# tuck and roll



## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

Just a question to you riders and trainers out there. 
During your training were you taught how to tuck and roll if you accidentally come off the horse? Toss yourself away from the horse if possible. Basically get away from the feet as fast and safely as possible. Where were you taught this and was it a mandatory teaching? Such as you couldn't go on from one step to the next without this training. 

I was taught this before I was even allowed to walk, then again before trotting and again when cantering. With each new level I reach I was taught more safety procedures that went along with it. I'm 23 now and have fallen off, been tossed, almost trampled (knock on wood), bolted, pushed, shoved...a lot of things and thanks to the different trainers I've had I've been able to come out with bumps bruises and sore joints but thankfully and luckily nothing too much more serious. 

I just read a blog from a girl, not sure of her age, she had her first experience coming off hard. She landed under the horse, watched as the horses hooves passed over her and a back foot hit her in the head. I don't know if she was wearing a helmet because it wasn't mentioned. The following comments were anywhere from "oh my god I hope you're ok" to "the horse needs to be put to sleep it's a dangerous animal" (that's a little extreme!). The thing that caught my attention though was this girl stated she's had formal training but for the few years she's been riding was never taught how to come off a horse as safely as possible. When tucking and rolling was mentioned she stated she didn't believe in it if her trainer didn't teach it. I didn't post a comment but I had to wonder even if the trainer didn't teach it wouldn't your survival instinct tell you to get away from the pounding hooves? Maybe the shock of impact would delay that reaction but I just don't understand how something like that could be missed or just left out in training? 

Maybe it's just me and I was lucky enough to have trainers that preached safety in all forms like it was the law. I'm glad this girl is ok from what I read but it leaves me scratching my head? Posts like that worry me. If I can dig the link up from my history pages I'll post it.


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## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

I was never taught how to fall, and have only ever done one emergency dismount. However I naturally fall very well (& almost always on my hip..but better that than my head). My personal view is that when I'm prepared for something to happen i tend to tense up and loose it. Whereas if I just go with the flow I always keep my seat. For me, I don't take the time to think, I just act. I'm practically getting up before I even hit the ground. 

However, like I said, I fall well naturally. If things were otherwise I would learn something to protect myself and I think it's a good skill. It only took me catching myself with my hand once to learn to never do that again!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I was never taught how to fall or do an emergency dismount. 
I am not sure I am in favor of emergency dismounts though as I have seen them used when the riders should have been on their horse and regaining control.


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## Duren (Oct 25, 2011)

AlexS said:


> I was never taught how to fall or do an emergency dismount.
> I am not sure I am in favor of emergency dismounts though as I have seen them used when the riders should have been on their horse and regaining control.



I WAS taught the emergency dismount, and had the worst fall of my life while practicing it. I also found that when things went wrong I immediately dove for the ground. I realize now that regaining control is the best way to go. My current trainer teaches the emergency stop - first at at walk, then trot and so on, as opposed to the emergency dismount.

And yes, I realize there ARE times when you should bail off - like if your horses is headed for the highway - but in general terms I'd rather just stay on!


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I was never taught how to fall off. I fight to stay on until I can't.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

A stuntman friend of mine told me once that the safest way to 'fall' off a horse is to eject oneself off the stirrups bars, forwards off to the right or left with face down. The hands go up to protect the face. The overall appearance is of a swimmer diving off the side or a swimming pool.The ground onto which the stuntman falls is carefully prepared to be soft and absorbent of the fallen riders weight.

He said that the big danger was getting caught up with the stirrups and not getting away from the horse's feet. The biggest risk of all was for the horse to fall on the rider with potentially a lethal result. 

I asked about training - he replied that there was a higher risk of injury during practice than warranted taking the chance. Anyway the stuntman would be using body protectors including knee and elbow pads.

Under modern health and safety rules it is unlikely that any authorised training centre would volunteer to teach and practice falling off a horse.

The problem for the rider is that it is probable that in many cases he/she will land on their backs in which case both the spine and the base of the skull will incur concussion.

In this era safety helmets and padded riding jackets are available and undoubtedly they should be worn at all times by novices. 

ALso the surface of the training arenas can be softened with chopped rubber infill.

The risk of falling cannot be eliminated in horse riding but much could be done to reduce the risk of serious injury to the skull or spine by wearing protective gear. The rider who rides without a hat and who jumps without a jacket represents a danger to themself and a bad example to others in the sport.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I believe in, and have taught both the emergency dismount and the tuck and roll. US Pony Club teaches the emergency dismount and requires it at different gaits at different rating levels. 

How it's taught is crucial: I taught it as a game or gymnastic exercise, starting with students stirrupless or bareback, and after the students had mastered it and thought it was fun, explained its practical application. And I never made it a requirement, as in "You must leap off the galloping horse in order to advance to the next level." I saw that approach cause some problems, even at PC ratings. 

