# Dares



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

1 and 3 are dangerous, and 2 is merely silly and done by every ******* owner on the planet. Not sure why anyone would think those are something to emulate.

Riding like a jockey or dressage rider aren't 'tricks', and side saddle is a lovely form of riding that shouldn't be reduced to mockery on a dare.


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

Speed Racer said:


> 1 and 3 are dangerous, and 2 is merely silly and done by every ******* owner on the planet. Not sure why anyone would think those are something to emulate.
> 
> Riding like a jockey or dressage rider aren't 'tricks', and side saddle is a lovely form of riding that shouldn't be reduced to mockery on a dare.


oh but when your on my mare......


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Side saddle, done properly, is elegant.
Done as a dare, without the proper equipment and knowledge, is a good way to accomplish an injury.


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

im not looking for criticism, just fun dares to do.


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## PSNapier (Oct 23, 2012)

Everybody's always so touchy. 

Hmm... ride over a cone and knock it over, then stand it back up without getting off your horse. Make a lap around the arena with your eyes closed. Ride with one rein, if you haven't already.

I got more but I have a feeling I'm going to get yelled at already, so MEH. xD


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You kids want to go ahead and do stupid, dangerous dares, be my guest. Just leave the animals out of it. Much of what you're proposing can result in life threatening injuries for both you and your horses. 

If you value your own lives so little, you should at least care enough about the horses you claim to love to not deliberately endanger their well being.

You are not invincible. You can and will get hurt. It's just a matter of when and how badly.

Instead of stupid, dangerous things, why not try things that won't endanger lives? Egg and spoon racing and dollar runs are fun and challenging.


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## Samstead (Dec 13, 2011)

you can say you don't want crit. all you want but on this forum (any forum really, horsey or not) you're bound to get it. Maybe try dares that will improve your riding.


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## Samstead (Dec 13, 2011)

Pole exercises like the one above can be super helpful, set up some poles like shown and you can do dozens of exercises from there, circle over all the poles an oval over only two of them (right and left or top and bottom), figure eight, counting strides (five strides between a pole and than 7) or something shown here e-Venting » 4 poles: 7 exercises


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Maybe limit your 'dares' to the type of 'tricks' you see done at games days. When my sister was in pony club she and the other girls were champs with all sorts of little games (much MUCH safer than what you're proposing), I tried them once and failed miserably  it's a lot harder than it looks. Untacking while riding is a sure way to get yourself killed, standing up on your horse puts pony at risk of injury, if you're going to ride backwards make sure you do so on a lunge or a lead...

I'm all for having fun on your horse, I think it's going a little bit far to accuse OP of subjecting different styles of riding to mockery but please _please_ don't pull stupid stunts that are going to put yourself and your horse in danger. There are PLENTY of things you can do to keep riding fun (play soccer, play tag, try something new) no need to subject yourself to possible injury...


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

AGraceful said:


> so yea. bored. dares on horses/with horses.
> 
> heres what i have so far:
> 1untack while riding
> ...


Highlighted numbers to corrospond with my comments. 

1) not sure why you would do this, seeing as how I've only seen seasoned professional trainers do it as a training exercise and from a standstill. Best to leave it to the professionals imo

2) Why? Just seems unnecessary, plus could pose some danger to your horse's legs/spine if you're unbalanced.

3)Ok.... I guess just be prepared to hit the ground worst case scenario. 

4) See three. lol I'm not sure of the why but hey don't see a ton of harm in it. 

5) why not just ride with no stirrups? Take it from someone who has gotten caught up in stirrups and drug this is easily the most DANGEROUS thing on this list. It would be much better to just take the stirrups off and ride without them then to have them too long and get caught up in them. 

6)Side saddles great but I think it's gonna end up a lot worse if you try to do it with an actual saddle. If you really want to try it either go try it for real or do this shenanigan bareback where the worst that happens is you fall off. 

