# Got into accident



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Sounds like you had a panic moment. It didn't sound like you asked your horse to stop and you falling off behind him made him spook. I'm glad you're okay! Try teaching him how to do a one rein stop or how to stop with just a verbal whoa. It it happens again you'll have more tools in your toolbox to help out.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## fly123 (Jul 24, 2012)

DancingArabian said:


> Sounds like you had a panic moment. It didn't sound like you asked your horse to stop and you falling off behind him made him spook. I'm glad you're okay! Try teaching him how to do a one rein stop or how to stop with just a verbal whoa. It it happens again you'll have more tools in your toolbox to help out.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I wasn't sure what to do because I was so stuck and focused on not dying and getting my neck to snap. So yeah I had no time to think about my horse other than getting myself safe. I just wish he didn't run off after that. And he does a one reins stop and he would have stood if I asked. Like I said this(blting) happened after I fell off. So kinda my fault I guess for trying to save my self. 

But to clarify this horse will one rein stop or just stop and stand forever with a rider on but once i fell off he bolted which is weird cause he's so old and lazy and I never expected him to run back home.


----------



## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Train yourself to always hold onto one rein no matter what!

This happens to the best of us along with the worst of us along. Luckily, when it happens to me, my horse just turns around with a puzzled look on their face.


----------



## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Sounds like this was your fault, not the horse's fault.

When loose, some horses will go back home. They are without a leader and the safest thing they can think of for themselves is to go back home. Your horse didn't bolt and throw you. He didn't do anything wrong.

I'm not sure how you can break your neck if your shirt got caught on a branch. You would either be dragged off the horse by your shirt or your shirt would have torn...it wouldn't have broken your neck.

It sounds, from what you're describing, that you directed your horse into thick underbrush, got caught up in it, and are now complaining that your horse kept going without you. You directed it into thick underbrush...shouldn't have done that.

Chock it up to a lesson learned. Don't barrel into overgrown trails. Trail blaze slowly, and with a compass. Always carry a cell phone, and always tell someone that you will be out for the day. Travel on trails that have been CLEARED for riding. PAY ATTENTION to whats ahead. DUCK when you see a low branch.

Again, your horse didn't do anything wrong. It was all rider error. Next time, be more careful.


----------



## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

Copperhead said:


> Sounds like this was your fault, not the horse's fault.
> 
> When loose, some horses will go back home. They are without a leader and the safest thing they can think of for themselves is to go back home. Your horse didn't bolt and throw you. He didn't do anything wrong.
> 
> ...


 
Thats kinda rude don't you think? The OP never blaimed the horse.

When did they say that they were in thick woods? All the trail around here will have low lims every now and then, trees grow...it's what they do.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i had my helmet get stuck on a branch once. there are slots in the helmet to keep it cooler and a branch got stuck in the slot, but just as I was aobut to panic, it broke. Now I try to be extra careful and remember my helmet sticks up a few inches higher than my skull and to be aware of that.

Stuff happens. Makes for good stories to tell here.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Unfortunately for me, I _was_ on a horse that bolted once while we were riding in the pasture. She carried me right through a tree where one branch made a nasty gash across my helmet, and another scraped up my neck pretty badly. It's definitely a freaky experience (and one of those moments where I was glad to have a helmet, since it actually allowed me to duck my head and "ram" my way through some of the bigger tougher branches). Luckily in my case I somehow managed to stay on the horse and regain control. I think it was partly to do with the fact that she was running us directly through a mud hole that was at least a foot deep and the shame of slogging through that and returning to the barn looking like a mud monster just wasn't on my list of things to do... so that extra ounce of determination not to fall off helped me ride it out.


----------



## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Hats with a brim are the best for brush, helps keep those gashes from happening on your cheeks and neck. I know they make cowboy hard hats but haven't ever looked to see if they have cowboy riding helmets.


----------



## fly123 (Jul 24, 2012)

I didn't say my horse did nothing wrong. It was basically a little freak accident. I believe I did try to move him foreward or back when my shirt snagged on but I had excruciating pain in my neck and at that point I decided to untangle and drag myself off and he went foreward cause I wasn't asking him to stop at that point0just trying to save myself. And at this point my horse did nothing wrong and I had no other way of going around and I did duck and almost cleared it but didn't. 
The only other thing I mentioned that I wish my horse didn't run off afterwards. I just wish he would have stopped like 100 yards away so I could have caught him. That's all. None of the above was his fault or my fault. I've never had this type of thing happen so next time if anything similar happens I will think more about what I want my horse to go(like stand still or back up or whatever). 

I just decided to share this story in case someone panicked like I did cause I was hurt and there horse ran off.


