# I've had a bad fall and now i'm so scared.



## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

I've taken quite a few bad falls off my OTTB Chinga, but what really helped me was after a bad fall when ever I was physacally ready to start riding I wouldn't ride until my weekly lesson and I would ride the first half on a school horse and then my instructor would hop on Chinga and when he was quite I would hop on. Bad falls hurt your mind more then your body most of the time  It is VERY hard, I know. PM me if you want to talk


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

That looks like a really painfull fall 

Now you have two options:
You need to get back on you horse otherwise your and your horse's problems will only get worse.

If you a still not confidant then take a real break from riding, lease you horse to someone, make sure they are ridden by someone who knows what they are doing. This could be months or years, get back on when you feel ready.


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## dedebird (May 21, 2010)

the same thing has happend to me but i still haven`t rode like i used to but i still get on and walk/trot it helps i think i might be ready for the trail tomorrow


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I've owned horses for over 30 years and have taken many falls - some should have killed me and a couple caused me to have surgery. One fall, in particular, happened a few years ago and made a dramatic change in me. I'll just say that I was trying out a horse to buy and the very short story is that he took off while I was mounting him. I was thrown on a gravel driveway, fractured my pelvis, broke some ribs, was unconscious for several minutes (concussion), plus a lot of bruising.

It was ~8 weeks until I could ride again and I was terrified to get on a new horse I had (obviously not the same one). I was actually in tears while mounting. It took a lot of time, patience, and friends to bring me through it. Don't be afraid of asking for help and get the right horse. At this point in your riding, you need a confidence builder, not a horse that you are afraid of. I'm still hesitant about getting on a new horse but I've learned to live with it.


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## xLaurenOscarx (Aug 11, 2009)

Like a lot of people I've had my share of falls and I dunno how I havnt broke anything *touch wood*
What I do is as soon as i fall off I get up and get right back on before I leave the arena. I know it's stupid because I could do more damage but it's 2nd nature to me. Fall off get back on. I had stupid fall 2 months ago and I got concussion and while i was sitting in the arena with concussion not knowing what happened all I kept saying was "were's Oscar" and "Let me back on him" over and over again. It took one week before I got back on because I was nervous were as if I had just got back on straight away I would have been fine.
Hope you get back on before you regret it:/


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## chestnutponies (Jun 3, 2010)

IMO, you need to go back to sqaure 1. Does grooming your horse make you nervous because you are anticipating putting a saddle on and riding? If so, groom your horse and put him away. Do this as much as it takes until you aren't nervous. Then moving to saddling. Feeling nervous because saddling means riding? Put the saddle on and take it off. Put your horse away. Do this as much as it takes until you don't feel nervous...continue this pattern until you're back where you want to be. Who cares if takes weeks, months, years? Let your emotions guide you. Getting on a horse when you're petrified inside won't lead to positive experiences for you or him.

Basically, take small baby steps doing the same thing again and again until you don't feel scared anymore. Chingazmyboy, hit the nail on the head. The memory is harder to overcome than the physical.

Other suggestions about riding a steady eddy are good, too. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll just retreat backwards. And remember, if it's not FUN, DON'T do it! 

Good luck to you.


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## payette (Jun 3, 2010)

Ride a calm old bombproof horse for awhile, and just hang out with your horse- groom and feed and stuff like that- until you get your confidence back. Don't ride yours until you feel okay about it, but do have someone else continue riding him, so he stays fit. Thant's probably what I would do. Good Luck!


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I always have someone there when I ride since I have a condition but it's also nice to have someone around just incase something goes wrong. A cell phone is genius as well. 
Anyways I agree with the above posts. I have had some falls.I had one that knocked the air out of me and another time I hit my head on the ground(i was wearing a helment thankfully) and I ended up with a headache. I have always been told to get right back on so that's what I do.I haven't had any serious falls but it could happen.
What I would do is go out and spend time grooming your horse. You don't have to ride untill you are ready. Follow your emotions. If something doesn't feel right then usually there is a good reason why. Make sure you have someone around you. The can even guide the horse with a lead rope if you would prefer that. 
I'm not sure if you lunge your horse or not but some horses are fiesty and lunging does help so you might want to consider doing that.

I'm glad to hear that you are alright though. I also agree with maddie. Usually a fall traumatizes your mind more than your body.


Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.


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## SophieLee (Jan 7, 2010)

Wow thanks everybody.
I do lunge him, since I have not been on him.
And I have arranged to go to a riding school on the weekend to get my confidence back. And I shall go and see my horse today, and do what you've said.
Thankyou alot


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## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

I don't know, but if you have lost interest I'd sell him and move on. No point in forcing yourself to like something that no longer interests you.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I think it comes down to either you want to ride or you don't. Like every other horse rider on this forum, I have had a couple of spills, the worst one involved mounting a horse and was the hardest tumble I have ever taken. It hurt and was horrible but my passion for horses and horse riding out weighed the experience. However it was hard to get over and to this day (14 years later) I still get a moment of fear when I put my foot on the stirrup of a strange horse.

You are going to have to make a conscious decision as to how you feel about horse riding, either it is something that is important to you or it isn't. Only you can know. Also bad stuff happens randomly throughout our lives, part of life is learning coping skills and learning to pick ourselves up and keep doing what we love. Please also remember there are a lot of horses out there and you are allowed to look for something that you find more trust worthy.


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

Hey, I have suffered several terrible falls off my horse, the first two seriously injuring me, and the last one psychologically.
I was scared to get back on my horse, I tried to and I just sat there, my horse lifted his head to check out something in the distance and I had a panic attack, I was crying and hyperventilating before I walked around the arena one full time, I had to get off.
But I couldn't give up on my horse, I would force myself on, if only to stay in a small circle in the indoor ring where I was comfortable, but I would get on. Now, about a month later I've regained most, not all, but most of my confidence on my horse. I say give it time, what really urged me to get back on was missing riding.


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