When you fall off....

I only seem to fall off after the jump on XC courses, and pretty much always at Burnham Market at the top of the hill near the second wood! Usually, I lie very sill for a few seconds (I always land on my head) and work out what hurts and how badly. This frightens the fence judges as the general rule is if they lie still without making any noise, get the paramedics. Luckily, the paramedis usually know me, so prise the fence judge off me, let me point out it didn't count as a fall as I was well out of the 'zone' get a lift to get my horse back and continue on my merry way!
 
The last time I feel off was last July. Was having lesson and horse was not working over his back in canter so instructor was telling me what to do to sort it etc when he suddendly snatched at the reins and I was not sitting back so he dropped his shoulder, leapt about six foot in the air then landed and repeated this, i was still on until we came to the fence at which point he went left and I went straight into fence, banging my arm on the top rail before hitting the ground!! As I slid down the fence I saw my arm and it was already black from wrist to elbow with the biggest lump on my forearm you ever did see!! Instrctor calmly said 'don't worry no blood or bones sticking out your fine!! and see he can work over his back!!' looked round at horse who had reins hanging on the floor with his head hanging low, he really was sorry!! Had to get back on and carry on from where I left off!! Still got that lump now!!
 
Unfortunately I normally faint after a nasty fall or injury..not helpful when the horse is disappearing towards the horizon...
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The last time I fell off was really quite spectacular according to onlookers - Murphy crashed through a fence, and I flew about a foot above his head while he was jumping it, then somersaulted a few times on the way down before landing! Murphy was standing looking at me like he couldn't quite understand how I ended up on the floor, so I got up quickly, hobbled out of the ring as fast as possible while telling everyone I DIDN'T need the paramedics. Once the pain in my leg had eased a bit I got back on and did the next class. The woman next to me couldn't believe it when i got back on, apparently it made me very brave?!, but it's been drilled into me from a kid to always get back on. I remember falling off when I was about 11 and the pony treading on my leg - my YO looked at my leg, declared that the bone wasn't sticking out and not to take my boot off because I wouldn't get it back on, then threw me back on the pony! She also drilled into me to catch the pony immediately, and so I now have video of me crawling across the ring to my pony because I had hurt my leg and couldn't get up!

The only time I have ever hurt myself falling was a result of my 'don't care' attitude - I fell off at a show and hurt my back but got back on to do the next class. I couldn't actually sit in the saddle I was in that much pain, and Murphy being the caring horse that he is took full advantage and dumped me again. Cue one trip to hospital (after dropping the horse home first, obviously!) for x-rays of my coccyx - this was the day before my first GCSE!
 
As people have said, i agree it is an unwritten law to get back on
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i dread to think what my very first instructor would say if i did anything other than sprint after horse and hurl myself back on again!
 
Being very well practiced in the art of the involuntary dismount, I follow the following procedure:

On approach to the "point of no return", swear loudly that "you're not **** putting me on the floor you *** ***"

On realising that ground is heading towards you, swear even more loudly, " you ******** thing, ignorant ****".

Relax, prepare for the bang, hit ground and hopefully roll.

Spring up in a gazelle-like manner, swear then laugh, get back on and try again. Unless, like last time, your ankle is a very odd shape and foot in wrong direction in which case lie on floor (swearing) and await paramedics...
 
When I fall off I get up immediately and insist I am fine, and try and hang onto the horse. I find it embarrassing enough to fall off, and would be mortified if I let on to other people that I'd hurt myself, or if I let go of the horse.

I fell off last weekend actually, and I felt like such an idiot. Was riding new share horse and we were jumping - he took a jump absolutely beautifully but then tripped on landing and didn't get his feet back under him. He almost went down, luckily he didn't but by the time he'd lurched about trying to get his balance back it was too late for me and I was out the side door. I just felt really embarrassed because his owner was there, and though there wasn't a whole lot I could have done I still felt pretty stupid.

I don't think I've ever cried from falling off, the worst that's ever happened is I've been in shock for a few seconds but then I pull myself together and get back on, and try to play it down as much as possible.
 
The worst fall I had was last yr out hacking when the horse (not mine!) bolted. Even though I took a massive fall onto a fence and then the ground, I bounced straight up to try to catch the horse, I was terrified he would cause an accident - somehow he galloped straight through the busy village and 1/2 mile home without colliding with anything. Cue me running behind him, with my whole left side black from the fall. I knew I hadn't broken anything, so I was more concerned about catching that bonkers ned!
 
Fallen off twice in the last twenty-six years... First was mid-summer when Dizz slipped on the road - I tried to get back on, bearing in mind she's 16.2hh and I'm no bouncy spring chicken lol. Left arm could not take the strain
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Someone lent us a mounting block
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. I rode for nearly an hour with what turned out to be a cracked and chipped bone in my forearm
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. I couldn't get off! I couldn't figure out how to do it without using my left arm... in the end, hubby practically had to drag me off
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Second time... well, landed on head
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. Apparently I was trying to get up to find Dizz, but Friend wouldn't let me 'cos I'd been unconcious. Ho hum.

I used to always land on my feet (apart from once on my ar£e and that really hurt!) - I'm obviously out of practice!
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I fell off about 4 years ago. First time off my present boy, and not since. My own fault entirely. I had jumped three fences, all about 2 ft high and decided to do it again. Whether he took off early or put in a short one I don't know, but I ended up landing on the back of the saddle and he wasn't putting up with that and bunny hopped and I ended up on the deck. I just burst out laughing flat on my back. He continued to jump round the fences again as if to say I can do it better without you' and he was sooooo right. Took me ages to stop laughing and catch him. We did do one jump to just to prove to myself that we could do it together. I am just so rubbish at jumping. Mostly I just shut my eyes and he does it alll for me.

Jane
 
well the last 2 times i have fallen i got up and took a bow then got back on. the first time we were jumping polyblocks (not wings) and she ducked out at the last seconded and i summersaulted of her and landed on my feet and everyone who was watching were in hysterics. second time we were warming up for sj comp we were going up to a tiny cross pole and i though she was gonna jump it, i got in front of her and she stopped so i jumped and she didn't my instructor was trying not to laugh so i picked myself out took a bow and said thats how not to do it folks and jumped back on.
 
the last time I fell off was probably one of the worst!! First time I had attempted poles with this horse. He ran out around a trotting pole, I approached again, he half jumped, half ran out, and started bucking. Several circuits of the school later, at full speed, still bucking, I lost a stirrup, but clung on. Then I lost my other one and still held on - I gave up when I lost my reins, flew off at the top of a buck and according to my onlooker went at least 8-10 foot in the air. Landed flat on my back, horse kicked out and hit the peak of my hat, knocking it into my nose, breaking my nose and my glasses
I had whiplash and couldn't lie down without holding my neck!!
I wiped the blood off, got the horse, and got back on and went over the pole!!
 
I usually have a swear at myself for coming off and check I still have all my teeth! I get so angry at myself and have a few words much to the amusement of anyone close by.

Last time I came off was when spazzy showjumper had a hissy fit, reared, bucked and spun round and head butted me all at the same time and I hit the gravel. I gave myself a lecture, checked I still had all my teeth as my mouth was bleeding and insisted I got back on.
 
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