Falling off.. any tips to land better?

[Asha]

Ive fallen off 3 times in the last year, on one occasion I landed on my feet which im not sure really counts as falling off, but the other two occasions ive gone sort of splat, and really banged my head. Both times ending up with concussion. How do you fall off better ? Its always when we are jumping, im at the point now where i think i need to give up and concentrate on dressage etc

PS - seriously not wanting any sympathy, just need some tips. Im fed up of bashing my head and replacing hats !

 

[Littlebear]

At what point when you are jumping are you falling off?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

You need to tuck and roll for the best way to land a fall, I tend to not be able to think fast enough though my last fall was also on my feet thankfully!

 

[Asha]

At what point when you are jumping are you falling off?

Thats a fair point. id say the last time was on landing. She has a habit of over jumping . I can usually sit to them, but the last time we where jumping 70cm, and she apparently jumped top of the wings and wiggled on landing.( I don't remember the fall or much for about 30mins before and after) My instructor says I was jumped off, so how do the better riders cope with that ? Thanks !

 

[ElectricChampagne]

Have a read of this - I really think its brilliant, particularly the part where it suggests you practice your tuck and roll with no horse invovled.

https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/training/horseback-riding-falls-jim-wofford-27838

 

[Asha]

Thanks for that. The getting fit is a very good point, and something that's been on my mind. Also the point about thinking during the fall is spot on. I do tend to think ' oh shit' so must learn to think tuck and roll as Alex suggest as well. I will def have a practice this weekend. wonder what the neighbours will think of that

Have a read of this - I really think its brilliant, particularly the part where it suggests you practice your tuck and roll with no horse invovled.

https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/training/horseback-riding-falls-jim-wofford-27838

 

[Alibear]

The above links seems to be really good.
I fall off when jumping and in the end I did give up, I did crack it though. I thought it was all about the landing but it was actually because I was messing up my position form the take off to cause the bad landing. So it might be worth getting that checked.
But yes, hug yourself and go with the roll, momentum is actually your friend, rather than the flat thud type landing. I haven't had a chance to put this into practise yet.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The tuck and roll fall is something that used to get taught in pony club. I used to be be pretty damn good at it (I have had enough practice over the years ), but as I get older, I do tend to go splat more. I no longer jump and I do wear an air jacket, though that mightn’t help too much in a head first landing.

Sorry, I’ve not been too much help, have I.

 

[Asha]

The tuck and roll fall is something that used to get taught in pony club. I used to be be pretty damn good at it (I have had enough practice over the years ), but as I get older, I do tend to go splat more. I no longer jump and I do wear an air jacket, though that mightn’t help too much in a head first landing.

Sorry, I’ve not been too much help, have I.

hahaha, no not much help !! But you did make me feel better, im not the only one who goes splat. Maybe it is something age related, as I never used to go splat / bang my head.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I will also add that my most epic fail at the 'tuck and roll' was when I bust my collarbone! Rotational fall and thinking Topaz will get herself out of this... oh no the floor is coming up pretty fast... best tuck and...ouch point of shoulder to floor .

I am an idiot, you do need enough room to fully get into the tuck position for best results .

 

[Asha]

I will also add that my most epic fail at the 'tuck and roll' was when I bust my collarbone! Rotational fall and thinking Topaz will get herself out of this... oh no the floor is coming up pretty fast... best tuck and...ouch point of shoulder to floor .

I am an idiot, you do need enough room to fully get into the tuck position for best results .

Crikey, that sounds like you where very lucky to just break your collar bone, rotationals are very scary. Serious ouchies for that !

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Crikey, that sounds like you where very lucky to just break your collar bone, rotationals are very scary. Serious ouchies for that !

Ah I was super lucky and managed to avoid being too squished! Collarbones are nasty breaks though, I wouldn't recommend it!

 

[chaps89]

Have a look through old posts by Kerilli, if I recall correctly, at one point she organised a day at hers to learn how to fall off, and there was some posts about technique and so on

 

[oldie48]

When I went over Rose's head my brain was too slow to say tuck and roll but quick enough to say "bloody hell this is going to hurt" Perhpas it is an age thing!

 

[Skib]

The only time I tried to tuck and roll, I was hurt more than just landing on my back (in bp)
I always land on my back because I kick my feet up as I fall to be sure they are free of the stirrups. But landing on one's back means one rolls back and hits the back of one's head.
My last fall onto tarmac from canter was not good.

