Falling off again

I was riding last night, and the horse just suddenly jumped away from the wall. Before I could really react to it, I was falling. I think unlike last time, it made me stronger, a better rider. I duno, next time I ride i'll probably be freaked or something. But I know that falling isn't that bad all the time. I hurt my arm, but i'm ok. My instructor says we (ppl in lesson) fall to easily. Then he thought back a few years ago when he had a horse named Midnight. He freaked out 2 times on me while I rode him. Once he just galloped, bucked a few times then stopped. The other time, he FLIPPED out, he was rearing and bucking like crazy. I DON'T know how I stayed on but I did, John said it was kinda amazing I did..

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Originally posted by slleipnir
I DON'T know how I stayed on but I did, John said it was kinda amazing I did..

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I think that's called experience, practice, instincts or all three! WHile it may not feel like you get a little better every time you ride, all that time accumulates into becoming a better rider! :)

Hope your alright, falling off can be really scary but your right it does make you a stronger and better rider. If your gonna ride you got to learn to fall is what my teacher use to say. Boy oh boy did I learn :D over and over.

Karen, thanks :D I also was determined NOT to fall. LOL

Hounds: My instructor told me that too. He said to take gymnastics or something, they teach you how to fall. This girl he used to teach used to practice falling off her horse then teachin him to come back to her for a treat after incase shes in a feild and he doesnt run for home.

I rode on a regular basis for over 20 years. I first rode when I was 4 years old and rode on a regular basis and took lessons for 3 years when I was 11. I NEVER fell off once, until just 2 months before my wedding and let me tell you, it was a DOOZER!

Make sure you ALWAYS have a protective helmet on. I always thought they were dorky when I was in riding lessions as a young girl, because I had never fallen off, and I was WAY too confindent. I wore them when I was in riding lessons, but never when I pleasure rode. I learned the hard way, and 2 years later, I still get migrane headaches from landing on my head after being bucked by a VERY sweet morgan mare. I trusted her too much and was riding like an absolute dummy, I was galoping her without a care in the world, she just bucked once and I went over her head and landed on my head. I wish I never rode that day without a helmet, and I wish I was paying more attention so I could have prevented myself from falling.

I always try to make sure I spread the word about protective head gear, although I am sure you already do :)

Good luck with your riding, I am glad to hear you were able to get back into it after you hurt your arm. It's brave. I have ridden since my accident, but I am now afraid and those horses know it.

WOW,

I didn't know horseback riding could be so dangerous.
Haven't ridden a horse in a very long time , but I didn't
know that they could just "freak out" and buck you off.
All I remember is that from a horse's back, the ground
looked very far away. LOL.

Yeah, theres always a risk of falling. It was windy out also, but the horses could spook over just about anything. It just kinda happens. I don't think you could really find a horse garrenteeing not to buck you. I rode for a while at 1st and never got bucked or anything. If you've ever seen the superman shows? with christopher read? reave?? I don't really rememeber his name, but he is not paralized from horseback riding. Thats something I think about a lot..

How about VELCRO.. So ya stick to the horse?!.......*Just Kidding*:D ;)

Ha! Yeah, I wish I stuck on monday!

Audrey, I'm sorry that you fell off but I'm glad you're OK and you seem so willing to get back on after this fall!! I think falling definitely helps you on the learning curve....If you never fall, it will always be a fear when you ride. Now that you've fallen a few times and know what it's like, you know it's not that bad and you will be more able and willing to try new things...I've fallen off at least 10 times that I can remember. I developed this new thing that we called the "Rapid Dismount". When Grover and I were practicing going from a stand still directly into a canter in the center of the ring, we often got our signals mixed! (You know, the outside rein, inside leg to canter thing...(Is that right? BOY, I haven't ridden in a while!!)) Anyway, when you're in the center like that, Grover never knew what direction I wanted him to go and he would just go straight to the wall and stop when he was about 2 inches from it!!!! I would go forward onto his neck, circle my arms around it and swing off! Really I was falling, but it looked good!!! My aunt always said that if I did that in a show I could still win just for the ingenuity of the whole thing!!!!! Sometimes, I missed his neck and would have to grab the beams onthe wall and climb down!! Boy if we only had videotape of that!!!!!!!! Oh well!

I'm glad you're back up and going and that you weren't hurt! I rode long before Christopher Reeves was hurt and although I know falls can be dangerous, I never knew anyone who was so badly hurt by a fall from a horse so I was pretty fearless back then! Just sit back on your fanny and try not to tense up when they bolt or jump or spook. Expect the unexpected! And have fun!!! You're a lucky girl!!

By the way, was the horse you were riding the other night a quarter horse!?

Jennifer, I agree! My 1st fall, I got really hurt, and stayed away from a while. I hit my back and was like..ok the superman dude broke his spine, I hit my back, I'M NOT going there. Then after a while I was like, I shouldn't give up something I like for that, its not likely anyway. Three lessons later I fall..But there wasn't anything I could do. It happened so fast. He just jumped away from the wall (I guess I was in the middle of a post, cause I had my legs streched and sit in the seat) anyway, as I fell I was like..ok..i'm falling. I had no time to react to hold on or anything. Usually I just hold the reins and mane, and sit deep, and hold around the horses barrel with my legs.
No it wasn't a QH, my friend rides a very nice QH, he is much more tempermental..a APPALOOSA! They're very moody, and have huge additude problems. I wanted to ride him so I wouldn't be afraid of him anymore, and I FALL!! LOL..My friend has a sweet TB gelding (I think he is anyway?) that will be a school horse once he is fit, I hopefully will be able to ride him. He is over 16hh, the horses I ride are 15 something..I'm almost 6ft..a bigger hrose would be nice. I hope when i ride next time I won't be nervous, and will just say what happens happens. I'm starting to think im phychic though. Amoung other things, at the beginning of the lesson I thought to myself "OK, keep your feet OUT of the sturrips so its just the ball of your feet in it, that way it won't get stuck if you fall" I usually don't think that, and I'm usually nervous. I wasn't nervous at all. Also, the time I fell before I wasn't either. The horse must be like,"what?! shes not nervous?! I'll show her.." seriously..
And the horse stops as soon as you fall, like "Ha, I just wanted ya off my back"