----------



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

It happens. People make unplanned dismounts.
Sometimes the horse will wait around for you and other times, they go on home without you. Then you have to walk. I'm glad you weren't hurt all that badly. It has not been all that long since we got out on our main trails and cut a lot of vines that were hanging over them. I could foresee something like what you described happening.


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Glad you weren't hurt! That is the main thing...you and horse are ok. I came off of Biscuit once and like you I was more concerned that I didn't get a boot stuck in the stirrup and hurt myself. Biscuit went about 30 yards away to his paddock and looked at me like "gee sister, I got you out of trouble and what did you do? You fell off!!! Duh!!!":shock:

I wasn't hurt or scared (that was my main concern was not to scare myself!:lol and I remounted and rode back to the barn!


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Just today my pants got snagged on a tree limb and tore. I am always either bruising my legs, tearing my clothing or scratching up my arms in thick brush.

I do own chaps, which help a lot, but I don't wear them in summer because they are hot.

The other day I almost did a similar unplanned dismount as the OP. I was following another rider and she broke off some dead tree limbs and one got me in the stomach as I tried to squeeze through. Right as I was thinking I would have to either bail off or get impaled the limb broke! 

I can count the number of times I have intentionally bailed off a horse with one hand, but a tree limb to the gut would have made me bail. I now have a bruise on my stomach that goes with two other bruises on my legs and a pair of ripped stretchy jeans. :shock:


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Eolith said:


> Unfortunately for me, I _was_ on a horse that bolted once while we were riding in the pasture. She carried me right through a tree where one branch made a nasty gash across my helmet, and another scraped up my neck pretty badly. It's definitely a freaky experience (and one of those moments where I was glad to have a helmet, since it actually allowed me to duck my head and "ram" my way through some of the bigger tougher branches). Luckily in my case I somehow managed to stay on the horse and regain control*. I think it was partly to do with the fact that she was running us directly through a mud hole that was at least a foot deep and the shame of slogging through that and returning to the barn looking like a mud monster just wasn't on my list of things to do... so that extra ounce of determination not to fall off helped me ride it out. *




*You should be a writer!!*


----------



## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

To prepare for next time why don't you try jumping off him at the walk, trot and canter (if you feel comfortable and he gets good at it). Grab a halter (this way you can save his mouth) trot around and at some random point swing off and say whoa and ask him to stand there. Give him a snack if you would like. Eventually he will stop when he feels you become off balance or stop when you fall off. 

Sure beats a LONG walk back home! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

it happens to us all....i used to ride alot in the mountains in colorado and theres LOTS of trees and brush so my pants/clothes were always getting caught.

one time i wa riding my frineds horse and he decided to go straight down a VERY VERY steep hill through a bunch of goatbrush.....talk about fun times....

so now i always wear ****** and usually a heavier flannel shirt or something....less chance of them snagging.


if it wasnt your shirt it could halve been something else....my moms gelding clotheslined me on a garden hose once......we had it looped across the top of the fence (long story my papa broke our gate so we had to take it off). my horse saw a giant opening and went for it...i was riding bareback in a halter and forgot to duck....nuff said haha.

dont stress too much about it....when something unexpected like that happens the horse may not know how to react. he knows he didnt do anything wrong...but all of a sudden his rider is flying off his back and he freaks so he heads to the "safe place"


----------



## thenrie (Sep 10, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> i had my helmet get stuck on a branch once. there are slots in the helmet to keep it cooler and a branch got stuck in the slot, but just as I was aobut to panic, it broke. Now I try to be extra careful and remember my helmet sticks up a few inches higher than my skull and to be aware of that.
> 
> Stuff happens. Makes for good stories to tell here.


That's why I wear a soft cowboy hat when I ride:lol: I can just duck and the branches just slide over my back, can't get caught on anything, including my collar.


----------



## Paintlover1965 (May 22, 2009)

I know how easily these accidents can happen. My husband recently had a little incident with a very large tree branch and lived to tell the tale. He was riding in front of me and I spotted this rather large and heavy tree branch at rider level and he and his big mare just kept on plowing towards it. It was like it was happening in slow motion in front of me. I yelled to him to stop and go around it. I couldn't believe he was going to try to break it but it didn't break easily and it fell down on top of him, his horse spooked and scooted forward and he was knocked right off the saddle and fell to the ground. I was horrified. Thankfully, he only got the wind knocked out of him and had a minor injury to his shoulder- nothing broken just a lot of soft tissue injured. Consequently, his normally unflappable horse beelined it straight towards the barn like she had flames licking at her hooves as if to say she wasn't sticking around to see if the tree was going to flatten her too! It's funny now but not at the time.


----------



## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Darrin said:


> Hats with a brim are the best for brush, helps keep those gashes from happening on your cheeks and neck. I know they make cowboy hard hats but haven't ever looked to see if they have cowboy riding helmets.


I think troxel makes one.


----------