While I do not condone this at all I will say that if you absolutely must (because I was once a child and had lapses in judgement) wear a helmet, don't be alone and recognize what all could go wrong and be prepared to reap those consequences. 

For the rest of the posters I'm with alexischristina on this one. Nothing aside from the few on the list I've pointed out scream 'imminent danger' to horse and/or rider, and I'm sure that we've all done incredibly stupid things on horseback before. Scratch that: I'm POSITIVE. 

OP maybe it would be better to do some pony games like others suggested or like I said, think things through ALL the way and asses the pros and cons. I'm all for having fun but recognize the dangers and avoid what is deadly.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Nope never would I do anything on a horse because someone "dared" me to do it. That is the difference between a horse person and someone who has horses to ride...we take our horse, safety, and skill into consideration and don't have to nor need to show we can do what were being dared to do. 

Standing on a horse...every time I see some fool doing this stupid stunt I want to slap the off the saddle and/or back!! You need to stand in the saddle because why?!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I think many of you have to much cotton wool to wrap up in!

Yes, some of the things done are silly and not beneficial to 'improving one's riding' but they do improve confidence and balance. 

Riding is a risk sport, that is what makes it so exciting. I, many years ago as a child, did the mentioned. Infact, when the ex army instructor took us for a lesson in the arena (rarely) you could bet that we were made, as a ride, to all be cantering around the arena and remove the horse's saddle and hold it above our heads. 
Exercises going up the jumping lane consisted of no stirrups or reins, taking off our jackets and hanging them on a post, next time collecting the jacket and putting it back on.

I first broke my arm whilst trying to stand up on two ponies quarters whilst they were cantering. Never crossed my mind that I couldn't do it nor that it would probably be best to try at a standstill first. 
I did do it , it was reaching the end of the field that did it for me, ponies went in different directions! 

We would get on the ponies bareback when they were out on the steep hills they grazed, inevitably they would tank off with us to the gate. We learned to stay on. Leaning right back, one hand holding the halter rope, the other bracing against the withers laughing all the way. 

If the ponies got fed up with our antics they just dropped us. We never held it against them and, if we did get hurt then we never owned up to what we were doing.

When my nieces were with me and riding their ponies I know they got up to all sorts of things that were risky, they thought I didn't know, I never stopped them because I knew they would learn more from their experiences than from me stopping them! 

My nephew had an ATV, he would go out and ride that in the fields. He would return filthy and I could tell from mud placement that he had fallen. One day unbeknown to him I watched him standing one legged on the seat whilst doing a wheelie in a field with uneven ground. He had it off to a T. I knew why he had often fallen.

Now I would class him as a good driver, he learned from his ATV experiences just as I learned from my antics.

I will also add that none of these are as bad as some of the ridiculous things we got up to!


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

Guys, these arent any dangerous then any other sport. If you think these are dangerous, you probably shouldnt be riding/around horses.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

AGraceful said:


> Guys, these arent any dangerous then any other sport. If you think these are dangerous, you probably shouldnt be riding/around horses.


 I wouldn't go as far as to say that. Modern society is a lot more protective than we used to be, hence the concern for your safety. 

I've done all of those except untack while riding. Western tack doesn't lend itself to that very well. As a teenager, I did however, unchinch and secure the cinch to the saddle. Then I mounted, dismounted, and rode around at a walk, trot, and lope. That did help me much later when an antique military saddle disintegrated under me at a gallop. 

None of these were done supervised. Nor were they dares. We kids just thought they would be fun.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I have to add that I was too chicken to try the roman riding as Foxhunter did. LOL!


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

Ah youth is wasted on the young. To have the energy, stamina, no fear of my mortality, yet the 'smarts' that you can only obtain through years......*sighs*

We all did crazy things when younger, wether these things involved horses or not. We also have the broken backs, shrinking spinal column, fractured hip(s), a few dislocated shoulders, a broken tailbone, a a few concussions to prove it.

