# which is more dangerous? trail or arena



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

Really depends on a whole different bunch of variables...

Personally for me I find trails are more dangerous for me as my TB gets extremely excited when it comes to a straight and flat trail and also tries to race other horses.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Thanks Rainaisabell..but I mean within the parameters of my details and hers which do u think is more dangerous rather than trails vs arenas in general. The title is general but my posts gives the specifics Of like a response to.
Sorry if the general title was misleading....maybe I need to change it.

Thanks
Fay


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Both places can be dangerous depending on what you are doing and how you are doing it. Riding horses period can be dangerous. Is Solo her horse? If not then who cares what she thinks about you trail riding.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Lori thanksfor your thoughts but that is my point exactly...comparing what we are doing and how we are doing it.

I'd really like some opinions after reading my post rather than skipping my post and responding just to the title! Gotta figure out how to change the title!

Fay


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## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

mslady254 said:


> Thanks Rainaisabell..but I mean within the parameters of my details and hers which do u think is more dangerous rather than trails vs arenas in general. The title is general but my posts gives the specifics Of like a response to.
> Sorry if the general title was misleading....maybe I need to change it.
> 
> Thanks
> Fay


Oh sorry
If I had to pick more then likely I would pick hers but only because it is not a balanced seat.

But as said above Horse riding is a dangerous sport in general so it is really hard to say what is dangerous and what isn't.


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Rainsabell, thank you for reading my post and giving your opinion! That's exactly what I want whether the reader agrees with me or not.

Yes of course riding ,heck even groundwork is inherently dangerous. Neither me or my sister is denying that fact. 
It just really irks me that she comes all unglued about my riding being so dangerous and I wondered if anyone else might see it the way I do or if she is right.

Fay


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Lori, "solo" is how I was riding not who I was riding.Thanks for the chuckle!! Solo, as in just me....no other riders with me. Just me and Sonny. 
There were other riders that we passed on the trail, but them or me and Sonny were soon oout of sight. 

II'm trying hard not to care but sshe'sa very opinionated, in your face with her opinions, kind of person. Sometimes she . Really gets under my skin. So before I strongly speak my mindto her aabout this, I want to see what other folks think.

Fay


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I hope she doesn't jog in the park wearing headphones. THAT is dangerous.

Being a lifetime trail rider that has ridden in some pretty remote places with no more company than my brothers Smith & Wesson tucked away, your sister's extreme outlook on trail riding alone is blown waaaay out of proportion.

Since you appear to have taken every reasonable precaution, your biggest worry is being on an explosive horse that spooks at its own shadow and that wasn't the case.

There is trail hacking, like what you were innocently doing, and there is honest-to-goodness trail riding that would no doubt give your sister six kinds of heart failure, even if you had someone riding with you:neutral:

Maybe your sister knows of someone whose horse spooked, they weren't that good of a rider and ended up getting hurt really bad.

If trail riding is more your thing than arena riding, the two of you are going to have to reach some sort of middle ground agreement or probably end up not speaking which, I hope doesn't happen.


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

Life is dangerous.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi Mslady, All!

As others have said, riding is a dangerous pastime.

It is entirely up to you to assess the potential for disaster, take appropriate precautions, and accept responsibility for things that might not go as planned.

That said, the ER is undoubtedly closer to the arena than five miles out on the trail . . .

ByeBye Steve


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Walkinthewalk, I really appreciate your comments, especially knowing they are coming from someone with real solo trail riding ,vs trail hacking, experience! It is good to hear that you also think she has an extreme outlook on my situation. 
I just wanted other peoples perspective whether it's agreement with me or not but is extra gratifying that yours is in agreement.lol

Chitcatchet, of course it is. We take risks every day. As a nurse I knownas well as anyone tha your life can change radically, or end suddenly just getting in your vehicle and going to Walmart....much less riding horses. I'm not asking if riding is dangerous since that is a given.

