Where do you feels safest?

[dorsetladette]

I was always a 'you have stay onboard to win the battle' kind of person until I rode B. He's a stop and spin in one swift movement kind of horse and has put us in some pretty nasty situations out hacking. I started hopping off as soon as i felt him tense up, then briskly trotting him past whatever he was looking at then hopping back on and making him work. It meant we continued in the direction i wanted to go and passing the thing he was wanting to nap at. After a few months of doing this the need to do it decreased and now very rarely its ever needed.
Anyone that rides him gets told to do the same as i dont want the hard work undone by one incident. He's far more confident with someone on the ground.

 

[Dustygirl]

I’m getting to the stage I can’t reply or use the forum

Me too

 

[Nasicus]

Really does depend on the horse. In the past, horses I've ridden I've also done a lot of ground work with (usually prior to backing), so they've felt safer with me on the ground with them. Current ridden was bought in November, 12yo so established in her ways, she's got a good stop and spin in her, but you're 100% better staying on as she'll steamroller you if you try to lead her past what's scaring her. As I found out when she leapt to the side whilst being led past a scary thing and straight into me, sending me tumbling across the road. Thanks to my body protector I just kind of rolled and came to a stop on my back like a stuck turtle in front of a bemused farmer. I decided after that, that staying on was probably easier, definitely less embarrassing.

 

[AntiPuck]

Definitely on at the moment, she doesn't have many manners on the ground just yet so it can get dangerous to be too close on the ground if she is truly panicked. Something I'm keen to iron out asap.

 

[maggiestar]

Off for me. Once when my old horse started spooking in a lane with traffic slowing behind us I got off and led her to the side of the road. She obviously wasn't confident and seemed to relax with someone beside her. It could be that my own increased confidence being on terra firma gave her confidence, who knows, but we both lived to see another day and that's the main thing!

 

[scats]

I feel safe either way with my girls if I’m honest. I like to stay on if there’s an issue but I will happily hop off if need be and know I’m in control.
I think it’s important to feel as safe as possible in both situations as you never know what might happen out and about.
My girls are only 15hh though, so that probably helps.

 

[GoldenWillow]

I've found it to be very horse dependent and to a lesser extent dependent on the specific situation. Until about 15 years ago I would have definitely have been in the never get off brigade but one particular horse taught me to never be inflexible how I dealt with things. Although going back 20 yrs plus there were occasionally times I had to get off my mare and lead her over changes in concrete as she would point blank say it was too dangerous to step on until I walked in front of her!

 

[Ratface]

Stay on board. The Orange Loon grows to 17hh+ when unsure about anything and has an evil spook/teleport. He's a very strong, single-minded creature at the best of times.
As a scrawny old crone, I'm definitely safer riding rather than leading.

 

[ycbm]

I've found it to be very horse dependent and to a lesser extent dependent on the specific situation. Until about 15 years ago I would have definitely have been in the never get off brigade but one particular horse taught me to never be inflexible how I dealt with things. Although going back 20 yrs plus there were occasionally times I had to get off my mare and lead her over changes in concrete as she would point blank say it was too dangerous to step on until I walked in front of her!

I could have written this word for word except gelding not mare.
.

 

[Bernster]

Hmmm I always stay on. Not been in a situation where I felt it was better to get off but I wouldn’t rule it out dep on the circs. If I felt we were at risk of it getting dangerous I’d get off. Finn has always been much better behaved under saddle than in hand. Bertie had a few moments when I first got him, but seems to have settled now.

 

[AUB]

On it. I feel very confident as a rider.

 

[Starzaan]

Depends on the horse and the situation. Anyone who says always stay on is either 200% brave or has never ridden one you just want to get off!!

Oh I’ve ridden plenty I wanted to get off, but I just know I’m safer on top than on the floor! ?
I was employed as a rider for a good few years, being given all the pillocks that nobody else wanted to ride, and learned quickly from the boss that getting off was NOT an option.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

On. It depends on the horse, but with mine, if you go to get off when he's in a panic it increases his panic by 200% and then you have to try to bail off of a horse that's running forward, sideways, and is a ball of nerves. Which is fine, if you're very agile and coordinated, but I'm not always those things.

He has great ground manners and training. When we handwalk he'll follow me through, up, and over anything. Under saddle he's not as brave, so you'd think getting off of him and handling the situation from the ground would be best, but nope.

He's in such a panic if I try to dismount, that its actually quite dangerous for us both. I've worked on this with him, but if he's truly scared that overrides this training. I wanted to hop off the other week when friends horse bolted down the trail and he was petrified, but I knew I had to stay on and figure it out, and we did. Fortunately he's otherwise well trained.

I know if it were to be eject from horse or death, I could eject, but otherwise, no. Some horses spook and just sort of stand there while their rider dismounts and they sort it out. That kind, I'd have no problem hopping off of.

 

[HashRouge]

On. My share horse is tall, very araby and quite flighty. I wouldn't put it past him to take me out if I was trying to lead him!

 

[ihatework]

Depends on the horse and the situation.

As a general comment - stay on the horse.

But over time I’ve mellowed a little and am less militant about it, there are some situations where getting off is the best option

 

[TheHairyOne]

With my horse depends on the situation.

He can have a bit of a nap at nothing. Always on for those. Decreased to basically just needing a growl if he thinks about it these days, involved a fair amount of hacking backwards at one point.

