Your worst fall and biggest achievement so far.

[tessybear]

Just curious to know if your achievements out weigh bad falls etc ?

I think my "worst" fall ( not had many....yet) -touches wood- was being bucked off and smashing my own shoe heel of the shin of my other leg, chipping the bone and killing a few nerves off

Our biggest achievement would be perfecting the bloody canter, Tess was basically used as a plod/wagon puller in previous homes so getting her to learn the canter aids and to take off on the correct leg etc took time but we got there!!


so let us hear your worst fall and biggest achievement to date.

 

[mynutmeg]

Worst fall was I ended up going round the (smallish) school on an unbalanced tb, at a flat gallop, motorbiking round corners with no stirrups. I bailed before the horse went down as he wasn't stopping and wasn't going to stay upright much longer (long, long story). I somehow landed on my feet, unfortunately due to the speed I ended up with both ankles fractured and dislocated. I now (4 years later) have both ankles fused but it doesn't stop me

Biggest acheivement was getting back on a horse (my sister's solid cob)

 

[Spottyappy]

Worst fall was probably when I went to riding school in the years before I had my own, was jumping. Horse stopped,i didn't,but somehow caught my index finger on something as I fell and ripped my nail off.ouch!
Biggest achievement is probably my love of horses being passed to my daughter and seeing the pleasure she gets from them, and Recently, sharing my knowledge and helping her to back our welsh cob. The delight on her face with the small achievements with this mare is priceless.

 

[tessybear]

Worst fall was I ended up going round the (smallish) school on an unbalanced tb, at a flat gallop, motorbiking round corners with no stirrups. I bailed before the horse went down as he wasn't stopping and wasn't going to stay upright much longer (long, long story). I somehow landed on my feet, unfortunately due to the speed I ended up with both ankles fractured and dislocated. I now (4 years later) have both ankles fused but it doesn't stop me

Biggest acheivement was getting back on a horse (my sister's solid cob)

That one made me cringe, sounds bloomin sore ! bet you looked like a stunt rider though

Well done you, must have been hard after that experience but a good horse is key

Worst fall was probably when I went to riding school in the years before I had my own, was jumping. Horse stopped,i didn't,but somehow caught my index finger on something as I fell and ripped my nail off.ouch!
Biggest achievement is probably my love of horses being passed to my daughter and seeing the pleasure she gets from them, and Recently, sharing my knowledge and helping her to back our welsh cob. The delight on her face with the small achievements with this mare is priceless.

Having had my own thumb nail ripped off whilst breaking a dog fight up i know that pain and it sent a shiver through me owwwww

That is beautiful i wish both of them a good future ! keep us updated

 

[pogface]

Body slamming the wall was probably my worst fall. Fell into ponies neck as I landed after a jumped, pony spooked and took off. When she got to the wall, she went left and I went straight on!

Biggest achievement.... When jumping goes well! Which unfortunately is rarely. Also getting my confidence back hacking, speed is no longer something to be feared

 

[Shantara]

I have had concussion from falling from Ned while jumping, but that wasn't bad.

My worst fall was coming off Bracken, a pony who I swear hated me!
Half of the group I was with went for a canter around a field, while the other half stayed. I thought I was staying (I was quite young, about 13) but Bracken had other ideas! He decided he'd catch up by galloping flat out across the field, bucking as he went. I still have back/knee/hip/ankle pain because of that fall.

My biggest achievement was getting Ned to hack out alone I never ever thought it would actually happen!!

 

[Pippity]

I've talked about my worst fall before - came out of it with a broken back.

My biggest achievement was getting back on a horse. It took me ten years, I was utterly petrified for the first couple of lessons, and I still hate the first few times of riding a new horse - but I did it, and I'm so glad I did.

 

[tessybear]

Body slamming the wall was probably my worst fall. Fell into ponies neck as I landed after a jumped, pony spooked and took off. When she got to the wall, she went left and I went straight on!

Biggest achievement.... When jumping goes well! Which unfortunately is rarely. Also getting my confidence back hacking, speed is no longer something to be feared

Oww ! bet that one hurt for a while, well done you sounds great

I have had concussion from falling from Ned while jumping, but that wasn't bad.

My worst fall was coming off Bracken, a pony who I swear hated me!
Half of the group I was with went for a canter around a field, while the other half stayed. I thought I was staying (I was quite young, about 13) but Bracken had other ideas! He decided he'd catch up by galloping flat out across the field, bucking as he went. I still have back/knee/hip/ankle pain because of that fall.

