# How to fall off a horse:)



## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

It depends on the situation.

An emergency dismount is always a good idea. Generally I like to swing my leg over, either way. If you want to jump backwards it's okay, but I prefer to go the opposite way I mount and jump forwards. 

I'd recommend, whatever you do, try to land on your behind. If you're good with impact, legs is okay, and get in a ball and roll. Bracing with your hands is instinctual, but it makes you prone to wrist breaks and such.


----------



## MagicAmigo92 (Jun 16, 2010)

Ok I have found that there is an art to falling off a horse. And though I myself may never master it I've at least figured it out. If your horse throws you the best thing to do is to bend your elbows to where your fists are at your shoulders this protects your ribs just dont jab your elbow into your gut lol.. And this is how to fall on your side I have been bucked off and landed this way many times and in my 15 years of living I havent ever broken a bone and I have been riding since i was 2.. So try that although I agee that it varies on the situation.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Just tuck n' roll and pray you dot hit your head. It's worked for me so far 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

Emergency dismounting is the way to go. 

Or, really, to make things easier, just don't fall off.


----------



## OhSoAppy (Jun 7, 2010)

Strange said:


> Emergency dismounting is the way to go.
> 
> *Or, really, to make things easier, just don't fall off*.


 
I say this is the best advice, yet!:lol:


I have been rather lucky, and over all these years I still have never had a fall or had to use the emergency dismount *knock on wood*.

However, I do believe it is something everyone should know, and possibly even 'practice' if needed. 

As said, keep your arms in (don't land with them outstretched, as this is setting up for a broken arm), protect your head, and roll with the momentum of the fall.

Years ago I watched a trainer working with a young Trakehner cross. The horse kept trying to flip over on him everytime he attempted to mount. He used what I consider the 'super man' dismount. As the horse started to go over, he used his legs to push him off and away from the horse. I was sick to my stomach watching the events. However, he survived, and the horse did too.


----------



## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

Don't stiffen your body, because you won't absorb the impact as well. And I believe this is just as important as knowing how to fall: If you dismounted because your horse was falling.....move away from the horse until it gets up or calms down, because in that situation dismounting without getting hurt is only half of your worries. You don't want to stick the landing, only to have a horseshoe imprinted on your back.


----------



## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Wow, this brought me back to my childhood. My first trainer when I was about 7 was this crazy crazy lady that wouldn't let anyone really learn to ride until they could jump off her horse at any gait. And I don't mean...okay lets see, I think I jump off now.... NOOOOO it was her blowing a whistle and you'd better be off that horse in less than 2 seconds!! It's amazing we all survived our "dismount bootcamp." ha ha

Anyway, I would say to always let yourself roll when you hit the ground, don't even TRY to land on your feet...generally speaking, it's just NOT gonna happen. I like to go backwards, land knees bent body limp and relaxed and let my self sort of roll onto my bum then I lean sideways and keep rolling if Mr. Misbehaving Horsie is still misbehaving so I don't get stomped. 

For emergency dismounts I hold withers with both hands, lean forward and swing both legs over and then push off with my hands, sort of like a gymnast does on the vault only I push sideways not up so I can get as far away from that misbehaving horse as possible....and land as described above.


----------



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Tuck and roll is the best way to put it. And ALWAYS roll. I don't care if you just fell off because you can't sit your horse's halt, lol. One] because the falling off process could spook your horse, and two] you want it to be a habit, so when you do fall off a bolting/panicking horse, muscle memory will demand you roll.

I've never actually done an emergency dismount. I used to vault so I hoped on and off a lot, and I've fallen off, but I've never truly had to bail yet. I'm just going to count my blessings and hope I never have to, lol. =]


----------



## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

oh lets see...while i have never mastered the art of coming off gracefully....I do remember one odd dismount...

Saddle slipped and I did super man off the horses side...slid on my belly and elbows through the *soft* dirt where we were riding. Got a road burn/ scrape on my stomach about the size of a silver dollar but past that not even a single bruise lol

I do not recomend trying to fall like this though...it requires special circumstances to work and be painless lol  (it aint smart in other words)


----------



## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

My instucter insists on a month bareback every year to strenghten your seat so when stupid incidents that would originally make you fall off your seat is much deeper so you can stay on much more!