You live, you learn.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Sorry Foxhunter I am going to have to disagree with you AND AGraceful. If I think that what the OP posted is dangerous maybe I shouldn't be around horses eh? 

If I wanted dangerous or exhilarating I would take my team in another parade with people walking in front of us with baby strollers and balloons, cars who pass a bit TOO close for me, training a youngster on a windy day with things moving/blowing around, riding a green horse. Or I would go back to riding horses who had people problems, that was always something to keep me alert and bright eyed and bushy tailed. Better yet, cantering down a trail in Nevada with my dad when our horses suddenly bolt and spook and begin bucking...yea, nothing like a rattler curled up in some sagebrush that starts rattling!!

Horses aren't a game...we are the ambassadors to the younger generation and I have seen more people get hurt due to stupidity and ignorance than not in the horse world. I would rather ride correctly, have good hands, a horse who does what they should be and politely, who is a good ride, who has no issues or problems, picks their hooves up for the farrier, is polite to the vet, that anyone can ride, who is good with children and my granddaughters, so many other more pressing issues can and should be achieved instead of can I stand on my horses back!!! 

Maybe my view of being a horse woman is a lot different than many others, it isn't because I am "old" or "afraid" but because I am responsible for that animal in my field and any and all issues that may arise. It is being responsible. I am teaching my 7 year old and soon to be 4 year old granddaughters the same respect for my 4 horses and ANY horse they come in contact with. I would rather be safe than sorry.


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

AGraceful said:


> so yea. bored. dares on horses/with horses.
> 
> heres what i have so far:
> untack while riding
> ...


 1) I wouldn't do it if I were you. Sounds very dangerous. The only exception is if you have a very calm and broke horse and you have just like a bareback pad or something. Full tack, skip!

2) I don't see a problem with this. Hundreds of horse people have done this, I want to do this as well. I would make sure someone is holding the horse.

3) Again, it is dangerous but not horrid if you go about it correctly. Have someone leading the horse and I'd just stick to a walk for the first go around, or trot for a bit. But don't do it alone and don't trot unless you feel comfortable doing a walk. I did this once with my brother. He led and we just walked around the corral, it was scary but fun. 

4) Not too dangerous. have someone with you, stay at a walk and trot to start.

5) I'd just skip this and do no stirrups at all.

6) Once again, have someone leading the horse and stay at a WALK. If stayed at a walk, led, and on a calm horse, I don't see it being VERY dangerous. Everything to do with horses IS dangerous.


Some other ideas:

Ride bareback
Jump bareback (ONLY if your instructor/trainer agrees you are up to this and stick to a small jump that seems like trotting over a pole to you)
Do an around the world at HALT


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## Samstead (Dec 13, 2011)

AGraceful said:


> Guys, these arent any dangerous then any other sport. If you think these are dangerous, you probably shouldnt be riding/around horses.


imagine driving in a car and just ripping the steering wheel of and tossing it out the window. How to plan to steer without reigns? leg cues? sure but nothing is guaranteed and you won't a have saddle either so your legs won't be in the same position so your legs cues will also be different. 
and riding is much more dangerous than other many sports already, yes you can get a concussion playing hockey but when was the last time you heard of a player dying on ice? people die mid-course a heck of a lot more often. Horses are living things, with minds of their own, thought processes and decision making and those don't always follow reason. Being prey animals much of their instinct is to run away. it doesn't matter how bomb proof a horse is, I've seen push button horses spook.


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

Roman said:


> 1)
> Some other ideas:
> 
> 
> ...


1) i do it like everyday on a horse that rears and bolts LOL

2)ive jumped up to 2'8ft. BAREBACK without my trainer. Heck,my trainer didnt even know

3)ive done it...at a walk.

