'learn how to fall'

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belle98

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Recently was looking at a Facebook comments debate re body protectors for showjumping. I saw a lot of "just learn how to fall" comments. Just wondering what this means? My last fall I was bucked off and unfortunately landed on my face and suffered a significant head injury, I certainly didn't have time to plan my landing!
 
It's a jockey tuck and roll skill ;) I think most people think they are probably better at it than they actually are.
I had to ignore most of what I suspect was that fb thread, it was completely irrelevant to a rotational fall as was wearing a body protector. Then we had an air vest seller rock up and everyone seems to have forgotten there was a reason why the WW exocage existed.
 
I had to laugh recently when a guy at work was telling me how he was teaching his son (2 yr old) to fall as he figured if he did it early it would come totally naturally to him.
He was doing this by lobbing the kid off his shoulder onto a bed (I’m sure in a safer way than I just made that sound! ?)
Plan being he’s never going to get injured riding, child however has used this new skill to his advantage and now climbs out of his cot, up on the side launch off.. tuck, roll and your away ??
 
Not quite sure how I manage to do it but I nearly always managed to tuck and roll, just instinct I guess. Only time it didn't help I was going too fast, got ejected out the sidedoor off a 13.2 and landed on my shoulders and back of neck. Knocked out and ended up in hospital getting x-rayed. Addled my brain and took ages to properly think straight again.
 
You can learn to fall correctly - or at least better. I arranged visits for my older pony club kds to newmarket to do a course on the "equi - shoot" Basically a mechnaical horse which shoots you off so you learn to land safely. (If memory serves you had to be 16?) Clearly it will not cover every fall scneario but repeatedly being thrown into a crash mat pit will teach your body to do the better things - let go of the reins, tuck and roll, not splay out and land flat etc.

DD also covered some elements of safe falling in a trick riding qualifcation run by the Devils Horsemen a few years ago. But with less actual falling off!

You can also learn to fall properly in sports like Judo - but I'm not sure how applicable a safe landing on a mat not breaking wrist or ribs is to riding a horse.
 
Shay said:
You can learn to fall correctly - or at least better.

You can also learn to fall properly in sports like Judo - but I'm not sure how applicable a safe landing on a mat not breaking wrist or ribs is to riding a horse.
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The technique is pretty applicable to riding actually. I never had to formally learn how to fall properly because I did judo when I was riding a lot - and when coming off a horse you've got longer to prepare for the landing as well ? I stopped just before I stopped riding though but it was useful when I was really into jumping at about 10-11. A lot of it was about protecting your head/neck and arms iirc so not unhelpful for people who ride to learn at least.
 
Jockeys all learn to fall, as do stunt riders, and while it won't always prevent injury (cf jockeys...) it certainly does help in the event of an unplanned dismount. You do need to be fairly agile and generally fit 'though, and I suspect that some of the people who go spectacularly splat aren't particularly athletic to begin with.
 
Blue Chip All Star academy covered this in one of their programs. If anyone follows social media it was the series with Tina Wallace - Life on the left rein in. I found it really interesting and felt i would benefit from something like this.
 
As kid we were all taught the tuck and roll away response to being ejected and I am surprised it isn't still taught. Mind you I suspect dear old 'elf and safety might not be too happy about it these days, or over protective parents either.

We were taught by ex cavalry office - I wonder was this part of the cavalry training that he brought with him? Very useful several times as a kid and teenager. I would have as much chance of instantly curling into a tight ball and rolling away from flying hooves these days as I would riding the Grand National
 
Mrs Jingle said:
We were taught by ex cavalry office - I wonder was this part of the cavalry training that he brought with him? Very useful several times as a kid and teenager. I would have as much chance of instantly curling into a tight ball and rolling away from flying hooves these days as I would riding the Grand National
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Were you taught in Lanarkshire at a family run establishment?
 
I have tended to be lucky as most of the time I have managed to land on my feet I have no idea how I did! The worst fall I had was when the horse just went down it was so quick I just went with him, unfortunately he crushed my leg and broke it there is nothing you can do in that situation I was cantering and then the horse was on top of me.
 
I do remember a very old horse and pony article of someone sad on an old oil drum on the floor practising falling, I don't imagine that was terribly helpful!

There was a previous user called Neil something who was into judo and was suggesting running some sessions but I don't think they came to fruition.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I have tended to be lucky as most of the time I have managed to land on my feet I have no idea how I did! The worst fall I had was when the horse just went down it was so quick I just went with him, unfortunately he crushed my leg and broke it there is nothing you can do in that situation I was cantering and then the horse was on top of me.
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The only time I ever landed on my feet I ended up with a broken ankle ?
 
When falling at speed I have had the least injuries. My last and worst fall by far was at a walk when horse slipped and crashed to the floor. Sometimes you just don’t have time to think and thump your on the deck
 
The thing is it’s not just about learning the technique, but then practising it enough so that in a fall situation your body does it without thinking. I credit knowing how to breakfall, and having practiced it enough that I did it without thinking, with how I was able to limp away from a hit and run with no major head injury (my primary injury was where the car had impacted me; my rear bike tire was bent to a 90 degree angle).

I haven’t trained at martial arts now for a decade but from the last couple of times I’ve fallen off it’s obviously still there in my subconscious. I’d suggest pick a martial art that involves throwing (Judo, Ju-jitsu, Aikedo etc) and join a local group for weekly training
 
I've never really had time to think to tuck and roll.
I do tend to throw myself to the side so that I'm clear of the horses feet, the only time I didn't do this was when I was jumping and we both fell and landed on our faces (very lucky with that one, could have been a lot worse than it was! I was getting up just imagining him stood with a broken leg or something!)
 
I learnt to tuck and roll as a child; my Mum pimped me out as a crash test rider for psycho ponies (I was very bold rider) so it was completely necessary. I still got a lot of riding related injuries but they're not nearly as bad as they could have been.
 
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