Falling off...

blitznbobs

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So today I fell off - first time in about 4 years ... new horse napped I rode forward and he let fly with one huge buck and I exited the side door... not hurt but I always feel like bad person too which is stupid I know..

How often do people really fall off and what do people think (apart from ouch) when they do hit the deck...
 

Red-1

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I generally come off once a year or so. Usually after a niggle tells me that I am on the wrong track!

It did not used to bother me, now it does as I am older and creaky!

Hope you are not too sore.
 

paddi22

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If you ride horses, you fall off occassionaly, I just accept that now! I used to over analyse and be very judgemental on myself when it happened, but over the years I just accept I will get the odd tumble. If it happens repeatedly off a horse I'd analyse it, but otherwise I just move on and accept its a side effect of the sport!
 

Cortez

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I really don't like falling off, but it happens now and again - the last time I think it was about 6 years ago. Far worse than me falling off them is them falling on me, which is what happened the last time I had a serious incident....I would have much preferred to fall off!
 

Tiddlypom

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Ouch.

When I'm riding regularly I factor in one fall a year as standard, though I went through a phase before I got my current mare of falling off much than that. If I can get back on and get the horse back on track the same day I'm much happier than if I have to wait. I like to rationalise why the fall happened, I don't like falls that seem to come from nowhere.

I hope this is just a settling in blip with your new lad as he finds his feet.
 

SpringArising

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I fell off twice last year. Had been about six years prior to that!

I don't think anything when I fall, unless I'm genuinely hurt, in which case 'Shit, that hurt'!
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Ouch, hope you are not too bruised?
Like others, I factor in about 1 a year.
Managed it twice in 17 tho, one ridiculous one doing xc schooling - totally my fault, the other a rotational sj which I couldn't escape hitting the deck.
Escaped last year, 2016 & 15. Stupid splat in 2014, 2 in 2012, both unnecessary but down to very nappy spinning pony ....
 

blitznbobs

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Ouch.

When I'm riding regularly I factor in one fall a year as standard, though I went through a phase before I got my current mare of falling off much than that. If I can get back on and get the horse back on track the same day I'm much happier than if I have to wait. I like to rationalise why the fall happened, I don't like falls that seem to come from nowhere.

I hope this is just a settling in blip with your new lad as he finds his feet.

I’ve been pussy footing around too much and so he’s very fresh - after my fall I lunges him for a bit then got back on and he was back to normal - just the joys of January I think
 

vmac66

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I fell off yesterday. Mare spooked sideways at the idiot horse in the next field that was galloping round. Have a lovely bruise on my hip, think I must have landed in the pocket zip in my jodphurs. Got back on and finished what I was doing then spent the afternoon thinking about what I could have done differently. Came up with the answer not a lot.
Hope you're not too sore .
 

milliepops

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Oops. I hate to say it because ...what A way to tempt fate. I don't fall off very often, last time was last year when kira spooked out from underneath me in the school, then stood peering at me sitting in the sand wondering what was going on.

I just know I'm going to fall off salty and I fully expect that to be a more unpleasant experience. And I think that when it happens we'll both be a bit unsettled.

Before that... last time was probably getting spooked off the Spanish 😂
Hope you're not too sore.
 

whiteflower

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Yep, me too, I came off beginning of last week from a stonking spook at.....well nothing really ! Not come off that particular horse for years and only had 1 other fall in the last 6 (2 years ago) must be something in the air !
It hurt, lots but I got back on. I've decided I'm too old to be falling off, especially in the cold ! I don't want to be doing it again too soon.
 

ycbm

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Oh dammit, that's really upsetting when you fall of a new horse quite soon after getting it. It's what I fear every time I get on my new racer at the moment.

Two horses, ride six to ten hours a week in total. I fall off about once a year.

I hope you aren't hurt and your confidence in him isn't too dented. I don't think I ever quite got over the paint QH I used to own dumping me in the first week I had him. The second time he did it, four years later, I sold him.
 

Rowreach

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When I was working with horses and riding a lot, I used to reckon on hitting the deck about once every 18 months - and often these would be freak incidents rather than getting spooked or bucked off (I had quite a lot of glue in those days!).

The last time I fell off was just over a year ago, from a violent spook, and I knew it was going to bad as I was flying through the air. It's amazing how many thoughts can go through your head in a matter of a couple of seconds.