^Not to sound rude lol but the horse(er, pony) i was gonna use is very very solid. She wouldnt move as she doesnt want to hurt me. T prove my point: She reared at a gallop(actualy more like leaped) and i went under her,she stopped, and very very carefully picked her feet up. She nudged me ad looked very worried. She just kinda hung her head as i untacked her and out her in her paddock.

Now before you guys go into that "ther 1000 pound animals who will hurt you,given the chance" crap, she had the chance to kill me,yet she didnt.


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## Rebelwithacause (Aug 7, 2013)

You sound hell bent on doing what you want to do, regardless of the sound and sage advice already given. My dare to you is to at least wear a helmet! Sounds like you might need it....


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

GreySorrel said:


> Sorry Foxhunter I am going to have to disagree with you AND AGraceful. If I think that what the OP posted is dangerous maybe I shouldn't be around horses eh?
> 
> If I wanted dangerous or exhilarating I would take my team in another parade with people walking in front of us with baby strollers and balloons, cars who pass a bit TOO close for me, training a youngster on a windy day with things moving/blowing around, riding a green horse. Or I would go back to riding horses who had people problems, that was always something to keep me alert and bright eyed and bushy tailed. Better yet, cantering down a trail in Nevada with my dad when our horses suddenly bolt and spook and begin bucking...yea, nothing like a rattler curled up in some sagebrush that starts rattling!!
> 
> ...


As a child I was the rider that was used for all remedials that came in for training. Some of these were not exactly the easiest and some were plain dangerous. 

I never said that doing the things mentioned were safe, what I said was that it gave balance and confidence. It also instilled in us what was and wasn't feasible. 

The horses were well trained, they all worked in the riding school, competed at shows, knew right from wrong. They seemed to enjoy the messing around as much as we did. 

When you can sit sideways bareback on a rotund pony and trot for two miles, your balance has to be good. 

We had parades (what we call carnivals) but never took the ponies to them though I am sure they would have behaved. The owners just weren't interested.

I would have a fit if I tried to ride one and lead four from the fields to the stables today because there is so much more traffic and it is a lot faster. Then it was a daily routine. 

It is a fact here in the UK that more children are badly hurt as teens, from falling from trees. The four year old that climbs trees learns that a fall from a low height can be frightening and painful so when they are older they respect the risk. If they have never climbed a tree until they are in their teens they don't have the respect so, a fall can be a lot worse.

At no point did we ever neglect or force the horses to do something they didn't agree with. We were taught that no matter what the animals came first.


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

I'll add my two cents...
The backwards thing that a lot of people seem to disapprove of just depends on the horse and rider. If you have a calm horse and take things slow it's not that dangerous. I have done this with Angel many of times. Walking, trotting, and even loping. It just depends. You have to understand that there is risk of falling and getting hurt. However the risk of getting hurt is always there. Even if you ride the correct way. 
As for the standing thing I don't really care for it, nor have I done it. I just don't like the idea of putting someones weight on just two spots on the horses back or in the saddle. I know the saddle is meant to distribute weight, but not from just two points. However there are some extreme trail horse obstacles that involve standing on the horse. 









Now if you want some fun things to do on horseback you could go to pinterest and look up horse obstacles and find lots of fun things to do on there.


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## Raven13 (Apr 12, 2013)

1. Definitely could be dangerous, I would never do it. But... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRsKMZzNFgQ&list=FLjUVWKFWdXecIU6MuwUlIQA&index=4 these guys seem to have no problem. At the beginning, it just seems like normal drill riding but towards the end they start to do some interesting things, take their coats off while jumping then put them back on, take stirrups off the saddle, and eventually take the saddle off the horse all at a canter. I'd never do it nor condone it but it obviously can be done.

2. Maybe with a very well trained horse and a person with excellent balance. I can see where it could be useful in a working horse situation for a few moments and see no harm in it if its a once in a while thing.

