That awful moment when you realise you are going to...

[Wagtail]

...fall. Normally it's when you are falling off a horse, but this time it wasn't.

Epic fail from me today when I decided to give my unbroken filly her first ever long reining session, and my first mistake? When I decided to use my brand new double ended long reins with the corded ends and webbing reins. What could possibly go wrong? Ah yes, forget they are actually only ONE REIN. Lovely filly has been an absolute star with everything so far and lunging is progressing well, also bridling, bitting, wearing a roller and saddle etc. All going super well. Obviously I expected she might react the first time she felt the long rein around her bottom. I don't long rein from the bit at first with youngsters. So I had her micklem on with a bit but the long reins attached to the nose rings on the bridle. First time she felt the rein around her back end she panicked and spun - normal first reaction from a youngster. So I carefully rearranged us and tried again. Now I am very practiced at long reining. I have done it for years, on all kinds of horses at various stages of their education. I like to hold them so they trail out behind me if long reining straight. If a horse panics you can usually regain control by using one rein more strongly and if you have to you can drop one to prevent a tangle up. Well my mare really went when she felt the rein. No idea how it happened but I suddenly realised the whole rein was behind me and... You can guess the rest. Anyway, lesson learnt; when using my new super duper double ended long rein always make sure it is never passed behind me. Mare was fine after she's galloped a few circuits she came back to me and we did some single rein lunging and she was a darling. She is much more sensitive than the average youngster to things touching her back end. I'm going to do some desensitising with her before trying again. I have to say that actually, I am really enjoying working with her, she is SO rewarding. It's good to have some horsey excitement in my life again. I haven't made a blunder like that in many, many years. But it actually feels good. I must be weird.

Any other tales of horsey blunders?

 

[Sukistokes2]

I went to have lessons with Suzanne Halsey to learn long reining, after my first lesson she took the reins away from me and suggested, gently, that in the future I engage a professional when it comes to long reining.

 

[Wagtail]

I went to have lessons with Suzanne Halsey to learn long reining, after my first lesson she took the reins away from me and suggested, gently, that in the future I engage a professional when it comes to long reining.

Oh dear that's not very encouraging! I thought she was there to teach you.

Well I have taught many people to long rein and been doing it for more than twenty years, so I should have known better!

 

[Ceriann]

On a very normal and shortish road hack with my mare i decided to hop off as we were confronted with two very excitable labs and no owner in sight. My mare is laid back and confident but she was still young and we'd had issues so i decided it was best play safe. Dogs issue dealt with (she didnt blink in any event) i decided to try and hop back on despite the fact we were no more than a quarter of a mile from home. In my haste to find a mounting place (she's too big for me to just hop on!) i went to mount without checking the girth. As id given myself a good bounce to get on, despite the desparately slipping saddle i was pretty much on (but ar a very odd angle). Scared the life out of her and she lost it (not so laid back with slipping saddle) - i didnt stand a chance and exited a few hundres yards later (at speed). She was fine thankfully and stopped after i was decked. 7 months later im recovering from a hip fracture (did a proper number on the break) and wont ride until screws come out later this year (as they are now irritating the muscle). Such a simple thing i could have done and we'd be fine - my fault entirely.

On a positive im now spending lots of quality time with my two mares and like you Wagtail am enjoying working both (including my unbacked one). If i was riding i wouldnt have the time to start my unbroken one but i can now do it very slowly (which she needs as she's a bit timid). Hoepfully by the time im back in the saddle we'll have a better bond than before.

 

[Goldenstar]

This exactly why I prefer separate lines because err I have been there , however separate lines are not a guarantee of success last summer I was double lunging J in the schooling paddock we had been topping that morning and the electric fencing round all the pens was down and all the gates between the fields open , in the far field a contractor had taken down the fence along the edge of our wood which is in an old quarry the drop is big about 100 feet perhaps even more .
My grass paddock is not bumpy because I am OCD about it but I managed to trip and startle J who was pretty lively because he had been doing some steps towards the piaffe he shot forward and lifted me straight off my feet I landed face down and he went off full speed .
Of course being a horse he head directly to the field with the now completely unfenced quarry side I ran after him ( a feat in it's self ) calling for my groom to bring up Fatty .
I got to the field where J a very big TB was at full gallop doing wall of death laps of the field being chased of course by the flapping lines .
The fencer and his helper where looking on in horror , expecting at any moment the horse to go over the edge , I can remember thinking what to do what do and I just called his name once out of habit and fear for him as much as any thing ,he turned cantered up to me and stopped I was gob smacked .
Later in the week I was in the pub when the contractor came in he had been amazed to see this manic horse come to one call but not as amazed as I was ,of course I did not tell him that .

