Have you been injured horseriding? how?

[topclass]

Where to start............. broke my neck in 2 places, broken toes, a getting , ah yes, gravel embedded in my boobs after a mates horse lot loose with a lunge line on and caugh my legs and dragged me, chunk out of my back, mind you this is in the space of havng horses and breaking them time span about 22 years so not back considering.

 

[LadyLuck1977]

I have broken my coccex after I got bucked off my naughty pony, broken ankles, cracked ribs, broken my nose twice.
Mary

 

[fitzaud2]

Broke my arm at my first ever show, broke 4 toes when a horse stood on them. Was knocked out twice from being bucked off my first pony. suffered concussion when the horse decided to jump the arena fence and kicked me in the head on the way down, splitting my hat in two. fell off the quietest mare i ever had, she spooked at rubbish in the ditch, reared and fell backwards, so I got squished between her and the road. that one was the worst, back still kills me, really should have had a back protector on!!!! fingers crossed i dont have another one like that, havn't bought ground in ten years, thats my problem, am afraid of falling now!!!!!

 

[Apercrumbie]

Broke my arm - horse fell on me
Two broken fingers - was holding a horse who spooked so fast the leadrope swung round my hand and in between two of my fingers.
Several toes

I think that's it....apart from the general lumps, bumps, bruises and general pain from falling off everyone gets

 

[bumper]

Not sure I want to be reading this lol! Ow!!

My contribution: wrist in plaster for weeks with badly torn ligaments. Umm...tried to hold on to a tanking large cob.....
Broken collarbone and concussion from being chucked out of the side door, not being properly ON at the time as I was mounting from the ground on a hack, on a road, and was just getting right foot into stirrup when horse spooked. Was quite interesting, as once I had picked myself up from the tarmac, I went staggering up the road to catch horse, lead him back, put him in his box and only realised I had broken my collarbone when I couldn't lift my left arm to take the saddle off!! It started hurting shortly afterwards.

 

[Yosemite]

I broke my wrist whem I was 8.
This sounds a bit far-fetched but there was a multi-vehicle crash right next to the field I was having a lesson in and my pony, unsurprisingly, spooked at all the banging, crashing and graunching noises. I fell off and to cap it all managed to land on a jumping pole. I can still hear the snap!
On the bright-side it meant I could sit out school sports day!

 

[Rose Folly]

Fractured skull - came off backwards

Crushed breastbone - was jumped off and then landed on in a hunter trial. Preventable? Yes, I was 13 and the horse was way too big for me

Two broken toes. Preventable? Yes, I left my feet lying around

Multiple bruising and an ongoing internal problem - horse and self hit by motorist. Preventable? Yes, the woman should never have been givien a driving licence

Amnesia - bucked off when horse startled by pheasant at full gallop (the horse, not the pheasant). My friend said it took 7 bucks to dislodge me, and that on the final one I went up in the air to the full extent of the stirrup leathers. Knocked out, and came round knowing nothing except the horse's name, and that she wasn't mine. The friend said we must go home. Thought that was a nice idea but didn't know where home was! On way met a very friendly man. Thought I might be married to him as I saw I had a wedding ring on. Turned out to be the farmer on whose land I kept my horse. memory slowly came back over the nect 2-3 hours. Very scary. Preventable - probably not, but a neck strap or hunting breastplate might have helped

Damaged coccyx - can't spell it - bucked off when I backed my horse off the road to let a tractor + implement go by. My horse's back legs stirred up a wasps nest. Preventable - probably not

Wet bottom - Knocked into water trough yesterday morning by mannerless livery horse who headbutted me. No injuries but dignity in tatters

 

[Sanolly]

That last one really made me LOL!!

 

[dibbin]

Broken foot - jumped a ditch out hacking, horse pecked on landing, I think my foot must have somehow twisted in the stirrup, as I had boots on and landed on my back so it didn't hit off anything.

 

[Fairynuff]

Broken nose when I was headbutted by a hunter, broken finger-caught in rug buckle. broke 3 vertebrae-L1, L2 and L3 when I came off at a tallus-I then got up and walked 1.5 miles home as I couldn't get back on the horse!!!!! I think thats more than enough.

 

[thespanishmane]

1.Broke arm when horse stung by hornet and rodeo'd - like another member, dad didnt believe I had hurt myself, and went to hospital 2 days later.
2.Broke same arm again when turning out 'friends' horse. Led it into field, turned it round and took headcollar off. The whatnot whipped round and gave me both barrells on my forearm.
3.Broke coccyx when Arab I was excercisng decided to buck as I got one leg over - foot caught in stirrup and dragged round arena.
4. Broke finger when idiot charged off whilst being led and rope caught round finger
5. Broke instep when going through gate and wind blew gate, horse leapt through and crushed upper foot on gate hitch
6. Got knocked out at show when my 22 year old bronco'd as she thought we were all going too slowly.
7. Had head glued when my horse spooked when I was once again halfway on (from mounting block, never from ground) I swung underneath, and cut my head under the back of my hat.
and
last but not least, on New Years day, the same toad shot off when I once again was getting on, bucked and I fell on my side, cracking three ribs. Then I got 'the cold' and the pain from a) coughing b) blowing my nose and c) sneezing is awful, and yes, I work in a hospital so no sympathy there.
Maybe I will grow out of riding (only been doing it 48 years!)

