# what to do when you feel you are going to fall?



## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Good question (in my opinion).

Once during a spook at someone else in the arena cracking a whip, I was falling to the left, the saddle was staying put though, I grabbed it and did a mighty shift of my weight using my feet, and went clear off the other side. Haha.

Not riding so much anymore, and much older, doubt I could do it again.

Another time Elwood was bucking and I saw he was headed toward the rail. That gave me hope as I was loosing balance but staying on. When we got there I reached out and touched/pushed on the rail as we glanced by and it worked!. Gave me just the push I needed to get my seat back.

I suppose it all depends on the circumstances. Waiting to see other replies.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

apw1970 said:


> What do you do when you feel a fall is imminent but that you have time to correct it?


Anything it takes to stay on! If I can, I avoid the dirt. It hurts too much and where I ride there are rocks to crack my head on, dead dry branches to impale me, lumps to twist & break my bones and often no where for the horse to put her feet except on top of me. Grab, pull, throw, twist - anything!


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Several years ago I leased a horse that learned to buck me off. I put a grab strap on my (English) saddle and that saved me from being ejected a number of times  You do have to build up the muscle memory for grabbing it, as it's not quite as easy as grabbing a horn on a western saddle, and you have to make sure you don't start using it as a crutch (grabbing for it anytime you feel insecure).

That horse really hurt my confidence as a rider, but having the strap there helped me feel a little more secure even if I didn't need it as I built my confidence back up. I haven't actually fallen off a horse since then, either!


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## i12Walker (Jun 1, 2015)

This reminds me of that old saying, "Hold on to what you love. If it tries to buck you off, hold on tighter." -same concept :lol:


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## Gossalyn (Sep 12, 2013)

Well my FAVORITE lesson that will always stick with me is "When all else fails, BE A TREE MONKEY!" I ended up on my horses neck once, that lesson flashed in my brain and a i hugged her neck until she stopped her bucking fit and did not fall! 

there was a fall where i bounced out of my saddle to the right and it seemed sooo much easier to go with it and land feet first on the ground (not on my feet mind you, but feet first). I didn't fight the fall, i went w/ it and it was a better fall because of it.

i COULD have pushed weight into my right stirrup in order to put myself back in balance but i was aware the horse was pretty hot... in all honesty i was tired of dealing with it's 'spooks' (really just excuses to run around)... and in that second - i had time to plan the fall. the fall i knew just seemed better than fighting for it and potentially facing the fall i didn't know. (Clean, sandy area, and i could think about how i was landing as i went. I also wear a vest, which helped). it was a zero injury fall.. not a scrape or bruise. best i could ask for.

the horse beneath you is big. balance is what will keep you on. leaning back helps you keep you balance (if all your weight is above you and not out front (aka don't hunch forward) - your weight helps keep your seat/body down and plugged into your balance point. 

leaning back was the best advice that probably saved me. people always fall off horses in a 'forward direction'... but i rarely see someone fall off backwards.. if you can think lean back in an emergency moment (it IS counter intuitive) you are probably going to save yourself. and once you do it you'll learn to trust this odd reality. Even if you are a little off left/right... experiment: try purposely throwing your balance off to the left/right leaning forward, now try it leaning back.... which feels more secure? leaning forward you have no strength and can easily topple.. leaning back you have you core to keep you seat centered.. not fool proof but definitely a lot more secure.


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

Grab the mane. Unlike a saddle, it can't slide off with you. Once when I was jumping I lost my balance and knew I wasn't going to stick the landing. I came down with two fist-fulls of mane and my knee over the horse's back. The horse stopped and wondered what I was doing over there on her side, but I was technically still on. I was far enough gone that I couldn't pull myself back up, so I dropped my feet to the ground and started over. I'm very thankful for horses that stop when their riders screw up that badly.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

As far as I'm aware, there is no manual of instruction on how to regain your seat once it's lost. There are variations of the emergency dismount. Basically, drop the reins and stirrups, hug the horses neck, throw a leg over and push yourself away from the horse. This is best practiced at the halt, then walk, then trot. If you're brave (or crazy) enough, you can practice it at the canter. But don't wait till you need it to try it. As mentioned above, better a planned fall in more or less the spot of your choosing than and uncontrolled fall into who knows what. 

I have no idea how to explain how I learned to stick onto a horses back. Part youthful agility, and partly learning from experience that it was much safer up top than hitting the ground. I ride western, so I handle the reins with one hand. Early on, I learned to throw my free hand up and back. That provided a counterbalance similar to Gossalyns advice on leaning back.

I do recall one instance where I should have hit the ground. I had a galloping horse suddenly teleport to the left, leaving me hanging right where I had been. I managed to hook my left spur into the saddle rigging and pull myself back in.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

You're right, OP, about having that split second to save yourself in those unpleasant situations. You might say those are the downsides to riding (pun intended and my least favourite part of riding, btw).

For me, things have worked out well when I've been able to readjust my position so that I kept myself centered on the horse; they have not worked out so well for me if I've been inattentive or let myself get in such a poor position that I can't reset myself in time. I like to think my successes were attributed to skill and quick reflexes but I strongly suspect there was a lot of luck involved as well.

