If you fall off and your horse stays with you........

W

wattamus

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 July 2010
Messages
742
Visit site
does it mean he likes you?
Just musing, I fell of Bean on Tuesday, we were cantering along (fairly brisk pace) and she slammed on and ran backwards and I went straight over the front- heels down next time! My first thought was "$#!+, keep hold of her because otherwise she'll run off home!" (right through the village/main roads etc). So sadly I kept hold so got dragged for about fifty yards before deciding to let go as it wasn't worth it. To my absolute amazement she just stood there and waited for me to get up. I then gave her a pat (and a little hug) got straight back on- before the adrenaline wore off! and carried on like nothing had happened. Although I genuinely believe Bean was more traumatised about me falling off than I was. Although I do feel very sorry for her mouth! :(
Now before I had her, Bean had a reputation for ditching people out on hacks and running off home, it was quite usual for some new girl (who would be loaning her off her old owner- we had a new one every week you see *rollseyes*) to go out with Bean then ten minutes later Bean would come back "sans" rider- looking very pleased with herself I might add.
The first time I fell off out hacking she ran off but came back because I was out with a friend and she came back for the other horse. But as I say I'm amazed she stayed with me on Tuesday.
Anyhow, my question is- if you fall off do your horses stay with you or to they, ahem, "Foxtrot Oscar"? And do you think it means anything either way I.e do they like you if they stay?
Silly thought, just musing............
 
No they're stood there laughing at you!

But seriously, mine does that. She also goes down to walk if being ridden by a novice who becomes unbalanced. I think she's just a caring type ;)
 
My first pony ALWAYS stayed with me when I fell off, and the only time I fell off was when he bucked me off, either through excitement or a temper tantrum!
I've had him for 14 years now and bought him from a riding school aged 6 so I'm the only person he's really had a one to one 'friendship' with. He follows me around the field when I'm poo picking or checking fences like a puppy dog!
 
I thought so- ahh well I can live in my fluffly marshmallow land pretending to myself that she likes me! Although to be fair I think Bean was definitely more shocked than amused at me being on the floor! ;)
 
I had a lovely moment when hacking Bunty [initially a very aggressive mare, and I still have a scar from her teeth!]. I went over the ears [pheasant under feet] and she set off home, but came back when I called, she had become "domesticated".
 
Having had one that always set off home at a smart trot I'm teaching Tinner to always expect a treat when I get off him... I've also come off mid hack on purpose and dropped to the ground to check what he would do, he stood looking bemused then checked my pockets!
 
My two horses have always stayed with me when I've come off, but I've had both from youngsters and feel that they'd rather stay with me than run away. They would usually look quite worried when I ended up on the floor!!
 
Not 100% sure with mine. In the school he'll run for the gate every time, out hacking we've only parted company once and he did get away from me - he went to leg it (think racehorse out of the stalls style:p) but then changed his mind and came back ... Not totally confident he'd do the same again though!
 
Mine will often go home if we are hacking around home and they know where they are - it depends on how big a fright they get. If we have travelled and are out somewhere else, they will stop and wait, simply because they don't know how to get there.
 
In the past my mare has stayed with me. Waited while I groaned up into a standing position. Waited while I went up to her to grab the reins. Waited until my fingers were a hairs breadth away......and then merrily foxtrot oscared her way home!
 
My older cob just goes off to the nearest patch of grass, haven't fallen off the youngster yet, but suspect he would also stay near by as it is not the flighty type!
 
G stops dead bless her. Last time I came off her was in the combined training at RC Areas and she actually had a hoof on my back. I remember thinking 'oh god, I'm going to be in hospital with a broken back' (it's amazing how quickly thoughts can go through your head!) but she did everything to prevent herself from putting weight on that foot, lifted it up and put it down next to me. I had a lot of people who saw it comment on how I owed her big time! (Although I would have preferred it if she hadn't jumped me out of the saddle in the first place... we were leading after dressage and had a fence in hand...)
 
Think like a horse. There are various possibilities:

Extremely calm type: Stops because couldn't give a damn, so eats the nearest grass until you sort yourself out.
Sees you as his leader: Stops because you are his source of comfort and protection, and can't wait to have you back on board.
Insecure, flighty type: Runs because he doesn't know what else to do and he's frightened.
PITA: Thinks making you follow him on foot across hill and dale is the best laugh he's had in ages...
 
Not fallen off mine on a hack for an extremely long time (touch wood) i havent actually come off on a hack for years (touch wood) but on the 4 occasions i have come off him, 2 he ran about 6 strides away but i think this was more a momentum as we were landing from a fence so he couldnt really just stop dead and the other 2 i flopped off the side as he refused a fence so still had hold! But from knowing him i think he would stop and laugh at me then eat the grass!!!

My sister once fell off her dressage horse when she was attempting a xc course on him, he legged it back to the dressage arenas as if to say excuse me mum i'm meant to be here not running through the woods jumping things that dont move! The look on his face was priceless!!
 