----------



## dedebird (May 21, 2010)

haha the emergency dismout is totally the best thing ever i remembered when i learned about it my instructor was like OH NO YOUR HORSE IS GALLOPING TOWARDS A VOLCANO GET OFF NOW!!!! and thats how i remember it xP i know i was good at it but some of my friends weren't and when they didn't get off fast enough she said awww you died oh well haha


----------



## SouthernComfort (May 13, 2010)

All this is great advice.

But, what happens when instinct takes over? I've fallen off twice. Once was one of those times that I didn't see it comming and went straight over his head. He stopped in mid gallop with no warning. The second time, a mare was bucking, I lost stirrups and decided to bail. I have since glued my rear to the horse. Falling off isn't fun. I hope I never have to do it again.


----------



## ilovesonya (Oct 12, 2009)

My farrier was on the Canadian team for mounted games, and he gave me and my 2 friends a lesson, and we had to learn how to fall off. 
He made us line up or horses 3 or 4 feet apart, then we had to climb up on them without stirrups, then roll off, and get onto the other horse. It was really fun, but a workout!

When you are falling off you have to make sure that you don't land on your feet or hands. If you do this you can break or injure something. You should tuck yourself into a ball and roll for a couple feet even after you have hit the ground, to make sure you are out of the way of the horse.


----------



## Bluezepher94 (Jun 19, 2010)

I don't think the "jump and land on your feet" thing works too well unless you're going pretty slow and kind of expecting it. (Unless you're really good at falling I guess? xD)

I've fallen off so many times in the past two years, I've lost count. (I'm like prone to falling off ? S From just falling forward and sliding off the side, to spooks, to being run away with because a horse is terrified of a water bottle, to being galloped away with with an OTTB. x_x 

I usually just let go and hope for the best, lol, not to hit my head or get stepped on. (Not the best advice. S I usually try and land on my back, but I end up falling on my tailbone and that's not fun. -.- Better than my face though I guess? I always wear a helmet, but I always end up hurting my neck too. :/ My last fall I wasn't hurt at all though, so I suppose I'm getting better at falling ? xD

I've fallen on my shoulder and it was rainbow colors for a few weeks, haha. I think my most "interesting fall" was when an OTTB ran away with me and I stayed on him (fastest galloping anyone there'd ever seen) for like 50 times around the ring (I don't know how. xD) until I lost my stirrups and tumblesaulted off. I literally hit the ground and rolled. I guess that's the best way to do it though? haha. 

I think the most important thing though is make sure your feet are out of the stirrups. Dragging is one of my worst fears. x_x And making sure you're not falling off the rail side is nice too. xD And wear a helmet of course. xP I'd also advise getting up as fast as possible in case the horse is still running/bucking/etc.

Stay safe and on the horse! :]]


----------



## 888vegas888 (Jun 23, 2010)

to fall..... LOOSEY GOOSEY. if you stiffen or tense up your body, you're almost certain to get hurt.

or you could try and pull a cool one... like some kind of gymnast flip... but of course this doesn't always have the best results. in my case, it once did.

i remember once when i was on my mare, teaching her to do flying changes, she would always buck when she swapped the back. so i was in a circle, trying to get her to pop her back change... the second i stepped out, of course, she bucked. since she had been doing them so well lately, i wasn't expecting a buck, so i was caught off guard. my entire body was launched out of the saddle, i put my right hand on her withers, my left hand smack between her ears, my legs flipped over me, and i did a cartwheel, and, ironically landed on my feet, standing centered in front of her, and managed to stop her in a split second.

the. best. fall. ever. ^^^^^ :wink:


----------



## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

The best way to fall is to be loose but don't try and stop the fall. Putting your hands out will only increase the risk of breaking them. When I fell of at a jump I put my hand out and it went straight bang into the jump wing.

Of course, you should tuck and roll but really not everyone can remember to do that in a split second.


----------



## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

I remember practicing "emergency dismounts" many years ago. As many have already said, it's one thing to pick and choose when you're going to dismount while practicing, quite another if that choice is taken away from you. 

While I have only done this dismount twice when things got out of control, the first time I choose when, ended up doing a roll and was able to keep one rein in my hand. Ended up breaking a couple of ribs with the impact (arms were at my sides tucked in).

The second time is still a bit of a blur, as I did choose to dismount but happened so quickly that I believe I landed butt first and rolled over backwards. That resulted in two fractured lateral processes in the Lombard region . Thank goodness for helmets or it would have been worse.

So, I have decided that staying in the saddle at all expense is what is going to keep me safe. Unless there is a nice soft fluffy pile of hay right there or a deep puddle of water to land in. :wink:


----------

