Cont' Kerillis bucking bronco. When you fall off what do you land on?

[Chloe_GHE]

Interesting to see how many people volunteered for 'bronco duty' and that got me thinking when you fall off what do you usually land on?...and would teaching someone to fall properly really reduce the severity of injuries. So I'll go first...

Last 2 falls...

Over SJ horse bucked and spooked off sharp right on landing
Landed on upper shoulders/head/ then back/lower back/side
Main injury whiplash and stiff shoulders (oh and injured pride as the jump was tiny!

)

Over log xc after coming out of water horse pecked on landing and got smacked up the arse with the saddle
Landed on right side/hip primarily
Injury was a very dark painfull bruise size of a plate

I have never been taught how to fall but always tend to land on my side on the hip/thigh and roll, not just land splat and NEVER put my hands out to save myself as have fear of snappping wrists so try to hang on as long as poss!

Never managed one of those natty falls where you hit the ground running and stay on your feet with the reins, and remount within seconds....one day...

So thrills and spills how do you do yours???....

 

[Abbeygale]

Usually if I come off I either land right on my ass or on my head!!!

I did manage, when trying to cling on for dear life, to land right on the back of my neck when I was jumping - that hurt quite a lot. TBH it probably wouldn't have hurt so much if I hadn't got straight back on and carried out riding. I think if I had given my self a bit of a breather first it prob would have been ok.

I have come off one and landed on a gate, and another time as I got off I caught my foot on some wire and my pony stood on the back of my thigh - that hurt!!!

 

[connie1288]

3 falls this year, 2 landed on my side, bruising to ribs (back), one slightly more on my shoulder, and one my face hit the wing first then feet/bum!!

So I know not xc fall but pretty good shot of which bits i landed on when:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/photo.php?pid=1877687&id=507436304
keep going right for the whole thing!!

 

[only_me]

I usually land on my back (ironically from a buck

).

I curl when I fall, as in the middle to lower side of my back hits the ground first, followed by my hip and then shoulders and then head. I try not to let my head hit the ground, so it stays tucked in and shoulders up.(cheapskate - dont want to buy a new hat

)

Last time I brought my hands towards my face (i think it was unconscious trying to stop head hitting ground) but then horse stood on the arm on the ground

Its always my back first, my head last!
never been taught to fall btw

 

[FinkleyGladiator]

My last fall.... I looked down into the ditch infront of the fence and didnt push Finn on. The result? Me, on my bum, on top of the brush in hysterics! It was very prickly though!

The one before that...SJing Finn slipped (No hard ground studs- thats the last time I'll do that!) and leaped the 2nd part of the double a little far out to get us out of trouble, bless him, and me and one of my stirrups came off the side. On my feet, running (sorry Chloe!!)
Injured pride though, it was area PC with lots of people watching

 

[millitiger]

i've never been taught how to fall but can only remember one time when i haven't thought to roll as i've been flying through the air!

i tend to land on my left shoulder and then roll up tight or scramble out of the way depending on where the horse is!

i do always hold onto the reins though and have been dragged like this a few times- i don't conciously do it but have done so for as long as i can remember

 

[Wishful]

Behind or feet, even in a headfirst over shoulder type fall usually. That said, I was on dartmoor and there was a sudden clap of thunder and unfortunatly I didn't jump in the same direction as the horse. Ended up halfway round his neck and was worried about another thunderclap so let go onto soggy ground. Ended up on my shoulder for that one, but ground was decidedly soggy. Had more gorse pricks from leading ponies down a gully to get away from any more thunder/lightening than bruises...

 

[Chloe_GHE]

Marymoo OUCH! That looks nasty landing right on the foot of the wing! but v stylish 2nd time round

Only_Me I've never been taught to fall either but did know a lady who spent several mins in the arena purposely throwing herself off her youngster because she wanted him to learn that if she came off he should stay put and not run away. She did mostly hacking and didn't want to part company then spend housr walking to catch the horse, not sure if that actually teaches the horse a good or a bad thing that the rider can be ejected....

 

[connie1288]

Was ouch but i did find the pics quite useful to see what had happened!!
I have never been taught how to fall other than by my 12h pony!!
I think a fall like the pics though and a rotational are very different in terms of time you have to do something, at the end of the day in a rotational the horse will follow after you, when I have done this (years ago) which bit did i fall on?? not so sure but my neck really hurt afterwards and the concussion was not fun!