Teaching it as "how to bail off a horse if you're in trouble" leads to it being used badly or in the wrong situations. I do agree that 90% of the time, you're better off staying on and attempting to regain control. 

The other important concept is that if you feel yourself going, let go all the way. Go limp so you'll land softly. Fighting to stay on once you're truly unseated can lead to some really hard falls


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I was never taught an emergancy dismount, or the tuck and roll._

_I fight to stay on, until it is impossible to stay on._


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

i was taught the emergency tuck and roll and never had to use it but my sister wasn't and she was a natural when she had to use it (saddle literally was falling sideways since the pony liked to hold his breathe  
you would think the reaction is to get away from feet but i guess hitting the ground unprepared could took away reaction time to get out of the way...espesically without a helmet.


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## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

I've seen people throw themselves from horses when the horses trip which I think is absolutely ridiculous. If you can stay on regain control then absolutely. The few times I've had to throw myself where when it was going to be a disaster. For example, Legacy summer saulted over a jump in January. There was no way I was going to stay on and go for the roll with her. I hit that ground at the same time her back did. That would have not been a good outcome had I stayed on her. And up until that point I had done everything in my power to pull her up off her knees but my trainer said when I bailed she was already at tipping point. My dumb mind thought, where's the camera instead of oh my goodness!
That's just one example and most of my falls and bails are after trying everything to regain some kind of balance and control. That's how emergency dismounts and tuck and roll should be used. After all other options have been exhausted. I will admit though a few have been caused by not paying completely attention to the horse. I've only had two falls off of my girls luckily but in training horses and riding for the last 20 years I've had a good share. I even had one where a huge manure pile saved me. ick. And I've had a Monty python one! Some guy thought it would be a good idea to ride without a muffler past a green horse I had offered to ride on a trail ride. Horse spooked, locked it neck caught me completely by surprised and not 6 seconds later headed under a tree that wouldn't fit the two of us and a branch took me out. I think I hung in the air for a couple sections before landing on my tail bone. I was 17 I think? Favorite fall.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Rolling has saved me from many an injury. The only time I ever was badly injured was when I fell at the corner of an indoor arena and had no way of rolling. I took all the impact in my leg and suffered for it. Obviously you cannot tuck/roll and still hold onto the reins, but if I'm in an enclosed area and come off, rolling is the only way to go!


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

No, I was never taught how to fall or do an emergency dismount. I just naturally tuck and roll when I fall, especially from a horse. And I've only ever had to do an emergency dismount once, it was either that or get scraped off on a wall.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I never received "proper" training on how to get away from a horse after a fall, but I did grow up watching my Dad and brother come off and saw how they did it. My Dad also always just told me "If you fall or the horse goes down, get away from them any way you can so they don't step on you".

Now, I've noticed that my first instinct (once regaining my seat is obviously beyond hope) is to try to land on my meatier parts like my thighs and upper arms. I don't stick my hands out in front of me because that's how I shattered my left arm when I was 9. Once I hit the ground, I roll away from the horse and get to my feet as quickly as humanly possible. That's become such an instantaneous thing that I am often on my feet before I know if I'm hurt or how bad. Shoot, last spring, I got down next to a horse and hit my forehead on a panel. I was on my feet again and looking for the horse before I realized that I couldn't see. Every thing was just red and it took me a minute to figure out that it was coming from a huge gash in my forehead.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I don't want to turn this into a war stories thread, but once when I did something very stupid - I was shuffling horses back and forth across a very large property from their turnout to the barn for farrier day, and I would jump on one bareback and pony one to ride back and forth. End of the day, and I'm riding the last horse back, bareback, with a halter. A hard fit hunting horse. And he decides he wants to be back in the far pasture with his buddies a lot sooner than I do, and takes off. Tried steering him into a circle with the halter and lead shank, but no go. I am heading towards a cattle guard and a paved driveway. I elected to bail off and tuck and roll. Executed it so well I turned a somersalt on the ground and came up on my feet in time to watch the horse *jump* the cattle guard and go skidding and skated across the pavement. Wished someone had seen me or I had a video. 

Very glad for the tuck and roll in that situation; the alternative wouldn't have worked so well. 

Same farm, same age (many years ago) a very big horse hung a hind leg in a solid big fence with me and flipped over. I felt the jolt when he hung the leg and bailed - literally dropped the reins and *dived* off of him and did a three point landing on my hands and the side of my head. Two broken arms and a significant head injury, but that was it. If that 1300# sucker had fallen on me, it wouldn't have ended as well. 

However, your average lesson student wouldn't have been in those situations, or most of the others I could bore you with where I used the technique. 

It's worked for me, but I don't think *not* teaching it is irresponsible or bad teaching. It's a different strokes for different folks thing, or your mileage may vary.