MrGS bought me a lovely horse in March to soften the blow of him being at home all the time!
He's an advanced event horse I had always admired him and I bought from a local yard , I did feel a little self conscious about spending a lot of money on a competition horse mainly to play round with at home .
A few days after I brought him home ( I left him in livery on the yard at first ) I returned to his old home to do a ride a test clinic ,we had him polished and immaculate for his first trip out from our yard ,white boots, best bridle the works .
The horse surprisingly unsettled by the side ramp of my truck decided to jump off the top of the ramp to the ground in one go and after doing a lap of the car park ran into a paddock with a ditch ( for some sort of services ) across the middle he proceeded to gallop round fully tacked up jumping the ditch twice per lap before I could catch him .
He then looked like he had done a days hunting as did my boots we had to clean him off as best we could and had to go in for our session looking distinctly dishevelled and muddy .
What a showing up.

 

[Wagtail]

On a very normal and shortish road hack with my mare i decided to hop off as we were confronted with two very excitable labs and no owner in sight. My mare is laid back and confident but she was still young and we'd had issues so i decided it was best play safe. Dogs issue dealt with (she didnt blink in any event) i decided to try and hop back on despite the fact we were no more than a quarter of a mile from home. In my haste to find a mounting place (she's too big for me to just hop on!) i went to mount without checking the girth. As id given myself a good bounce to get on, despite the desparately slipping saddle i was pretty much on (but ar a very odd angle). Scared the life out of her and she lost it (not so laid back with slipping saddle) - i didnt stand a chance and exited a few hundres yards later (at speed). She was fine thankfully and stopped after i was decked. 7 months later im recovering from a hip fracture (did a proper number on the break) and wont ride until screws come out later this year (as they are now irritating the muscle). Such a simple thing i could have done and we'd be fine - my fault entirely.


On a positive im now spending lots of quality time with my two mares and like you Wagtail am enjoying working both (including my unbacked one). If i was riding i wouldnt have the time to start my unbroken one but i can now do it very slowly (which she needs as she's a bit timid). Hoepfully by the time im back in the saddle we'll have a better bond than before.

Ouch! I do hope you fully recover, and I'm pleased you are enjoying some unridden time with your horses. It's only human to make mistakes, but it always feels so much worse when it's with youngsters. In a perfect world it wouldn't happen, but humans aren't perfect and the most we can hope for is that with experience we make fewer and fewer mistakes.

 

[Wagtail]

This exactly why I prefer separate lines because err I have been there , however separate lines are not a guarantee of success last summer I was double lunging J in the schooling paddock we had been topping that morning and the electric fencing round all the pens was down and all the gates between the fields open , in the far field a contractor had taken down the fence along the edge of our wood which is in an old quarry the drop is big about 100 feet perhaps even more .
My grass paddock is not bumpy because I am OCD about it but I managed to trip and startle J who was pretty lively because he had been doing some steps towards the piaffe he shot forward and lifted me straight off my feet I landed face down and he went off full speed .
Of course being a horse he head directly to the field with the now completely unfenced quarry side I ran after him ( a feat in it's self ) calling for my groom to bring up Fatty .
I got to the field where J a very big TB was at full gallop doing wall of death laps of the field being chased of course by the flapping lines .
The fencer and his helper where looking on in horror , expecting at any moment the horse to go over the edge , I can remember thinking what to do what do and I just called his name once out of habit and fear for him as much as any thing ,he turned cantered up to me and stopped I was gob smacked .
Later in the week I was in the pub when the contractor came in he had been amazed to see this manic horse come to one call but not as amazed as I was ,of course I did not tell him that .