 

[kerilli]

umm, last time, came off 4yr old having rearing fit, landed off-balance crouching on heels and went down onto bum/thighs, didn't hurt at all.
time before, other 4 yr old slipped over while being ridiculous and i landed on my side as she went, so only fell about 2', again unhurt.
1 of the worst injuries i've had was when big horse thought his nose touched the elec as i stretched to get on from mounting block (he was too far away but i thought 'it'll be alright', durr), he had a bucking fit while i tried to get on, when i let go i landed on my feet on arena surface and blew my right knee apart.

i was taught to fall and this is the only time i've hurt myself (well, 2 concussions as a kid, but hats were crap then too...) from the landing, but it was a very weird fall.

i think the reason there's so many volunteers for the 'experiment' are that the landing will be soft, and it'll be interesting to see how we all cope! better to try it out beforehand if you can imho...

 

[AutumnRose]

Well i had my mare (bay on left) for 3 years and fell off her a lot!!! I pretty much always landed on my head and spent many hours strapped to a back board in A&E on more than one occasion!!! She was extremely sharp and falls from her were always too quick for me to even think about how i was going to land.

I have fallen of Blue a 4 times in the year i've had him and they have all been much slower falls and i've had time to think where i was going to land...but not do much about it. Out of the 4 falls; 1 was onto my feet (total luck!), once was onto my ribs when i broke them (knew it was coming but nothing i could do), once onto my head, when apparently my arm was reaching out to get ground first and i tucked it in and last time was when he fell too and i ploughed though poles head first, nothing i could do about that one either!!!

I'll be interested to see whether i am able to change the way i land in future falls from him (i'm sure they'll be plenty)!!!

Incidentally i always hold onto the reins too!!! Not intentionally and i've been dragged because of it a few times but i just dont let go!!!

 

[MandyMoo]

*touch wood* i haven't fallen off at all in around about 3 1/2 years...

but i used to usually fall off and land on my bum/lower back aka meaning VERY painful coxix (sp?)

xx

 

[k9h]

Generally when I fall it is a nothing fall, often on a foot & then fall on my arse!
Apart from when hunter last year bronced me off & butt was landing point!

Or I make a propper job of it. Like I said in Kerilli's post if I land on my face usually no damage done!

Last few I can remember bar the broncing ones. Most people know my big smash, where jumped a 5'10" stone wall, horse went on its knees on landing. I went out the front door & must of slammed into the ground with my right shoulder as ruptured the acl joint & broke 4 ribs down that side, then horse kicked me in the face with front hoof as it picked itself up!

Another time again jumping stone wall with ditch! (must stop that)! Horse kindof crashed through I lent back to balance (bit of a drop) Horse jinxed to the right & then I was laying halfway down his body. Passed the point of no return & ended uplanding on the back top of my right shoulder! Legs stuck up in the air, which the field thought hilarious!

I usually land & roll.

 

[Evadiva1514]

I usually tend to land on my head but the last nasty fall i had i braced myself and landed on my wrists and face resulting in me breaking my wrist and having lots of bruising to my face etc. Think i prefer to land on my head, less damage done to me then!!

 

[Lolo]

On my head! The times I've fllen on Cheeky, it's been fter a fence XC whent he fence has been considrably smaller than the rest of the course, he takes strides out so I don't get forrds (just sit still and give the reins) nd then he will buck on landing to show how clever he is. I always pitch over his shoulder onto my head. I always get back on, because the falls don't count and I usually end up with a clear round, lol!

Last time I fell off I bailed after my stirrup leather snapped and was hitting Cheeky under his tummy so he was panicking. He bolted up the hill at Burnham Market in a blind panic beore turning back and heading to the steps. I though that if I didn't bail I'd have a very nasty crash doing the steps down again. However, he spooked as I pushed off, and I ehded up (on my head, again!) in front of his legs so get a bit trampled and kicked about. Skidded along with him for a fw strides before I got free. Got back on and completed- my proudest round, lol.

 

[milliepops]

I fell off yesterday in our SJ field, horse went splat too

We both landed on our knees, I slid down her neck as she went down and luckily ended up some distance away, sitting up. She lay down with poles between her back legs. I think the neck-slide took all of the energy out of my fall because I have no stiffness or bruising at all today. Luckily Millie is OK too, was just a bit muddy and confused!

Last fall before that was at an upright xc fence that I just didn't ride into at all. She stopped, I went over the jump and landed on my feet, laughing.

Jump judge went into overdrive though...

Never been taught to fall, it just sort of happens

ETA, the time before the xc fall was in the SJ field again, I cocked up a jump and went over her head, I did tuck that time but didn't roll quickly enough and she galloped over me. LOTS of bruises that time (and new hat)!

 

[oofadoofa]

Normally manage to land on my feet, even if I do then sit down! It's usually my feet that hit the ground first somehow. Last time I fell off was in a lesson with lec actually a few months ago, my horse stopped at a fence and I carried on, landed on my feet then sat down!

