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"