Does falling off make you a better rider?

[Sussexbythesea]

I think if you fall off a lot then you are either over-horsed or doing activities like jumping when you are not ready to. The exception is if you are a professional rider and riding a lot of horses some of which you would probably avoid if you had a choice.
A lot of people I've seen fall off have done so because they make silly and sometimes uneducated decisions e.g. Take new, young, green horse out at dusk in the wind on their own! Then fallen off and broken their shoulder. Totally avoidable and their first mistake was to buy a young, green horse as their first ever horse. I certainly don't think that makes them a good rider or horsewoman.

 

[Archangel]

There is usually one horse that significantly raises your game. I had just passed my AI and was feeling invincible but I over rode a massive ditch and I was flung off (right over the ditch ) - he gave me the look "you ride like that you get off and walk" - I just sat there in the mud with the look "ok point taken"

 

[windand rain]

In a way it does because if you are rigid and fear falling, falling off and not hurtingyourself can be the best way to relieve that fear as then you know its not ging to hurt very much fear of the unnown is always a barrier to any progress once you have done it successfully you usually learn from it. Conversely falling off and hurting yourself will have the opposite effect and make you more difficult to relax and therefore more likely to be a worse rider as you greatly fear falling

 

[Embo]

So by the same token, if you don't fall off, you're a rubbish rider?

I've only fallen off once in the last ten years** or so... things suddenly make sense!

**not exactly done much in that time, so hardly surprising! Still a crap rider, though!

 

[Bernster]

There is usually one horse that significantly raises your game. I had just passed my AI and was feeling invincible but I over rode a massive ditch and I was flung off (right over the ditch ) - he gave me the look "you ride like that you get off and walk" - I just sat there in the mud with the look "ok point taken"

teehee. Horses are great levellers, quite literally!

 

[FfionWinnie]

It's what you say to your 6yr old to convince them that falling off is such a lark we all enjoy and she should get back on. As an adult I consider not falling off makes me a better rider!

 

[fatpiggy]

I learned to ride on a pony who took great delight in dumping me in the most ingenious ways he could think of. One time he had me off 4 times in less than 2 hours. It was his way of showing riders who was actually the boss. Put a non-rider or a small child on him and he was a total lamb. Put on someone who thought they could ride and he would soon show them otherwise. But joking aside, falling off is great training - for falling off safely. My total instinct is arms in, roll up and relax. I practised the art of falling in other ways too - down the stairs, slipping on ice, whatever but I can truthfully say I have never been hurt as a result of hitting the ground. Even when I was knocked off my bike by a car, I did a lovely somersault over the handlebars and a parachute roll on the tarmac. I was marched to A&E by my work colleagues (it was almost opposite!) and the doctors couldn't believe that all I had to show for it was a grazed thumb and a lump on my elbow. So I thank that little black beastie for teaching me a valuable lesson. Incidentally, in my experience the fear of falling is way worse than the actual event and once you've taken up free-falling from the saddle a few times and got away unscathed you don't worry about it very much any more.

 

[Amicus]

Like fatpiggy I think coming off a lot while you've still plenty of bounce teaches you to fall safely which can only be a good thing. Especially if you enjoy a thrill riding and might take up eventing/hunting/SJ even more so if your be teaching a young horse about these things. Having fallen more times than I can count I've never required A&E and normally sprung up immediately to retrieve my un/repentant stead. Saying that I now rarely come off but feel it was an important part of my riding education.

 

[Clare85]

I don't think falling off makes you a better rider, I think it's the ability to move past the falls that improves people.

I always go by the saying "if you're frightened of falling off, don't get on in the first place".

I know a couple of people who have become so frightened following harmless falls, that they then became extremely tense riders, which actually made it more likely that they would fall again. If you can brush a fall off and think "that's horses" then you're far more likely to learn from the experience and be able to pre-empt a situation next time around.

Obviously some falls just can't be helped but many can with a bit of experience behind you. I was in a jumping lesson a couple of years ago and my horse leapt in the air after a refusal (we think he had been severely told off for refusing in the past). He threw me about a bit and I lost my balance. I had resigned myself to hitting the deck, just as my instructor shouted "don't you dare fall off" and at that moment I managed to right myself!

 

[Jo_x]

I think the point is that if you ride enough you will fall off at some point, particularly if you push yourself and/or ride difficult horses. It's not that you can't be a good rider without falling off, but that whilst you amass the experiences that makes you a good rider, it's inevitable that there will be falls along the way.

And it makes you feel better when you hit the deck

 

[Annagain]

I think the 7 times thing is more a case of "if those 7 falls haven't put you off nothing will" and that's what makes you a "proper" rider. I've lost count of the falls I've had, I can't even remember how many times I've fallen off my current horse. I can remember 6 off him but I'm sure there have been more. Only one since he stopped jumping 7 years ago though - about 2 years ago and it was a really daft one!

 

[9tails]

Hours in the saddle makes you a better rider, IMO. There are things my horse does that would have had me off in an inkling when we first met that I can now sit and often anticipate. I do prefer riding the one horse with her particular repertoire of tricks than a load of horses with their different tricks though. I'm not planning to compete for Best Rider prize.

 

[soulfull]

I hope not, I want to improve but too old to fall off

 

[PaddyMonty]

There are generally two broad reasons why people fall off. The first is that they simply can't ride on side of a merry go round pony, the second is that they have pushed out of their comfort zone and come up against something they didn't have experience of.
The first group will not become good riders from falling off, the second group will become better riders from the experience that led to the fall rather than the fall itself.

 

[pansymouse]

If it does I must be sodding Olympic standard - I spend most of my childhood getting back on and have had a fair few splats as an adult.

 

[smja]

No, falling off doesn't automatically make you better, it's what you learn from it that makes the difference.