MrGS bought me a lovely horse in March to soften the blow of him being at home all the time!
He's an advanced event horse I had always admired him and I bought from a local yard , I did feel a little self conscious about spending a lot of money on a competition horse mainly to play round with at home .
A few days after I brought him home ( I left him in livery on the yard at first ) I returned to his old home to do a ride a test clinic ,we had him polished and immaculate for his first trip out from our yard ,white boots, best bridle the works .
The horse surprisingly unsettled by the side ramp of my truck decided to jump off the top of the ramp to the ground in one go and after doing a lap of the car park ran into a paddock with a ditch ( for some sort of services ) across the middle he proceeded to gallop round fully tacked up jumping the ditch twice per lap before I could catch him .
He then looked like he had done a days hunting as did my boots we had to clean him off as best we could and had to go in for our session looking distinctly dishevelled and muddy .
What a showing up.

Good grief! What a good horsey coming to you. It must have been terrifying. Been there too with the escapee horse showing me up. For me it was at the veterinary hospital and he spotted the vet approaching from across the yard, cue him bolting away from me and doing numerous laps of the (luckily) enclosed car park.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Tip for desensitising.....feather duster on the end of a stick. Worked wonders for our sensitive one.

I stupidly didnt check what i was tying the wet haynet up on and as i hauled it up i heard a snap anc i was on the floor with the net on top and my entire body jarred.....lesson learnt to check its the ring and not twine.

 

[Ladyinred]

Mine was a long reining incident as well We had got well established in the school over a couple weeks and horse was going like a real pro so I decided we would go for a lovely walk round all the fields in the spring sunshine. All was going so well.. he was relaxed, I was relaxed and chatting to him as we went, when, all of a sudden the lamb of death popped out from behind a tree the other side of the fence. Horse went from 0 - 60mph faster than a Ferrari, I tried to hold on and turn him, tripped over a tree root and let go and lay on the ground watching as he gallopped off. Luckily for me his stomach got the better of him and he stopped head down for fresh grass. It then took nearly an hour to persuade him back to the same spot and convince him the lamb was not a fire-breathing killer lamb at all.

 

[Ladyinred]

Tip for desensitising.....feather duster on the end of a stick. Worked wonders for our sensitive one.

I stupidly didnt check what i was tying the wet haynet up on and as i hauled it up i heard a snap anc i was on the floor with the net on top and my entire body jarred.....lesson learnt to check its the ring and not twine.

Done this one too.... hurt like hell.

 

[Wagtail]

Tip for desensitising.....feather duster on the end of a stick. Worked wonders for our sensitive one.

I stupidly didnt check what i was tying the wet haynet up on and as i hauled it up i heard a snap anc i was on the floor with the net on top and my entire body jarred.....lesson learnt to check its the ring and not twine.

Those hay nets can weigh a ton! Hope you weren't too hurt. Thanks for the tip about desensitising. I will try that. I was going to buy a carrot stick with a line on the end, but the duster sounds just as good.

 

[palo1]

I think we have all been there with doh! moments...Whilst riding on open mountain with my 2 young children (7&8 yrs at the time) their 2 mares who lived together, momentarily decided to get into a kicking match. My daughter came off fairly quickly but my son's pony decided to make a break for it - across the open mountain. Son came off after a bit and lay on the ground looking a bit battered. Husband dismounted and went with Father in Law to round up ponies whilst I sorted out the children: one with bleeding nose and copious tears, very upset at losing pony, the other white and shaking, complaining of headache. My horse is usually a saint, as is husband's horse and I was happy to hold the two of them whilst gathering the kids up, checking them and applying first aid...my daft horse felt my light grip on the rein once then decided that freedom looked wonderful....and then he bogged off across the open mountain! So 2 kids on the ground, 3 loose horses and no fences for miles and miles.

The sight of my pampered, fine legged and completely un-wild horse galloping full tilt across the mountain was unnerving to say the least - how I wished I had had a proper hold on him. Astonishingly, as I stood there helplessly with 2 kids and one horse in hand and 2 unleashed wholly feral ponies running riot, I called him and b****r me he came screaming back to me!!

We all got home fine and lived to tell the tale. All's well that ends well eh?!