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## jumpingrules92 (Aug 2, 2011)

drafts4ever said:


> I just read a blog from a girl, not sure of her age, she had her first experience coming off hard. She landed under the horse, watched as the horses hooves passed over her and a back foot hit her in the head. I don't know if she was wearing a helmet because it wasn't mentioned. The following comments were anywhere from "oh my god I hope you're ok" to "the horse needs to be put to sleep it's a dangerous animal" (that's a little extreme!).


This actually happened to me, and I was wondering if you had read the story I posted about it a LONG time ago, but then I couldn't remember If I actually did. Lol. Anyways, probably didn't read MY story. Exactly the same and the horse ended up being put down because he WAS dangerous. I was never taught "how" to fall, however i've fallen enough times to know how to do it now.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I was told that if you had time to plan, then plan on staying on the horse. I asked after my mare had bolted along a field of very large, jagged rocks, and I was afraid she'd bolt over them with me. I got her stopped, tried to dismount too soon, and she bolted in mid-dismount.

The folks I talked to had owned & ridden horses their entire lives, and said the worst they or their kids got hurt was from trying to jump off of a horse. They also asked me what Mia did on her second bolt. I admitted she crossed the rocky field as if it were flat grass. No idea if I could have stayed on crossing it, or if I would have pulled her off balance. 3+ years later, with an Aussie saddle, I'd plan on riding it out...but I'd been riding less than 6 months at the time, and was using an English saddle.

It sounds like it would be a good thing to know, but I wonder how many are qualified to teach it. How many have tried different ways of getting off a bolting horse, to see what works best? Stunt men do, but they also, as Barry Godden points out, prepare their landing and are doing it at a specific spot for the cameras.

If I was 30 years younger, I'd volunteer to go practice. As it is, I'll check this thread from time to time...:wink:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, BSMS, it's funny you should mention your incident. In my experience, one of the hardest things to do is just stop trying to gain control when you already know you are beyond the point of getting it back, even when you _know_ that giving the horse their head and just hanging on may save your life. 

It's happened to me a few times where I've had a horse bolt and not been in a situation to pick a fight with them trying to get them stopped, either due to terrain or, once, I was fighting to get the saddle back up in the middle of the horse because it slid off the side when he spooked and spun (friend's horse and their saddle that didn't really fit said horse:roll.

4 times out of 5, the horse will be able to regain their own footing if left to their own balance. It may not be the greatest idea from a training standpoint, but if giving in for a moment gives you the opportunity to handle the problem 10 minutes from now when you're back in control instead of 10 months when you're out of the hospital, then IMHO, it's worth it.

Anymore, situations like that happen to me more on broke horses. Not the bolt situation, but the full out run across a pasture and realizing too late to stop that the terrain ahead is really rough. I'll check their speed as best I can, but when we get to the rough spot, I just give them their head and hang on. The ride is rough for a minute but I've yet to have one fall with me doing this.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

No, I wasn't taught to properly tuck and roll, emergency dismount, bail, what have you.

I had the same thing happen to me in 2009 as the girl with the blog that drafts mentioned. It was the first time I had loped bareback. It was shortly after the summer camp I work at started enforcing that the wranglers wear helmets (because of an accident that happened earlier that summer). I chose not to because they were for my senior pictures. Everything was fine, until Poseidon took off at a lope when I wasn't ready. I slipped and landed in front of her and was loped over. 

Somehow I was not severely injured. Her front knee knocked me in the head and I had a distinct hoofprint on my left shoulder blade (how she didn't crush a good section of my ribcage and puncture my lung, I'll never know). I stood right up and brushed myself off. I was sore, but I got back on and my friend who was taking pictures led us back to the corral. 

The only other time I've fallen was when racing a friend this summer. Abby went from a full gallop to stopped dead..I didn't. I caught myself a little with one leg, so I didn't hit the ground full force with my back. Did pull my calf really good and couldn't stand up from sitting on the ground without help for a day. That was the only injury I sustained from that. The girl I was racing went flying too and we both stood up laughing and hugged each other (we had a whole crowd, mind you).

I was lucky with both of these. Otherwise, I stay on as long as possible and I've yet to come off, which I attributed to my snug barrel saddle and the quick thought to grab my horn on occasion. However, I have also not ridden young horses or horses that are greenbroke or less. The worst I've really ridden is Abby, who is well trained and knows her stuff, she's just a snot sometimes (random bucks, hard spooks, and a couple of times this summer that I all but lost control of her because she'd try to take off in the fields).