Preventative options available will be somewhat limited by what your discipline is. If you're into trail riding, you can get a saddle with large swells/high cantle or (as is my case) an Australian saddle with poleys/high cantle to help secure your set. If you're into western showing, you can still use a saddle that provides as much security as possible. If you're into English showing, then you do have a lot more restrictions on the saddle. Temporary solutions that won't make it into the show ring include the night strap or grab strap that can be put on any saddle type; a neck strap around the horse that can be useful in jumping; using your reins in a crossed over fashion that act as a bridge on the horse's neck in case you're pitched forward.

Something that you can do for yourself that will always help you is to have good core strength and flexibility. The more fit those muscles, the more quickly your reaction time will be in, the more resilient you'll be to gravity's pull and, in turn, the more likely you will maintain a proper position.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

apw1970 said:


> And most of the time it feels like I'm falling in slow motion -
> 
> 
> What do you do when you feel a fall is imminent but that you have time to correct it?


I get that slow motion phenomonem also, but I have never had time to correct it once I got that 'fall is imminent' thought. I have , however lost my seat position/security briefly and regained it, but I didnt feel , yet, that a fall was imminent. Does that make sense?...., and I'm probably splitting hairs, but I don't feel the fall is imminent/unavoidable until I KNOW that gravity is not in my favor and I cant do a dang thing about it. LOL.

Example, recently Sonny has chosen to jump up ditch banks and it throws me out of my seat position a bit, first backwards, then forwards and once just a bit to one side. Quite unpleasant, and I'm being more aware of his intention in those situations and requiring him to walk up it instead of jumping up...anyhow,,,although I guess I 'could' fall,,but I don't feel like I"m definitely going to fall, and I've been able to regain my seat/balance.

So, I don't have any tips or advice for you on how to regain,,as everyone else has said--whatever it takes! I will say that once Sonny actually shifted himself back under me and saved me from a fall as I was planning how best to land because gravity was taking over. 

Fay


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Watch bull riding. You will quickly see that the goal is to keep your center of gravity over the bull's. Every time the bull tries to buck the rider forward, the rider counters by going backward. It nulls out the imbalance and keeps the cowboy centered over his feet. 

It's the same concept with a horse stumbling, spooking, spinning, etc. Horse's don't want to fall down, so all you need to do is give him the opportunity to restore his balance. In that split second you mention, your goal is to get your shoulders back over your feet. Say your horse tripped and went down to his knees. Your reaction should be to sit as far back as you can so he can get himself back up. I know, easier said than done. But once you understand the fundamental goal is to keep your shoulders over your feet, it will become easier to do.


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## StormWolf68 (May 7, 2015)

Whenever I'm falling (Usually leaning one direction or the other, like yourself) I try to lean the other way to correct it. Sometimes however, my seat is already to far gone to recorrect. In those cases I try to grab some mane or bring the horse down to a walk (if they happen to be at a faster gait) so I can get my seat back.

Often times, usually after or during my horse tripping, I tend to start to fall over their shoulder, whether it be the left or right shoulder. When this happens, I put both reigns on the other side of their neck (if I'm falling left, putting both reigns to the right or vice versa) and try to lean back to correct.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I was made to learn to roll. 

My mother had ridden as a hobby when she was younger and was injured in an accident. She had occasional back pain the rest of her life from it. Someone told her that if she had "rolled" she likely would not have had a serious injury. 

So I come along, obviously horse-crazy and the woman makes me jump off a neighbors high porch and land rolling. At first it was fun. Eventually, reviewing the rolling before almost every ride was annoying. But...

I'm near 60 years old, ride spoiled horses in rough country and if things go bad and I either come off or bail off, I automatically go into a roll. Disperses the force of the landing and although I may get scratched from rocks or brush, I haven't had a serious injury. I used to ride bareback broncs, and always ended up landing that way.

Of course, before I completely part company with my mount I am "pulling leather," mane (if they have one), and clawing thin air! I'm not proud and have nothing to prove to anyone!


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

If I am in a saddle then usually I will just grab the horn.
But if the horse is bucking then I hang on for dear life with any limb, haha!
Bareback I just hang on with my legs

I have been riding five years and I have fallen off twice. Riding for some reason comes natural to me, Even though my mom started horses when she was 30 and my dad never liked horses, so it ain't genetic.


