Control in a fall- Pointless Post

I was accused to being martial arts trained to fall the first time I fell off.....nope just really, really clumsy. It's amazing how pain taught me to fall well when I trip over every day at least once :).

It is a very good idea though, I have always wondered why riders are not taught to duck and roll.
 
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I don't think this is a pointless post - I will seek out a Aikido dan who is patient!

Got a 3 year old to ride next year, and I love sticking limbs out to break my fall..

Also NeilM - I'm not ignoring you, just trying to get my froggies to come back to me!!:D
 
lillith said:
It is a very good idea though, I have always wondered why riders are not taught to duck and roll.
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My observations lead me to believe that some are. Without a doubt Zara has receive training, I've seen a few of her falls and she has walked away from tumbles that could have killed.

I also understand that fall training is pretty standard stuff for German team riders, as it should be with all.

As for pain, I have always found it to be a great motivator :D

CotswoldSJ, I think I can understand your last comment. I'm here if required.
 
Hey folks - couldn't agree more that you need to learn how to fall. I did judo for years and I think it has helped on more than one occassion when I have tactically dismounted

I think its important to be able to tuck and roll and not be impeded by anything you are wearing. I've been able to do rolls and stuff with my body protector on (its a KAN btw) so at least I'll be doubly protected.

Also learning to fall may take the fear out of falling - surely that's got to help?

Obviously my preferred tactic is fall avoidance.......

Happy riding!
 
I went through a spell of falling off last year (horse got his legs in a pickle, took off a mile out then stopped dead on landing!) and seriously thought of suggesting to my RS that we organise a lesson with a Judo instructor on 'how to fall off' - but as your post suggests I never got round to it.
As you're local I'll suggest it to the RS and see what they say.
 
It doesn't only work for falling off horses. Last year I managed to step out of the lorry jockey door without the steps being down (it was pitch black dark, I was distracted etc) but thanks to instinctively rolling as I fell there was nothing more than a scratch to show for my stupidity despite falling onto a concrete surface.
 
Interesting - I never did martial arts. I did however do 10 years of gymnastics training and trained to be a coach.

Two key things I learnt - when you know you are going down - DO SOMETHING - don't stick a limb out!! Never start a movement in a half hearted manner, either commit, or bottle BEFORE, never ever bottle half way through!!!

Bravely, or stupidly, I'm not sure which, I am going back to adult classes after a 6 year break from it!!
 
Never taught to fall off but falling off so often in my youth I was praised for my very nice tuck and roll.
The same tuck and roll landed me with serious head injuries twice off horses.
Was then told to stick an arm or a leg out to avoid hitting my head.
So far no breaks and no head injuries but I agree not advisable to most and lots more painful than tuck and roll.
I have been thinking of taking up a new interest to keep me exercising over winter. Our local club seem very serious about it all, more investigation required I think.
 
As in any subject there are many solutions to the same problem. Tuck and roll is good, but it is only one of a range of options.

CrazyMare, you have hit the nail right on the head. If it's time to leave, or if your horse gives you no options, then your mind must do something other than panic. You are still in control of your body and so you must react to your circumstances, the most important thing is to RELAX.

Bones are tough and they are far more flexible than most folks realise, but if you put your entire body weight, travelling at 20 mph onto a rigid outstretched arm, then something is very likely to break.

If instead, through training and practice, you know how to tumble and how to dissipate the energy contained within your airborne self, then there is a pretty good chance you will land with a thump, and get up laughing.

Control of your body and presence of mind are the key elements, which is why both gymnasts and martial artists have posted about surviving falls.
 
I have just emailed my pony club DC asking about having a trainer come and do a day of how to fall off, I also posted a link to this thread :) hopefully she agrees, so the CVFHPC may know how to fall off in the near future :D
 
I concur, wholeheartedly...

Only, I used to do Aikido, and can breakfall, but when I came off a couple of weeks ago, something went wrong. I was half over a jump, came off, was flying backwards, hit the ground, broke my back.

It was too fast to figure out what was going on and how to manage it.

I will, however, go back to the club and try and learn some more.
 
I'd be up for this too. I try to remember to tuck and roll and the problem I have is even a stationary fall for me is 6 to 10 feet.
Have PM'd you
 
I am sat here in my hospital bed reading this post wishing I had learnt how to break my fall! I fell off jumping on Tuesday night, a silly fall, I was too far forward over my horses neck when he landed. On falling off I instinctively tried to land on my feet... no I am not a cat!....but I certainly tried to be. Landed on my right leg and if that hadn't have broken I think I would have remained stood up and laughing at the fact I remained on my feet!