3. Nope, I've seen too many videos of people doing this and getting hurt. I sets your balance off completely.

4. I agree, not a dare, but a very good leg strengthening exercise, hard on the knees though.

5. Silly and potentially painful for your horse. If you're going to set your stirrups on the longest possible hole you probably won't be able to reach them which will cause you to lose them and not get them back very easily, mean while you have heavy metal stirrup irons banging against your horse's ribs...not fair. 

6. I'd love to ride sidesaddle for real. But once again I've seen too many people fall off this way, although I will say it would be easier to emergency dismount from side saddle than backwards, so maybe...

But I don't have a horse of my own and would never risk doing these on a horse that I'm free leasing mainly because I feel that free leases are largely based of of trust that you are doing things the right way.


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

Why i know you guys are just concerned about our safety.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

GreySorrel said:


> Nope never would I do anything on a horse because someone "dared" me to do it. That is the difference between a horse person and someone who has horses to ride...we take our horse, safety, and skill into consideration and don't have to nor need to show we can do what were being dared to do.
> 
> Standing on a horse...every time I see some fool doing this stupid stunt I want to slap the off the saddle and/or back!! You need to stand in the saddle because why?!


Grey sorrel I find it a bit ridiculous that you can say everyone who has a 'stupid' moment (or moments) does not care for their horse. As a child I did many, MANY stupid things (even some stuff the OP did not include) but through it all my horse's safety came first. Heck I still to this day do stupid stunts occasionally (not one person doesn't) and even though I may do something stupid I make sure my horse is cared for. 

I find it an uncorrelating fact to say that 'people who act stupid or make stupid decisions once in a while are not horse people'. By that logic I can go, never make a stupid decision in my life, but work my horse to death and never feed it and be a 'great horseman'. 

I'd much rather see a person who "has horses to ride" and takes care of their mount than a "horseman" who doesn't. And a few lapses in judgement does not make or break these categories. You cannot tell me you didn't do stupid decisions while on horseback in your younger years. ;-)


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Raven13 said:


> 6. I'd love to ride sidesaddle for real. But once again I've seen too many people fall off this way, although I will say it would be easier to emergency dismount from side saddle than backwards, so maybe...
> .


You are 100% incorrect in saying it would be easier to do an emergency dismount from a sode saddle!

There are two horns on a sode saddle. The lower one goes over the left thigh and the other had a rounding on it so the right thigh doesn't slip off. It is very difficult to actually fall from a sidesaddle.

I did some stunt work for a BBC period drama, the actress had to be run away with and take a fall over a gate.
I had to do this part.
If I jumped that gate once I jumped it ten times and short of falling off onto my back, which I was not prepared to do, _i could not fall! _

In the end I unscrewed the top horn, the leaping head, and was able to fall easily.


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## Raven13 (Apr 12, 2013)

Foxhunter said:


> You are 100% incorrect in saying it would be easier to do an emergency dismount from a sode saddle!


I'm talking about if someone were to try this dare to ride "side saddle" without actually using a side saddle just a normal saddle and pretending you had the horns there when they weren't which is what I believe the OP is referring to, at least that's how I took it. Then both legs would already be on the same side and all you would have to do is drop the one stirrup and push off the horse.

It is very interesting that you were able to do some stunt work however!


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

Heck, I've done all of those things, I guess I got lucky bc I never got hurt. My worst injuries have been while doing dressage! 

I Used to jump "sidesaddle" with my western saddle. I still stand on my horse's back to reach high up apples in the trees.

I also have jumped training level xc jumps with jockey length stirrups.

You gotta live life, it's too short to worry about getting hurt every step of the way. Hey if I did that, I wouldn't do dressage!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

*Raven13* I thought you meant with a proper side saddle.

I am all for safety, I will not allow anyone to ride with me unless they are wearing a helmet and correct footwear. 

Now it seems there are more riding accidents. Several reasons for this (in the UK though I dare say it applies to the U.S. too.) 