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## aclassicalpaint (Feb 11, 2015)

I've only fallen twice that I remember (though I hear I've fallen 2 other times, when I was 3 and 5 years old). Both times, I couldn't have stayed on. I was literally sideways on the horse the first time. The other time was 5 months ago and all of a sudden I was sitting on air (horse spooked and bolted out from under me).
I have come close to falling though! What I do is just picture myself staying in my center of gravity. I remember to keep my eyes up and not lean. I think the biggest reason I don't fall much is because I hate it with a passion lol. I always land on my head and get so disorientated! It's frustrating. 
You probably need to develop more balance, so have your trainer or another horse person put you on the lunge line. Lose your stirrups and drop your reins (but keep them on just in case). Do wtc with your arms up in the air, out to the sides, and then in their regular position (pretend you're holding reins). Do this a few times. I also suggest going over trot jumps, they can be annoying but they do help. Have taken Dressage lessons? If not, that should be a priority. Doesn't matter which discipline you ride, Dressage is just training. It teaches you the same principles it teaches the horses. Check out the German Training Scale. 
Good luck


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Depending on the situation I would do one of two things: a) begin praying b) begin swearing :lol:

Seriously though: If you are absolutely going to fall do it on your own terms don't cling to the horse like he's your lifeboat- the ground is there for you and you can't miss. So when you fall use your momentum and roll indiana jones style- or plain ol' log roll works in a pinch too. Basically protect your head and neck and try to dissipate the force of the impact by rolling. If you are really really terrified at the prospect go take a few tumbling classes at the Y or something, I took some when I was younger (had nothing to do with falling just happened)


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## apw1970 (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks, all.

Are there any online tutorials on how to roll?

Good idea with dressage lessons...


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I'm pretty sure I saw it on Youtube - it was a video demonstrating how to do a forward fall from a horse; it was in a school situation where the riders were on a fake horse and they tumbled onto some thick mats. Wish I could remember the name of it but if I bet if you went to the site and typed in falling from horse, and variations thereof, it would pull up some for you.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Like anything, the more you do it, in this case falling, the better you get at it! 

One thing I have all children learn to do is to jump off at all paces and land running and to vault on at all paces, teaches them to find where there legs are and it take balance to mount a trotting or cantering horse.

F your horse just tripped then your balance and automatic reaction, to grab hold of the saddle, and to lean back is lacking. 

Experience taught me when it was time to leave and time to remain in the plate. I learned to lean right back in adverse conditions, to grip tight with my thighs and hang on with anything you've got!


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Dunno...hang on to whatever you can, I guess. The grab strap is a good idea, though. I have a dog collar that serves as one.
As for the fall itself, I have had people suggest the tuck-and-roll. I have never been successful with that. By the time I know what's going on, I'm usually suspended in mid air like a Warner Bros cartoon character and it's all downhill from there.


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## mmcleodk (May 2, 2015)

I wrestled for so many years that that kind of balance is completely instinctive now, I maintain posture, spread my feet in my stirrups so I can push against gravity to stay straight up and centered/on top. When I was younger I was riding an older school pony and it laid down, I ended up straddling its tummy sideways without even thinking about it 

When the horse is spooking I'm usually trying to talk to it in a calm(ish) voice and give it some direction (ie steer it away from the scary object in a big circle, or bring it to face it depending what kind of room I have and if there are other horses boxing us in ( on trail rides etc)

My best advice is don't let go of the reins, if your riding western a hand on the saddle horn can help (and prevent you smoking your sternum on there which hurts like a mother ****er). That'll help keep you centred if you lose your stirrup etc.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I like the tree monkey thing. I am an excellent tree monkey. In all my years of riding and coming off only ONCE have I "fallen off" (at a walk, of course XD)

Use your tree monkey powers and cling!

I may not have the best equitation but I'm good at staying on lol.

That said hanging around your horses neck until it (hopefully) stops is not necessarily the best advice to give, though I have been lucky so far! (at that point you can't let go or you'll be stepped on!)


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

Actually I have had enough experiences falling when I was younger that I just decided that I don't need to do it now that I am in my sixties.

One of the things that can happen when you begin to feel unseated is the tendency to "scrunch up" and tense up. I have trained myself over the years to keep my body loose and I actually "open up" more. I sit more erect and my legs come out and I find it much easier to keep my balance. I just hope it keeps working for me.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Tuck and roll is fine if the horse is falling, generally most falls are from lack of balance or riding naughty animals. 
Leaning to mount/ dismount at all paces gets your feet automatically heading for the ground. His is where ponies are handy.


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## ZombieHorseChick (Jun 5, 2014)

Something that has really helped me with balance and the feeling of falling,( I ride mostly bareback) is relax and remember to lean back, not to much though, and If I know for sure that I'm going over bored, I either tuck in roll ( landing on my feet and barrel rolling , or, in some cases landing backwards on my butt and barrel rolling backwards... Volleyball helped me with making that a instinct..) I've noticed that if I feel to off balance and try and correct myself by grabbing the mane, I tend to bend at the waist trying to pull myself up, which cause me to fall ( go figure), so I've started, when It's that split second of slow mo, I relax and just melt to my horse ( taking into consideration I'm typically bareback, havent had muh trouble with a saddle.) and bring it to a stop or slowing down the horse, till either I can regain my seat ( which I have done many times when I thought I wouldn't be able to!) or slid off the rest of the way safely. That's all I got.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

If I am at the point of no return, I will hold on for dear life until I see a spot fit for landing. Then I just roll in agony for a few minutes. Some people are naturals when it comes to the art of falling, others are not as graceful. My #1 goal is not to get trampled, then my second goal is to not land in an awkward position where I might break something. The rest is up to luck.... I've been dumped so many times that I've mastered landing on my feet. It's taken a lot of practice, but the key is holding on to the neck and sliding to the side, this is easy with jumping saddles I must add. Western saddles would be a whole other story.