 

[KVH]

Broke my finger while lunging. The next day I broke another finger picking out a hoof. When the second finger had healed, I promptly broke it again picking out the same hoof.
Then broke my toe by the mare standing on it.
All in the space of a couple of months.

 

[olop]

Not a riding accident but horse related....

My mare used to be a cow to catch in her early days & we used to spend hours trying to get her in at night. One particular night it was really bad & we was out there hours. One of her mates was out there at the same time & they were both having a right hoon in the field. This horse came running up behind me & kicked out & caught me.......on the bum
I went down like a sack of ***** & couldnt get up so YO had to call the ambulance where I was taken out of the field on a stretcher (my mares face lit up by this point!)
I hadnt broken anything but my whole ass was bruised & I couldnt sit down for a week & was on crutches for a month, not the best feeling in the world

 

[Jenni_]

was kicked in the face at 14 - result = broken jaw in 3 places.

shouldnt have been in the stable with that horse in the first place - but i was. oops. was an inch from hitting my temple.

my thoroughbred reared up when i was riding and fell back on top of me when i was 19 - broken ankle and ribs.

those are the worst but iv had hundreds of pulls, sprains, bruises and concusions!!!

 

[Hawks27]

As a teen big boistrous hunter went to rub her head on me flinging me over the stable door and cracking 2 ribs, i now take installing good manners into youngsters very seriously lol
Whislt practicing for BHS exams instuctor had me do a mock test rode perfectly and whilst cantering down the centre line to stop neatly in front of the judge the 18hh 5yr old [put a buck in out the blew i went up a fair way then down on my backside in front of the instructor brusing the base of my spine on looking behind me horse was stood lovely and square so i bowed and crawled out of the arena. Future note do not relax and asuum your done jsut because you have asked your horse to stop at the ned of a lesson
EX Racehorse supposedbly retrained though a fit in the schooling paddock and remarkably i stayed on through all the rearing and spining and bucking but he then charged into the corner tripped and came down to his knees throwing me head 1st into the ground then as he did his best to jump over me and keep running he kicked me in the back, badly brusied and the school span for a while but think im ok
So after 16years of riding anything and everything i think ive got off very lightly

 

[cobgirlie]

As a kid I never once hurt myself riding..despite having a nutty horse who'd throw me off all the time!! As an adult:

Dislocated shoulder
Fractured elbow (3rd time refractured a few months ago..still wear a support and in constant pain)
Fractured little finger
Fractured toe
Pulled muscles in back..lost count
Broken rib
Dodgy hip that goes sometimes (like now...owch!)
Back that constantly aches.
Concussion..about 4 times, can't remember cos I banged my head!! lol!

So far nothing majorily broken which is nice but I am in constant pain from one injury or another. Moral of the story is...at 41 things hurt, falls are more dangerous and generally keeping away from naughty horses is a good idea!! BUT not one I'll be doing any day soon, as much as I do hurt and I'm sure I'll be hurt again...I won't stop..ever!!

 

[laurajane]

it's funny how you bounce when you're younger! I always fell off when I was a kid, nothing...

but I came off XC, landed on the jump and bent my body protecter... still suffering with a dodgey back 3.5years later, multiple broken toes! he has a habit of doing it when I was to get my heels out!

and he swung his bum round and crushed me against the wall, cracked rib! I guess i've not done too badly

Ohh! and i fell off Boxing Day 2009 and re fractured my arm

 

[Bessieboo]

I have fallen off a few times and have the had the usual bumps and bruises but the worst injury was the following:-

I was hacking on the road with a friend and a very large tractor and trailer approached. She said her horse was fine with it but in fact her horse spooked which caused my horse to jump into the very deep ditch next to the road. I stayed on fine but as she is quite small she had quite alot of trouble trying to climb and in fact decided to spin round in the ditch which pitched me off sideways onto the road. Not a bad fall really apart from as she jump out onto the road she landed firmly on my right foot.

At the time I limped my way back home and didn't bother going to get it x-rayed. It wasn't until a week later when my foot was so swollen that I could barely get my boot on that I went. I had a hairline fracture but it had already started to heal so was told to keep off the foot for six weeks - which I did.

The result is I know have arthritis in my right foot and a lovely lump of bone sticking out at the side which means I can only wear very sensible low shoes! If I walk long distances I get alot of pain in my foot and sometimes when I have ridden alot too. Now I wish I had gone to the hospital as soon as I had done it.

 

[bmw]

Knocked myself out a few years ago when the horse went one way and i went the other and i smashed in a fence.