My most spectacular one though was when my horse galloped through a barbed wire fence out hunting with me a couple of years ago, I somehow went flying did a sumersault and landed on my feet still facing the right way. I was the talk of the pub that night!!!

 

[MistletoeMegan]

I used to do (3) martial arts, so do know how to fall and roll properly.

However, one of my worst injuries was incurred during the only time I actually had the time to think about what I was doing and roll away. I could do a hundred good rolls down a crash mat or whilst being flung over the shoulder of a 6'4 man but doing it off a 15.1 caused no end of problems!

The issue IMO is trying to co-ordinate your roll with the movement of the horse - not too bad if horse continues going in the same direction once you begin your fall, but if horse spooks/shies/buggers off in other direction then the average rider (in terms of ability to roll properly) is probably too close to the ground to readjust, especially when you factor in items like long boots and body protectors, which I don't consider conducive to a precise roll away.

Back to the other point, I either do a nifty little somersault and land running or fall heavily on my right hand side (with a nifty helping of twisting the top half of my body in the opposite direction to my bottom half in the case of my last fall

)

 

[not_with_it]

Usually my bum, gravity takes over

 

[lizzieb]

I got bucked off my new horse on Monday and landed on my left knee and foot which are now both very swollen and sore

I had only just got on and wasn't expecting it at all so it caught me totally by surprise. I was in the air for a while but got disorientated so didn't think about how to land.

Usually I'm on the floor before I've had time to think about how to land as my horses are quite sharp!

 

[little_flea]

Hehe, didn't read original post, but when I was around 15 I was at a "disco" (as it was called in those days, in the mid-90s) I had just qualified for the nationals with my event pony and I drunkenly rode the mechanic bull - and stayed on and on and on until they had to switch it off!

Obviously since then I have fallen off a number of times, and now - I am past 30 - it REALLY hurts. My ass is usually what I land on - gravity always wins...

 

[Bubblegum]

Well, the last time I fell off...I landed on both feet! I broke my left leg (both lower bones) very badly.
As lots of people on here will know...I am only recently back to riding , after 6 months off, and still not strong enough to jump...just lots & lots of dressage!
Interestingly...I had lots of physio, and especially sports physio. When I was a young girl I was taught to hold on to the reins at all costs, if I fell off.
My physio, who treats lots of horse accidents, assures me that this is the WORST thing you can do. We riders must train ourselves to let go of our horse...to relax..and roll. NOT land on our feet!!!

I learnt this the hard way!!

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Last time I fell off (well horse fell too) I flipped and landed on the back of my shoulder blade.... pushing my arm forward and snapping my collar bone in the process

My previous falls haven't been bad so i can't remember

 

[now_loves_mares]

ok can't resist.....

I normally land on the ground

Seriously though - last time, I was bucked off by my 5yo, who was being chased by two dogs at the time. She was doing proper wild-horse-defending-her-life stuff, bucked again as I was already half way off, somehow I landed on my knees, and she kicked me at the same time. That REALLY hurt, 3 months later I still can't straighten one of them properly or bend them properly either

The time before that, my other horse bucked me off on the road

. That was a more normal fall, which was my usual "sort of black out and let nature take over" where I go all limp. However, landing on your side/back/tail bone, on the road, is not funny

. Luckily that just hurt for a couple of days.

So normally my side/back I guess

 

[jumptoit]

Well my 4 this season -

First one at a PC XC, horse stopped at a small log before the water (not into water) and I came off landing on my feet and then used the log to help me get back on!

Second one at Richmond BE, tiny log in the practice arena, horsey stopped I fell off and landed on my feet.

Third one at Hutton In The Forest BE, tiny log in the practice arena, horsey stopped I fell off and landed on my feet.

Fourth one at Pony Club Areas at Cumwhinton, small log in the practice arena, horsey stopped I fell off and landed on my feet.

Uninjured on every occasion, just wish my horse would jump in the practice ring as it doesn't do my confidence any good!

Well I suppose if anything I am consistent!

But despite my predictability my Mum still struggles to believe me when I come back, and she's say's 'that was a lovely round' and I'm like yer but I fell off in the practice ring again!

 

[aregona]

I was taught how to fall but even though i dont think you can always get in a persition which allows you to fall safely if there is such a thing.
Iv been very lucky considering like many others of you out there some of the youngsters iv backed and brought on.
Had 2 bad ones, the first (in my early days) getting on a youngster which was aparently broken with the owner holding it, horse kicked off, owner let go, i had no reins. straight on my face!!!!
The second was being a clown in a top score SJ class. The final buzzer went, i went to pull out of a double and my mare wanted to jump it so went our seperate ways via the jump wing. straight on my head again.
Both falls were when i was not in a 'good' persition and my own fault.