 

[Wagtail]

I think we have all been there with doh! moments...Whilst riding on open mountain with my 2 young children (7&8 yrs at the time) their 2 mares who lived together, momentarily decided to get into a kicking match. My daughter came off fairly quickly but my son's pony decided to make a break for it - across the open mountain. Son came off after a bit and lay on the ground looking a bit battered. Husband dismounted and went with Father in Law to round up ponies whilst I sorted out the children: one with bleeding nose and copious tears, very upset at losing pony, the other white and shaking, complaining of headache. My horse is usually a saint, as is husband's horse and I was happy to hold the two of them whilst gathering the kids up, checking them and applying first aid...my daft horse felt my light grip on the rein once then decided that freedom looked wonderful....and then he bogged off across the open mountain! So 2 kids on the ground, 3 loose horses and no fences for miles and miles.

The sight of my pampered, fine legged and completely un-wild horse galloping full tilt across the mountain was unnerving to say the least - how I wished I had had a proper hold on him. Astonishingly, as I stood there helplessly with 2 kids and one horse in hand and 2 unleashed wholly feral ponies running riot, I called him and b****r me he came screaming back to me!!

We all got home fine and lived to tell the tale. All's well that ends well eh?!

Wow what a lovely place you must have to ride. But obviously, when things go wrong it is far more frightening. Glad it all worked out well in the end. Amazing your horse came back to you.

 

[Red-1]

I took Charlie Horse hunting a few years ago, and he is known to be so safe he is dangerous.

It was my fault, there was a hedge to jump and the field spread a bit, but it was a BIG field, and we were several deep holding up at canter to filter to a place. I found my place, and slipped in behind a pony.

The pony jumped, but pecked on landing, and momentarily it looked as if Charles would have to abandon the jump and stop. The pony got itself together, scrambled away, and Charlie was not one for stopping, so he decided to pop a small one in and take off a bit close. Sadly there was a bit of a ditch/bog under the hedge, and he sunk.

Gamely Charles pushed as hard as he could with his rump, and did a huge jump. Sadly with his back feet sinking it was not enough, he chested the hedge, fell through it, landed steeply whereupon his front feet sunk too and everything came to an abrupt halt. Everything except me that is.

Yep, I reached terminal velocity to one side of Charles' neck and plopped onto my head, somersaulting right over. I saw feet sunk into earth and mud, I saw blood on Charlie, then I saw nothing as 100 horses, Charles amongst them, disappeared over the hill.

I got up and started following on foot, up to the road whereupon a car follower informed me that Charlie was last seen high tailing it back to his box. They gave me a lift, as it was a fair distance, and when we were almost back I was surprised to find Charlie, with a rider on his back, trotting off to join the hunt! I flagged the rider down, informed him that this was my horse and checked him over. He had small cuts but was otherwise fine.

Sadly I was due to fly next day, to go watch a rugby match in Paris with OH. Poor man has little non horse time, and I dare not tell him on returning home how sore I was. Next day there was no hiding it though, as the whiplash from torpedoing my head into the ground had left me with terrible whiplash, and even in the hot plane I had to tie my head on tight with a scarf to support it.

 

[Fools Motto]

If anyone here knows Larkhill - Salisbury plain, they will know it is pretty open. Firstly, lunging a horse before the rider gets on for the dressage, the idea is to hold said lunge line. I may have tripped, sneezed or simply forgot how to lunge... cue watching grey tail calmly cantering off to the XC start... Rubber Ducky! Ummm, luckily for me the horse wasn't too wound up, and he was well warmed up before the rider did get on, some time later! unluckily for me, many people saw. Hole. Swallow. Moment.

 

[ArabianGem78]

Box out to a local spot for a change of scenery. This spot is partway around an endurance ride that you have done a few times before, so your mare knows it very well. Unload, tack up and let horse graze loose whilst you grab your hat and lock up, as you have done 100 times over. Can you guess what's coming...?

Mare decides to take herself off on a jolly, trotting up the track back in the direction of the venue for the ride, keeping herself just out of grabbing reach and then breaks into a canter and disappears around a corner onto the road. The only reason I managed to catch her was because she turned the wrong way, confused herself, panicked so came back to me when I wheezed her name at her.

 

[Wagtail]

I took Charlie Horse hunting a few years ago, and he is known to be so safe he is dangerous.

It was my fault, there was a hedge to jump and the field spread a bit, but it was a BIG field, and we were several deep holding up at canter to filter to a place. I found my place, and slipped in behind a pony.