Fay


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Steve, I absolutely do accept responsibility for the amount of risk I choose to take and I'mnot implying that you are saying ootherwise, either....just reinforcing what you are saying 

And actually, where I was riding that particular ride IS much closer to the emergency room than the arena where she has her practice rides as it is in a city park. That would not be the case on most trails and you make a good point on that regard.

I would still be interested in hearing your opinion on my original question regarding the specific parameters given , and that rather than the general differences. Does that make sense?

Fay.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'll try to address what you wrote:

As for position - as Littauer points out, no one teaches an "unbalanced position". I don't normally ride with my heels under my hip, but that doesn't make me unbalanced. It is balanced for what I'm trying to do, my horse, and my situation. Heck, notice the Olympic Gold Medalist in Dressage on the right (1952 & 1956)...I love his position:








​ 
This is totally *not* my approach to riding:








​ 
Hunter Chancellor Claims USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Title - Horses in the South – A Horse Blog

But I doubt it puts you at significantly higher risk for falling from a well trained horse.

What does? Well, jumping does. Increases the risk of a fall and head injury by 10-40 times, depending on what set of statistics one looks at. Every study I've seen puts jumpers at higher statistical risk than other types of riding. Helmets decrease the risk of head injury by 2-5 fold, so a person riding the flats without a helmet might well be safer than someone jumping in a helmet. But a good jumper is probably much safer than an unskilled trail rider. Heck, I've watched my oldest daughter fall off of Trooper in a round pen - in spite of Trooper's best efforts to save her. So how do you compare them? And BTW, my oldest daughter has never gotten on a horse since her fall...:icon_rolleyes:

That doesn't make jumping a bad choice. It is just one where a rider needs to determine risk vs reward. Ronald Reagan was arguably a high risk rider, but I don't think he took any bad falls until he was around 80 - and then he was on a high-octane stallion (picture from 1958):










Hacking has its own set or risks, and can be quite dangerous on the wrong horse. The horse I used to own (Mia) could get wound up and totally forget about things like cactus, rocks, drop-offs, cars, etc. 

Our BLM mustang Cowboy, OTOH, was born in the wild. He's been on at least 2 local ranches. Apart from the fact he is only 13.0 hands high, he is sure-footed and cautious. It would be tough to make him fall. Bandit, the horse I swapped for Mia, is in between. He is much less likely to lose his mind, but he isn't as sensible as Cowboy.

So...for trail riding or hacking, 3 horses and 3 very different levels of risk. Mia and I once did donuts on a road with a car coming at us at 60 mph, because she was upset. We did, happily, spin off the road before the car arrived, although the driver never slowed down. 

I cannot imagine Cowboy EVER doing that. Bandit has yet to do a full 360, and hasn't even done 60 deg of spin for the last month.

Meanwhile, my BIL refuses to even APPROACH a horse. But he WILL ride his motorcycle thru rush hour traffic, or on the freeway going thru Phoenix in very heavy traffic - something I would not even consider. He's afraid of my horse. I like motorcycles, but not where there is traffic.

A rancher friend of mine has had 4 generations of his family riding 20-50 miles a day in very rough country without any serious injuries. No helmets, either, and they ride in places without cell phone coverage. But Bandit could take a spill tomorrow and kill me, even with my helmet. There are just too many variables to make good comparisons.

Also see: Spinal injuries resulting from horse riding accidents​


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi Mslady, All!

In addition to what Bsms says about individual mounts (and they are _all_ individuals, believe it), there is the rider factor:

I have a pretty good seat, and there is not much either of my boys are likely to do that will unseat me . . . As Long As I Am Paying Attention. I can say with absolute certainty that the times I have fallen off were times that I was caught daydreaming; i.e. not holding up my end of The Bargain.

This would seem to be considerably less of an issue in an arena/training venue, than on a long day out on the trail, particularly in scenic country 

What does this mean? A solid team is probably pretty safe riding anywhere; downtown in rushhour traffic to remote mountain goat trails. As long as they are working as a team, anyway. Anything less than that . . . I'm sure you get the point.

