Your hunting accidents!

[Christmas Crumpet]

Was gateshutting on my youngster first day out after the snow last year when everyone galloped off down a hill and left us. He wanted to gallop, I wanted to trot, bit of an arguement which resulted in a rodeo. Managed to stay on for a while but then (and I remember thinking oh sod it) I just gave up trying to stay on, bounced backwards onto his bum, did a somersault and landed on the soft grass. Thought I was fine until I tried to stand up and wanted to get back on. Leg felt rather unstable and realised I'd broken something. Had to drive quad bike back to the trailer as quad driver took horse for me. I can't drive them anyway let alone with a broken leg. Had to have it pinned.

Am back to normal now though!!

 

[solitairex]

Bit harsh Caroline, what a shame someone didn't wait! Glad you're ok now.

Photo time! Really sorry if they stretch!

Ok so this is the last thing I can remember prior to the fall;

Hedge looks bigger here than it was tbh,
Thankyou Sean for the cracking photos;

And far right you can see Dennis about to jump the frogging enourmas hedge all on his own;

 

[gonebananas]

The Rockwood will look after you very well, hunt down Mrs Martin and stick with her- you can't go wrong that way- and don't worry, it's usually only the holly hedges that have a tendancy to be a real pain in the bottom

Thankyou! I shall keep that in mind. I know a few people that go out with Rockwood but my only problem is transport and having the guts (I can be shy at times and when there's other people around I can be quite uncertain of my riding abilities ) but I think once I get going I shall be fine depending on how my horse takes it.

 

[houndsplease]

well another for the rockwood both over 2 biiiig prickly hedges 1 was on a boxing day and coming down into a hedge on a very slighty downhill horse slipped on last stride over reached and stood on his show but still tried to take off but flipped us both through hedge. i was abit concussed and hurt my wrist OH was adament i wasnt carrying on but she was wrong until i realised i had lost a shoe and she got her wish.

Second another big hedge with alot of brush didnt have strong enough lower leg and the brush pulled my legs back and shoved me over his shoulder was back on before next person jumped they didnt realise id come off.

Rockwood is cracking country i agree RTE

 

[houndsplease]

The Rockwood will look after you very well, hunt down Mrs Martin and stick with her- you can't go wrong that way- and don't worry, it's usually only the holly hedges that have a tendancy to be a real pain in the bottom

Mrs martin is the supernanny of rockwood will help anyone and point them in right direction.

 

[RuthnMeg]

I've fallen off 3 times out hunting, and had one very near miss!
First fall was 20+ years ago. I was on the lead rein from another horse, going down a single track, so lead rein was over horses rump. My pony 'Snapper' (Brandy Snap) was a 11.2hh welshie, and very sharp, and strong. He jiggled everywhere and on this occasion I didn't want him going up the backside of the horse, so I pulled. Just as I did this, the lady riding the horse and holding the rein, also pulled so I could keep up. Pony was confused, nowhere to go but up! And up we went, and over the top. I remember looking at my leg undernieth Snapper's upside down bum. He got up, so did I. The saddle was well and truely snapped/squashed and I was covered in mud and leaves. That was the day I first tasted cider - my dads answer to shock! Pony was fine, never did anythign like that again.
Second time, I got bucked off a very excited 4 year old Meg! Banged my knee on a stone, but fine.
Third time, jumping a ditch (or drain- whatever you want to call them). It was very wide, but I have full trust in Meg to just 'jump' it. She did, but sadly for us, the edge of the muddy bank gave way as we landed and she lost her hind footing, pecking down on her nose, and me being me, went straight out the door! Pride was very bruised for 5 mins, as the rest of the field was watching! I had the last laugh though, as they all turned and went around it - at least I TRIED to jump it! Went on to jump a very impressive hedge after, and the field master gave me a lovely compliment for my efforts too.