There is a difference between falling off and being chucked off. However, the learning opportunity is the same for both: don't make that mistake again!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I fell off a lot when I was younger and the last time I fell of was when I was about 30 horse reversed down a bank spooking at a kite and I kind of slid off the back, I think I would seriously cry if I fell off now it's something I really do not want to do now being that bit older so if falling off makes you a better rider then so be it I would rather be classed as rubbish.

 

[mytwofriends]

It probably does, but I'm at a point in my life where I'd rather not be a better rider any more, as falling off hurts and I can't afford to be out of action. I've fallen off plenty of times in my 40+ years of riding, so I've done my fair share I think.

 

[Annagain]

There are generally two broad reasons why people fall off. The first is that they simply can't ride on side of a merry go round pony, the second is that they have pushed out of their comfort zone and come up against something they didn't have experience of.
The first group will not become good riders from falling off, the second group will become better riders from the experience that led to the fall rather than the fall itself.

I'll add a third if I may. It's the horse's fault! I'd argue there are certain things that some horses do now and again (or some more frequently) that give the rider no chance. If a horse really wants its rider off, there are very few who could stick it.

 

[PaddyMonty]

I would think that falls in to the second category as the person obviously got on the horse in the first place. This assumes they knew what the horse was like. If they didn't know what the horse was like and therefor got on a strange horse without seeing it ridden first then I would guess they learnt something.

 

[MDB]

My last fall was when I was trying to dismount my husband's horse. Horse was stationary, and as I swung my leg over, it got caught on the higher cantel of this particular saddle and I ended up literally flat on my back with said horse staring down at me with a "you fool!!" look on her face. I still can't quite work out how it happened. It certainly didn't make me a better rider, since I wasn't actually "riding" at the time. I did learn that I don't like dismounting from my husband's horse's saddle!

 

[Nativelover]

I'd say it depends on many factors!! My last fall has crippled my confidence, takes a lot of courage for me to even get on these days.
So age, reason for fall, location etc can all affect if a fall 'makes you a better rider' in my case it's made me much worse!!!

 

[alainax]

In a sense it does, for those who have never fallen off/ fallen off very little. To fall off you either have to be riding something a bit more exciting, or doing things a bit more exuberant. If you manage to stay on hacking around on a nice steady horse all day that is fabulous, but it could be aruged that until you ride something with a touch more fire, or do things that require a bit more skill, then you might not be able to develop as far as a rider.

If you have fallen off a few times however ( lets say 7!) then by that point you may have had a chance do to a few more interesting things, or ride differnt horses. ( unless you are pants and have just toppled off the side ).

I guess you either have to be absolutely outstanding to have never fallen off in your ridden career, or not to have pushed yourself.

Don't get me wrong, with my current boy I have only fallen off once ( which was my fault, unbalanced in canter, I asked for a change and we both face planted ). But over a riding "career" you should hopefully get to test your abilities and this will be what will develop your position, reactions and stickability! The guy before him however, had me in hospital more than once!

In saying that, there is nothing wrong with going for the safe option, if you are quite happy with that. But do not dread falling off, the fear will only interfere with your enjoyment.

 

[tallyho!]

YES!!!!

Totally. As in ride better? As in have a bit more self awareness? As in better balanced? As in sitting taller or deeper? As in get yourself in a decent position? As in you got the git figured out?

Considering, where I learnt to ride which was a highly established school of pony equitation. Where you turned up and leap-frogged your mates then the innocent pony who then bucked you into the next field, then falling off definitely cements your sense of self preserfukingation!

Still.... I've since hit several different decks, several times. Look, if your gonna ride a fookin' horse, you're gonna fookin' fall (I know too many Irish people). Didn't you ride a bike once?

So, my theory is: new mount = refresh fall count.

 

[tallyho!]

Yessss!!!!! No ****ing stars!!!!!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

What makes a good rider, imo, is riding a wide range of horses in as many different situations as possible. This might well involve falling off sometimes but it is always better to stay on if at all possible.

this, one of mine had a mean buck...no matter how good a rider you were if she put in her proper buck you wee on the floor end of. Good thing about her was she taught me to sit to bucks and last week the elephant bucked going into canter (it was exciting having the tb next to him ) and I hadn't sat to one in years as that mare was retired a few years ago
and my body knew automatically what to do. So I always say she taught me how to be bucked off and how to sit to them at the same time.

I hate the thought of falling off as A my confidence isn't what it used to be and B I don't bounce as well :/

 

[tallyho!]

See, I don't mind bucks... I just hate the dirty shoulder drops and "you firsts"...

 

[Gazen]

This has already been covered but falling off does make you a better rider if you can learn from what happened. I have a very sharp horse and have learnt to stay on when she spooks at that feather / stone / leaf / blade of grass / bush / flower / invisible monster. Mainly because falling off hurts and I don't bounce as well as I used to.
However, as happened last week something totally unexpected happens and you hit the deck and there is nothing that you could have done about it. In my case, my horse stood on a piece of flint and just leapt up into the air, I am out of the saddle and looking down at her and the fence before landing next to her shoulder, still in the riding position.

 

[Mince Pie]

See, I don't mind bucks... I just hate the dirty shoulder drops and "you firsts"...

Especially when you're on a pony and there's not a huge amount in front of you in the first place!

 

[Aoibhinn]

Although I'm 30, had horses my entire life (mum always had horses) and whilst my sister seems to end up in hospital everything she gets within a 100 yards of a horse, I've yet to have a serious injury (the worst being winded) 😔

This is the exact same for my sister and I, she just has to look at a horse and its a trip to A&E I have had some bad falls yet have walked away unscathed somehow?? Including one where I was thrown off onto the road and kicked in the face - just got a tiny cut on my cheek. Touch wood that I'm that lucky in future 😁