First more people own their own horses when they haven't really a lot of experience.
Secondly Health and Safety has made people aware that they can sue so instructors are very adverse to having a rider fall. 
Thirdly, people, generally speaking, are a lot softer and fuss about what I would class as a minor injury like a toenail ripped off or a big bruise. To us they were war wounds and something to be proud of! Certainly we never bothered with going home or to the doctors. Forget E.R. That was for serious injuries like broken bones. 

I fell off a lot. Mostly I bounced, I soon learned how to fall, how 90%+ I would land on my feet, it stood me in good stead and something that remained with me.

One 'dare' I would say to practise is to jump off and on the horse when it is moving, start with the walk and build up to a canter, easier with an English saddle than a western. 

We learned this playing gymkhana games and it has come in handy more than once.


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## Bekah7H (Nov 19, 2014)

I dare you to make better decisions. No reason to hurt yourself or a horse. Respect the animal. Respect yourself.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

I dare you to have good insurance for when things go wrong:wink:


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## AGraceful (Nov 16, 2014)

Bekah7H said:


> I dare you to make better decisions. No reason to hurt yourself or a horse. Respect the animal. Respect yourself.


You have no clue about me or my horse. You cant judge how much i love and respect my horse by the things i want to do on her.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

gingerscout said:


> I dare you to have good insurance for when things go wrong:wink:


 
And someone to bring/feed you soup.
I had my arm strapped to my waist for 5 weeks when I dislocated/broke my shoulder. Socks. BIGGEST problem.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

AGraceful said:


> Guys, these arent any dangerous then any other sport. If you think these are dangerous, you probably shouldnt be riding/around horses.



The problem is though, that if you manage to kill yourself doing these types of things, good chance the horse will end up sold, and who knows where it will end up. If you are dead, chances are pretty good that your parents or whoever will not be able to look at it, and will get rid of it, if not shoot it straightaway.

Same if you end up a quad. Horse pays for your stupidity. There is another living creature in the middle of this, that didn't ask to be used in a dare. And that makes a difference.

While you might think these are fun, I see enough idiots on youtube doing ignorant stunts, a few are now dead, several are severely damaged now, as in quads, para, and brain dead basically.

Ask the woman I know who has been a quad for 30 years now, hurt when 16, when she went out to lay on her horse, horses were under a tree, she'd done it before, well versed in horses as was her family. Something happened, and horses took off, she came off and broke her neck. Wonder how she would feel about doing dares, if she could talk well that is.

I would seriously imagine she wishes she'd died that day. i know I would.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

AGraceful said:


> You have no clue about me or my horse. You cant judge how much i love and respect my horse by the things i want to do on her.


z


Ahhh there it is...."you don't know ME or my HORSE". Knew it was coming.


And yes, we can judge you by the things you post. And we don't have to know you OR your horse to tell you that the dares you posted are silly.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

Palomine said:


> z
> 
> 
> Ahhh there it is...."you don't know ME or my HORSE". Knew it was coming.


you mean the Teenage attitude I see everywhere now.. I can do what I want, Don't judge me for my actions, YOLO, the I am above punishment attitude, that makes me sorry for my 4 year old to grow up and have to deal with some of these people as adults


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

A lot of teenagers have attitudes, they always have and always will! 

Ever thought that it could be down to the fact that they are bored because they are not allowed to take any risks? 

More people are hurt in car accidents despite there being seat belts and air bags. People get run over crossing the road despite a following safety rules. 

People get hurt when they fall from horses, far more now than when I was a child. Much of the reason for this is that they never learned how to fall. You can read and Google "How to," all you want but actually doing something is how to learn.

I learned to ride a buck by riding ponies that bucked, I leaned to fall in learning how to ride a buck. I hurt myself with bruises and the occasional busted limb but it taught me how to fall, balance and how to hang on and when to let go.