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

Even in my best emergency dismount (at an actual gallop, not a canter) I shattered 3 toes in my left foot. I'm in the "less graceful" and "delicate flower" category.

I've never found monkey gripping to be a great tool for horses that are bucking (with all fours in the air and twisting like a bronc) so basically I try to keep myself as upright as possible be it by leaning forwards/backwards.

In the "oh ****" moment where you just _know_ there is nothing left to do I actually think of something funny and try to loosen up a little. It helps with the fall.

Other than that I try to go feet first even if that means flinging myself over before gravity takes effect.

Also in general don't get up right away! Obviously there are situations that would make this prudent but remember to take a breath and check to see that things are moving/not moving accordingly. The biggest mistake I made with my whiplash was trying to get up in a push-up like fashion -- you're best option is if you land facedown to roll over on your back, wriggle toes/fingers/etc and worm yourself up.

_Side notes:
If you pass out at all get to a hospital before you try to "cowboy up"_

And to help with falling: Do you normally fall one way? I fall to my left most of the time because my first instinct is to clench with my right (dominant) leg which shoves me off. 
If you want to see how exaggerated this is have someone come up and grab your boot and push your leg upwards while relaxed. If you're letting gravity do the work to drop the weight through your heel your leg should adapt by bending at the knee. Your heel and hip should be in roughly the same line that they started in.
Now drop your leg and try to grip really, really, reaallly hard. Like your horse is being stupid and you reeaaallly need to hang in there. Now have your helper push your foot "up". You're going to fall off. Its like trying to push something with a rope (or more accurately a hinged stick) or a metal rod. Which is easier?


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## apachetears (Oct 27, 2014)

apw1970 said:


> Hi. I'm puzzled and opening this up to my friends here.
> 
> I fell on Saturday. Nothing serious. My horse stumbled either over his own left front foot, or there was a hole. I'm not sure.
> 
> ...


I alway open my eyes real wide and go WHOELP! then kick loose from the stirrups and try landing on my feet. Sometimes it works!


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I have gotten pretty good at staying upright in the saddle, but have also turned "tree monkey" and clung for dear life to all of the following: side of the saddle, top of the neck, bottom of the neck, and on top of the head once (horse did a dirty stop at a ditch then put his feet in the ditch so fast I ended up on his head). It happens so fast I am not 100% sure HOW exactly I get a grip. 

Over the years I have gotten better and better at fighting the fetal position reflex, and sitting up and deep in the saddle. Looking up at the horizon is now one of my key tactics, cause if I look down, I am likely to end up there.

If I feel I have reached the point of no return, I learned early on to round my back and tuck my shoulders if I can't do a proper emergency dismount. No trying to stop the fall with the arms, that will just break or sprain things!


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

I usually tense up, think about how much this will hurt, and if it's really slow motion I might think about the hospital bill too. In spite of a couple of years of Tae Kwon Do where we practiced running somersaults over and over, I still can't roll coming off a 16 hand horse.

After my 3rd degree shoulder separation in 2009 I decided since I'll never learn how to ride, I better learn how to train. It's working so far. I haven't fallen off since.


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## Labrador (Jul 31, 2013)

I have not yet fallen in my riding career, but have come close a good number of times. One time in particular I remember I was cantering a mare who was still very green to the canter undersaddle and had absolutely no balance or self carriage whatsoever. It was like riding a motorcycle the way she was leaning and careening around the arena in ever tighter circles. At some point her terrible transitions and leans caused me to lose my stirrup- possibly both- and I was fighting to find them again, steer the horse, slow the horse down and just stay on! Pretty soon I realized that there was no way I was staying up- the mare would not slow down and I could not keep my seat or balance on that canter. I experienced that limbo moment where everything slowed down and happened very clearly and I just stopped trying to stay on. I relaxed, sat back, stopped pulling on the reins and accepted that I was going to fall. The mare immediately re-balanced herself and came to a smooth stop. I righted myself, still in the saddle.

The point of that little story is I guess that sometimes the best thing to do when you feel ready to fall is nothing. My theory is that in this case while I was bouncing around, pulling on her face and throwing my weight around to try to stay on, I was actually causing more interference for the mare. How could I expect her to stay up when I was causing so much commotion and confusion? When I stopped and relaxed she had enough time and independence to focus herself and get her feet underneath us. It no doubt also helped that when I relaxed, she felt that and was encouraged to relax as well.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

DreaMy said:


> If you pass out at all get to a hospital before you try to "cowboy up"[/I]


This is very true! 
So here's a story in relation to what DreaMy is saying; not too long ago at a local schooling show, this poor little girl had this horrible horse. He was mean and not very happy to be there, yet the trainer insisted she'd continue to ride that horse. The horse was no way near being a good mount for such a little girl, whom was in the early stages of riding. Well to make things short, she got dumped in the warm-up ring, she got dumped in the jumper ring, and still after that, the trainer put her back and made her do a second round!! She did pass out for a bit during one of the falls, but was back on her feet again soon after.... well the girl went to the hospital with a very bad brain contusion, very embarrassed and with her confidence destroyed.. sad and scary!!! 