The close shave was when I rode a friends little mare (never sat on her before). we were waiting patiently to cross a little wooden bridge, when an out of control horse and rider came hurtling up behind us, literally pushing us both over (mudded but that was all amazingly) and smashed into the horse in front of me. The horse was badly injured as he staked himself on the side of the wooden bridge and the rider suffered a broken leg. Could so easily been us. Sad it happened at all really. Said horse and rider got banned from the hunt.

Hope evryone who has been hurt or is currently getting better, does so quick! Good luck.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It looks as if you rolled around in it!

Why do we take these photos

I prefer 'dunked' - just galloping along and the whole field just disappeared into a big black hole in front of me and then we went too of course, I was the only one who came off so I had a lovely big audience as I struggled out of said hole...

The photos do not convey just how black it was! My mother's 40-year-old jacket looked something similar ^

 

[JenHunt]

i've come off a few times, but only twice been injured.
1) riding my young, dippy, warmblood.had hacked to the meet, had a few little jumps and then opted to go through the gate, but ended up having to close it. The two of us that were left cantered on to the next little rail, which was in a post and wire fence (concrete posts, barbed & pig wire). Horse panicked about being left behind as he could see the others standing on the other side, cut the corner to the rail, locked his neck and went for what he clearly thought was a gap, changed his mind at the very last second as he saw the wire and shot left (he always went left!). I sailed over his neck, hit a post head first and slid down it cartoon style. Climbed back on, sore but ok, popped the little fence then decided to call it a day and hacked home with my sister. A few days later I was in agony, turns out I had cracked 2 vertebrae pointy bits. Healed fully and I've never had problems since.... But could have been so much worse!

2) riding a young horse for someone on new years day 1999, jumping out over a rail onto a very wide grass verge, little horse didn't turn quite quick enough, got one front foot onto the road, which was black ice, slipped and fell, stood on my ribs as she got up. She went on to be an awesome little hunter and died 2 years ago having only ever hunted with the Bilsdale! I cracked ribs and had some beautiful bruises!

 

[RunToEarth]

Mrs martin is the supernanny of rockwood will help anyone and point them in right direction.

Yes she looked after me quite a few times. Sadly IMO the Rockwood isn't what it was, and Mrs Martin is probably one of the only people I would go out to see, she's a very good sport, and extremely interesting to talk to. I miss the country like hell, I can't remember the last time I jumped a dry stone wall, but I am really enjoying the Blankney so I wouldn't swap back- plus I am extremely unlucky with Rockwood hedges!

 

[BMA]

I've only come off once (touching wood as she says it). Was cantering through a wide gateway without a care in the world, talking to the lady behind me. In the gateway there was a hole that no one had seen...my ned went straight down it. He did a head stand, I did some sort of head stand and then he left me on the floor and ran off. Had to do the embarrasing 'stomp after your horse walk covered in mud with whip in hand'. Luckily that was before the tumblers cup was up and running - now they'd have a fiver off me!!

Had ALOT of near misses.

Jumped a hedge opening meet...not a very nice hedge and a branch went through my stirrup iron and tried to take my leg with it...lady behind commented that she saw a beige total eclipse and my bottom shot up in the air!

 

[Potato!]

My horse reared and went over backwards on top of me on boxing day 3 years ago. I was knocked out and had to be airlifted to hospital.

i was concussed and had a twisted pelvis but luckily nothing broken.

 

[Ivebeentangoed]

OMG!! Im going to a mock hunt next weekend and im bricking it now!!x

 

[QassiaDeTouzaine]

Christ better not let my mother see these she will never let me out again!!

 

[houndsplease]

RTE i no what you meen with regards to RW although i have been with them a few times this season and ive seen some good hound work. Was out new year and they finished a few gd runs and they ran out of light for the last one. Not quite German days yet (if you know him) but cant really complain of the days ive had this season hounds have done well alot better than past few seasons.

