Worst riding accident...brought back memories-what would you have done?

[attheponies]

Didn't want to hijack the thread but it brought back memories that I still go over to do this day - 30 years on.

Basically me and another girl (responsible - me early twenties, other girl a bit younger) had booked a hack at the riding school where we both rode regularly. YO asked us to take a young girl with us. Short way into ride (we were only walking) young girl's pony turned and took off for home. She managed to stop and we put her between our horses, (we were on a single track through woods) short way on, pony turns & bolts for home (heading for very busy main road). Now, I felt that to gallop after her would be dangerous as I felt her pony would be unlikely to stop with two horses in hot pursuit (& mine had a strong resemblance to a tank!), other girl disagreed and took off while I followed at walk (just about keeping control - amazingly as his friends had just disappeared at high speed). The good news is pony stopped and I caught up with them but I'm still haunted as to what was the right or wrong thing to do. These things are a split second decision but what would you have done?

 

[ClassicG&T]

Thankfully i havent had an accident that has knocked my confidence or given me bad memories, just a few scars and sore limps, but as a kiddie i was told the more times you fall off the better rider you become, i thought i was on my way to success!
I havent fallen off in a while though, maybe a year ago was the last time, even though i landed on my feet. me and pony were travelling at speed and he bit a sudden pit stop and i cartwheeled over the top

 

[Sparkles]

If it was a riding school client and one of the other horses you or your friend were on were quiet, I'd have swapped the young girl onto one of them and ridden the bolter/or walked it back.

In that situation, I wouldn't have galloped after the girl, if it was out of sight, I'd definately have trotted probably, but nothing else. Certainly wouldn't have left you there either to catch her up! It's happened to me a few times out and I just try to keep calm and mostly the horse ends up just at the nearest gate or back home. [Not everytime I know....but I like to keep calm and just keep repeating that. There's not a lot else you can do at that point.]

 

[Spudlet]

FWIW, I think you were right and the other person wrong. I have been the one on the running off horse (not bolting as such, but not bloody stopping either) and once she realised no one was with her, the mare stopped much more easily. More than one horse running off can easily turn into a race. There's also not much you can do for the other person in that situation, not unless you have a horse well trained enough for you to stop it, and grab the other horse's reins and stop it too, and how many horses are honestly that well trained?

 

[fizzer]

Had a similar experience in that my friends pony bolted, reins snapped also. Pony heading towards a cattle grid and onwards to a main road. My friend leaped off before the cattle grid, god knows how this pony got over it. We followed slowly behind. Pony had ran straight over main road and down a village lane. Thank goodness pony stopped and by time we got there was grazing. That pony was so lucky, it was a sunday and years ago the roads were not so busy.

My friend broke her arm so was really lucky also .

 

[paddi22]

if i had been in that situation i would have gotten her off the pony and walked home i think. what a scary situation to have been in.

 

[appledoberman]

Sounds like she was young and inexperienced? If you were far more experienced than her I would have been inclined to switch ponies with her and take the rest of the ride at a steady pace, but agree chasing wont help!

 

[Enfys]

Personally?

I would have stuck the pony on a lead rope after the first incident.

Hindsight is a marvellous thing, there are always so many variables to take into account, you have to keep yourself in one piece too as you'd be of no help if you were injured as well. I would have followed but not at a gallop, "make haste steadily" as my old DC used to say.

Isn't it common practise to accompany young children/novices etc with a lead rope on your saddle? I do it even now, force of habit.

 

[MuesliMoo]

Isn't it common practise to accompany young children/novices etc with a lead rope on your saddle? I do it even now, force of habit.

I always used to take a leadrope out with me if I accompanied anyone out on hacks from the RS I worked at, I also think it's important to only take people out in that circumstance if you know the horse/pony well. I had an incident which could have turned bad when I took a lady out who was a nervous rider, the horses spooked a bit at a cow by the hedge, and she freaked out and her horse turned round and started to head for home (at a walk to be fair to him!). Because I knew the horse well I knew he wouldn't do anything too bad, so I was able to calmly talk her though turning the horse round and heading away from home for a few steps to settle him. She decided she wanted to get off as she was getting more and more nervous, so I got off my horse too, and we just walked on foot for a little bit until she'd calmed down. We got back on and continued and had a nice confidence building rest of ride.

I always take a mobile out with me whether I'm hacking on my own or with others too.

 

[tazzle]

Personally?

I would have stuck the pony on a lead rope after the first incident.

Hindsight is a marvellous thing, there are always so many variables to take into account, you have to keep yourself in one piece too as you'd be of no help if you were injured as well. I would have followed but not at a gallop, "make haste steadily" as my old DC used to say.

Isn't it common practise to accompany young children/novices etc with a lead rope on your saddle? I do it even now, force of habit.

agree with this ... if I take my grandchildren out even if its on my steady eddy I always have a leadrope ..... then even if its the child that gets a fright or not sure then the leadrope can go on.

I think its a good idea to have one anyway on a hack , they can com in useful for all sorts of things. I remember always doing it as a child / young person even, it was just "the done thing" ( I didnt have my own pone so cant remember if it was a riding school that started it or one of the share / lone pones owners ? ( suppose its like being in the brownies / guides ..... be prepared )

I must admit that despite it being the greatest temptation to run / gallop after a bolting horse its prob the worst thing to do ... so I would have "made haste slowly" ( and these days with mobile phones messaged /rung the yard to get them to look out for / come to meet the runaway.)

 

[Kat]

I would never persue a horse that is running away, it almost always makes matters worse.

 

[indie999]

I went out on a hack on holiday and stupid OH told them oh she can ride and they put me on a cob I would apparently love..

My youngest child came along side me in a field and we were at full gallop and he said mum what shall I do....? I told him to just SIT! I couldnt pull my horse up at all, we had all taken off and he was still quite a novice but hey ho he was ok just sitting there(not a lot I could do so just remain calm and enjoy)!.

We did come to a stop, then on the trek or hack whatever headed back to home and my horse took off past a whole line of the ride (who were all in walk) I was up at the horses mouth and it would not stop at all.I tried kicking it on but it wasnt listening, couldnt turn etc..the lead rider came up along side me and had to cut me off against a stone wall into a corner..... She did a good job and I thanked her!

When I got off the horse I got told he had been saved from slaughter and was a rescue...now got to say for a riding trekking horse it should have been PTS ..complete nightmare. I was really cross. But in this case the lead rider did cut me off on a bigger horse?? I was more annoyed with the school etc but scary!