ByeBye! Steve


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

Early on most of my riding was solo.

IMO from what I have seen riding with a group seems to cause more issues and potential accidents.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

Your sister has a point, but, given your description, she is overreacting and her horse also sounds to be a trickier ride. Also, some of my most dangerous trail rides have been with others... I prefer going solo!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

mslady254 said:


> I'd very much like to hear opinions.My sister reamed me out for riding solo on the trail, she spoke to me like I was stupid and irresponsible to even consider it. Not only could I get hurt but I could end up lying on the side of the trail for hours before anyone found me.
> I think I took appropriate safey precautions and the more I thought about,I've decided that her arena/show riding is just as dangerous,,if not more so than me going solo on a trail.Here's the facts:
> 
> Me-- I always wear a helmet when riding. I let someone know that I was riding solo and when I expected to be back at the vehicle/trailer. I was at a popular trail and knew before I rode out that there were other riders on the trail. My truck/trailer were in plain sight in an open area where park employees would notice how long it was there. I sit in a balanced seat,ie ears,shoulder,hip,heel. Sonny rarely spooks and when he does it is rearely more than a flinch in place. I know anyhorse can , but Sonny has never bolted,bucked, or reared.I had my cell phone attached to me,not the saddle.
> ...


1. Getting on a horse carries a risk. We all accept that when we mount up.

2 Started riding in 68. Started working with new horses in 71 so I'm not new to this. In all that time I can only remember 2 significant injuries that happened more than a couple hundred yards from their run-in. All of more serious injuries were basically at home (cracked ribs, pulled groin, etc, etc, etc,) and I only remember 3 times when there was anyone around to offer assistance if I'd needed it.

3. (I already hear the dissent :lol Helmets only protect your head. Head and neck (as a group) account for about 10% of horse riding injuries (arms, legs and then torso are where most happen). Vast majority of Head/neck injuries come from jumping so remove jumping injuries and the head/neck injuries drop dramatically. Now I'm not saying people should not wear them. If it gives you the illusion of safety then by all means wear them. If you jump I think you definitely should wear them AND the automatic inflating neck protectors they have today, because you'll be at the greatest risk of that sort of injury and the head and neck do account for the vast majority of death and crippling injuries from riding. I don't wear them, because they do not protect me from the elements (sun or rain) which I have almost a 100% chance of having to deal with :lol

Tell your sister to chill or threaten to start riding my trails (i.e. the roads and highways) :lol:. You'll give her apoplexy just thinking about dealing with motorcycles, cars, pickups, log trucks, etc.....:lol:. Last week I found a new route for going under the Interstate which is 4 miles farther, but easier than it is going over it where the truck stop is. When I ride I like to be going somewhere. My "trails" seem endless with an near endless number of variations :lol:.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

As a kid I rode solo all day long in semi-wilderness . . . no one wore helmets. I had a steady horse, and I never came close to falling off her. No cell phones! It was indeed a more fraught situation with a group. It only takes one person without good control of their horse, or suddenly possessed of an idiot whim ("last one down the hill is a rotten egg! Wahoo, giddyup!") and the steadiness of your horse and your seat were tested. 

Even now, unless my fellow riders have experienced quiet horses and excellent judgement, I think it is a bit safer to ride alone. Tell someone where you're going before you leave.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

The one rule I had with people going out riding was that they left a note on the board as to where they were going, what time they left and expected to be back. 

Things happen, generally because we do something without thought.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

One difficulty I had with the riding school and liveries was when to allow the children to ride out alone. 
I had two little ones, both eight years, both with sensible ponies and they were longing to ride out on their own. Parents had left it to me. 
So, the day dawned and I let them go out on their own. I told them which way to go, roughly 45 minutes if you cantered where you could. Off they went. An hour later and they weren't back, I asked a couple of the older liveries who were going out, to go the opposite way so they should pass them. They did as asked and as they never returned I knew things were OK.
The little ones arrived back about twenty minutes later, their ponies bedecked with Daisy chains. They had made them for the ponies which is why they had taken so long!


