# What happens when you fall off??



## RyeDING4me (Apr 13, 2012)

Sorry, I didn't know how to sufficiently describe my question in the title. Obviously I know when you fall you land on the ground . . . but I know that sometimes a rider falls off when out on a trail or a treck along the river etc, but I was wondering. When rider falls off in those situations, what does the horse do? How do you catch the horse again? What if the horse runs off? What is the horse expected to do in that situation?? 

Sorry just a lot of what ifs I was thinking about. 


We ride out along the river by my house- always on our own- and I was wondering about these things.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I haven't fallen off since *knock on wood* last summer, but when I do, I always keep the reins in my hand so the horse learns to stop and stand when a rider comes unseated.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Oh man! Most times the horse will just stand there and wait for me to pull my a** back off the ground and get back on. Once there was teen age cousins running around on their horses and mine ran off into another pasture breaking a rein. One of the girls went and retrieved him. Its the only time I bailed cause he went to moving when I was re-mounting him (cause of commotion) and well, I am not exactly sure what he would do if I just plain fell off of him. I would hope he would not go far.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

equiniphile said:


> I haven't fallen off since *knock on wood* last summer, but when I do, I always keep the reins in my hand so the horse learns to stop and stand when a rider comes unseated.


Yes yes, this is what I do too! Just not the one time! :shock:


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## RyeDING4me (Apr 13, 2012)

Wouldn't holding the rein really yank the horses mouth?


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

RyeDING4me said:


> Wouldn't holding the rein really yank the horses mouth?


Yes it can.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

Be ready to walk?

Really, you always have to assume the worst: That the horse will run off, leaving you stranded and possibly injured. That is why your cell phone should always be on YOU and NOT in a saddle bag, etc, and someone should know that you're out and where you were planning on going. Trying to remember to hold onto the reins while falling is a skill beyond me. If I am in control enough to remember that, I'm in control enough not to fall off in the first place. And all bets are off if you fall on your head and are knocked out anyway.

In real life, all the times I've been dumped, the horse has been kind enough not to go more than a few feet off, and I've been lucky enough not to be injured such that I couldn't get back in the saddle. But that's luck, and you shouldn't count on her. The couple of times the horse I was on bolted, I was able to stay on, but I have no doubt that had I come off, the horse would have kept heading for the horizon. In that case I would just get myself home, and then come back out with others later to try to find the horse if they didn't head home on their own in short order.


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## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

I've fallen off twice out on the trails. One time I was able to hold on to the reins, since she had a halter on it was no big deal. The second time I let go but she only went like 10ft to the nearest grass patch 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RyeDING4me (Apr 13, 2012)

Him running away is my biggest fear- well that and of course me getting injured. I hope he would just stop somewhere and eat. Someone told me once that horses will go to where there is food or other horses if they every get loose and that it is best to walk calmy toward them or let them get where they are going instead of chasing them.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

RyeDING4me said:


> Wouldn't holding the rein really yank the horses mouth?


 I try to use common sense. If I'm galloping flat out on trail, no, I'm not going to hold onto the reins because it probably would freak him out and bump his mouth. However, in the arena and at slower paces I try to.


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## PonderosaMiniatures (Oct 2, 2009)

My mare stops and looks at me, like um why are you down there...


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

When I fell off the horses just stopped and stared at me :lol:. But these are well-trained school horses. I only managed to keep a hold of my reins either once or twice out of four falls...I'm not really sure, it's getting harder to remember them because they were a while ago.


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## SamBadger (Aug 7, 2011)

I dont have my own horse and ride in a riding school and to every horse there is one person who works at the stables, i fell off today and the girls who work at the stable and the instructor grabbed the horsey


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I've had horses stop on a dime and stand about a foot in front of me and look to me as if I'm an idiot, I've had a horse take off and finish a race (I fell behind the saddle and bailed), I've had a horse stop, look at me, and then prance around the arena. If I'm out with no boundaries, I make it a point to not do something that is going to raise my risk of coming off. I'll try to keep my reins if something does happen and there's a chance my horse will run off into a parking lot/road. If the horse gets a yank to their mouth too bad, that's their fault for not remembering their being trained to stop as soon as I'm out of the saddle just because of the situation that it happened in (aka, not on the property I trained them at under calmer circumstances). If I'm in an enclosed space, I'll focus more on trying to land on my feet or in the best place, it's my like the horse can go much of anywhere.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## calicokatt (Mar 5, 2012)

Many years ago on the trail the horse went right while I was going left. Needless to say, we parted company. I kept the reins in my hand..... Bad idea. REALLY bad idea. I shredded my right hand, tore up in between my fingers. Had to walk home leading the horse (friend's horse) to bandage and glove my hand so I could ride the horse home. I'd rather walk than ever have my hand shredded like that again. I don't hang on to the reins when I fall off any more, and tell my kids not to as well...