Life os a risk, I would rather teach a teen who had tried these 'dangerous' (?) dares than one who was jammed into the correct position, was stiff and never had a lot of bottle because they were always worried about falling.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

For people who are risk takers, it's also important to know when to push the envelope and when to quit for the day. 

I'm sorry, but it seems to me that eventing is a lot more dangerous than most of these dares...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

Honestly, everyone, you cannot and won't stop anyone from doing what they want to do. You can tell them fifty million cons and they'll still do it, ADULTS too! Yeah, not just teenagers, ADULTS! It absolutely just makes me mad how people, and usually adults, target younger people and bash on them, excluding themselves. We are all human (I would hope) and can all make the same stupid decisions and the wise ones.

And we do NOT know the OP nor her horse. We are not their trainer. 

Anything to do with horses is dangerous. If you want to keep kids from danger, well, haha, good luck. Wrapping them in bubblewrap ain't gonna help either.

Now while I agree some of these dares are stupid, not all of them shouldn't be done. Riding backwards is fine. Hey, I saw a 20something guy riding backwards past a trot and jumping backwards. 

Standing on your horse is fine too, as long as you know she won't bolt off. So it's best you have someone there to hold the horse and help you out. My 6yo sister has stood on Roman already....and I haven't. :/

Taking the tack of would be stupid. But maybe like taking a bridle off or a bareback pad wouldn't be as bad. People take bridles off all the time when riding!

Side saddle, done with someone leading (your trainer) and staying at a walk to start, won't hurt. If you think riding sidesaddle is dangerous then let's all form a group and start more riots to get sidesaddle banned!! Yeah! .... no. >.>

Again, anything you do with horses is dangerous, even barrel racing, show jumping, cross country, AND simple trail riding. And adults have equal attitudes and stupid ideas as teenagers do. And 99% of the time its an adult that bashes us.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I think we have a bit of a 'holier than thou' complex going on. Let me reiterate: WE"VE ALL DONE STUPID STUNTS WITH/ON OUR HORSES. There's no need to berate the OP this much for a typical stunt that we've all pulled at some point. Yes things can go wrong disasterously, then again, I fractured my entire spine, broke my hip, collarbone and shoulder when I was doing practice dressage tests (at different times) on my gelding (no dares or stunts involved). Horses are inherently dangerous, and sadly as individuals we have to figure out our limits for ourselves. 

I'm not sure about all of us but about the second time I got bucked off riding backwards was the last time I rode backwards! ;-) Didn't hurt the horse one bit. They're 1200 lbs of muscle, mass and instinct. I've not had a kid so far that did these 'dares' (or a few others of lesser intensity) and have a horse that was any the worse for it (well aside from irked off). 

OP the only other constructive advice I can give you is to wear a helmet, think of you and your horse's safety (i.e. please do these in an arena/enclosed area) and make sure to practice the useful 'dares' more often (like the ones foxhunter and others have posted..... I myself will now be doing those ;-) )

* I did want to add that foxhunter's right. Me doing and surviving my stupid stunts made me a far better rider and horseman. I learned real quick how to speak and hear 'horse' language, get myself out of trouble, and how to go limp so that when I fell I limited my injuries. When I was the OP's age my trainer would always shake her head at my stupid stunts, made sure I wasn't going to kill me or the horse and then would tell my parents: "Kids that fall 10000+ times due to their actions learn billions of more lessons than I could teach them."


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

ADD:

OP, you could teach your horse to bow and eventually get her to bow under saddle. 

Or try something new with her. Say you mainly do jumping, try barrel racing or polebending. Or just go for a long trail ride. Cross water, step or jump over logs, push through the brush and weeds, etc. Trust me, it's a big adventure. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

It isn't just eventing! Point to Pointing, Steeplechasing and even Polo could be added to the risks. I have seen many bad falls Fox Hunting. 

Life is pre ordained, look at the cricketer who, wearing a helmet, got hit in the head by a ball and later died. International player only in his mid twenties.


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