Another volunteer if you need any more!!!! I think anything that will help make a safer sport is fantastic and whats a couple of bruses if it can save a life????? well done kerilli.

 

[PapaFrita]

I usually land on my bum, except last time when I stupidly put my hands out...

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

I haven't had any falls XC competing...and touch wood I won't!. But have been bucked/dumped by a variety of younsters out of Eng and Western saddles and come off bare back quite a bit. The only time I have face planted was into a river, when I was the guide of an all-day trek (que (?) a very red face & uncomfortable day...)

I mainly land on my side rolling so that I end up on my back, I tend to keep my head tucked into my chest so that it is the last thing to hit the floor if at all. I seem to end up flat on my back with my knees bent so my feet are on the floor quite often, they only time I got any real bruises out o fthis is when my back coincided with a patch of rocks.... There have been a few ocasions where I have landed on my bum or feet.

The only time the 'roll on landing' approach has back fired is when I was SJing, the horse slipped coming into the fence recovered and kept going I was sitting still 'on top' but to the right of the saddle, survived the fence and then the horse disappeard 2 strides later (still haven't worked out how as I swear I was back in the saddle!) I realised I was going to face plant so tried to twist mid-air to roll, didn't quite making it round and landed with all my weight on my right knee. Result - 6 weeks unable to walk, and a further 4 weeks with a walking stick and phisio.

When falling I always seem to have time/ a moment where I reaslie SxxT! I'm coming off and either instinctively or conciously try and twist in the air so I don't land 'badly'. The only 2 times where I have no memory of the fall are (out of 20+ falls) are the river incident mentioned above and landing on my arse in the arena a few months ago, that I have no memory of parting company with the horse or even something going wrong, I was suddenly sitting on the floor feet infront of my stick in my hand and my hands/arms still in holding the reins position and the horse still calmy walking down the outside track....

I would like to add that having read the Eventing article 'Taking the Plunge' (thanks Kerilli!) I really disagree with their suggestion that our feet should be rammed further into the stirrup.
This goes against everything I have been taught and having seen some one dragged becasue of doing this and their quick release stirrup not releasing I find it hard to believe they are suggesting it. It may not by the best move but I am inclined to kick my feet free of the stirrups the minute something starts to go wrong so that if I do get thrown there is nothing anchoring me to the saddle.

Well thats my 2cents worth!

 

[NeilM]

First of all, I am amazed at the number of people admitting to falls, boy you can tell this is not the New Lounge forum

I also think this thread shows that trained or untrained, there is no universal fix to surviving a fall, jump wings, walls, ditches etc are always going to be a hazard that are hard to allow for.

As for my falls, well as a novice rider who tends to push his luck, my falls thus far have all been caused either by my over exited gelding fly bucking (at speed) and / or jinking left / right. The last one was a silly thing where he just turned sharp left and stopped, I was ejected out of the right hand side door, performed a twist 180 so that I landed on my back and shoulders and performed a classic Judo type break fall.

On almost every occasion I have fallen, the worst being a downhill jump on hard / rocky ground where I was way too far forward as we landed, I always end up on my back, either rolling over my shoulder or twisting 180 to turn a face plant into a break fall.

As I have said elsewhere, watch stunt men and women fall, they always land on their backs, for good reason.

 

[kerilli]

[ QUOTE ]
I would like to add that having read the Eventing article 'Taking the Plunge' (thanks Kerilli!) I really disagree with their suggestion that our feet should be rammed further into the stirrup.
This goes against everything I have been taught and having seen some one dragged becasue of doing this and their quick release stirrup not releasing I find it hard to believe they are suggesting it. It may not by the best move but I am inclined to kick my feet free of the stirrups the minute something starts to go wrong so that if I do get thrown there is nothing anchoring me to the saddle.

Well thats my 2cents worth!

[/ QUOTE ]

I cannot stress how much i agree with this. ramming the feet home in the stirrup is horrible advice.
my dressage trainer wants the feet 'tittupping in the stirrups', light and soft, for dressage, and not too far off that for xc, he wants the leg soft and reactive to the horse, not hard, jammed and locked - he's very old-school German and i get the impression that he has watched the cavalry try out all these ideas in their thousands!
he even goes so far as to say 'no stirrup treads', he wants the stirrup to be as un-holding as possible, and at the first sign of something going wrong, he says that removing your feet is the best thing you can do...

Neil, we all admit to falls because we live in the real world!

lucky the OP just said "your last few falls", if the question had been "how did you land in every fall you've ever had" i think a lot of us could have written War and Peace on it...!
Relaxing when you realise you're going to go is the best thing imho. That's saved me from injury literally hundreds of times.