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

equiniphile said:


> I haven't fallen off since *knock on wood* last summer, but when I do, I always keep the reins in my hand so the horse learns to stop and stand when a rider comes unseated.



I do the same thing.
I usually ride my mare english, but I was taking out a trail western in my instructors saddle, the girth snapped and i slid off the side.
My used to be skittish mare stood there and allowed me to get back on bareback and keep going
Everytime I've fallen off, except for the first time, the horse had just stopped moving.


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## 94broncoxlt (Mar 31, 2012)

I'd say it really depends on what you are doing, where, and with who. When I was bucked off a green QH in southwest TX and got drug for about a minute (it seemed like 5 years), the horse ran to the house and they had to come get me in a pickup because I was completely stuck with catcus and had a concussion. 

When my boy fell on his side/me in a mudhole that neither of us saw on the trail, he gets up and looks at me as if he wanted to know if I was okay. I am confident my horse wouldn't abandon me in most situations should I come off, but who knows for sure, right? 

When I've fallen in the ring, its much simpler because there are usually people there that can grab the horse, the horse is already confined, and you can take your sweet time to get up and make sure you can see straight enough to get back on. The dicey thing here is making sure tack doesn't get snapped until they are caught. It freaks lots of horses out to have people come off, or maybe they did it to be bad. Either way, they do a little dance in the ring for a couple minutes, and its in this time you find you will have to buy new reins. 

If you can help it, to not brace in that crappy .5 second that you KNOW you're coming off and there's nothing you can do, and focus on getting to at least your knees where you may be able to grab the reins. Sometimes the horse will be long gone, like when you get bucked off in an english saddle. Trust me, it takes practice, but with each fall you learn to be smarter and stronger. I am getting my shoulder injected in two weeks for the latest fall. It wasn't either of our faults really, he just tripped over his feet and fell on his face, off I fly onto my shoulder!! Poor horse looks at me as if to say OMG are you OKAY? Take your time I will wait!!


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## boldstart (Oct 11, 2009)

I tend to get left in the dust. Then im left to walk/run after them. Thats when I get scared most, even more if its a good horse cause im so worried that it will get itself hurt. Luckily, nothing like that has happened to me yet.

I think trying to hold onto the reins is dangerous. Of course, you would do your best to try and sit on, but when I fell Im gone I let go. My last fall was bad, I was lucky I wasnt hurt that bad. I held onto the reins and in turn it made me fall underneath the horse. He clipped me on my neck and almost stood on my head. I also fell shoulder then head into the ground - so I was very lucky that it didnt turn out worst.

The thing is, we all fall off and we all make mistakes. Sometimes it just takes the hard way to teach us how we have been doing things wrong.


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## RyeDING4me (Apr 13, 2012)

Hmm. This has been very interesting. I guess things happen and you just got to go with the flow. I think holding he reins would depend on the situation but I too would be afraid of being pulled under the horse.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

When I fell while barrel racing, Red took off running, finished the second barrel, then took off around the arena like a mad man.

When he spooked and bolted on the trail and I fell, he actually just trotted around a bit, but then when I called him he stopped and let me catch him.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I always do one of those slow motion Matrix moves somersault and land on my feet, My horse stops and says, "Dude!" "That was awesome"


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

I tend to hold on to the reins because as soon as you let go you have already accepted that you are falling. You would be surprised what you can stick if you are certain that you can stick it. 

Having said that, when I do fall off, I let go of the reins just before I hit the dirt. It really depends on the horse after that. Grey devil in my avatar would do a victory lap bucking and snorting for a couple minutes, which worked out well since I usually let fly with a stream of language that would make a sailor blush. Gave us both some time to let off steam. Then, I would take a deep breath, calm down, catch the horse and get back on like it never happened.

No matter WHAT, if you come off and the horse runs away, you must catch him/her in a good frame of mind, calm the horse down as it is often a stressful experience for them too, and get back on without anger/resentment/fear. Never admonish a horse from the ground if they have thrown you and done a runner: The last thing they remember doing is allowing you to catch them. The only thing that will be achieved by disciplining a horse in that manner is that next time they throw you, they won't let you catch them.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I use a mecate and a get down rope tucked into a beltloop or belt. I do not want to walk back. Even if I were to be too injured to get back on and ride, by keeping the horse with me we would be easier to spot by anyone who came out searching. That has helped more than a few injured riders.