I do believe there is some instinct in getting away from a horse. Early this summer, we took some other camp staff riding in one of the pastures. Just as we started going, one gelding tripped and completely flipped himself. He landed on the girl riding him, but by the time anyone got to her, she was leaning on a fence at least 10 feet away. She doesn't ride very often and when we asked her, she said she didn't really think about it, she just knew to get up and get away so he wouldn't roll on her when he got up. She had a ruptured spleen from that.


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## Paintlover1965 (May 22, 2009)

I think I vaguely remember my rather diminutive but frightening riding instructor mentioning the correct way to fall off a horse. I was in my teens and he frightened me a whole lot more than ever falling off a horse. I guess I must have some ancient recall as I generally just relax and roll away form the horse instinctively perhaps as a self preservation mechanism? Who knows!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Well, I'm glad to hear I am in good company. I have not be taught how to, or practiced falling off a horse. I thought a few times that maybe I should try it, but I always thought it would be too dangerous so I never did.

That said however, I have spent some time getting into terrible balance positions on the horse and practiced getting back onto a seat. This was a two fold exercise: I was learning how to get back to balance and my horse was supposed to stop. Ah... still working on the horse has to stop bit...

Also, I will say that if I was ever going to learn how to fall, it would be from a standstill or walk only and only on soft ground. I have taught downhill skiing and I did spend time with some students (mostly the over 35 age group) teaching them how to get up, which meant they had to first "fall down." This was at a standstill. Or I had occasions where the students were starting to lose control, but still at a slow enough speed to safely fall so I would yell at them to "FALL OVER!!!!". 

Point being that intentionally falling should be done only when it is safe to do so, IMO. And anything faster than a walk is not safe. Anything taller than about 14.2 hands is probably not safe either.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I have to say, I have a horrible habit of holding on and/or staying on when it would probably be best to bail..haha
I have bailed three times, twice on Toby, and once on Dude.
First time, it was my first time on Toby, ever. We were in the roundpen, Drew forgot to retighten his saddle after we got up there and it was either bail or smash my face into the roundpen post at the gate..I obviously bailed, right off the back of Toby, landed on my feet, and then fell on my ***, from a canter. The second time on him was bareback, when he "dodged" a puddle in the roundpen and stopped, and figured I'd just slide off instead of trying to stay on only get off and let Drew on. I slid off like I would normally dismount, misjudged where the puddle was and ruined my brand new boots and jeans..only to be left to ride in a saddle with shorts, haha.
The time with Dude was completely my own fault. We had been doing amazing on listening to me (I was retraining him basically) and not paying attention to other horses and not rearing. We all decided to come up from our trail ride and race through the hay fields. Dude lunged forward and I fell back behind the saddle (one of the older roping saddles from when they had the really low cantles) and ended up bailing off the side of his butt and did the tuck and roll since I'd lost reins and stirrups. Dude finished racing and actually beat Tea and Toby after being about 10 seconds behind them, lol. It was really funny to watch him haul *** to catch up from the ground xD

But, I normally stay on until I'm actually thrown from then on. I keep a pretty decent seat, very good at rears (Lol, thanks to Dude), and decent with bucks/kicks. Only issue I've had doing absolutely anything on a horse since then was misjudging Lucky's trained-ness and used too much leg and almost ran her into a barrel. The self lreservaring mare that she is, ducked to the left and I stayed straight. Ended up landing on my lower back, but was good for the most part, just held her back a little the rest of the show, haha. Otherwise, I grab whatever I can and cling  if I end up falling, I'm going to roll and get up. Hopefully Lucky remembers her training I gave her and stands when I come off this time instead of prancing around the arena 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

I just fall naturally well. I always seem to be in the correct position. 
in soccer when someone fouls me hard and I go flying I end up falling nice and easy. but let me say, through the years I have gotten better at acting and making the falls look worse than they actually are in front of the ref. 

but I guess falling comes easy to me. I've fallen off not to long ago, and it was a long hard fall, and didn't end up with anything hurt. severely i guess. I had a sore butt for a day or
two. but maybe that's my high pain tolerance speaking.. i don't know! 

I was taught an energency dismount, but never the tuck and roll as seen that I already could i guess!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

I remember the horse that taught me how to sit a rear. She threw me over the side of the arena wall once and I rolled down the embankment and into the dressage arena below. After that two things happened: I decided I didn't like being throw over walls and rearing if controlled looks pretty fun. 15 years later I learned from Cavalo riding trained trick horse and training my own just this past year! Thank you Senora for sparking my interest in trick riding! haha. Since then the only rear I haven't been able to sit was when I was at the beach and Legacy decided walking on her hind legs instead of staying still would be fun. Two steps later she came down gently while I slowly slid off her butt. She caught me by surprise so I let my leg slip back and lost balance. She came down at the same time I landed on my feet behind her. She was very confused. I'm very happy she's used to me climbing all over her and sliding off her butt so the feeling of me disappearing from her back, over her butt and onto the ground didn't freak her out.


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