Stupid mistakes - could have killed myself today!

pennyturner

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Basically I harnessed up a pair, and didn't notice that the reins were with the wrong set, so coupled the draft(outside) reins, and had the coupling reins on the outside. We headed off down the road like that, and I only noticed because the poor ponies wouldn't (couldn't) settle, and seemed very upset with me :(


So, what's the stupidest thing you've ever done, and how did you survive it?
 

FfionWinnie

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I got on the first horse I backed and had the reins crossed under her neck (she survived). Did the same with my daughter ride and lead on her newly backed Shetland as well. Couldn't understand what was going on!
 

Red-1

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Started to set off on a long journey in my 3.5 box with the back door open. Happily someone stopped me just in time or the contents of the rear living would probably have been distributed over the M1. :eek:
 

Tirna

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I once let my horse nibble at a haynet whilst I was mounting. The sticky out bit of the fulmer snaffle got caught on the net and horse panicked and half reared as I was mid-mount. One broken bridle, broken foot and concussion later, I've NEVER made that mistake again!
 

ycbm

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Done the same with reins!

Stupidest lately was this morning - letting go of the reins to do up the girth while the gates were open. A mile later, I finally managed to catch the horse before he walked 20 feet in front of me, all the way to the friend's house he knew we were going to. I so, so wanted to wallop him!
 

Sukistokes2

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Didn't buckle my new reins on correctly, one come undone leaving only one rein attached to the bit. Calm, sane sensible cob took full advantage and bombed up the side of a field out on to the road, slowing to a sensible trot, I finally managed to stop him by ramming his head, via the one rein into a hedge. He found it hilarious, don't tell me horses don't have a sense of humour !! I was very careful when I reattached it.
 

rhylis

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I hacked out my daughters pony without remembering to change over the stirrup irons. I realised my mistake as I lay on my back with my leg in the air and my foot wedged in the stirrup after he deposited me on the floor. I'm very lucky that I hung onto the reins and that he literally froze to the spot as I reached up to free my foot, it took some doing! I go cold when I think about what could have happened had he taken off, he was rattled enough to be on the verge of legging it but bless him he stayed put!
Lesson learnt!
 

Mrs B

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Chucked a rug on a horse when he was standing by a post and rail ... did up the chest straps ... flicked his tail over the fillet string ... did up the first belly strap and thought it was WAY too tight ... then realised the strap had gone over the lower rung of the fence first and he was now attached to said fence ...

Ooops! Luckily, he just stood there looking at the poor stoopid human in a pitying sort of way ...
 

Fidgety

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I hadn't coupled up the trailer properly to the landy, and as I set off up the lane to the the yard from the parking area so I could load I looked into my rear view mirror to see the trailer setting off down the 1/4 mile, dead straight lane on a hillside by itself. Luckily it headed towards the bank and came to a gentle halt a few yards later. I became obsessive about checking after that! :D
 

Gazen

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Tacked up my horse in the stable with him leaning over the stable chain. Put the martingale on ... with the stable chain on the inside. Thank goodness he didn't try to turn around to the haynet before I noticed.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Started to set off on a long journey in my 3.5 box with the back door open. Happily someone stopped me just in time or the contents of the rear living would probably have been distributed over the M1. :eek:

I did same only last year! Got 2 miles down the road and was alerted by FLF nickering constantly .... scarey, have constantly checked ever since....
 

FfionWinnie

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Started to set off on a long journey in my 3.5 box with the back door open. Happily someone stopped me just in time or the contents of the rear living would probably have been distributed over the M1. :eek:

Easily done. I do thousands of trailer miles a year and rarely forget to shut the ramp but have done so. Last time was at a show where I had recently hired and pranged their 3.5T box in my only (very minor) accident in 17 years. You can imagine my humiliation when it was the said owner of the box who alerted me to the ramp still being down :eek:
 

alainax

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Tied two horses up to the same bit of ( surprisingly strong) twine. It was attached to a ring, on a wooden panel (3ftx6ft ish) which evidently wasn't attached to anything substantial.