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

I don't really know what I do when I'm falling, I guess I don't process that it's happening until I'm actually on the ground. I usually keep a hold on the reins if I fall because I've lost my balance doing something silly, but if the horse has spooked and takes off or something to that effect, I end up letting go. If I were in an open area though I would do my best to hold on to the reins, especially with my current horse as he is very flighty and would be gone if something scared him enough.


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## JustAwesome (Jun 22, 2011)

You hit the ground.. .. sorry had to say it LOL! It depends on the horse and your situation!. my mum was riding my old horse in a hunt.. many horses zooming past, jumping etc out in the open!.. my old horse spooked and she went flying over his head and landed on her feet in front of him holding the reins.. it was amazing to see.. i had a giggle. Lets hope it happens that way all the time. I think my horse will stop and wait.. he's too lazy to zoom off LOL


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Most lesson horses I've been on just stop a few feet over and/or walk back to you. 

My current lease is pretty good. She'll just stop, come back, and look at you like "why are you not on top of me still"?

The last time I fell (landing a jump) it happened so fast I didn't even have time to process what was happening.


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## Ashley S (Apr 11, 2011)

I've never had a fall where there has been any oppertunity to do anything, one second I'm fine, the next in the air or on the ground, no chance to even contemplate holding onto the reins. The horses I've ridden just stopped after a few strides.


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## liz48170 (May 14, 2012)

I have 2 horses. Rosa, when I come off (not her fault I can't seat her, usually spooked by a car honking making noise) - she sees me in the mud on the ground and gets frightened, turns, walks then faster then flat out runs towards the barn. Happened yesterday, lucky we caught her (1/2 mile down the road) and I re mounted. Glad no idiot hit her as they drive kukoo around the country area. My other Mare Layla, she just will lie down, eat or stand there. Go figure. My first mare would stand by my side all day long. Rosa is a Paso Fino spirited loving wonderful gaited endurance, great horse very sensative and athletic. My horse barn manager told me to get rid or her yesterday; said any horse that runs off needs to go. I say ain't her fault I didn't seat her not like she bucked me off, I slipped off when she slightly spooked with a quick turn into the right when a car came up on her tail (to spook her, stupid idiots think its funny to spook a horse or run over a cyclist these days). I think I just am not going to ride down the roads around here anymore. Lots of people stopped to help, set up road blocks and catch her but too many do deliberately set out to spook horses. Anyone that can find me a Rosa, Paso Fino fantastic trail horse super smart sensative friendly, that goes anywhere I want thru up down all around trails water roads, and then sits and stays when I slip off and end up in the mudd, please let me know where that horse is and I will pay up to $15 grand. I am too tired of folks telling me that something is wrong with my horse (3000 trail miles in 6 yrs runs back to the barn 4 times during all those miles, and I should dump her ....), Would like her to stick around but seriously, is this even possible with a scared to death horse?


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## liz48170 (May 14, 2012)

can you let me know what that is and where I can buy one, if I have one perhaps I can keep hold of my mare next time i am in the mudd and she is looking down. She doesn't buck me off, just moves a bit quick when she spooks and I slip on out of the saddle and end up on the ground. Thanks


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

The one time I came off my horse, he ran around like a flippin idiot, terrified because he had no rider. As soon as he saw my trainer going after him, he ran to her and was literally terrified and shaking until she brought him back to me. Not that I was of any use, dislocated my knee and mangled everything so after he calmed down, she threw him in his stall and fed him.


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

I go splat.


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## HorseCrazyGirlForever (Apr 27, 2012)

You just have to expect the worst in case it should happen. Trust me, I would rather expect the worst then actually get the worst.


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## Sammyjoe (May 5, 2012)

-Finally a topic im an expert on......Falling off!!!-
A friend I knew rid in large open fields at home and she was a dabb hand at keeping hold of the reins and did this automaticaly. Unfortunatly she did this while showjumping indoor and took her arm out of its socket!! 
Hopefully you wont fall but if you do just try to land safe and worry about the horse as soon as your up!!


