Thrown off a horse today - all my stupid fault I guess :(

PinkFairy

PinkFairy

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To cut a long story short, I rode a new horse today (new to me) who seemed a little excitable whilst I brought him in and tacked up. Got on, felt a little "flighty" so stuck to walk for abou 15 minutes, he refused to go up to the end of the school because (I assumed) of some jumps, plus some scary bushes! Started trotting, everything was fine, went back to walk, did lots of halt transitions. Everytime I shortened my reins he pulled his head back and seemed to fight me, so allowed them longer but he "fought" til the reins were slack, they might as well have been dropped
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I was a bit wary of him as he kept spooking at the end of the school - mini rears and jogging away - but he seemed to calm and accept me so we continued, walking, trotting then finally I asked for canter. Everything was going fine til he got to that end of the school (I really was nervous of holding his head too tight) and he shot off even faster, threw in some bucks, which knocked me forward so I ended up grabbing his mane to try and stay on, but he got faster and faster til he was charging around and then he slammed his brakes on and threw me over his neck. I landed so hard (head hit the ground first, on my side) that it knocked me out for a few minutes, I came round to my Mum calling me and my OH shaking me. My head was completely throbbing I had a terrible headache straight away and my neck was killing me. I managed to get up and brush myself off, feeling nauseous and with a banging head I sat down and another girl hopped on him and he was fine with her
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I felt like such a big failure it was unreal
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We left shortly after, we untacked him and put him back out, and for the rest of the day (even as I type this) I've had awful aching muscles in my neck which hurt when I turn my head, a naseuous, sickly feeling in my stomach. I feel so disappointed with myself
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I have a massive phobia that I'll be holding my reins too short, therefore holding the horse's head in but then I get told to hold them tighter etc and I worry about the length of rein I have. The rest of my riding I'm fine with, I only struggle with my rein length
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I feel like the horse picks up on this and so acts like a total idiot to play up (a couple of people have said this too) and I don't know how to be more assertive in my riding without being fearful of the horse spooking and losing control. As much as I love the yard I'm on, I'm not sure I see myself staying there longterm, I need a horse that I can develop a bond with and really get to know.
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Any advice??
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possibly find a horse thats better suited to you with a more even temperament to correct your rein length and then ride this one at a later date
but i do hope you feel better soon and havnt done to much damage to yourself
 
QR

Curio - Unfortunately the only horse I had a really good ride with was the stunning coloured in my sig, who's now been sold on. Hopefully I can find something more local who is quieter. Thanks for the well wishes
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You should have gone to A&E young lady! Make sure your Mum monitors you tonight and if you feel really ill whip you up there or get the emergency doctor out. Don't mess with head injuries - oh and buy yourself a new hat
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If you feel as if you can't trust the horses there perhaps move yards. Either way I'd have a good chat with your instructor to see of there is any other horse she can suggest to get your confidence back.

Now get to bed and rest!
 
Yeah, my OH said if I didn't feel better then he'd take me to the hospital but the A&E dept is such a joke!! Last time I was in there waiting for an op I was there for almost six hours without being seen by a doctor! It inspired my OH to say he's buying me a body protector, but it wasn't my neck I hit, it was my head that hit the ground first. I'd like to think I give the horses a chance to be handled by me first, but the horse today just flipped at the end of the school and there were no brakes
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I *am* in bed
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Sounds like you have whiplash - doctor or get up early and go to A&E. Hope you feel better soon.

Re the horse - riding is meant to be fun. You don't have to do anything you don't want to, so personally, I wouldn't ride that horse again. Hope you feel better soon.
 
Oh, you poor thing!

If you're feeling nauseous, it's likely you have a nasty concussion. please please please go to A&E and have them check you over. When I had a nasty fall last year the concussion gave me vertigo for six weeks, which was most unpleasant, but also pretty scary. You need to know you haven't done any worse damage, and the doctors can give you something for the nausea.

And yes, definitely buy a new hat!
 
Can totally sympathise how scary. Hope your feeling alot better this morning. Definately agree with Goldustsara I would find something quieter to ride and help you get back on so you don't loose confidence souds like the horse was fairly sharp anyway even before you tightened your reins so I wouldn't be being too hard on yourself!
 
Oh hun sorry to hear you came off, hope your feeling better today, if your head is still hurting then please please do go and have it checked out, I know someone who had a fractured skull for a few days after a fall and didnt go to the docs for a few days after (because they had headaches) they sent her to hospital for some scans and didnt find out until then!

If the yard where you are going are always getting new ones in (some which are a bit iffy to ride) then maybe you should look for somewhere else to ride, last thing you want is to loose your confidence or worse have a bad accident, your not a test dummy!

Take care (((hugs))).
 
A+E hun. They won't keep you waiting for a head injury.

Re. the reins, use a bungee; it will help you get a feel for length.

Any chance you could find a horse to share for a couple of days a week? Give you chance to get to know him/her, and have lessons on?

Hugs hunny.
 
Sounds like the horse was going to be a twat regardless from what you describe, so dont beat yourself up over it,
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hope you feel better soon, no good me telling you to go to the doctors or A+E as I never go unless it turns into a pigs foot or drops off, but then thats us guys for you
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Aww I hope your feeling better today, i too took a tumble yesterday and can sympathise with your aching muscles!

Could you maybe try lunging before you ride? it sounds as if he was fresh, also if he is wary of items at that end of the school try lunging near them or if you are able, turn him out in there loose so he can investigate for himself. Also i know this sounds like a silly thing but people so easily start to look at the item thats scary and in advertantly turn the horse towards it too making it a big deal. Try and make sure both you and the horse are focused on where you are going (look straight ahead).

With reference to your reins i wonder if you could have some lessons so you can feel what the contact should be like. Most horses (unless impeccably schooled!) would rather have their head to themselves and it just takes a bit of firmness and not giving in to them, they will put up a fight but eventually learn that if they do as you ask first time they wont have to be schooled for as long!

Hope you get sorted xxx
 
Hope you are ok this morning, but echo what the others say, a trip to A+E this morning would be a good idea (should be quieter in the morning as the drunks will be done now!)

I wouldn't mash yourself about the horse, sounds to me like it was looking for trouble from the start. Quite likely the only reason it behaved for the other rider was that it had got it out its system by then!

Can you look for another yard to ride at?

Also have a lesson or 2 and explain the rein issue so they can help you. One way to try to figure out how much contact is about right is to hold the reins and than get another rider to hold the other end of the reins and take up the contact as they would on a horse. That way you can feel what they mean. Don't need to be on a horse to do this!

By the way this is one of my (many) riding problems. I was bought up riding western and always struggle with the amount of contact needed for English riding, even after all these years. That said I think many horses respond better to a 'too light' contact rather than being held in a vice!

Poor you, hope you are OK must have been scary as hell!
 
Hope your feeling a bit better now.

Im a bit crud with rein length as well, I am forever shortening and lengthening my rein. I bought those Ernest Dillon reins - they are loops so you buckle them to the correct length and then thats it, you cant chance your contact as you're holding onto the loops (but can let go of them and go onto normal rein contact if you want the horse to stretch etc.). I think they've improved my rein contact quite a lot.
 
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