I was right, I haven't been able to ride since :confused:
 

Fiona

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I fell off twice at xc lessons before Xmas, and it's definitely knocked my confidence... I can feel myself riding more tentatively, just when I should be riding stronger to give my lovely pony confidence...

Before that it was years ago...

Fiona
 

JFTDWS

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Depends what I'm doing... Most of my falls are because I'm doing something damn stupid, or because I'm jumping (which, I'm starting to think, is also damn stupid!). If I'm doing stupid stuff, I don't really "record" falls, because I don't regard them as counting (is it really a "fall" if you throw yourself off intentionally? :p ). If I'm jumping, it depends how much I'm pushing myself, but I reckon twice a year if I'm doing a fair bit. Dressage / hacking / other stuff, I reckon maybe once every couple of years - tends to be "freak" incidents like horse coming down on top of me, or getting stuck in the mud. I try not to dwell on them, other than learning from my mistakes (like not going into deep, sucking mud on riverbanks!).

I do tend to avoid horses who actively try to put you on the floor though...
 

Accidental Eventer

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Like most others I fall off on average once a year and with my older horse it's usually my fault. With my young horse that shot up to 4 time last year, generally because he got a fright and I didn't stick with him enough. It's been a learning curve for me though and now hopefully have fixed my position so I can stay with him. Here's hoping at least! Also hoping that the more he is exposed to things the less reactive he gets, although to be fair a gazebo being put up next to an arena and being caught by the wind is scary.

Until recently falling was terrible and I usually wound up hurt but falling off so much and not being hurt has been good for my confidence.
 

Twohorses

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I used to re-school ruined horses and find them good homes. If I didn't go off a horse once a week, I either brought the wrong horse home or I was riding one of my own:). Tuck and roll got to be a knee-jerk reaction when I knew I was going off:)

^^^THAT is part of why I wear a back brace these days:)
 

Red-1

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When I was working with horses and riding a lot, I used to reckon on hitting the deck about once every 18 months - and often these would be freak incidents rather than getting spooked or bucked off (I had quite a lot of glue in those days!).

The last time I fell off was just over a year ago, from a violent spook, and I knew it was going to bad as I was flying through the air. It's amazing how many thoughts can go through your head in a matter of a couple of seconds.

I was right, I haven't been able to ride since :confused:

I am sorry, I hadn't picked that up. I hope you are on the mend.
 

Chippers1

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I really don't like to tempt fate but I last fell off when I was 18...I'm 31 in a week 😱😱 I know that my confidence would take a huge hit if I fell off so I must subconsciously try and avoid it at all costs!
 

Wheels

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I'm not sure exactly when I last fell off - I remember the incident but not how long ago it was. I was riding a friends horse, galloping down the beach, he spooked, saddle slipped way over to the right and I had no chance since the saddle was by this point past the point of no return! Was probably about 4 or 5 years ago

Before that it was when I was riding away my young horse, first time riding in the field and he slipped and then went into a mad broncing session, was quite proud just how long I managed to stay on lol

I should say that I generally only stick to sane, sensible horses

When I was a work rider I came off maybe twice in 4 years but came close very very often lol
 

sportsmansB

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I didn't fall off for 3 years when I had my mare, eventing and SJ regularly - she didn't buck, rear, spook or stop. Just didn't enter her head to do any of those things. Couple of times I got unbalanced a little xc (jumping through a key hole with a drop which she had never done) and on landing she cantered slowly in a straight line until I got organised again...
Since she passed away a year ago I have fallen off 4 times. I truly hate it and my confidence is shaken badly every time, especially if I can't see a logical reason for why it happened or something I could have done to change the outcome. I try not to hold it against the horse, they are not machines after all, but each time I miss her more and getting on again is a bit more difficult. But if the choice is give up riding or man up and force myself, I just know I have to get on with it. Last time I got a very confident friend to get on said horse before I got back on (I was still limping around brushing sand off myself feeling miserable) but I did get back up and pretend to be brave.
I try and manage my horses as best I can so that they don't get fresh. Not much hard feed and as much turnout as possible. Knowing that I do that gives me more confidence and positivity, and I know that if I ride with both of those qualities I am less likely to hit the deck.
 