And the older one is, the more likely one is to bleed into the brain.

So does anyone have suggestions? May be as one's back hits the ground, that is the moment to roll?

 

[SEL]

When I was in my teens I used to ride out over the hunt jumps with a jockey. He'd fallen off a gazillion times and said the moment you know you've parted company (the oh sh1t moment), then breath out. It automatically relaxes you when you hit the ground and you are less likely to hurt if you aren't tense.

I rode for a dealer for a short period after that and fell off a lot. The breathing out does work unless it's the horse that falls, then the oh sh1t moment is usually as you get splatted!

I'm too old to fall off now. I don't bounce.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Short answer about how to fall: aim for the softest bit of ground. Slightly moist fine sand seems to be the best, in my experience.


I've long thought that good falling technique should be taught in beginners' class.

When you start martial arts that include throwing, you learn how to fall without hurting yourself. It makes sense to me that the same should apply to horse riding.

I fell last Sunday... asked for a transition from trot to canter, the horse refused, threw his head and shoulders down and tried to buck me off. It didn't work, and I asked a couple of strides later, and he went to canter.

Tried again on the next circuit, and he did the same thing, but bucked three times... and I eventually came off. But I felt it coming and was ready. I went over his right shoulder; clenched teeth, chin tucked into chest, hit the ground on my right shoulder with a smooth roll onto my back with the reins still in my left hand.

The horse started stamping around nervously, so I let go and rolled away from his hooves... he farted and then galloped a half circuit, by which time I'd picked myself up, and he came back to me so I could mount up again, and then we did the exercise again.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I went to a Jon Pitts course a while back and he goes up to Newmarket and does inputs teaching potential jockeys how to fall.

www.fittoride.co.uk - might be worth a look.

Apparently you should drop your reins (hard for oldies like me who were taught to hand on in there) and roll into a ball.

 

[tallyho!]

Hmmm... maybe I was taught in a different generation... taught to always hold your reins no matter what. I still do that to this day.

I've had more than my fair share of falls and thank goodness so far they have amounted to winding and broken ribs only. Ugh the pain. I've found that horses have a particular way to throw you off. The first one liked to stop and buck. Second was a proper drop the shoulder master which is horrible!! Third loves to bronc. Never had a rearer so can't comment.

Such an odd question really as the situation ultimately dictates your perilous journey at great speed towards ground. If it helps my dad always said "never put your arms out and never let go of the reins" and he was NH jockey who gave up because he hated falling off

 

[GreyMane]

-Whatever the jockeys say!-

My mother spent many years doing ice dance. She always said it was a total waste of time teaching beginner skaters how to fall on the ice, as the real falls always take you by surprise. She later broke her arm when dad (a beginner) tripped her up!

Our very old-school Japanese judo teacher (3rd dan I think he was) used to yell "ROUND LIKE BALL - NOT LIKE STICK!!" as we did our warm up. I remember 2 bits:
1) doing a forward roll in a sort of diagonal direction; right shoulder rolling over to left hip, or vice versa
2) practising absorbing the energy of a throw by slapping the mat with a flat hand and outstretched arm as you landed

This may not be possible - or advisable - in a riding fall of course! But practising landing is probably still a good idea, to reduce the rider's fear of falling, and allow you to be more relaxed as you land.

Wonder if Mark Rashid says anything about Aikido falls?

(What collateral damage have you had whilst falling? I rode a pony that was a real 3rd-dan master of the dropped shoulder, fell off at a jump refusal and snapped my glasses in half at the bridge of the nose. Optician wired them together - but I had very odd vision from the 2 pivoting halves until the new pair arrived.
Also lost one lens which popped out while we were trotting along a road; but fortunately saw where it landed in the long grass! Perishin' glasses.)

 

[littleshetland]

Please never never never try and land on your feet.....I tried this once and and now have an ankle that looks like a fetlock joint with loads of metal work in it and a permanent limp.....

 

[Lintel]

Another vote for tuck and roll, however when it is unexpected... *very* it does really come down to your reaction time.


Mines fail and I splat normally!