She was fine luckily! but honestly, even if your trainer is really pressuring you to get on a horse that you feel is too much for you or dangerous, please don't do it. This girl trusted her trainers' judgement and it ended up bad. Shame on the trainer. 

I guess this would kind of be off topic. But don't "cowboy up" when you feel the horse is being dangerous. No shame in not getting back on. So many ways to address the problem that don't involve risking your bones. Being brave doesn't necessarily make you intelligent. :icon_rolleyes:


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I rode out a pretty impressive bucking fit bareback today. All I kept saying to myself was "long legs and SIT BACK" and I stayed on even though I ended up riding the witch's neck. Kept her forward until she settled into the nice canter I was asking for, then let her stop, righted myself, and kept on riding.

That was a situation in which I absolutely could not afford to fall off. Once a horse dumps you once, she knows she can do it again. She learned today that she can't ditch me, which means she's less likely to try it with her nearly 50 year old owner.

If I have time to save myself, I save myself every time. But nowadays if I'm unseated it's a rare thing for it to be a slow enough unseating for me to have that time - if I'm going to fall it's usually violently. I've been flung into more jump wings than I care to count because my old jumper would pick up the pace coming towards a fence, then drop a shoulder and spin away from it at the last moment. Even with an upright, solid position, there was no way I could save myself. Took me a while but I figured out he did it when he felt like my position wasn't secure enough for me to stay balanced over the fence. Last time I came off a horse was when the horse went full rodeo bronc on me when I was riding stirrupless in a saddle I hated. The time before that was one of Monty's spinning stops.

Something I have learned in these moments is that the INSTANT you think "yep, I'm doomed" you WILL fall off. Sheer determination has kept me onboard more times than I can count. I will NOT fall off a horse if I can at all avoid it!


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

blue eyed pony said:


> the INSTANT you think "yep, I'm doomed" you WILL fall off.


Well there's my problem. I usually think that about the time I put the last snug on the cinch and right before I put my foot in the stirrup.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

DreaMy said:


> Even in my best emergency dismount (at an actual gallop, not a canter) I shattered 3 toes in my left foot. I'm in the "less graceful" and "delicate flower" category.
> 
> I've never found monkey gripping to be a great tool for horses that are bucking (with all fours in the air and twisting like a bronc) so basically I try to keep myself as upright as possible be it by leaning forwards/backwards.
> 
> ...


Monkey gripping is obviously what happens AFTER you can't stay in the saddle. Though completely agree it shouldn't be the go to and there are definitely times when falling is better (If the horse is out of their mind being away from them is a better idea then around their neck!)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

blue eyed pony said:


> I rode out a pretty impressive bucking fit bareback today. All I kept saying to myself was "long legs and SIT BACK" and I stayed on even though I ended up riding the witch's neck. Kept her forward until she settled into the nice canter I was asking for, then let her stop, righted myself, and kept on riding.
> 
> That was a situation in which I absolutely could not afford to fall off. Once a horse dumps you once, she knows she can do it again. She learned today that she can't ditch me, which means she's less likely to try it with her nearly 50 year old owner.
> 
> ...


And that is why it's the good riders who have the bad falls!


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

blue eyed pony;7573498
Something I have learned in these moments is that the INSTANT you think "yep said:


> Along those lines, someone once told me that it was an old 'cowboy' saying "dont look at the ground unless that's where you want to end up!".
> 
> So, if I'm feeling unbalanced at all, I make a point of looking forward. I have a bad habit of looking at his withers when I'm thinking too hard (lol), and that's too similar to looking at the ground..a bad,bad habit,,I'm working on it, and doing much better.
> 
> Fay


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## chelstucker (Jun 17, 2014)

Double post


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## chelstucker (Jun 17, 2014)

Quickly calculate how much I've paid toward my deductible and if there is anyone there to drive me to the hospital.  lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

EpicApple said:


> She was fine luckily! but honestly, even if your trainer is really pressuring you to get on a horse that you feel is too much for you or dangerous, please don't do it. This girl trusted her trainers' judgement and it ended up bad. Shame on the trainer.
> 
> I guess this would kind of be off topic. But don't "cowboy up" when you feel the horse is being dangerous. No shame in not getting back on. So many ways to address the problem that don't involve risking your bones. Being brave doesn't necessarily make you intelligent. :icon_rolleyes:


Yes, yes, and yes I just can't stress the importance of taking care of yourself first.

The first "bad fall" I had (the actual first was more of a graceful "plop" on the ground) was in the middle-of-nowhere desert and I passed out. Even though I was screaming bloody murder (several young friends who can attest to this) my coach insisted that I either walk back or ride a horse. (I was sobbing and begging for an ambulance but since I was a little kid he wrote off my opinion) And as it turned out I had internal bleeding and riding that horse back could have easily killed me.