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Not wearing a helmet is way more dangerous. There are plenty of people on the forum who either personally were very injured or know of people injured or killed by not wearing a helmet.

But whether an arena or trail is more dangerous depends on so many variables it's hard to say. Either place could end in the death of the rider if things go pear-shaped. Is it likely? No. And if you wear helmet, at least you can avoid head injuries.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Not wearing a helmet may not be particularly dangerous, depending on the riding you do. I live where helmets are rare, yet haven't heard of anyone dying. I grew up when only football players wore helmets, and never heard of anyone dying while riding a horse or bike - unless they were hit by a car. I know families who have ridden for generations without any head injuries.

I wear a helmet and require my daughter to wear one. We spend a lot of time riding on pavement, and most of the rest is riding between rocks and cactus. I consider helmets to be cheap insurance. But they are a minor safety device for those who do not jump. Jumping not only greatly increases the frequency of falls. It also increases the chance of falling forward, head first. Most other types of falls land back first.

There are many threads about helmet vs no helmet. But when folks try to quantify the risks of riding, they fail. There are a huge number of variables, and the impact of the individual horse and individual rider outweigh anything involving style or saddle or safety equipment. The one exception is jumping.

There was a study done of eventing around 1990. They looked at head injuries in all phases. 88% of head injuries came jumping. 11% came while around horses on the ground. 1% came during the dressage phase. I like it because it involved the same set of horses, ridden by the same set of riders, and also looked at injuries while working around horses with your feet on the ground.

It also mirrors my own experience - I've come closer to having my head smashed while around horses on the ground than while riding! But most of the risk lies with the individual horse. No saddle, position, or article of safety equipment would ever make me as safe on nervous Mia as on sensible Cowboy. And I was much safer on Mia after a few years of riding than at the beginning - not because of my improvement as a rider, but because she became calmer and saner. The best piece of safety equipment a rider can have is a sensible horse. That goes for trails or arena.

But yes - I wear a helmet about 99% of the time and feel half-naked without one.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

mslady254 said:


> I'd very much like to hear opinions.My sister reamed me out for riding solo on the trail, she spoke to me like I was stupid and irresponsible to even consider it. Not only could I get hurt but I could end up lying on the side of the trail for hours before anyone found me.
> I think I took appropriate safey precautions and the more I thought about,I've decided that her arena/show riding is just as dangerous,,if not more so than me going solo on a trail.Here's the facts:
> 
> Me-- I always wear a helmet when riding. I let someone know that I was riding solo and when I expected to be back at the vehicle/trailer. I was at a popular trail and knew before I rode out that there were other riders on the trail. My truck/trailer were in plain sight in an open area where park employees would notice how long it was there. I sit in a balanced seat,ie ears,shoulder,hip,heel. Sonny rarely spooks and when he does it is rearely more than a flinch in place. I know anyhorse can , but Sonny has never bolted,bucked, or reared.I had my cell phone attached to me,not the saddle.
> ...


Trail riding is more dangerous. 

You are farther from help. 
Another animals can spoil your horse. 
The terrain is treacherous. 
Etc. 

Sure, your sister could get hurt in the arena too. But what you are wanting to compare, trail riding is more dangerous.

With that said, 90% of my riding I do on the trail by myself. I'd get bored only riding in the arena.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I would thank your sister for her concern and then do as I pleased.

It sounds like you have taken precautions. If I didn't ride alone I would not ride. I have a copy of my driver's license and insurance card, and a pet tag on my horse's bridle for ID. I have a satellite locator and cell phone for emergencies and a whistle and basic first aid items in a small fanny pack. And I do not take chances beyond my ability. It's the best I can do.
Go enjoy those trails!