However, if he is genuinely afraid he has a wicked spin and piss off manouvre. It has only happened twice, once at 2 loose agressive dogs on a single horse width bridle path, the 2nd was when we met a 4 in hand team on a tiny country lane. Both times after we stopped (never went very far) I hopped off and led him back past the offending items no problems (dogs caught, carriage stopped).

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Normally on, but I decided to jump off when a herd of cows started to run down the hill behind us, just in case. New pony I'm not sure yet as we are still getting to know each other and as the majority of our work has been from the ground, I think this is where I'd go!

 

[maya2008]

Off - all mine respect and trust me on the ground. If I am off, I can lead them past whatever is frightening them, or simply provide the visual reassurance they need. I have had them all from backing though, so that might make a difference - I walked them out/long-reined them as babies until they were used to the world, so they automatically fall into ‘Mummy is here, I’m safe’ mode.

Off too because there is some stuff I do NOT want to sit! Last week we were redoing fencing and there was a line of unused tape we needed to walk over to get to the field we were riding in. My mare leapt over that about 3ft high from a standstill - being on the ground holding the reins at that point was vastly preferable to being on board!!

That said, my old TB used to take it as a personal affront if I got off to spell her on long hacks. She was a riding horse, I was supposed to be riding her…!

Eta: I think it might depend on the person though… none of mine would even think of knocking against me/running off, but my husband would be in the mud before he could blink. He’s the big softy and they don’t respect him much at all. He’s probably safer onboard!!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Usually stay on depending on the circumstances, but I am genuinely rather bemused to hear of all these horses that are apparently so ill mannered on the ground ?.

I train my neds to be safe when handled on the ground in as many circumstances as possible. I have no wish to be squished at any time, ridden or not.

 

[spotty_pony]

I’ve been typing elsewhere and copy and pasting. I need my horsey fix. Even if it makes me want to punch my phone ???‍

I start typing and it refreshes and I have to start again!! Thought it was just me! ??

 

[spotty_pony]

Depends on the horse - I’ve ridden some you most definitely wouldn’t want to be on in a scary situation, and also some that are actually calmer with you on the ground.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I've never really been in a situation where it mattered but can be a nervous rider at times. Mentally it really helps me to know I can get off, get back on again, carry on with the ride, and it's not a big deal. I have done this with share horse, with support of owner. It's helped me get through a tricky patch where I kept getting waves of feeling nervous for little to no reason; I needed to get off because that is where I could collect myself and not transfer that tension/nerves to share horse and get her worried unnecessarily. It's happened maybe a couple of times and now I feel the need to do it less just because mentally I feel more in control from having that option. I used to hack with someone who was very much of the mind you can't get off and it made things worse as I felt 'trapped'. This probably sounds silly and I realise there's a good rationale for staying on too!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I've always gone with the situation at the time but this gave me some food for thought..
https://fb.watch/c8zgurSsUF/

 

[spacefaer]

Definitely feel more in control and safer on than off, although I've ridden some over the years I'd have been delighted to have got off and then released into the wild !
Last time I got off was a couple of years ago with a green horse. We were stuck on a steep uphill lane with aggressively barking dogs both sides. He'd velcroed himself to the floor and I couldn't move him forward.
I got off to lead him past, he surged past and my right foot got tangled with his left hind. I fell, got dragged before I let go and still have the remains of the haemotoma and nerve damage to my right hip.
Not doing that again anytime soon!

 

[SEL]

Depends on the horse - I’ve ridden some you most definitely wouldn’t want to be on in a scary situation, and also some that are actually calmer with you on the ground.

Also the location I think. I rode through pretty much everything when I was on Cannock chase (bagpipes, goat on a lead...) but there was enough space to deal with meltdowns.

Down in the south east where so much is roadwork it is often safer to dismount rather than risk some **** of a driver making things worse. All mine are used to groundwork and usually will focus on me in the hope that my magic pockets will produce treats.

 

[Widgeon]

Also the location I think. I rode through pretty much everything when I was on Cannock chase (bagpipes, goat on a lead...) but there was enough space to deal with meltdowns.

Down in the south east where so much is roadwork it is often safer to dismount rather than risk some **** of a driver making things worse. All mine are used to groundwork and usually will focus on me in the hope that my magic pockets will produce treats.

Absolutely agree with this, roads can be so dangerous and sometimes you do have to just think about self preservation. The only times I've got off were with my last pony, including once when he had a meltdown on the road and I was genuinely afraid he was going to put himself, and me, under a tractor. It worked - he regained enough brain cells (confidence) to escape the situation together in a civilized manner. He was definitely one who felt much safer with someone on the ground to follow.

 

[Antw23uk]

I wouldn't rule out getting off but I'd much rather be on top of the horse jumping about than under the horse jumping about!

 

[Birker2020]

On it. There’s almost nothing that would induce me to get off.

I'm the same, or at least was on Bailey. I used to feel that I was safer on board.

I rode her straight out of the stable after three months box rest. I'd much rather have ridden her on box rest than lead her anywhere, I appreciate the yard is a different situation to the roads but I never, ever got off her once, because she was playing up on the roads.

Don't know about Lari yet.

 

[Muddywellies]

Off for sure. Can't fall off when I'm already on the ground. There's nothing more dangerous than a panicked bolting horse. Often by getting off it calms the situation down and you can then remount.

 

[skint1]

I haven't ridden my horse for over 2 years for various reasons, I have led and long lined her regularly, she has a pretty solid whoooa, so I would say on the ground, only problem is getting on the ground with some control if the horse is playing up. However, I get that with a horse that's giving it some airs this might not always be sensible