Now last time I fell all I got was a fat lip and lot of splinters (wood shavings) but you'd better believe my trainer was raising h*** to school my horse and simultaneously telling me to stay laying on the ground.... and thats how I _knew_ she was a good coach


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

mslady254 said:


> Along those lines, someone once told me that it was an old 'cowboy' saying "dont look at the ground unless that's where you want to end up!".
> 
> So, if I'm feeling unbalanced at all, I make a point of looking forward. I have a bad habit of looking at his withers when I'm thinking too hard (lol), and that's too similar to looking at the ground..a bad,bad habit,,I'm working on it, and doing much better.
> 
> Fay


Me too! In general I find it good practice to "spot" something, in riding a horse, a bike, driving a car, even my brief foray into gymnastics


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## cascaderox (Jun 10, 2015)

So im an idiot and was bareback riding and fell off 3 time in one weekend  I always know for some reason when im going to fall off because i always think "not this again" I dont actully do anything when i fall I just make sure the horse doesnt stamp on my head


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

EpicApple said:


> But don't "cowboy up" when you feel the horse is being dangerous. No shame in not getting back on.


YES! I think "Get right back on" might be the dumbest cliche in the horse world. If the fall was your own fault and not because of what the horse did, then sure, get back on. For example, if you are ponying another horse bareback and let yourself get pulled off the back of your horse because you're too stupid to let go of the rope when the second horse stopped (don't ask me how I thought of this) then get back on. Let go of the rope next time.

But if your horse bucks you off, you have two problems. One is that your horse has a hole in his training, and the other is you weren't good enough to ride it out. So how does getting right back on give you any likelihood of success? I think one of the things that destroys the confidence of riders is being pushed by friends or trainers. The only way some of them will ever get over their fear is to find more understanding riding companions.

Figure out what happened, address the training issue, ride a different horse to regain your confidence or improve your seat, but don't automatically "get right back on." There's no reason to believe it end any better the second time.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Joel, I like your reasoning!


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

Joel Reiter said:


> YES! I think "Get right back on" might be the dumbest cliche in the horse world. If the fall was your own fault and not because of what the horse did, then sure, get back on. For example, if you are ponying another horse bareback and let yourself get pulled off the back of your horse because you're too stupid to let go of the rope when the second horse stopped (don't ask me how I thought of this) then get back on. Let go of the rope next time.
> 
> But if your horse bucks you off, you have two problems. One is that your horse has a hole in his training, and the other is you weren't good enough to ride it out. So how does getting right back on give you any likelihood of success? I think one of the things that destroys the confidence of riders is being pushed by friends or trainers. The only way some of them will ever get over their fear is to find more understanding riding companions.
> 
> Figure out what happened, address the training issue, ride a different horse to regain your confidence or improve your seat, but don't automatically "get right back on." There's no reason to believe it end any better the second time.



There are so many things in this post that I love! You are absolutely right! 

The BO at one of my former boarding facilities was probably the stupidest person I have ever met. And I don't feel bad for saying this. I was very new to horse ownership at this time...I maybe had been into it for a little over a year. I was trail riding and I was having a hard time controlling my balance so I held onto the horn of my saddle. The BO stopped me and said, "What are you doing?" I was perplexed...what do you mean what am I doing?...He said, "You hear that?" "Do I hear what?" And he replied, "EXACTLY! you don't hear anything! The only thing a horn is good for is getting the car in front of you out of the way!" He would bust anyone who even went near their horn! That very same ride...not an hour later his horse crow hopped and he landed face first in the dirt. It was the only time I ever saw him ride. I never heard him say a word about anyone grabbing the horn after that. 

He swore by "his" adage that green riders should have green horses and they should only ride bareback....and every horse should be ridden in a high port bit. And finally...use mud as a hoof conditioner.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

jenkat86 said:


> I never heard him say a word about anyone grabbing the horn after that.


A saddle horn is sort of a semi-useless appendage for most of us, since very few people who ride western are actually roping. If I had my way I'd replace the horn with a curved bar attached to the swell on both sides. If things got ugly you could grab it with both hands and brace yourself in the stirrups and ride through things you could never do with just a saddle horn.

It would certainly offend the purists, but it could make the difference for thousands of former riders who are afraid to get back on a horse.


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

I thought the purpose of a horn was to help us short people haul ourselves up into the saddle, lol.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

Well, I drag my two-hundred-and-none-of-your-business pounds up by pulling on my poor horse's mane, but whatever works I guess.


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## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

How does one train themselves to instinctively lean back instead of going to the fetal position? Is there a way to ingrain this response without having to practice on a spooky/naughty horse?

I've been riding for a long, long time, and I still fall off way too often.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

petitepyromaniac said:


> How does one train themselves to instinctively lean back instead of going to the fetal position? Is there a way to ingrain this response without having to practice on a spooky/naughty horse?
> 
> I've been riding for a long, long time, and I still fall off way too often.