My cob would stay with me no matter hell would freeze over before he left me. My Spanish on the other hand you wouldn't see for dust unless he comes back to finish the job and stamp on my head
 
My old horse used to run off turn round to see if you get up and then run off if you start walking towards him! There was one hairy moment where he ran out of the path onto a country road but fortunately there was some horses by the path he was saying hello too.
We also fell down a unexpected ditch too while cantering. He stayed with me for that one as both a bit shocked.
Went with a friend over to a new place. Went for a canter, he got excited, bucked I came off and he ran off, Friend chased after him and brought him back but she said it was funny cause he got so far and realized he didn't know where he was and came back.

Fortunately for me over the years I have gained a sticky bum and *touches wood* in the 5 years of owning Rosie the only time I have ever fallen off her was when my friend went to give me a leg up and threw me over the other side!
So couldn't say what she would do.
 
The first time I came off my cob (he bucked me off!) i'd had him 3 months he ran about 30 feet and stopped shaking love him . The second time was about 4 years later I flew over his head at canter due to a dog coming out a hedge at speed! He stayed with me for that one and even put his head/neck down and lifted me to my feet bless him.(I've got a bad back so on impact struggle to get up) He's the only horse I've ever had that will feel me getting unbalanced and put me back in the saddle either by picking his neck up or slowing down. Even jumping,He's one in a million! I'm very grateful to Navaho on here for selling him to me! Only thing is it makes riding my youngster more difficult as I'm used to being so well looked after!
 
My horse likes to leave you on the ground and walk over to whoever looks friendliest/whoever he knows carries treats/the tastiest patch of grass.
He doesn't go far, and at more than a walk, but he's not nice enough to wait for you.

The two others I've come off, one was a baby who stopped at a fence and stood there in surprise (possibly because it was the only time I've ever come off him, and despite sitting to his rodeo routine I came off at what most people would have stayed on to!) after walking a step or two.

I used to ride a horse who would stop dead as soon as he felt you lose your balance and come out of the saddle. I think it made people fall off him more than saving them. He'd always stand and wait for you, his owner said it was because that many people came off him he'd learnt it was easier to stand still!
 
I don't think mine would stay with me... but I don't think he would go home either. He would head for the nearest food or mare... which ever is closest :o typical man!

The other would take off and then come back after 10 minutes of galloping about congratulating himself...
 
My old lad was always slightly horrified when I came off (although I did frequently) and would stand and shake till I caught him. The only time he bogged off was on a steep downhill bridle way when some @r$e let off a firework behind us. Fortunately there was a gate before the main A road a mile away.

I hobbled after him with some very worried walkers stopping me to check I was ok. I didn't realise until I caught him that my hand was dripping blood everywhere, hence the horrified walkers. It was only fairly minor scratches but my leg turned black from knee to toes and, while I rode the three miles back to the yard, I then couldn't drive home!

I don't know with new lad and am too old to want to find out! I have stayed on by the skin off my teeth a couple of times and am hoping that he'll be the 'what are you doing down there' rather than the 'leg it' type.
 
My old boy would always set off to find my mum if I didn't manage to keep hold of him as I fell. He was pretty funny really: it was like he'd freeze for a millisecond, then storm off in the direction of the lorry (I only ever fell off him out and about luckily). If he'd been a person he'd have been bellowing "Jane! Jane! She's fallen off! I require immediate assistance! It wasn't my fault!"... If I'd kept hold of him he would line himself up at the nearest jump and let me get back on :D
 
My mares are worried if I ever fall off and stand over me until I get up. The boy thinks he may as well use the time productively to boost his energy levels with a quick snack. I have trained my past and present horses not to bog off if we part company, although if they're spooked enough, you can never be sure that they will wait.
 
pennyturner said:
Think like a horse. There are various possibilities:

Extremely calm type: Stops because couldn't give a damn, so eats the nearest grass until you sort yourself out.
Sees you as his leader: Stops because you are his source of comfort and protection, and can't wait to have you back on board.
Insecure, flighty type: Runs because he doesn't know what else to do and he's frightened.
PITA: Thinks making you follow him on foot across hill and dale is the best laugh he's had in ages...
Click to expand...

This. Horses don't 'like/love' people.
 
I don't think for a minute that Alf would wait for me. The only likely way that I would come off him would be if he dropped me during his infamous spook,drop,spin manoeuvre. His one aim in life is to get the hell out there when he's done it, and so far I've stayed on board and hauled him to a stop. Me hitting the deck would just make it easy for him to keep on pegging it home. This is why I am so determined to stay on, even when he has me hanging off the side, like he did last week!
 
Mine just runs off and then stops about 20m away and sizes you up to see if you're angry with him.

Luckily (touch wood) not experienced it on a hack with him but I'm guessing he'd run away until a nice patch of juicy lush grass got the better of him. Always thinking about his belly despite what carnage is taking place around him.
 
I did manage to 'train' (bribe) one of mine with polo's. I thought I was pretty smart at first teaching my horse not to bog off without me but then realised I was probably training him (rewarding him) for dumping me... not so smart.

Most others have just been happy to wander off and graze close by unless it's been a major spook which means a long and frantic run (for me) following hoof prints which you hope belong to your horse.
 
only fallen of my baby once and she stayed with me. i think she was rather confused as to why i had left by the side door an just lay in the road!!:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top