well and truly lost! Worst bit though as far as I was concerned then was yet to come - the following day they packed me off back to school with 2 black eyes . . .

Silliest - fast forward some 30 or so years and my little mini shetland completely takes me by surprise as I am standing in front of him. He rushes forward with his head down straight between my legs to get to a bucket on the other side of a gateway, I end up sitting on him facing the wrong way and then get knocked off by the gatepost hitting my knee . Not sure who was more surprised - either way it was v. embarrassing.

 

[basilbrush2009]

going to join the hype.

walking along with 2 friends in single file on the road, my 16.3 apaloosa literally and i know you cant say it but i mean LITERALLY bombproof horse. I was at the back. next thing i was on my back on the road, horse was munching. Still to this day have no idea what happened. got back on. got back to the yard. Jumped off, and couldnt walk. dislocated leg.

Hacked to a local show with my youngster, its about an hour and a half hack, hes pretty safe on the roads, hadnt done much out on his own but was being quite good. until we got to the gates. he became a nightmare spinning round, fell over twice. lost our whip. then got to the show, we were stabling over night for the next day, i was sat in the corner of the stable waiting for my mum, go up, he must of forgotten i was there, he spooked tried to climb out the stable, failed, and kicked out with both legs whacking me on both shins. had to cut my wellies off they swelled up that quickly!

Another classic, the old boy decided to get down and roll in a gate way out on a hack.

 

[VixieTrix]

oooo some of these sound like they hurt but thanks for cheering me up

When i was much younger I was having a lunge lesson on Blue and in a bit of a world of my own. He could obviosuly tell as he stopped dead and i did a full somersault over his head and landed on my feet!

Until we got the measure of eachother he was also quite a fan of chucking me into thorn bushes

 

[Sparkles]

Hmmm my stupidity list would be endless....including chipping my shin bone, and just living on painkillers and one leg for 6 weeks lol! [And only finding out a year later when being seen to for another injury...oops]


But my first fall ever, I got photo evidence....and went like this

3 times the above happened, within one attempt of my first ever 'show jumping' round. [AKA - clear round! LOL]. 3 falls in one round. Shameful. LOL.


And oh yes, it was on the complete 110% schoolmaster!

 

[Clannad48]

When about 15 I went on riding holiday at a local centre. The first day we were doing cavaletti bareback, I slipped off to the side but the horse managed to stand on my ankle which promptly broke. I was taken to hospital and had it put in a cast. I spent the rest of the holiday on a shetland with my feet almost touching the floor.

A couple of years ago whilst exercising my daughters horse (an ex-racehorse which I had never ridden before), after pottering around the field with a friend we decided to up the pace a little, a gentle trot then a gentle canter. Unfortunately my muppet brain forgot that I was riding an ex-racehorse, and as I leaned forward to be off his back he took off at full gallop. I start to pull on the reins which makes him go faster, we are heading towards a post and wire fence when I realised that a) my stirrups were not at jumping length, b) I didn't know if the horse could jump that high and c) if I could jump that high. They say your life flashes before you but no - I clearly remember imagining that we could come through the fence cartoon style in three slices. I decided to go for the 'inelegant flying dismount' and landed facefirst in the mud with my hat peak firmly fixed into the ground. I just lay their laughing but unableto lift my head, my friend thought I was crying and had broken something.

 

[ibot]

wow guys i think you have all been very lucky, i wish i could land on my feet rather on something that hurts

 

[Hippona]

When my daughter was about 4 I left OH to tack up her shettie whilst I sorted out sons pony.
Short while later....whilst trotting down the lane the saddle.....girth obviously not done up tight enough....slipped right over. Daughter eventually went underneath pony and emerged with a clear set of hoof prints up her back.....

 

[Megibo]

I have come off my 'new' horse more times than I have in the last 8 years with my first pony I think!!

I bought her in May 12 and in October got on and she just reared vertical then started plunging throwing me over her shoulder onto my head, I swear I did a roly poly
Second was having a lesson and she took off bucking then felt me tip forward so span right and dropped her left shoulder-hello four day concussion!
Third was again having a lesson and she did a 360 at speed, leapt all 4 feet off the floor then did a handstand and dropped her shoulder dropped me onto my a$$!
And fourth was last Sunday, having a lesson and she took off at speed bouncing and then started broncing. When that failed we went fast at the jump wings and I slid down one getting a fetching bruise and graze on my lower back can you tell she isn't a fan of schooling or being asked to work properly in lessons?

When I was rather young and still in a riding school I fell off by popping a tiny jump, pony trotted, walked and stopped and I just seemed to slide to the floor in slow motion

 

[ibot]

I have come off my 'new' horse more times than I have in the last 8 years with my first pony I think!!