I used to (and still sometimes do) resort to the fetal position/hunched forward whenever I felt insecure, not just when I felt I was going to fall. So I got a lot of practice at other times. It eventually carried over to when horses got broncy. If the thought of falling or spooking makes you start to get into a forward, defensive position, you can use mental exercises to help recondition your response. Ride around on a calm horse and play spooking scenarios in your mind, and while you do so, sit deep, look up and pull those shoulders back.


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## apachetears (Oct 27, 2014)

*Saddle horn is useful*



Joel Reiter said:


> A saddle horn is sort of a semi-useless appendage for most of us, since very few people who ride western are actually roping. If I had my way I'd replace the horn with a curved bar attached to the swell on both sides. If things got ugly you could grab it with both hands and brace yourself in the stirrups and ride through things you could never do with just a saddle horn.
> 
> It would certainly offend the purists, but it could make the difference for thousands of former riders who are afraid to get back on a horse.


For hanging stuff on, canteens, and such plus they can help prop your arm up when your holding the reins LOL

I always get back on unless I'm too injured to stand.


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## apachetears (Oct 27, 2014)

apw1970 said:


> Hi. I'm puzzled and opening this up to my friends here.
> 
> I fell on Saturday. Nothing serious. My horse stumbled either over his own left front foot, or there was a hole. I'm not sure.
> 
> ...


My Grandfather had horses, they raced them in our small town back in the old days and he was a rambler gambler good old boy then.
I first fell from a horse while riding with my dad at four years old, the next time I fell I was five, it's become a tradition so to speak the last time I fell off I busted three ribs and my Mom said, "Well the boys been doing this all his life" falling off horse that is.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

These threads just make me laugh. SOOO many people post about how to need to ride out a buck bc it makes you a better rider. I disagree. I say, teach your horse NOT to buck. Nobody _likes_ to ride a horse that bucks. You know that buck is designed to dislodge a panther who has his claws in the horse's back. NOT very nice, Precious.
The rest is to get physically fit so that you can sit the bounciest trot, and move with the biggest canter, and stay on going over a jump without your stirrups.


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## apachetears (Oct 27, 2014)

apw1970 said:


> Thanks, all.
> 
> Are there any online tutorials on how to roll?
> 
> Good idea with dressage lessons...


Judo falls helps, study how the falls are taught during a Judo lesson or take Judo/Juijitsu.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I agree with you to some extent, Corporal, but there are still some people out there that haven't been given a "natural" horse riding ability. I'm one of them. My hamstrings are always tight, I lean too far forward and when my horses gets going my natural response is to become a ping pong ball. It has taken me years to ride "correctly" and half the time I still don't  I agree that physical fitness has a big impact on it. When I'm out of shape...I don't ride nearly as well. But I think in some of these cases the mental game can overpower everything else.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Corporal said:


> Nobody likes to ride a horse that bucks.


I'm a weirdo, then. I kind of like buckers. Now, I don't encourage bucking and I get after horses who do, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't get a bit of a thrill from it. Now, if a horse even slightly rears, uh uh, no way no how! Hate rearers!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I fell off routinely when I was a kid. I got a lot of bumps and bruises and an occasional fracture. Now it is very rare if I fall off. For starters, I am not a trainer, so I am not going to ride somebodies rank horse. My horse is very hot, but I know what she will do and I know what to expect. The biggest thing for me is to stay in tune with the horse. If she is about to spook, I can feel it and get ready. 

I am too dang old to fall off without getting hurt and I can't afford to take time off from work from being injured; I hang on for all that I am worth. I think the most important thing if the horse does go crazy is to keep a deep seat and keep those heels down. Other than that, physically hanging on to the saddle horn or mane or monkey grab (whatever you have) and trying like crazy to stay in balance with the horse is what I do. 

When I fall, I pretty much hit with a big splat like humpty dumpty.


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## LilyandPistol (Dec 2, 2014)

Normally when I feel like I am going to fall I feel a brief sensation of wind, then dirt.


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## LilyandPistol (Dec 2, 2014)

A trainer once told me to just stop when you are gonna fall. Another told me to fling yourself off as far from the horse as possible.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I have no natural seat. I really worked at it. You know, the best teachers write about how to get a great seat. They start with riding a totally reliable horse, sitting on a lunge, patiently working at your craft.
The one person that I never wanted to be I met at a small CW event. She raced around on an older Arabian and was known to routinely end up taking an ambulance ride in the middle of many events. I met her at a campfire, bragging about he falls, her broken bones, her mishaps.
Is that what you want?
I want a pleasant ride on a pleasant companion. I've been dirty bronco bucked 3x. The first was on a 16.2hh OTTB who was having a temper tantrum. SOMEHOW, I dove and only scraped my elbow. The 2nd time, same horse, tired of working in the mud. I had no legs left that day, got bucked off, fell flat on my back in the mud, nothing hurt. The last time another gelding lost it when a cannon went off. I tried to dive, but my R humurous took the brunt of my fall and broke. My whole riding season was gone while I recovered.
Sometimes you WANT to fall or learn to do something akin to a flying dismount, like the horse is running scared and you are approaching a tree limb. Better than snapping your neck.
Don't think you should be encouraging people to think it takes a bucking horse to create your seat. How about a safe horse with a hard to sit trot? I've owned a few of those. You post and sit and teach yourself to keep your balance sitting the trot. OR, you ride for an entire day, so that you don't know if you want your stirrups or not bc neither is really comfortable.
Or just MAYBE, you get a good instructor to teach your a great seat *and* how to be safe.
You don't have to get bucked off to learn to sit a horse. That horse that bucks a little will escalate to buck a LOT. Not my idea of fun.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Corporal said:


> These threads just make me laugh. SOOO many people post about how to need to ride out a buck bc it makes you a better rider. I disagree. I say, teach your horse NOT to buck. Nobody _likes_ to ride a horse that bucks. You know that buck is designed to dislodge a panther who has his claws in the horse's back. NOT very nice, Precious.
> The rest is to get physically fit so that you can sit the bounciest trot, and move with the biggest canter, and stay on going over a jump without your stirrups.


Very good point Corporal. This, and your subsequent post. Most of the falls I have witnessed have not been the result of a bucking horse. Rather they have come from a rider who couldn't keep their seat during what I consider normal occurrences. A horse stumbles, as in the OP, or breaks their stride to negotiate uneven terrain, or sidesteps to avoid a grouse flying up from underfoot, or as you pointed out that bouncy trot or big canter.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

When I feel like I'm about to fall, I hang onto any part of the horse or saddle I can get my hands on and dig in. I'm like a cougar on its back, which is no help at all (tends to make the horse panic and run faster trying to get rid of me). But I can't seem to help myself; I hate it when anything but the bottom of my feet touch the earth.


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

petitepyromaniac said:


> How does one train themselves to instinctively lean back instead of going to the fetal position? Is there a way to ingrain this response without having to practice on a spooky/naughty horse?
> 
> I've been riding for a long, long time, and I still fall off way too often.


I had a friend who had a trainer that after she fell off her green colt took her and stuck her right back up there and lunged the horse, bucking, until my friend could sit some really nasty buck. To me it sounds like a heck of a way to die.

Anyways, how's your sitting trot and canter? Having a good position there is about the best way to practice a deep seat without the bucking (which is what you want). In fact, I was talking about this today with my trainer because my mare tripped (100% her fault) at the canter.


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## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

Some great responses. The slow motion thing is you're brain processing information subconsciously at literally the speed of light and this is survival reactions. Unfortunately sometimes survival reactions are not the right thing to do.

I have always believed the best way to not fall is stay on the horse/bike/motorcycle...duh. But sometimes there comes a time when the parting of ways is inevitable so in the split second or two that you have, chose to end it as best you can or "on your terms". For instance, while you still have some small opportunity to influence your "landing zone" chose the softest spot possible. 

Learn how to fall. A lot of arm/wrist injuries are totally preventable. It's instinctive to stick your arm/hand out to soften your fall...better to allow the shoulder/collarbone to absorb that impact. Collarbones heal in four to six weeks in the off chance you fracture one...wrists...sometimes never. A dislocated shoulder, while painful, can be reduced at the scene if you know how, which if you're gonna ride you should learn. Ditto with fingers.


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## piglet (Oct 2, 2012)

I must come back to this thread - I fell off recently. Luckily it was slow and easy. More like a slide off.


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## Eclair (Jun 22, 2015)

Do anything you possibly can to stay on! 

This is what I do: jam those heels down as far a I can, let my hips move with the horse but keep my upper body straight and shoulders back.


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## Ripplewind (Mar 22, 2012)

This is a very good question, it's been interesting to read the responses!

I've been studying martial arts for five years, and the very first thing Sensei teaches his new students is how to fall. This is important, because eventually the newbies begin learning more complex and brutal techniques, which requires a LOT of smacking the ground when working with a partner. I've been thrown, tossed, and "beaten up" in class, but I've never come away seriously injured.

I think that training in martial arts directly correlates to riding. Whenever I feel myself starting to fall, I _let it happen_. Now, that's not to say that I don't do all that I can to avoid falling off. I'd much rather stay in the saddle than hit the dirt, but if I ever realize that I'm beyond the point of keeping my butt in the saddle, I stop fighting and focus on falling the same way I do in the dojo. Part of it is to make sure my spine doesn't flatten out, and I exhale sharply as soon as I feel any impact. The most recent time I fell, I came off after Winny jumped out form underneath me on a fence. We made it to the other side, but when he realized I was behind the cantle, precisely where I should NOT have been, he started bucking and I came off. Everything happened in slow motion, like another person said. I had two choices: Keep scrambling for the pommel, or ditch. I decided it was time to stop fighting the fall so I bailed.  I hit so hard that I felt my head bounce (HELMETS ARE GOOD), but I was able to "absorb" the shock and bounce right back up to try the fence again.

It also helps to be 19 and fit, but that won't last forever.


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