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

Either place could be just as dangerous.
It all depends on the environment and the horse you are riding.

Fresh or young horses, like our newest addition (three years ago) I would always start in the arena, the trail is too much open spaces and smells.

For older horses, like my two boys, I could take them straigth out of their pasture and into the trail.

It depends greatly on the situation of the environment, your horse, and other riders.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Helmet or no helmet, arena or trail, the person in the most danger is the person that a) doesn't know how to ride or control a horse properly, b) has a horse that frequently misbehaves, and c) doesn't have a balanced enough seat to stick with them during the misbehavior.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

To me, it sounds like your sister could never dream of riding HER horse alone on the trails. I would consider it a reflection of her comfort level trail riding on HER horse, not yours. Obviously you feel like you and your horse are comfortable with it. 

I trail ride alone a lot. More than I ride with other people. I find the pros of riding alone is that I can control where I go, how long I go, etc. Sometimes riding with other people you find yourself going places you wouldn't normally go and are out of your comfort zone. Especially if riding a green horse. I got to where I would dread riding out with other people and they would bring their dogs, take me through treacherous canyons, etc, when I was riding my green horse. It would get me really frazzled. If I ride by myself, I avoid all that.

However, if you did get hurt, it would be safer to be riding with someone so they could get help in an emergency. I also feel like my horse is spookier alone.

But you can control more variables when you are riding alone, so that makes me feel safer.

I won't talk about riding in an arena, because I don't have one or access to one. I guess I just wanted to say that there are actually some safety advantages to going out alone.


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

Considering the two examples given, I would say that trail riding is no more dangerous. For myself I have gone off a horse several times in an arena and can only remember going off a couple of times on the trail so I would say that the potential for me to be injured is much higher in an arena. I never had a horse that would have left me on the trail so never had to walk (or hobble) miles to get back, and never needed an ambulance that would not have been able to get to me on the trails anyway.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I have known of two very experienced riders who were riding in a paddock and were found dead in the field, no one knows what happened.

I know of two people who broke their necks following hounds, both experienced riders. One became a quadruple paraplegic, the other is up and walking but has many side effects. 

Another woman in a neighbouring hunt, very experienced was out with hounds, her horse slipped, they both went down sideways and she bashed the side of her head and died a few days later. 

A teen girl show jumping her horse got her foot caught in the wing of a fence it was attached to her foot, she came off as the horse kicked at the wing and killed her instantly when the kick went straight to her chest. 

I have had my fair share plus some, of injuries most of which were when messing around doing things we knew better than to try! 

Generally arena riding is safer of you are not jumping which brings added risk.

Chances are that you are safer on a horse than in a car where the risk of an accident and serious injuries are greater. 

Life would be awfully boring without a bit of risk taking now and then!


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Quick note:

So sorry that I have not been able to respond to all of the replies, in fact I am just now able to see that there are replies I havent seen yet (very,very busy and technical difficulties at home), or even been able to read through.

thank you all for your thoughts, and I hope to have time to absorb what's been written and give my thoughts soon, as I have several days off coming up and other family obligations have settled down.

Thanks again,
Fay


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## starfast (Aug 30, 2014)

I think the one thing that stood out to me was that you said your sister doesn't ride with a helmet. I'm pretty pro-helmet, especially after a bad fall that I had. Not too sure what your sister's horse is like, but one argument that I hear a lot is "oh, but my horse never spooks. I won't fall." My horse doesn't really spook either, but our worst fall happened because my horse tripped. Most horses do trip every now and then. It doesn't always result in a disastrous fall, but it really could have happened to anyone. I was wearing a helmet and my head went completely uninjured because of it. I probably would not have been so lucky if I wasn't wearing one. You said her horse has reared a few times. That's.... a bit worrisome to me. 

It sounds to me like you're being pretty responsible, and a lot safer. If you're on a popular trail and you're telling people what time you'll be back I don't think you have much to worry about.


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