 

[little_critter]

-Whatever the jockeys say!-

Our very old-school Japanese judo teacher (3rd dan I think he was) used to yell "ROUND LIKE BALL - NOT LIKE STICK!!" as we did our warm up. I remember 2 bits:
1) doing a forward roll in a sort of diagonal direction; right shoulder rolling over to left hip, or vice versa
2) practising absorbing the energy of a throw by slapping the mat with a flat hand and outstretched arm as you landed

This may not be possible - or advisable - in a riding fall of course! But practising landing is probably still a good idea, to reduce the rider's fear of falling, and allow you to be more relaxed as you land.

Wonder if Mark Rashid says anything about Aikido falls?

(What collateral damage have you had whilst falling? I rode a pony that was a real 3rd-dan master of the dropped shoulder, fell off at a jump refusal and snapped my glasses in half at the bridge of the nose. Optician wired them together - but I had very odd vision from the 2 pivoting halves until the new pair arrived.
Also lost one lens which popped out while we were trotting along a road; but fortunately saw where it landed in the long grass! Perishin' glasses.)

Not sure about point 2, sticking a hand out sounds like a dead cert for a broken wrist.
When falling off I usually land on the back of my shoulders or on my bum. My last fall resulted from a spin, I think the centrifugal force meant my arm flew round behind me and I ended up with a broken wrist.

 

[Bernster]

Hmm really should not read threads like this! I have all manner of vision of falling off now and I hate hate hate falling off. i think the centre of horseback combat covers this in their sessions, how to fall off.

 

[Auslander]

I am an artist at grabbing a bit of horse to slow my inevitable descent! I've saved myself three times this year, by wrapping my arms round Alfs neck. I also noticed, last time he tried to drop me, that my legs clamp on like vices as soon as I feel myself start to go. His default manoeuvre is to slam the brakes on, prop, and then spin - unhelpful, but reasonably easy to organise oneself if you know the patttern!
When I do hit the deck, it tends to be a proper splat - I don't bounce anything like as well, now I am getting a bit older!

 

[Asha]

When I went over Rose's head my brain was too slow to say tuck and roll but quick enough to say "bloody hell this is going to hurt" Perhpas it is an age thing!

sorry to hear you've fallen off Rose oldie48. Hope you are ok ?

I tend to just think the same, and im already thinking this is going to hurt. Think I your right, theres definitely a theme of going splat and getting older

 

[Asha]

The only time I tried to tuck and roll, I was hurt more than just landing on my back (in bp)
I always land on my back because I kick my feet up as I fall to be sure they are free of the stirrups. But landing on one's back means one rolls back and hits the back of one's head.
My last fall onto tarmac from canter was not good.

And the older one is, the more likely one is to bleed into the brain.

So does anyone have suggestions? May be as one's back hits the ground, that is the moment to roll?

youve just decribed it to a tea! Going splat on your back = head hitting the ground

 

[Keith_Beef]

Not sure about point 2, sticking a hand out sounds like a dead cert for a broken wrist.

Don't think of it like stretching your hand out in front of you as you fall forwards; you're right that that is how you break a wrist.

The Judo technique is to land flat on your back, arms out at 90° to the shoulder, slapping backwards against the mat. The theory is that your arms hit the mat first, and the deceleration is slightly more gentle.

I used to have a colleague who reckoned that it was possible to fall flat on your front on a hard surface: head turned to the side and tilted back, arms out at 90°, and allow the air to be pressed out of your lungs by the fall, working like an airbag. He wouldn't demonstrate the technique for me.

When falling off I usually land on the back of my shoulders or on my bum. My last fall resulted from a spin, I think the centrifugal force meant my arm flew round behind me and I ended up with a broken wrist.

I've fallen in just about every way that I can think of, except for two: never fallen from a refusal at a fence, never fallen onto a fence, never fallen at the landing after a fence.

But my first fall in the indoor school (and I think only one there) was approaching a pole on the ground at a trot. When my horse saw the pole he decided he would take off at a gallop and jump the pole. I wasn't ready, at landing I went over his shoulder a full somersault, landed on my feet in a crouch and fell backwards very softly onto my back. But the helmet must have been badly adjusted, it slipped forwards and a piece of broken plastic lining cut me on the nose, just below the line of my eyebrows. I have a scar from that.

 

[scats]

I have a horrible habit of putting an arm out instinctively. The last time I fell off I remember my arm going out and thinking to myself that it was a really bad idea but I couldn’t stop myself.

 

[littleshetland]

It's funny how time slows down just nano seconds before you actually fall off. There's the moments when you think 'Oh crap - here we go, I'm falling off' and then what seems like ages before you actually hit the ground....