OMG I've just fallen off George - quite shaken

Gorgeous George

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I was out having a lovley hack (even braved a little canter) and then something made George stand stock still and plant himself (never done that before), so instead of reassuring him I gave him a kick to walk on and he span round and got me off balance and proceeded to gallop across a ploughed field - I lost the fight with gravity and hit the desk (rather sore and bruised back, thank goodness for the back protector). He then galloped across the road in the village and got missed by the cars, and two kind people abandoned their lesson and came rushing into the village to catch him (I didn't know this was happening as I was still stuck in the mud). I rang my YO and instructor and they came out in cars to look for George, thank goodness the boy seemed fine (although I suspect he will be stiff tomorrow). My friend/instructor rode him back to the yard for me and I promptly burst into tears.

I am thankful that we have survived with just bruises as it could have been a disaster, and I was thankful to all the lovely people who dashed out to help without a second thought
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but my already dodgy confidence is now in tatters
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Gash, that sounds like a right fright - glad ur all ok tho - if not very shaky! Could you see what bothered him? If he's never done it before then I think you should put it down to a once off and maybe hack with company next time out just to give ur confidence a wee boost.

X
 
Oh no!!!
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I am so sorry to hear you've had such a frightening fall. I always think it's worse when you have no idea what made them react in such a way. He must've seen something and was scared enough to run. Poor love.

How long have you had him? Remind yourself of how many GREAT rides you have had on George and how few bad experiences you've had with him.

I've been taken off with a couple of times on Patches. Preventable both times as it was when horses cantered past her that I wasn't expecting and she took off (overtaking them along the way lol). It made me knees quiver afterwards the first time, but I reminded myself that it was an isolated incidence and just took a step back whilst I rebuilt my confidence.
 
O dear!! I'm glad you are both Ok and unhurt-if shaken!! I wonder what made him stop? I hope this won't dent you confidence to go out on your own, it was a one off, don't blame yourself that you kicked him on instead of reassure him, its what I would have done! Lucky it was a soft landing.
 
I'm glad you and George are okay. If your confidence has taken a knock I should hack out with someone else for the next couple of times. Thank heavens for mobile phones! Hope your not too stiff tomorrow. The cold weather always makes my horses extra spooky and lively!
 
Oh dear glad you are both ok. Try not to let it hit your confidence, we all have our 'off' days! and after reading you other posts he sounds perfect the rest of the time!
 
oh thats such a shame,

have a nice hot bath and hopefully you wont be too sore in the morning. Is there any chance you can hack out tomorrow, even if its just for 10 min down a familiar road. My mare did a very similar thing about 2 weeks ago and i just tried to get on with it and hack out asap so that i didnt build it up in my mind to be something awful. Maybe smile sweetly at someone to accompany you.

glad there were no severe injuries though!
 
Oh HUGE hugs to you - But before I dish out tea and sympathy I'm going to say - have a look at TFT - www.jo-cooper.com or www.thoughtfieldtherapy.co.uk
If your confidence needs boosting I'd do it NOW before you drop any further - You found your ideal horse in George and it would be such a shame for you to lose your confidence when it was something and nothing - (I'm not saying your fall was something and nothing - it's terrible to fall off and we've all been there - not good at all) - but what I mean is it would be such a shame to lose what you've got when for the sake of one phone call it could be sorted out!
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I did it and never looked back - that was four years ago and H was on the For Sale listings - she's still with me and is the best horse ever!
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Good luck - hope you're not too sore
Kate xx
 
Really sorry it hear about your fall. You must get back on him and definately hack out with company next time you go.
I have confidence issues but i try to think possitive at all times.

Please let us know how you both get on next time you ride...
 
Sounds like a horrible experience, but thats all you can do, put it down to experience, as sea view and haniki said, I'd hack out with someone for a while to re-build his confidence and then venture out on your own again when you both feel comfortable. I like to boost Norm's confidence by hacking him out in company whenever I can but its not always possible!

Glad you're ok, you'll be telling us how well you've done at your dressage in a few weeks
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That has happened to me! A quick spin round, gallop off and you are on the deck! reassuring to know you are not alone!! Few glasses of wine and you will laugh about it!Get back on and go down the route again asap, to reassure yourself you can do it! Join the club!!
 
Sorry to hear this, poor you
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Did you know that horses do not like anything dead? So maybe he got a wiff of a dead badger or fox or something like that and it frightened him? My old horse used to stop dead at a particular part of our ride, which he had gone past a million times previous, I had to get off and lead him past, could not see or smell anything but these horses sense this type of thing.