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## Meatos (Apr 30, 2012)

I had my first (and second) fall in a lesson a couple weeks ago. First time, the horse tripped, and the second time my saddle slid off because the girth wasn't tight enough. Both times, Jake just stood there and looked at me thinking, "Newbies...it happens every time...!" Since I'm a new rider I'm not together enough to process what's happening or know what to do to stay on, especially since riding is so counter-intuitive. Both falls were really quick and I held on to the bitter end, but in the end just had to let go! Hit my *** so hard the second time I had the wind knocked out of me, but I was good to go and finished out the lesson on a good note. I'm glad Jake handled it well - seeing all those hooves next to my face when I'm on the ground is a bit unnerving!!


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

[No message]


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## minstrel (Mar 20, 2012)

I always let go! If I'm in the menage, it's no problem to go and catch them, and if I'm out hacking then we are usually with someone, so the horses don't tend to want to run off and leave their companion, so they won't go too far if they leave your side at all.

The only horse I hack out without company is my own horse, who I know will go homewards if I fall off. I still don't hold the reins though, because he won't go home at any speed, so if I can get up again I can catch him and get back on without a fuss - but if I were somehow knocked out and unable to either get home or call for help, then I know my horse would go home alone and someone would realise what was going on much quicker than if I just didn't turn up, and they started searching hours later.

Having been in an accident where I was knocked out on a mountainside, I am very glad my horse has a tendency to head for home. That time I was lucky I had my sister with me, but if I was on my own I'd be very glad of my horse 'fetching' help. I'd rather maybe have to walk home on occasion if I can't catch him and know I had that extra time in an emergency.

Plus he;s not the kind of horse to panic about getting reins caught, which makes me feel much more confident about him getting home alone! Plus we cross no roads when we ride out, its all field, hill and track so he's perfectly safe.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

Oh Ding. What happens when we fall off??? If only there was a simple answer.

The words of the song come flooding back: 
*"You pick yourself up, brush yourself down and start all over again*".

That is,of course, providing you can still stand up and the horse hasn't bolted back home.

Riding alone is a very enjoyable experience, but make sure you take a mobile phone with you that works. You'll never know when you might need for someone to come and pick you up. The horse will know its way home.


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

My last post didnt take so i put it again.
If i go off its bucking and the horse dont stop right away so it involves catching it. Then i always get back on even if im hurt bad. Never let them win.


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## liz48170 (May 14, 2012)

I just bought my 2nd horse and - yes, there really are not alot of good horses on the market. You have the rescue horses, which even free no such thing as a free horse and the animal may never be right after being starved to death. You have the super high end show, jumpers, dressage, etc that may or may not be suitable and expect to pay a trainer to work with you. There are only a very few very well good trained good personality trail horses that can go the distance, and are EZ keepers, and expect to pay about $4K. Nothin' else. If you have to pay board, save save save up. No sense getting a discount on a horse that you can't use


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## liz48170 (May 14, 2012)

nvr2many said:


> Yes yes, this is what I do too! Just not the one time! :shock:





equiniphile said:


> I haven't fallen off since *knock on wood* last summer, but when I do, I always keep the reins in my hand so the horse learns to stop and stand when a rider comes unseated.


OK - I got one trail horse my "new horse" that just sits there. I have my Paso trail balzer that gets really scared when I am off of her back (she doesn't throw me or do nothing wrong, she gets spooked from behind, usually some dumb #$% that comes up on us from behind in a car honking...

I have had the reins in my hands, she gets right in front of me so not to tug on her mouth and pulls and then leaves. Can't blame her, she is scared. Once caught everything goes OK but - I am going to have a heart attack next time she takes off. 

While it seldom happens, I do expect it to happen.

Any advise on how to train her to just stand and wait? Like I said this one is "fearful" not mean or careless.

Anyone train the fear out of a spirited fearful horse that needs her rider on her back to make her feel all warm n' fuzzy?


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## Horse Riding Fan (May 10, 2012)

While on the ground, look out for the horse in case it kicks u. Protect your head especially. Look to get back up on the horseback ASAP and most important of all, do not panic!


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Last summer, the horse I was leasing at the time bucked me off and then bolted. He nearly made it out of the show area and into the parking lot, and from there it would have been a quick trip to the highway  Luckily, some brave soul jumped in front of him and he veered off back to the stalls, where he suddenly decided to stop and nose a strange horse.

I'm told that a good horse will stop when his rider comes off...


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## liz48170 (May 14, 2012)

I have been told that as well however, I have only found one in my entire life, a 38 yr old school horse that was my kids horse. All others seem to take care of themselves first. If you can find one that no matter what stands still for me and is a good trail horse responsive good work ethic, good for a 50 mile trail ride, please let me know. I hear so much about a good horse, but no one can find me one..


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