 

[Rose Folly]

Quite a few hunting falls, but the nastiest was years ago, hunting with the Tynedale. Hounds were running and we galloped through the perimeter of a big stackyard and out through a 5-barred gate at the end. The person in front of me was riding sidesaddle, and was not able to take her turn at swinging the gate back open. It swung shut as I approached at speed. I was pulling up and leaning down to push it again when my pony decided to jump it. He cleared the gate itself, but for some reason there was a single strand of wire running from one end of the gate to the other. My boy hit the wire, and it somersaulted us both, onto a cobbly track. My last thought was "This is going to hurt". I was knocked out. When I came round I could hear someone calling for wire-cutters. My poor gee was entangled by his hind legs in the wire, but, never being one to miss an opportunity, was busy grazing as far round his front feet as he could.

He recovered very well. I've had a bad back ever since. I was told I landed "like a starfish"!

 

[solitairex]

Quite a few hunting falls, but the nastiest was years ago, hunting with the Tynedale. Hounds were running and we galloped through the perimeter of a big stackyard and out through a 5-barred gate at the end. The person in front of me was riding sidesaddle, and was not able to take her turn at swinging the gate back open. It swung shut as I approached at speed. I was pulling up and leaning down to push it again when my pony decided to jump it. He cleared the gate itself, but for some reason there was a single strand of wire running from one end of the gate to the other. My boy hit the wire, and it somersaulted us both, onto a cobbly track. My last thought was "This is going to hurt". I was knocked out. When I came round I could hear someone calling for wire-cutters. My poor gee was entangled by his hind legs in the wire, but, never being one to miss an opportunity, was busy grazing as far round his front feet as he could.

He recovered very well. I've had a bad back ever since. I was told I landed "like a starfish"!

That sounds awful, sounds like it could've been much worse for you both though!

 

[gonehunting]

Am always falling off, embarrassing as I am the one who is supposed to help everyone else and these days I find it hard to jump back on again from the ground. In a spirit of experimentation and cos I am a wuss who doesn't want any more bruised ribs, I have taken to wearing my point 2 beneath my hunt coat. All was going well, no falls which was good because it would get expensive what with the fiver for the falling off fund and the £15 for a new point 2 cylinder. Then, at the last meet of last season, a quiet social day, we were happily cantering down a sandy track when all of a sudden my wretched steed decided to .......get down and roll! Wearing woolly gloves there was no chance to detach the point 2 clip and by this time we were both on the ground and hooves were flailing as he eased his itchy back. So I had to roll quickly away whereupon my point 2 exploded .....BANG......which caused the miscreant to leap to his feet in horror and gallop off. Needless to say the onlookers were beside themselves with laughter. Ah well, expect the unexpected! And yes I am still wearing the point 2.

 

[Tharg]

What is a point 2?

 

[solitairex]

What is a point 2?

Click here - they are like a body protector but they blow really quickly when you fall off (or it gets unconnected from your saddle) and it braces you. I really want one but they are rather expensive!

 

[amage]

If the NHS ever read this they'll refuse to heal hunters!! It's beginning to read a bit like that episode of friends where Joey gets his health insurance back and they celebrate by him wearing a helmet and they take turns to whack him lol! Touch wood never had an accident out hunting....did experience spasmed neck muscle from hunting my jumping mare at opening meet this season. At her first day out at the age of 15 she decided to show the seasoned hunters that when jumping around a hedge growing out of a stone wall you don't have to just jump the wall....jump the hedge and wall...out of about 3 foot of bog! Unfortunately she didn't realise there was a big drain the far side so where the others popped the wall then bounced out over the drain, Dol saw the drain at the last minute and somehow cleared the whole lot. At this point I decided I do not have enough experience in the hunting field to educate green hunters lol Gotta love irish hunting...mixed country all in one jump! I had to brace myself for landing and she landed so steep my neck snapped back and the whole muscle spasmed. Dying to get some money together and buy myself a proper hunter!

 

[PortwayPaddy]

I find it seems to happen much faster out hunting (falling off I mean!).

I find it's not the same as when I'm doing SJ or dressage. There is no oooooohhhhhhhhhhsssssshhhhhhiiiiitttttt. hang time. It's just WTF splat! LOOSE HORSE!

Paddy