My biggest achievement was getting Ned to hack out alone I never ever thought it would actually happen!!

I love reading your Ned updates you have done so much with him, very lucky to have found you and can see the bond you both share

I've talked about my worst fall before - came out of it with a broken back.

My biggest achievement was getting back on a horse. It took me ten years, I was utterly petrified for the first couple of lessons, and I still hate the first few times of riding a new horse - but I did it, and I'm so glad I did.

Jeez really ? you are extremely brave after such as bad accident,well done

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Worst fall

Gelding took off after getting a fright as I was getting off, he crashed though the leccy fence round the school, got a bigger fright, took off down the field bucking trying to get rid of the fence, I was without reins or stirrups at this point, he flattened out heading for the gate, didnt know if he was going to jump or stop, he was going flat out, went to swing leg over and bale out the side, must have caught his side and he bucked. I landed on the deck waist up facing one direction and my lower body facing another and basically wrung myself out like a wrag, bouncing along the ground.

Needless to say my back was knoacered, not broken but I basically separated every lig and tendon I could between pelvis and just below my shoulder blade. Been hell but its finally getting a bit better

Happiest achievement.

Taking my old mare to our first XC comp and winning. I was crying with shock as all I wanted was a clear round and some fun, (she was very injury prone) after a crappy start to the year

 

[Speckleification]

My worst fall was riding out a friends ex eventer, we knew he was quirky and I had my back protector in and neck strap at the ready, just in case, we were returning home just walking along when he just all of sudden turned into a maniac, throwing himself in all directions, leaning back seemed like a good idea until his bum hit me in the back of the head, I flew forward hit his neck with my face and the carried on going forward, over the front end to land upside down with my back on a tree trunk, slid to the ground, horse then spooked at me (reins still in hand, i know, i know) and pulled me to my feet dislocating my shoulder, I walked with the horse back to the yard as my phone got smashed in the fall, with a broken nose, dislocated shoulder, three broken ribs and a slipped disc. Even to this day I don't know how I got back to the yard!

My greatest achievement was taking my ish x sf who everyone told me to give up on and winning his first ODE on a dressage score of 22!

 

[LucyAmelia]

Never had a really bad fall, I do remember being bucked off and landing on an electric fence when I was younger though, that was not so fun haha

 

[Welshie Squisher]

Worst fall was I ended up going round the (smallish) school on an unbalanced tb, at a flat gallop, motorbiking round corners with no stirrups. I bailed before the horse went down as he wasn't stopping and wasn't going to stay upright much longer (long, long story). I somehow landed on my feet, unfortunately due to the speed I ended up with both ankles fractured and dislocated. I now (4 years later) have both ankles fused but it doesn't stop me

Biggest acheivement was getting back on a horse (my sister's solid cob)

I'm similar to yourself, I broke my ankle in 9 places and almost lost a foot - thank god it was only 1 leg though!!
My biggest achievement also was getting back on a horse.
It made me almost physically sick at first just the thought of it, and I wondered many times why the hell I was putting myself through it.
But of course now, I'm loving riding again and just couldn't imagine life without my ponies.

God I'm just cringing thinking about you doing in both of your legs, that's really gotta have hurt

 

[JinglebellJessi & MistletoeMagic]

I have two worst falls. One physically damaging and the other mentally.
Both on my old 22 year old, 13.2 newforest pony.

1st, hacking about 1 1/2 miles away over the shooting ranges (not shooting) Was in walk around the outside of a field, road on the other side. Didn't see the runner until he had cut through the bushes and into my pony's face. Cue him spinning, me loosing my right stirrup and all reins. He galloped about a mile home, me hold on for deal life putting all my weight into the left stirrup and he goes lefts. I go under him, hit the floor running to chase him, lose sight of him in the forest. Run back to the yard across 2 40mph roads and 1 national. Crying, limping, hat silk in tatters from where i had hit my head i chased him. Found the police at the entrance to my field, all i could picture was him being hit by a car, potentially killing the occupants ect. Turns out the police had caught him WALKING along the roads home.

Even since my confidence has been ruined with horses.


Also he bronked in the field once and I hit my chest first then flipped over onto my head and neck. A & E love me.

I'll never love a pony like him again.

Achievement: Going to my first show and getting a clear round, on above pony.