I then landed hard on my bum then banged the back of my head. My 1st thought was 'oh dear going to have to buy a new hat now!!'

I have a spiral fracture of the tibia involving the joint at my ankle and am awaiting an operation on Tuesday. I so wish I had learn't to roll as will now be out of action for many weeks and many weeks of getting my fitness level up. I will be looking into learning the art of the breakfall and may suggest they teach it at our local saddle club!!
 
CarmaandFlin said:
I am sat here in my hospital bed reading this post wishing I had learnt how to break my fall! I fell off jumping on Tuesday night, a silly fall, I was too far forward over my horses neck when he landed. On falling off I instinctively tried to land on my feet... no I am not a cat!....but I certainly tried to be. Landed on my right leg and if that hadn't have broken I think I would have remained stood up and laughing at the fact I remained on my feet!

I then landed hard on my bum then banged the back of my head. My 1st thought was 'oh dear going to have to buy a new hat now!!'

I have a spiral fracture of the tibia involving the joint at my ankle and am awaiting an operation on Tuesday. I so wish I had learn't to roll as will now be out of action for many weeks and many weeks of getting my fitness level up. I will be looking into learning the art of the breakfall and may suggest they teach it at our local saddle club!!
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Oh dear!

I'm very sorry to hear about your fall and wish you a speedy recovery.
 
Had to dig this thread out after my best friend on the yard was thrown from her horse on Wednesday sustaining 5 fractures to her neck and 2 in her back.:(:(:( She has been about as lucky as could possibly be as there seems to be no displacement or soft tissue damage - arms and legs all OK and she is staying positive.

Needless to say, this has got us all thinking seriously about learning to fall properly. Would appreciate any advice from those in the know as martial arts is a complete unknown for me. I would struggle to commit to weekly classes which do seem to be available to us locally and would feel a bit of a fraud walking in and saying I just want to learn and practice falling :o

However, I do think this is important... :) So what would be the alternative? I don't know where to start!
 
Were you not all taught this when you started riding? We were all taught how to tuck into a ball and roll out of a fall..
 
TableDancer said:
Millipops, I have said T and I will try to get to Neil's session if you want to cadge a lift :)
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TD: If there's enough interest, I'll come to you.

Milliepops, read my first post. I understand that 99% of riders have no interest in taking up any martial art, after all it's hard enough to find the time for the horses without adding another hobby. This is why I suggested speaking to an Aikido instructor, as Aikido is a very flowing martial art that requires high levels of skill in rolling and breakfalling as well as the art itself and Aikido instructors in my experience are a little more laid back than the rest of us (I know this is a huge generalisation).

Please pass my best wishes for a speedy recovery to your injured friend.

EDIT: Nietzsche said that "whatever does not kill us makes us stronger". He obviously never fell off a horse.
 
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flamehead, i was taught to fall, and i'm everlastingly grateful to the riding school proprietor who made that decision. I've hurt myself a few times (usually when landing on my feet, annoyingly) but NOT hurt myself countless times...
milliepops, there are good videos of simple breakfalls on youtube, they're a start. this is one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W93w6aw26Ls
Neil will tell us if it's a good one, I hope...!
ditto what Neil said about your friend. Big sympathy and vibes.
 
Interestingly, as a child I was taught how to fall off. We started on the ground, rolling into balls and rolling, then off our ponies. I fell off thousands of times after that, and the only times I got hurt were due to wearing back protectors and being winded as I couldn't roll properly! I black out within the first second of falling, then wake up on the ground, with the only exception being the times I don't actually go flying, but rather slide off and land on my feet, then sit down.

Bizarrely, I'm terrified once in a back protector, as although I know it's there to keep me safe, my worst falls were wearing one, including one simple fall into the sand which would normally have left me no problem at all, where the bp dug into my side and I could hardly walk for 2 weeks due to the bruising. I also had an interesting fall from a buck, where I couldn't roll so landed on my head - nice concussion - not!
 
kerilli said:
there are good videos of simple breakfalls on youtube, they're a start. this is one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W93w6aw26Ls
Neil will tell us if it's a good one, I hope...!
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Well, that's me out of business :D

Good instructor and exactly how I start students off, thanks Kerilli.

Mysti: That's why I advocate rolling AND breakfalls. This then gives you the choice of rolling or performing a half roll to breakfall either on your back or side.
 
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