One horse panicked, both pulled back and panel came off, both flew off up the field tied together with panel flapping between them. Twine eventually gave in after what seemed like forever! Both were fine, I was traumatised! Was 15 years ago and still remember it clear as day!

Learned never to tie two to the same thing, and check the ring is actually attached to something!
 

Sussexbythesea

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My horse was on box rest with hand walking after an operation on both his hind annular ligaments.

I put the bridle on with the lunge rein attached still looped up to take him out. Then I thought oops not taken his rug off and stupidly let go of looped lunge rein and started to undo his belly straps. At that moment he decided to beg by putting his head down and his leg out in front managing to insert his leg into the looped lunge line and then as he pulled his head up he panicked nearly knocking me flying and span around his stable like a loony with his front leg suspended in the loop. I was terrified he'd damage his newly operated legs but luckily all was ok.
 

alainax

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Oh recent one! Pony escaped and was on the run up a huge field . Finally caught up with him thanks to a friend. She gave me the lead rope now attached to pony, I had two in my hand, went to hug her for her help and dropped the lead rope that was attached to the pony! He of course buggered off again... idiot! I blamed it on my baby brain :p
 

Llewellyn

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Seen several lorries take out their steps on gate posts.
Worst thing I've done is taken for granted martingale stops on reins were big enough to stop the martingale rings sliding towards the bit. They weren't instead the martingale rings got stuck next to the bit having slid over martingale stops and not been able to slide back attaching the horses head to his chest (in his mind) unsurprisingly he shot backwards and didn't stop until I had leant forwards and unhooked the martingale. (Took me ages to work out why he was going straight back in a massive field when he could have buggered off in any direction)It was on a steep hill and terrifying. Lesson learnt I won't be using a running martingale again unless it has comedy size martingale stops.
 

Orangehorse

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Apart from the oft told tale of tying my new horse to the gate (after always tying ponies there with no trouble) he put his head down, got the rope over his head, threw up his head and lifted the gate off its hinges and galloped across the field with the gate swinging from side to side in front of him. Luckily it was a leather headcollar which broke and he was quite calm, just putting his head down to graze. I was traumitised and it is over 40 years ago now, but just like yesterday.

Other than that, I drove off from a PC rally and had forgotten to release the trailer brakes. I pulled into a garage about 3 miles down the road and there was smoke coming off the wheels.
 

DabDab

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Yes, I've seen a lot of lorry steps smashed :D
One from today - I was exceptionally tired and rushing through jobs so that I could go ride.....horses have a front and a back door to their stables, front door access from barn, back door access from field, and the back door is left open all day. I had the wheelbarrow across the front door of little mare's stable as I was mucking out, she wandered in and I didn't even look up as she wondered over to the wheelbarrow, assuming she was just investigating. Then there was a hop and a skip out the corner of my eye and she was over the wheelbarrow and off out of the barn galavanting around the house, stuffing her face with lush grass.
So obviously I push the wheelbarrow out of the way and go after her, not closing the door behind me......a minute later I now have 2 hyperactive idiots doing laps of the house.
 

ycbm

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Drove off a showground with the steps down and took a gate post out. Current truck has buzzer on steps !

Drove under an eleven foot petrol station canopy in an eleven foot six inch lorry. Oooops.
 

WelshD

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One of the stupidest things I have done was only yesterday, I covered my pony's show browband in a cover fastened with velcro to keep it clean, not used one before and pony was not used to it, put bridle on the pony then later tried to remove the cover with pony in the horsebox - the noise of velcro right next to her ears sent the pony nearly through the roof of the horsebox and twenty odd stone not-so-nimble me could have been badly hurt in such a confined space not to mention the pony!
 

Pinkvboots

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I had not long lived here with the horses at home turned them out like normal at about 6.30am then about an hour later I was in the kitchen and just happened to look out of the window, I had left the little gate open in my small field that I use when I hack out, I ran out side with head collars and feed buckets as our back lane goes out onto the road I was in a right state I had visions of them running up the road, luckily they were grazing along the crop field at the back of me managed to catch them both they actually looked pleased to see me and we're quite happy to go home, could have been a lot worse I am paranoid about leaving it open now.
 