Knocked myself out again a few years ago when i was jumping a double (not very well) and got catapulted, i somehow ended upside down then i let go landing on my head. I also tore all the ligaments in my back from this fall.

Broke my chin when i was riding my horse through the woods when i first got him and he was being very naughty, he bucked and i didn't sit to it and as i went forward he came back!

 

[Nic]

Riding:

Torn ligaments in my leg being launched from a pony who kept on bronking til the saddle came off.

Bruised cocyx - Nappy wee git backed into a gate got a fright, shot forward, bucked, I landed infront of saddle, bucked I landed on neck, bucked & I slithered off over his ears in sitting position!

Concussion, numerous times. I fond landing on my head does the least damage!

 

[Dunlin]

Not ridden or owned since 1999 and the riding kit has certainly come along a lot since then but here are a few "injuries" I have had in the past and if I could have avoided them.

Despite the kit improvements I always wore a skull hat that was up to standard and a back protector to the highest grade at the time.

1) With my horse in his stable, he was 17.3 so not small. He always got very boisterous and rude when I was putting his feed in his wall bucket. One day I put his feed in and in a rush for him to get it (I think he thought I would eat it before him) he crushed me against his feed bucket which broke 2 of my ribs. It really was incredibly painful and scary as well. Avoidable - yes. After that I contacted his previous owners who said he was always like that and it probably stemmed from being bullied by other horses in the past and not getting his feed. I then got a manger for the door which meant I could put his feed in without entering the stable and I when he was sold I actually mentioned his argy bargy issues to his new owners.

2) Small 1 day event. X-Country, scary ditch monsters made my boy stop. I went out the front door and for some reason thought it was a good idea to outstretch my arms and hands. 6 broken fingers and 1 broken scaphoid. Avoidable... not really, it's a natural instinct for some.

3) Field jumping lesson on a riding school horse to try and rebuild my confidence after a fall. Teeny tiny 1 foot cross pole, horse did a stand still 4 foot leap followed by a massive dirty twisted buck. I landed smack flat on my back and was knocked out. Spent the rest of the day feeling rather unwell. Avoidable? Not really, just one of those whoopsie moments we all get. Didn't do much for restoring my confidence though

4) Saving the worst till last I was on a horse riding holiday in Devon. We were crossing the River at Tarr Steps and the big grey mare I was riding decided there was nothing better on a hot day than a roll in the river It all happened so quick I can't even remember the sequence. I just remember my left leg being stuck under her, thinking that breathing under water was not possible and I then got into an ambulance. Dislocated hip and knee which does still cause me problems today especially in cold weather. Avoidable? God only knows, it all happened so quickly. I suppose having safety stirrups might have stopped my foot getting caught and rather than sitting there thinking she was just having a drink I should have kept her moving.

I hasten to add that I have had more serious injuries being a motorcycle rider than being a horse rider.

 

[Doormouse]

Broke my nose 3 times in one year - first being bucked off a 4 year old in the school, landed on my face broke my nose, cheekbone and had black eyes for 6 weeks and horse also used me as a landing pad and trampled all over my back so lots of pulled ligaments. Very well behaved 4yo normally so not much I could have done really. 2nd nose situation when jumping a hedge out hunting and didn't spot the tree branch above me, nose hit tree and I fell off over the horse bum, lots of blood that time, no black eyes (I'd learnt not to blow my nose by then). Should have looked where I was going! Third accident to poor nose was horse turning over a big hedge and my nose met the ground first. Clearly need to practice landing on a different part of myself. Unsurprisingly I then had to have it operated on which actually was more painful than the 3 breaks.
Otherwise, numerous concussion, several broken fingers, endless broken toes etc. Broke my ankle falling off a swing in a pub car park (before I went in the pub!).

 

[Nic]

Oh I forgot, a heamatome the full length of my RHS after being deposited on a gate.

Also non ridden horsey injuries include, fractured knee, splatted nose, hoof print on my thigh & a stud through my right big toe

 

[kirsty 1]

1.horse fell over on the road breaking leg in 8 places pined and screwed 2.horse reared over and tore ligaments in ankle and knee 3.did a face plant of 1 of the youngsters at work needing 20 stitches in my chin 4.dislocated my sholder turning a horse out pulled straight out of the sockett

 

[CobSunshine]

2nd nose situation when jumping a hedge out hunting and didn't spot the tree branch above me, nose hit tree and I fell off over the horse bum, lots of blood that time, no black eyes.

"nose hit tree" something about that sentance is very LOL yet very painful

 

[Shutterbug]

Not riding but horse related none the less. I was dragged 60' by a bolting horse who I was leading out of a field to load. Left me with a massive hole in my head that took 7 surgeries and over 3 years to fix, I was featured in the Your Horse July 2010 issue Confidence special in which they printed a photo of my exposed skull - did get a photoshoot with a make up artist and professional photographer out of it thanks to News of the World though so not all bad news