Try not to dwell on it, i'm sure it won't happen again.
 
Big hugs for you Trish...it's a bit scary isn't it? I fall off fairly often but fell off out hacking for the first time a few months ago - Murph leapt sideways after his little pony friend spooked and off I went. It does happen sometimes - even with generally safe horses! Oh, and I ALWAYS cry when I fall off!!

I'm sure you'll be fine next time, try not to dwell on it too much, just see it as a one off, if it happens again you'll be more prepared and more likely to stay on.

Get yourself a nice glass of wine x x x
 
Oh dear, and you were doing so well. There are so many positives to come from this little indiscretion ...

Your first fall so dont need to fear it anymore
Soft landing
Now knowing that George will make his way home
He is traffic proof
YO, instructor and friends will all rally around for you
You now have bruises to show people
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A great deal can be learnt from this and it is important that you get back on asap. Lots of good advice here and a good one from H's mum too.

Welcome to the club hunni xxx
 
I agree with Bonita. Plenty of Radox in the bath and your aches will be fine. I would try and ride for a short time tomorrow with somebody else around and put this incident behind you. It sound like a one-off accident - nothing you could have done to change it.

You're doing great - don't let it knock your confidence.
 
Oh no Trish, didnt realise it was such a scary fall, sounds horrid!

But as the other posters have said, best thing you can do is get back on the horse, literally and figuratively! If you need anyone to walk out with you on foot, I could pop over next weekend if necessary?

If its any consolation, Twiglet was a nightmare over Christmas - had a couple of full blown panic attacks over the park and totally freaked out by something. We found a deer carcus eaten on the farm though, so am thinking the Beast of Brentwood could be out and about - maybe he's ventured out your way?!
Seriously though, its horrible when it happens so can fully sympathise. I ended up walking home from a hack as he was threatening to throw us both down a hill in an attempt to get away from the monsters.....
 
Oh Tirsh, so sorry to read about your fall.
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Remember, it is most unlike him. Nurse your bruises and get back on him - go out with a trusted companion a couple of times somewhere different and then make sure you go back to where it happened - if at all possible with an experienced person who can talk you through any wobbles you may have.

Remember all the good times
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and chalk this one down to experience!!
 
oh gorgeous george you poor thing. try and take him bak to that point again as soon as possible for you both. mine bolted a few weeks ago, totally bombproof until that point but a fresian cow scared him and i was nervous taking him back and he does remember it every time but we are not scared anymore. good luck and lots of arnica.
 
Oh sweety, i hope you're ok. Its terrifying when they do that and its one of my boys tricks also.

Take it steady the next few days and get your confidence back. Most of all remember, its still George
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Really hope youre ok
 
<hugs>

So sorry to hear about this. Remember that you are not alone, it has happened to most of us at some point. Do try to get back on, but maybe try just schooling for a couple of weeks, or just go out in company for short hacks in walk.

Hope you feel better soon.

Isabelle
 
Sorry to hear this...was he feeling a little fresh and so reacted dramatically rather than sensibly? I would recommend lots of hard work for him this week, cut down his feed if he is getting any concentrates, TFT and get back out there (I know it's horrible but it has to be done - sounds like he was feeling cheeky to me! My mare was lively this morning - I think she was shocked by the sunshine!) Hope you feel better soon.
 
Thank you all so much, what was scarey was that I hung on for quite a while round his neck and that probably frightened him more. Then when I saw him running at the road I actually screamed out and as I stood up I could see 3 cars stopped on the road but couldn't see the road or George and I honestly thought the worst. Think hacking on the fields will be out of bound for sometime, YO is going to help me trundle quietly round the school tomorrow (assuming George is ok), and then someone is going to go out with me for a walk hack on Weds and we'll take it from there.
 
Oh no
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hope you are both ok , get back on as soon as poss and take it slowly , unfortunatly horses can be unpredictable and whatever caused your accident today may never happen again in that spot , same thing happened to my youngest daughter out hacking but it was someone shooting , he tanked off ,she flew off and he galloped home , they were ok thank god , she still hacks but in some ways it did her good knowing that no horse is completly "bomb proof" x
 
Good plan- I'm a nervous rider too and my confidence gets shaken very easily. I find it helps to have someone there with me to talk me through any crisis (real or imagined!) that I may have. Focus on the fact that before the fall, you were brave enough to have a canter.
 
Glad you hit the desk though, and not the horrid mud
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sorry, whenever things go wrong with Si, I try to make a joke out of it... people at the yard think Im a raving loony, but I get really frightened by even the silliest little spooks :s
 
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