Stupid incident - how to prevent a recurrence?

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Blythe Spirit

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OK I blush to admit this :o but I managed to take a silly tumble this weekend jumping (Or rather failing to jump) a small rustic fence at a fun ride. Basically what happened was that my horse went to refuse this fence and I tapped the shoulder so she decided to give it a go and got one leg over then changed her mind tried to pull her leg back to her side of the fence - this resulted in such a contortion of the horse that I fell off as she scrambled back over. As I went over her retreating shoulders i somehow managed to take the bridle off with me. So now loose horse in the middle of fun ride! Woops!

(I shut the nearest field gate and fishing a handy carrot out of my pocket I caught and re-bridled her - checked she was not hurt, got back on and jumped the fence perfectly successfully and then the next 6!)

But my question is really this - how can I stop that happening again - not the falling off I appreciate that happens from time to time and I should have been riding better - but the bridle coming with me? If I had had a running martingale on would that have prevented that? Do people ride in martingales for that purpose? Or is there some other widget which can stop that? Sorry for the silly Q's but its never happened to me before and I wouldn't like it to happen again esp riding on the roads or something. It also occurred to me that having the bridle come right off rather then dangling under the horse but off its head might have been better than getting my bridle broken by tangling in legs as 10 miles would be a long way to lead home in my boot laces!
 
Glad you're ok! Never happened to me personally but that's what the throat lash is supposed to help with! Was it done up too loosely? If you had a martingale on then the bridle would then have been attached to her girth dangling between her legs and probably been snapped easily. Least it came clean off and you were able to pop it back on!
 
Hmm, I would have thought a running martingale would just mean the bridle wouldn't separate from her, and so if she decided to take herself off on a little adventure, her bridle would go with her- which is somewhat less than ideal! What noseband is she in?

I think you need to do a re-enactment to find out how you managed to get the bridle off!
 
maxine1985 said:
Glad you're ok! Never happened to me personally but that's what the throat lash is supposed to help with! Was it done up too loosely? If you had a martingale on then the bridle would then have been attached to her girth dangling between her legs and probably been snapped easily. Least it came clean off and you were able to pop it back on!
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Thanks - yes horse and rider unhurt just feeling foolish - I don't think I had the throat lash done up loosely but must admit I did it a bit tighter when I popped the bridle back on! I will re think my 'usual hole' - yes I did wonder if that would have happened with a martingale. As you say at least bridle was intact!.
 
Lol. This is actually a common occurance. The throat lash is primarily there to keep the bridle on, but if it does then it's probably done up to tightly. A more effective configuration is the way the micklem throat lash is attached. Also thank yourself lucky you weren't wearing a martingale or your bridle would have gone for a blast dragged beneath the horse and that never ends well for bridlework. ;)
 
Old school PC teams we used to plait our bridles on our ponies so that they didn't come off when we did out hunting or on the XC course!
 
I find some horses with forward set ears can lose the bridle forward quite easily. It once happened to me whilst driving. didn't see what had happened, and the bit was still in his mouth, so could still feel / control him. Bless him, the pony stopped and refused to go on until I sorted it out!

Check that your brow-band is long enough to allow your throat-lash to secure the headstall behind the ears, not in front.

IMO a martingale would have turned a brief embarassing incident into a potentially dangerous situation, with you still having no control (bridle in your hand!) but the bridle / martingale / rein combo dangling around her legs, which could entangle her, especially if she then took off.
 
hnmisty said:
Hmm, I would have thought a running martingale would just mean the bridle wouldn't separate from her, and so if she decided to take herself off on a little adventure, her bridle would go with her- which is somewhat less than ideal! What noseband is she in?

I think you need to do a re-enactment to find out how you managed to get the bridle off!
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Just a cavesson noseband plain (not particularly tight) - and simple snaffle bit. thanks for the re-enactment suggestion LOL I will "consider" it <wink>
 
This happened to me once when jumping, horse put in a dirty stop, i soared over her head landed in a heap complete with bridle lol! spent ten minutes chasing round an excited tb abd causing chaos lol!

Not sure how to prevent it happening though x
 
dianchi said:
Old school PC teams we used to plait our bridles on our ponies so that they didn't come off when we did out hunting or on the XC course!
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Oh yes I have heard of that actually. Since horse has a wiry wild mane despite taming efforts it would be simple enough to do that - next time I do something where I might dismount head-wards perhaps I will try!
 
Plaiting the headpiece in as dianchi says is probably the most effective way of preventing it beig pulled off. And, although this sounds stupid, letting go earlier/ trying to throw yourself slightly clear of the horse when you realise falling is inevitable!
 
Lolo said:
Plaiting the headpiece in as dianchi says is probably the most effective way of preventing it beig pulled off. And, although this sounds stupid, letting go earlier/ trying to throw yourself slightly clear of the horse when you realise falling is inevitable!
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You know I never have time to think much more than "oh S**t" between departure from saddle and arrival at floor. But its a fair point!
 
I was riding the other day, let pony stop and put his head down to have an itch, and his head came back up sans bridle!! :redface3:

Never happened before and I have no idea why it did!! So will read answers with interest. I'm wondering if he somehow caught it on one of the buckles on his boots? I'm lucky that he was so good and just stood there.
 
The old school method was to tie a shoelace round the headpiece and through the first plait. No idea how successful this actually was as i have never seen it tested
 
Tie into a plait, quite a good idea if you are hunting or going out into the wilds! If you are not plaiting for show you but you are jumping just make one plait behind the ears and affix said bridle.
 
Lolo said:
I'll admit I am terrible at even attempting to stay on- if I can't save myself in the first 2 seconds I just let go...
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I think when I fall off its usually sudden and unequivocal rather than a slow slide - out of my last 6 falls (over about 10 years) 4 involved the horse slipping itself in some way. Once that happens I don't tend to have much choice. One was a sudden refusal in the middle of a jumping grid and the last was a stupid my own fault accident in which I got the bridle caught on something solid and broke it. The bridle fell off and the horse panicked and ran for home - I actually fell off only when he swerved round a car in the car park but I new it was only a matter of time!
 
Another vote for tying to a plait.

I have always been taught never to let go, but after three shoulder ops on a shoulder that dislocates I have changed camps and would always let go!

The throatlash is meant to keep the bridle on in theory, but it doesn't unless it is far too tight.
 
A few weeks ago I got off to lead Smudge past a "scary gate", and in trying to make her walk forward accidentally pulled the whole bridle off over her head.

Luckily she just stood there eating grass, and luckily we were on our yards private off road hacking so the worst that would have happened was that she would have headed back to the yard.

At least it gave my two friends a good laugh. In fact one nearly fell off her horse she was laughing so much!

In other news I went "over the handlebars" yesterday whilst jumping and luckily the bridle stayed on!
 
because you have gone over her head, so basically slid down her neck and she has pulled backwards (just like taking off a shirt over your head) the head piece of the bridle has got caught in your clothing and carried on with you, nothing could have stopped it, and I wouldnt be making the throat lash too tight as it would affect the windpipe.
 
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