Keith_Beef

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If you ride horses, you fall off occassionaly, I just accept that now! I used to over analyse and be very judgemental on myself when it happened, but over the years I just accept I will get the odd tumble. If it happens repeatedly off a horse I'd analyse it, but otherwise I just move on and accept its a side effect of the sport!

Absolutely true for me. I don't know how often I've fallen in the pas six years of regular riding, but I suspectit's now about ten times. I used to count, but gave up on it. Like I don't count the number of times I've fallen skiing, ice-skating, snowboarding or from a bicycle or motorbike.
 

Gusbear

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My last splat in the dirt was three years ago. It was the one and only time I’ve fallen off this horse.
I was attempting to mount when my knee somehow got stuck on the Velcro knee roll. As I tried to throw my leg over, the Velcro had attached to my jodhpurs and as I tried to mount it pulled the panel back and made an almighty ripping sound as Velcro does. With left leg in the stirrup and right leg and posterior mid air akin to a Prima ballerina doing an arabesque, dear horse shot off at a decent canter sideways across the indoor.
The momentum threw me back off but I was determined to try and get a leg over as it were.
Old body said no way, and midway through the process dear horse threw in a little buck during his canter/gallop half pass. I said sorry time to abandon ship so let go and let nature take its course. I landed with an almighty thud (doubly so when horse is over 18hh). I laid there for a few minutes trying to see if toes and legs still had any feeling. Once I realised I was ok I rolled over to find dear horse hiding with his head in the corner of the arena with his head covered in cobwebs. I told him I was ok whereby he wandered over, put his head under my armpit and helped me to stand up.
He didn’t move a muscle until I got on again. He’s been the same ever since. He stands rock solid until he knows I’m safely in the saddle and ready to go.
 

albeg

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Thoughts during the last few were:

1. "Those eejits" (a group of teenagers ran up behind us as I was walking him off on a long rein, he teleported and I didn't 😂), followed by "ffs you could at least look a bit sheepish and maybe help to catch the pony".

2. "Oh jesus please don't run into the middle of that lesson" (group lesson down the far end of the arena, pony spooked and teleported when an arena sign moved in the wind)

3. "1,2,3...what just happened?" (counting rhythm in a SJ round, we faceplanted on a perfectly level stretch of arena. Thankfully other than biting his lip, no harm was done, got the all clear after a once over from the physio).
 

nikkimariet

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Nova had me off a few weeks ago. 10 days off due to my plague and Bruce doing star jumps next to the fence. Just one of those things. I pretty much rolled up off my ass onto my feet and went running after it screaming expletives.

I don't fall off often. I won't ride horses when teaching that would try as I'm not risking my own neck. Never come off Fig, doubt I ever will. Nova is just young.

I usually think 'you absolute bast...' before checking I can move everything I should be able to!
 

Auslander

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I don't fall off often, mostly due to a few seasons backing baby racehorses a long time ago. Alf occasionally likes to remind me that he can drop me with contemptuous ease, just to make sure I know my place. He very rarely bucks, but when he does, it's an absolute purler, which sends me into orbit - I'd defy anyone to stay on it!
Didn't fall off him last year, although I did hang upside down off the side of him once, when he slammed the brakes on and bronced. 2017's fall was both of us, so doesn't really count!
I'm hoping that he's grown out of the sidewinder bucks, now he's 22!
 

DressageCob

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I generally fall off jumping as a rule. I can't count the number of times I've fallen off the little cob. Unfortunately, I haven't fallen off the big one yet and I need to get it over with because I'm worrying about it 😄
 

SEL

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I rode for a dealer in my late teens and used to come off pretty much weekly. Roll on 30 years and I'm too much of a wimp to want to ride those kind of horses now (it hurts!). Plus I don't really jump any longer and that's when I used to fall off a bit more regularly.

It's funny how some falls knock your confidence and others don't. My Appy sent me into orbit about 2.5 years ago when she spooked out hacking and that's left me with a real lack of confidence hacking - even after 40 odd years of riding and a LOT of unexpected departures. I think it's because I was on my own and my back went into spasm and was agony. I took a 24 yo pony out at the weekend and could feel my anxiety rising. Need to get a grip.

Last time off was about 18 months ago when I was asked to get on a kid's pony that was napping at jumps. It stopped. I cleared the jump. Funnily enough that didn't bother me anywhere near the level my hacking fall did.
 
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