I hit the dirt!

[Flicker]

Last night, the mare became a bronco pony! She saw a new xc jump (a fallen log) in the xc field next to the school I was riding in and must have thought it was a predator lying in wait for her! Spun round and as I frantically gathered my reins she just went mental - leaping, rearing, bucking. In a blind panic I think. I stuck on for a bit but couldn't get my seat back in the saddle or get hold of her head before she chucked in another one. Ended up flying gracefully through the air (which was very blue by now!) and landing on my (fortunately well padded) ass.
Mare f*'ed off in a blind panic to the gate and stood trembling.
I hopped back on, got a lead off another horse past the scary object a couple of times and she worked beautifully for the rest of the hour.
I have never known her do anything remotely like that in the three years I've owned her - totally out of character. She is spooky, but usually lets you bully her past scary things. She was genuinely terrified.
What worries me now is:
Do you think she's 'got my number' - ie - now she knows how to get me off? She's tried little bucks in the past but because my leg is quite long round her, they have never shifted me. This was proper rodeo-stylee though...
If she has 'got my number' what on earth will I do if she tries to do that on a hack?? I don't hack her on the road on her own because she is spooky, but do take her off road. Don't fancy having to contend with that on a bridle path!! Apart from anything, bridle paths are harder than all-weather surfaces!
It is quite sad - I've not lost confidence in my ability, but I have lost a bit of confidence in her. No matter how scared they are, they shouldn't behave like that surely??

 

[jumpthemoon]

No, don't worry about it! She was obviously scared so she wouldn't have been thinking about how to get you off, or that she could get you off if she wanted. Her mind would have been focussed on the scary object and protecting herself and it wouldn't have crossed it to connect what happened and combining it with an occasion in the future where she might be feeling a little naughty! You'll be fine

 

[samp]

As said she has never done this is the 3 years you have had her. I would put it down as a one off. I broke my knee in a similar incident getting on my horse I had owned for 2 years, I had him for another 8 years after and he never did another thing like that. It will be a one off, you'll be fine

 

[Chumsmum]

A bit of a similar thing happened to me (tho' not as dramatic) at our first show recently. I was worried that I really didn't know him at all (I've had him over two years) and that he would try it on again the next time I rode - and the next time I rode him was our first time on the beach, so he had every opportunity to go stupid! But he never did and never even felt like he would so I feel a lot better about the whole thing and may even try a show again...

So try not to worry too much, it seems that they might all have a stupid moment in them and carry on doing your normal thing and good luck

 

[Nickijem]

Happened to me with my last horse. Everything was going great, hacking, jumping etc apart from ditches. One day I took him to our local park to try him over a ditch, I gave him a bit of a thump of a kick to get him over so he jumped it ten times bigger than he needed to then set off in a rodeo style bucking bronc. I was soon eating dirt! After that I was worried about using my leg too much and jumping but he never did anything like it again in the nine years I had him. And yes, I did jump him again, and I used my leg firmly with him when necessary. It just seems horses are capable of having one off sessions.
Its similar to them being spooky. I don't know about yours but Jerry will be really spooky one day about drains (for instance) then be fine the next day.
They're not always very rational are they???
I'm sure you'll be fine. Try to put it behind you.