 

[mynutmeg]

That one made me cringe, sounds bloomin sore ! bet you looked like a stunt rider though

Well done you, must have been hard after that experience but a good horse is key

Sore's a good description, that one landed me in hospital for a week before they could operate and then 3 months in a wheelchair and another 3 on crutches.
According to my friend I tried to stand up afterwards (I don't remember much between letting go of the saddle and being flat on my back screaming a bit ) - would have been interesting given my foot was at right angles to my leg in the wrong direction (sorry if tmi)

Absolutly need a good horse - my sister's cob is brilliant, you can put anyone on him and he really looks after you, my sister even had a seizure on him once and he was so careful with her and made sure she didn't fall off.
I've never yet got the courage up to sit on a tb and have only really ridden my girl (who I got after I came off), my sister's cob and a cob I had some lessons on since - something I really need to do is ride more varied horses.

I've talked about my worst fall before - came out of it with a broken back.

My biggest achievement was getting back on a horse. It took me ten years, I was utterly petrified for the first couple of lessons, and I still hate the first few times of riding a new horse - but I did it, and I'm so glad I did.

I was incredibly lucky I didn't have the same - well done for getting back on and completely agree that getting back on is the best thing I ever did. The first time I sat on Chippy after (my sister's cob) I was shaking like a leaf and she was leading me round!

 

[Daytona]

Worst fall (Oct 2011) was off my newly bought 4 year old he bucked me off then ran over the top of me crushing my leg - causing compartment syndrome

No one ever knows what it is lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartment_syndrome



My lower leg muscle died and necrosis set in, they had to cut the leg away and skin graft over, I'm left with what looks like a sharks bite out my leg.

Best achievement I think was 2 weeks ago when I took said horse round the British Novice at local BS as 1 year ago I was too scared to get on him.

So over coming my fear I think now is my greatest achievement , comp wise winning some SJ leagues etc on my last mare

 

[BBP]

Makes you wonder why we bother! Worst were riding a big warmblood I groomed for in NZ when someone popped a jump coming up behind him. He had a panic attack and went into rodeo mode. I held it for a bit before he slammed me head first into the wall. Then in NZ I was working as a back up guide, taking out a newly broken 3yo for experience, he spooked at something and took off flat out across the country road and I took a pull at just the wrong time, his feet went out from under him and we slid across the road with him lying on top of me. Lots of pony and person skin left along the tarmac! Grated my helmet down to the filling like it was cheese.

Best achievement, every time I ride my pony and he is polite, forwards, well schooled and happy. When backing him I wondered what the hell is got myself in to.

 

[budley95]

Worst fall was walking bud off on a long rein in a lesson when he randomly decided to bronc. I stayed on for about 15 seconds of it before coming off over his head pulling off his bridle as I did before he stood on my leg and spun round on that 1 hind leg and then he jumped over the 5 bar gate out of the school so my instructor had to go and get him before he got onto the road. He took himself to his field leaving me in the school with a mashed thigh bone, knee cap and growth plate with 4 hours of surgery where my thigh bone was so close to my femal artery. I was quite proud that I came out of cast the Monday morning, got on him the Tuesday afternoon and took him round the 3 foot open on the Sunday 6 days after. And only had 1 fence down. Why couldn't I stay fit and stupid like I was at 16. still breaking my leg 3 weeks before my exams was one way to make me revise!

 

[Ahrena]

Worst fall - this sounds tame compared to some of these! I've been extremely lucky...

Was hacking out with a client in November. A tractor came far too fast and din't slow down at all. Client was in front and her horse shot off forwards, the one I was on spun round and took off (ex-racer)...tractor was keeping level with us at canter thats how fast he was going!

Horse slipped and landed on me on the road. We both got up quick, I had blood pouring down my front from my face, tractor man stopped until we got up then drove off. I had a broken nose and fractured foot, horse luckily only had minor cuts. My hat was cracked and my clothes shredded.

I count myself very lucky but I am now a bit nervous in traffic on horses I don't know!

Greatest achievements...there's a few 3 spring to mind, all of which with my super Squirrel.

First would be winnning the 3 foot derby at cricklands. Its only unaffiliated but meant a lot as I'd been going there for years and never qualified to go into the big ring. We had a fence down both classes the first day, then torrential rain overnight. Squirrel jumped clear all the way apart from 1 fence down at the duke in the big ring and won the class overall out of all sections. It meant so so much to finally jump round that ring and then bloody win it!