The pony jumped, but pecked on landing, and momentarily it looked as if Charles would have to abandon the jump and stop. The pony got itself together, scrambled away, and Charlie was not one for stopping, so he decided to pop a small one in and take off a bit close. Sadly there was a bit of a ditch/bog under the hedge, and he sunk.

Gamely Charles pushed as hard as he could with his rump, and did a huge jump. Sadly with his back feet sinking it was not enough, he chested the hedge, fell through it, landed steeply whereupon his front feet sunk too and everything came to an abrupt halt. Everything except me that is.

Yep, I reached terminal velocity to one side of Charles' neck and plopped onto my head, somersaulting right over. I saw feet sunk into earth and mud, I saw blood on Charlie, then I saw nothing as 100 horses, Charles amongst them, disappeared over the hill.

I got up and started following on foot, up to the road whereupon a car follower informed me that Charlie was last seen high tailing it back to his box. They gave me a lift, as it was a fair distance, and when we were almost back I was surprised to find Charlie, with a rider on his back, trotting off to join the hunt! I flagged the rider down, informed him that this was my horse and checked him over. He had small cuts but was otherwise fine.

Sadly I was due to fly next day, to go watch a rugby match in Paris with OH. Poor man has little non horse time, and I dare not tell him on returning home how sore I was. Next day there was no hiding it though, as the whiplash from torpedoing my head into the ground had left me with terrible whiplash, and even in the hot plane I had to tie my head on tight with a scarf to support it.

Blimey, why would a person take your horse? Were they trying to find his rider?

If anyone here knows Larkhill - Salisbury plain, they will know it is pretty open. Firstly, lunging a horse before the rider gets on for the dressage, the idea is to hold said lunge line. I may have tripped, sneezed or simply forgot how to lunge... cue watching grey tail calmly cantering off to the XC start... Rubber Ducky! Ummm, luckily for me the horse wasn't too wound up, and he was well warmed up before the rider did get on, some time later! unluckily for me, many people saw. Hole. Swallow. Moment.

It's weird How these things happen and you have no idea why. I can't work out how I ended up with the rein behind me. I guess I must have inadvertently stepped into it whilst detangling her the first time. I'm black and blue where the rein caught me and dragged me for a few yards behind my knees in particular. Glad you got your horse back and nothing else was wounded other than pride.

Box out to a local spot for a change of scenery. This spot is partway around an endurance ride that you have done a few times before, so your mare knows it very well. Unload, tack up and let horse graze loose whilst you grab your hat and lock up, as you have done 100 times over. Can you guess what's coming...?

Mare decides to take herself off on a jolly, trotting up the track back in the direction of the venue for the ride, keeping herself just out of grabbing reach and then breaks into a canter and disappears around a corner onto the road. The only reason I managed to catch her was because she turned the wrong way, confused herself, panicked so came back to me when I wheezed her name at her.

Typical. I bet she'd thought about it a few times before that. I find that horses will lull us into a false sense of security, and then suddenly one day break ranks. I'm amazed by the number of horses that come back when their riders call, especially with all the adrenalin.

 

[Michen]

I was lunging my 5 year old welsh pony over his first grown up cross pole and whilst in awe of his jump (surprisingly good!) failed to clock he had decided to bomb off round the round pen in time. I now have a very burnt hand and a strong reminder as to why you should wear gloves lunging....

 

[Wagtail]

I was lunging my 5 year old welsh pony over his first grown up cross pole and whilst in awe of his jump (surprisingly good!) failed to clock he had decided to bomb off round the round pen in time. I now have a very burnt hand and a strong reminder as to why you should wear gloves lunging....

Yes, always wear gloves! I got a burnt hand only last week when loading a youngster. It was a hot day and I decided gloves would not be needed. Lucky you having a round pen. I wouldn't even have had my accident today if I was in a round pen, but a 60x 25m arena just gives too much opportunity for speed and getting straight in front of you.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Those hay nets can weigh a ton! Hope you weren't too hurt. Thanks for the tip about desensitising. I will try that. I was going to buy a carrot stick with a line on the end, but the duster sounds just as good.

No problem, another good desensitising tool is cut a small square of tarp and attach it to the end of a schooling whip.