I bought her in May 12 and in October got on and she just reared vertical then started plunging throwing me over her shoulder onto my head, I swear I did a roly poly
Second was having a lesson and she took off bucking then felt me tip forward so span right and dropped her left shoulder-hello four day concussion!
Third was again having a lesson and she did a 360 at speed, leapt all 4 feet off the floor then did a handstand and dropped her shoulder dropped me onto my a$$!
And fourth was last Sunday, having a lesson and she took off at speed bouncing and then started broncing. When that failed we went fast at the jump wings and I slid down one getting a fetching bruise and graze on my lower back can you tell she isn't a fan of schooling or being asked to work properly in lessons?

When I was rather young and still in a riding school I fell off by popping a tiny jump, pony trotted, walked and stopped and I just seemed to slide to the floor in slow motion

OMG please please becareful, the mother in me wants to run scoop you up and rap cotton wool all over you

 

[weesophz]

only fell off fox once in 7 years! out for a gallop and coming to the end of a the track. there was a wire fence which closed off a field which i knew was there but fox obviously couldnt see it, so when i tried stopping him he was convinced he had a whole field to gallop across and wouldnt stop so of course last second he saw the fence (thank god, i thought he was gonna go right through it!) and stopped dead, cue me flying through the air and landing in the field had to ride 4 miles back with a sprained ankle, so much fun!

 

[ibot]

only fell off fox once in 7 years! out for a gallop and coming to the end of a the track. there was a wire fence which closed off a field which i knew was there but fox obviously couldnt see it, so when i tried stopping him he was convinced he had a whole field to gallop across and wouldnt stop so of course last second he saw the fence (thank god, i thought he was gonna go right through it!) and stopped dead, cue me flying through the air and landing in the field had to ride 4 miles back with a sprained ankle, so much fun!

wow only once maybe you should not have said that I have had paddy for 4 years and fallen off maybe 5 times give or take there was also the time i plaited his tail up turned to show someone the only thing i can think of is a fly annoyed him that time and he kicked out and knocked my out i apparently spun round land out for the count on the floor!! i have no memory of it at all still dont but had a lovely hoof print on my face, i was very lucky had be been shod i would be dead

 

[Phoebe+Sophie]

These are brilliant.

Hmm, I haven't had any spectacular falls really, quite a few funny ones though. The other I was sitting bareback on my little mare(as you do) and I noticed that my boot laces one foot were undone so I put that foot on my thigh(like in sidesaddle position) and was about to do them up when my other pony nudged her on her flank, making her scoot forwards a step and I did some sort of roll over her back and landed on my butt, on the ground, the other side of her and just went into hysterics. She gave an exasperated look and carried on eating. Oops.

 

[weesophz]

wow only once maybe you should not have said that I have had paddy for 4 years and fallen off maybe 5 times give or take there was also the time i plaited his tail up turned to show someone the only thing i can think of is a fly annoyed him that time and he kicked out and knocked my out i apparently spun round land out for the count on the floor!! i have no memory of it at all still dont but had a lovely hoof print on my face, i was very lucky had be been shod i would be dead

i know ive probably jinxed it now! oh jeezo that was lucky ! mega close call haha!

 

[WhiteMagic]

Was riding my friends TB 16.3 and a lovey boy. I hadn't ridden him before and was popping a few small (and I mean really small) cross poles, he took a long one and I was expecting it and so got left behind. He landed on the wrong leg and when we came to the corner change leads like a good boy, que me getting bounced off and my brother crying with laughter. Not my finest hour :S

 

[Ravenwood]

I fell off just the other day - we were buckhunting, charging through the woods flat out, me riding my teeny tiny, ex flat racehorse who is just 15.2 and like riding a shark's fin - she is so narrow and agile! At the apex of a corner we met another rider coming the other way and Lucky slammed on the brakes, shot to the right but too late for me and I went over her shoulder, rolled elegantly and tipped to my feet still holding the reins

But the saying of pride comes before a fall - well! When I was a little girl (think BC here ) we were at a pony club XC training day with my little sister who is 5 years younger than me (obviously that is a whole lifetime when you are 12 ) and she couldn't get her pony to go up the steps ( all 3 of them) so me, being the big, brave, and very superior rider got on her pony to teach him (not forgetting he had represented his country and knew a damn sight more than me!). Rode towards first step, pony bucked me off, got back on, over first step and pony bucked me off at second step, got back on and did all three steps to the cheers of the onlooking pony club Mums and he bucked at the top and chucked me off again! LOL - gotta love ponies

 

[Mike007]

yOU ALL JUST KNOW ITS TIME AGAIN FOR "THAT PICTURE"