Second was our first 1.10m. We had jumped a few 1.05m fine, and went to merrist wood to so the 1.05m and the 1.10m. The 1.05m was massive and I felt sick walking the course for that let alone the 1.10m! Genuinely thought why on earth have they let me enter this??? But he took care of me, jumped a super double clear round a HUGE jump off and came 5th

And finally I think winning our first two events this season on the trot has to count for one too.

He's just amazing!

 

[Crackerz]

When I was 19, I was bolted with and flipped upside down, back first into a breeze block barn wall and landed on my head, fracturing my spine.
I was 2 weeks in to breaking the pony in and everything had been completely fine until that fateful day.


Best? Too many to mention! However the first WHP win as a 15yold on my boy who I had bought & broken in when I was 13 was pretty special. It was all up from them, with a rammed trophy cabinet so an amazing amount of special moments that involved lots of happy tears over the years!

 

[lucindakay]

oh golly everyone has had some nasty falls.

i have had two really nasty falls on the same pony, when i was 11/12ish, i had a stunning show pony and at a show we had to wait for my sister to finish one of her classes so the over confident me decided to walk around the grounds, my mum asked if i wanted my rosettes put in the car but the show off in me wanted to keep the 3 1st tied to my waist, so off i set and one of the rosettes came off and spooked my pony, so he went hurtling for low branches one hit me on the head so the rest i can't remember, so after i got hit i stayed on for another 20ft or so but there was heavy wooden posting and my pony took a sharp turn i swung off his back and my back bent in half the wrong way breaking my lower back, they honestly thought i would never walk again, but a year later i was riding the same pony and the over confident side of me went hunting and as we waited after one of the runs i was stood by the side of the rode and a loud lorry drove past very fast and spooked my pony i had no stirrups and i put my weight on my ponys mouth as i panicked(slap on hand, but i was only 12) and he fell on me with a car bonnet in under me then we slid off the car bonnet on to the road with him still on me, this time we really really thought i wouldn't walk again but i can easily say i am the most lucky child in the world to have gotten away from both falls without any lasting vices, though i cannot go on trampolines and i have a twisted pelvis which means i will need hip replacements when i am older which is pretty sad as i am only 18 now!

my best achievement was bringing on a mare who had never jumped and then a year later we jumped clear at royal Windsor horse show services teams, and then did a parade in front of the queen, it was also the last time my mum ever saw me compete which really makes me feel i did my mother proud despite being the most careless, bossy, typically over confident child in the world

 

[treacle_beastie]

Worst fall was at a riding school, we were cantering large as a group mine took off heading for the xc course, I bailed at the corner as didn't think we would make it and summersaulted onto my shoulder and broke my humerus

Biggest achievement...I have 2...getting my horse to hack out alone and completing my first ode last year. This year I would love to do a be80 on her

 

[Trakehner]

Way back when (I was 22) I was in a Gold Cup race with my lovely TB. I came around a corner and my horse dug in a foot, his leg snapped and down we went. He broke my leg, ankle and foot. I'm hanging onto his head yelling "shoot my bloody horse!" They didn't. The got him off me and he had to use his broken leg to get up. I was carried off the field and put in a small house only to be carried down 15 minutes later.

Once I was out of surgery the orthopaedist told me, "We didn't know if we could save your foot"...I fainted dead away. In that accident I'd lost a horse, my money, a career (I'd just left the Army and was accepted to be a mounted officer)...all gone...and they cut off my new boots to add insult to injury!

It took a long time to heal and I've not been able to run/jog since. If the vets ask, "Could you trot him out?" I can only say, "No, I can't". I'm still lame at odd times for no reason, it just happens. I have no complaints...I can still ride, I have my foot and have had some wonderful horses. I went into business and certainly earn more than I would have as an officer...but what a life's change.

I'm getting over a broken humerus (upper arm) right now...injuries happen with horses. I've lost friends to silly accidents, but I've had my share of sad ones.

 

[NaeNae87]

Fell off my friends mare after she decided to play bucking bronco on me. I ended up in hospital with a concussion. I still can't remember about 3 hours of that day.

Biggest achievement so far was a69.6% dressage test on my little gelding. We got five 8's in our test!!!! We have put so much time and effort into flat work, my position and getting him working correctly that I was stunned when I saw our score. Especially as it was the first event of the season

 

[mynutmeg]

It took a long time to heal and I've not been able to run/jog since. If the vets ask, "Could you trot him out?" I can only say, "No, I can't".