 

[flirtygerty]

while longreining my young cob, he decided to have a Kevin moment, despite wearing gloves and a hat, I couldn't stop him from taking off, I could feel the rein burning my fingers, he galloped off back to the fence line and his field mates, started him off again, got just beyond the first incident spot and the beggar did it again, again back to the fence line, again got him started, fingers throbbing, sweating like mad, (it's a large field) growled at him all the way round, cut my intended route by half and finished on a positive, cue lots of praise and back to the field for turnout, took my glove off expecting blood, but the heat generated had cauterised my finger, but I wouldn't reccomend it, there's a lot to be said for a ready made horse

 

[Wagtail]

while longreining my young cob, he decided to have a Kevin moment, despite wearing gloves and a hat, I couldn't stop him from taking off, I could feel the rein burning my fingers, he galloped off back to the fence line and his field mates, started him off again, got just beyond the first incident spot and the beggar did it again, again back to the fence line, again got him started, fingers throbbing, sweating like mad, (it's a large field) growled at him all the way round, cut my intended route by half and finished on a positive, cue lots of praise and back to the field for turnout, took my glove off expecting blood, but the heat generated had cauterised my finger, but I wouldn't reccomend it, there's a lot to be said for a ready made horse

Definitely. I don't think a lot of people realise just how much work has gone into them. Keeps life interesting though. Incredible you got a rope burn through your glove. Those cobs can be impossible to stop if they put their minds to it.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

First time lunging the boy and he decided that watching other horses in the school next door was far more his thing, so he took off, I went over and was dragged across the lunge pen. Fun, not!

I fell over when a hole on the yard which was filled with rainwater, just forgot it was there, foot went in and over, I went splat. The horse, whom I was leading, spooked and did a bonny dance very close to my head. I did not like it and was up pretty damned quick.

I hope only your pride was hurt, Wagtail.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I was riding out on my first drift (autumn colt hunting in the new forest) when we managed to ride straight into a bog. Had a sinking feeling!!!!!

I climbed off gracefully whilst the pony took the opportunity to eat the grass.

 

[Wagtail]

First time lunging the boy and he decided that watching other horses in the school next door was far more his thing, so he took off, I went over and was dragged across the lunge pen. Fun, not!

I fell over when a hole on the yard which was filled with rainwater, just forgot it was there, foot went in and over, I went splat. The horse, whom I was leading, spooked and did a bonny dance very close to my head. I did not like it and was up pretty damned quick.

I hope only your pride was hurt, Wagtail.

Thanks. I have a few bruises but nothing much really. I hate stepping into holes you haven't noticed. It can really jar your back. Glad you weren't hurt.

I was riding out on my first drift (autumn colt hunting in the new forest) when we managed to ride straight into a bog. Had a sinking feeling!!!!!

I climbed off gracefully whilst the pony took the opportunity to eat the grass.

That sounds quite scary.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I was taught to long rein back in the early 90s, young TBs and always with rein direct to hand. When I got my own, first horse as an adult, I decided to long rein him around the tracks we had. I was told you must long rein with the reins through the stirrups or bottom rings of a roller. We practised in the school a few time first. We were going along great guns when 5 deer jumped out about 5 feet in front of him and bounded off. He did a complete 360 in the blink of an eye and there I was, with a snorting 4yo in full spook-about-to-fly-mode with long reins wrapped completely around his legs at below elbow and above hock height. Being a clever horse with a good sense of self preservation, he just took a deep breath and allowed me to untangle him but I really thought that was it for my new 4yo!

lesson learned, when starting a horse off long reining or long reining a sharp horse out do it direct to hand-it gives the handler more options and you don't get reins caught up at elbow height.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

The fun part was trying to get him out as one leg was straight down in the bog, fortunately the others were tucked up like he was sleeping. Managed to get the saddle off so the girth didn't restrict his movement, persuade him to stop eating and concentrate on getting out!

Great big lump, I had to push and pull him a bit but we were both fine. Was my fault as I'd failed to notice the change of grass.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Oh dear that's not very encouraging! I thought she was there to teach you.

Well I have taught many people to long rein and been doing it for more than twenty years, so I should have known better!

She tried Wagtail, she did try but its just beyond my ability to cope with two long reins, I wrap them around my hands, my legs get caught up, i tread on them........lunging is a bit better, but not by much.