Landcruiser

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Oooh, where do I start? I gouged a long hole in the bank all down a narrow lane with my lorry steps. Left the trailer nose wheel down and drove down the road. Fell off at a gate because my girth was too loose, just slid off under horse. There are lots of others but they are all eclipsed by the time I accidentally rode for many public miles wearing on my head only my black balaclava under helmet, making me look like a scuba diver. I was nodding and waving all the wayto thank passing cars for slowing down. Eventually I saw my reflection in a window, many long humiliating miles from home.
 

Bernster

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Hah, have also done the back door of lorry open one, and lorry steps taking out a gate post. Good to know I'm not the only one!

Twice now I've turned up to a meet, out hunting, in all my finery, minus my hat! Field Master had to come over and ask me if I might have forgotten something ��
 

Pippity

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About five years ago, I was warned a particular pony liked to barge through his stable door as soon as you opened it and take off. I went in to put his saddle on, and he didn't make the slightest attempt to break out. Went out to get his bridle, still being careful to shut the door behind me but not being quite as paranoid - and the little pest shot out, knocked me over, and took off down the road. There was no headcollar or leadrope near by, and even his bridle was locked up in a separate tack room, so I went after him with nothing. Found him twenty yards down the lane, standing by the gate of his field, and led him back in disgrace by his forelock! After that, headcollar went on before I even opened his door!

And a few weeks ago, I went into the field to catch my share horse. The 'gate' is two strands of electric tape, so I detached the bottom one, ducked under, and left it detached while I went to catch my horse. Unfortunately, the other horse in the field wanted out, and I watched 16hh of somebody else's horse shimmy under the single strand of tape and stand deciding which way to go. Left would take him to another single strand of tape - which he could evidently duck under - and then onto the lovely rich grass of the farm ride which, sod's law, was currently open to the road. Right would take him to the main drive of the yard and then to the stables - but the drive was properly gated off. He started to turn left, so I lobbed my horse's lead rope in front of him, and it was enough to turn him right. I've never been so relieved as when I saw him trot neatly into his box and demand his tea!
 

iknowmyvalue

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Many things! Went to tie horses up but forgotten to actually do the knot, this happens fairly regularly but luckily mine either just stand there or walk to the nearest food source and stand and eat. Similarly, taking headcollar off to put bridle on, then forgetting to put it back on when I go to get the saddle. Or the opposite, trying to lead horse away to mount and not being able to work out why they won't come before realising they're still tied up! Loosened girth to stand between dressage tests, forgotten to do it up again so did warm up and test with girth 3 holes too loose, thought test felt a bit wobbly but didn't really realise until I got off and went to take saddle off! I have many times got on without remembering to do my hat up. I'm quite a disaster at shows. Countless numbers of times I've forgotten to take studs out before loading, forgotten to put my number on, forgotten to put my number in the number bib... My new favourite trick is forgetting to tie Henry up in the trailer. He self loads, so I just put the rope over his neck at the bottom of the ramp and let him walk in, then I do the back bar and ramp, then go to get in the car. Luckily my dad has reminded me every time so far, but we're soon venturing out alone so I'm sure I'll totally forget at some point, maybe I need to put a post-it note on the steering wheel :p Can you tell I'm a bit of a scatterbrain?! :D
 

JJones

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There are lots of others but they are all eclipsed by the time I accidentally rode for many public miles wearing on my head only my black balaclava under helmet, making me look like a scuba diver. I was nodding and waving all the wayto thank passing cars for slowing down. Eventually I saw my reflection in a window, many long humiliating miles from home.

This did make me laugh
 

JJones

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Another one who left back ramp of lorry down.
Must have driven a few miles. Car behind flashing, thought he was a bit impatient. Eventually over took and brought us to a stop to tell us. Very embarrassing but horses seemed to have enjoyed their new view.
 
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