I know the feeling and I get really weird looks to start with cause I don't normally limp or anything, just simply can't run

 

[benson21]

Biggest achievement, was doing my first xc with benson, I started as a very very novice rider, too scared to canter round the corners in the school, so I would canter the long sides and trot in the corners!
Worst fall, obvious for me was hacking out and being hit by a car, never ridden since.

 

[Olli_]

Worst fall was when i was riding my horse (who was bad for taking off in open spaces) who took off at a flat out gallop and bucked, unfortunately i didn't check my girth before i got on after a friend tacked up for me, resulted in saddle sliding round and hanging under his belly and me sitting on the girth when made him freak out, he then bucked again and put his head down pulling the reins from me so i was then hanging round his neck after what seemed like forever he bucked again and i landed flat on my back and winded myself!

Biggest achievement was getting my highland pony (who was a bit crazy when i got him) to where he is today, a mannerful, laid back, sweet 3 yo who is in the process of being backed by myself... contrary to a so called horse whisperer telling me to sell him as he would always be wild and he wanted to hurt me.

 

[Coldfeet!]

Worst fall was off my very first horse/pony, I was in my mid teens and she was a smallish section D chestnut mare, I had bought her to learn to ride better on as you do! LOL but she used to tank off around the menage at full pelt, this one time someone came in and as they were closing the gate left a gap you couldnt seeming pour water through which pony being in the middle of a super tank off flew through nearly taking both legs off me, the swung around the corner dropped her shoulder and bucked and threw me onto a 2 layer barbed wire fence, which was shrouded in nettles. Jodhpurs were shredded as were legs and knees and shins!

Most proud of backing my own (my last one) keeping on with horses and riding despite two c sections, a hip replacement, constantly battling my weight and a relatively unsupportive husband.

 

[pansymouse]

Worst fall - out hacking on my own on my 17.3 warmblood when she spooked at some sheep and then mid sheep spook, spooked the other way at a black bin bag caught on barbed wire. I came off the side landed standing but my legs gave way and I slid under her just as she was galloping off. She stood on my torso and I also had a black eye, shatttered left ankle and mashed up right knee. I was on my @rse in the middle of a field with not a soul (or my horse) in sight and unable to walk; thank goodness for mobile phones. As a result of the accident I reaslised that at 45 you don't repair like a teenager and I was, for the first time in my life scared of a horse so I sold her and considered if I wanted to continue riding.

My greatest achievement is finding my wonderful 15.3 mare, regaining every scrap of confidence and now age 50 still riding like a demented teen

 

[slumdog]

Worst fall, think I spoke about this in one of my first posts. Had a little jumping pony on loan, not had her long and took her to our first show. She came off the third to last double on the wrong leg so checked her (instead of leaving her to get on with it) she got really deep into the first part and couldn't make the second so ducked out sending me straight over her head, she jumped over me to avoid standing on me and somehow kicked me in the head. I had a good concussion and it was just before Xmas, Xmas eve I found out I was pregnant and Boxing Day I was rushed in to hospital. They think Calum was twins and we lost one, obviously I'll never know if it would have happened anyway or if it was due to the fall a few days before. Needless to say I completely lost my nerve.

Biggest achievement to date was going back and jumping in the same ring last summer.

 

[Casey76]

Worst fall... Hmm... I don't think I've ever had an "easy" fall which is where my very shakey confidence comes from.

At 16 I fell off sans hat in Morocco after being bolted with. The resulting head injury left me with very subtle brain damage resulting in poor proprioception and balance which is getting worse as I get older... moral of that story... never get on a horse without an approved hat!

At 17 I had a stupid accident at a riding school involving a loose girth and an round pony - resulting in a bruised spine and torn muscles around my right hip.

I came off three times (same pony) at a riding school in Switzerland, the second time of which I scared my instructor so badly we didn't try to canter for about 4 months (my pony and I had a disagreement about speed and direction and I came off hitting the kickboards on the way down which resulted in a suspected cracked pelvis.

The third time I came off (again into those darned kickboards) I cracked my hat - moral of that story... never get on a horse without an approved hat!

Surprisingly I only came off Pinto three times in 7 years. The last time was almost 5 years ago, and that was a stupid little fall, but it resulted in a broken and dislocated wrist requiring surgery to put it all back together again.



My mother wonders why I persist in getting back on every time!

My greatest achievement - well, you'll all laugh at me

I managed to canter a full (single) lap of the manege - in balance - on Pinto (after, oooh 7 years of ownership!) My heart literally soared and it was the best feeling on earth