# How many times have you ever fell off a horse?



## Arabian Horse (Dec 2, 2011)

How many times have you ever fell off a horse? Sadly, to many times for me.. lol!


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Dec 2, 2011)

Never.. But then again I've only had 8 lessons


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## sawfish99 (Dec 2, 2011)

None... this year.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Dec 2, 2011)

Twice.  I am very lucky.  The two times were a horse that I purchased, road her in an arena, but not outside.  Learned a really valuable lesson the hard way.  When I got her home and out in the field, got on her and she went nuts, got back on her adn she went nuts again.  Twice was two times too many.  She went back and I got my first draft horse. 

Lesson to everyone, when you are looking at a new horse, ride the horse in an arena and outside before you purchase.


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## Squirrelgirl88 (Dec 3, 2011)

Fell, well I prefer to say slid off.....

Once when I was a child when an inexperienced cousin kicked a horse in the ribs and I slid off the back end of the horse on to my back end.

Then ten years ago at a stable I was riding with my daughter on my lap and the horse got scared, took off fast, and I couldn't control her with DD on my lap - off we go.

I have two surgical pins and wire holding my shoulder together now - no more riding for me - ever.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Dec 3, 2011)

Once. We had a Shetland Pony, so the fall wasn't that far, but that didn't stop it from hurting. She as rather lazy and my sister and I would push her to do things she didn't want to do. I had her in a good trot (as fast as she would go) and was going to get her to jump a ditch. She didn't, but I did.


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## 20kidsonhill (Dec 3, 2011)

more times than I can count or remember, but that was a few years ago.  Yup, I survived all of them, but got up pretty slowly on a couple occasions.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Dec 3, 2011)

Never, but I have had a few unscheduled aerial dismounts.


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## that's*satyrical (Dec 3, 2011)

Only like 3?? One time my horse went under a low, knocked over tree & slid me off his butt. Too funny!!!! Good thing I was young. Really he loved me to death I don't think he did it on purpose. He was nudging me on the ground after he did it like "sorry momma!!" lol


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## 77Herford (Dec 3, 2011)

Well since I've broke some pretty wild horses, I have fallen off a several times.  They aren't bad falls more like getting off before it becomes bad, lol.


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## funsoverflats (Dec 5, 2011)

twice... the second time took 2 months to heal up. Every heard the expression of "walking like a question mark?"


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## chubbydog811 (Dec 6, 2011)

I like this thread...In the 14 years I have been riding, I would rather not admit how many times I've fallen off...Mainly because it happened so many times, I've lost track! I've only had 3 falls though that left me injured.
This year has been pretty good - I've only had 3 "falls" so far. First was when my TB decided the pigs were going to eat him. Spun and dropped his shoulder. Second time we both fell - this time the evil Alpacas were going to eat him. He reared and spun, but sunk in the sand and fell over sideways. Third time was more of an emergency dismount before I fell - it was the first time my gelding had been ridden - stirrup hit him in the side and he spooked. We went opposite ways, and it was safer to just jump off. 

Been a good year!


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## Teeah3612 (Dec 20, 2011)

adoptedbyachicken said:
			
		

> Never, but I have had a few unscheduled aerial dismounts.




Love this! I too have experienced several aerial dismounts. The first was the most memoriable. It was the first time I rode by green broke QH without a lead rope. He went under the apple tree with me on his back. He fit just fine, but I was in the tree. When he came out the branches I was holding back swatted him in the butt and he went flying. After two bucks, I performed my first aerial dismount. My friend said it was very graceful!


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## Little One (Dec 27, 2011)

Never (**knock on wood**)... but I've been "this close" too many times.


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## LadyIsabelle2011 (Jan 2, 2012)

I've come close a few times but never actually had a fall, though I have had to quickly slide off once or twice.


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## Beekissed (Jan 3, 2012)

Couple of rear dismounts....


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## kelsey2017 (Jan 3, 2012)

I have never 'fallen off', that sounds hard to do.  I have been bucked off young horses at least 6 times.  Had one very clumsy Percheron (same said threw me 3 of the 6 times) fall over on himself, and I have jumped right over a couple while attempting bare back mounting techniques (alcohol may have been a factor)! 

 I guess; Not enough times to quit thinking about new ways? That's my final answer.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Jan 3, 2012)

greenfamilyfarms said:
			
		

> I had her in a good trot (as fast as she would go) and was going to get her to jump a ditch. She didn't, but I did.


 He he ... Oh.. ME???? I rode a few times in my life but, never fell off. I want to ride again though. As soon as I have enough money 
I'm going to buy a few acres and get some horses ....


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## Fluffy (Jan 9, 2012)

I couldn't tell you how many times I've fallen. But here's the most memorable times  

Trying to mount bareback I jumped too high and went all the way over his back and landed underneath him... he looked at me like I was crazy  

When ponying a crazy colt, the lead rope ended up under the tail of my mount - necessitating an emergency dismount. It didn't occur to me to let go of the rope until I was on the ground. 

Best of all: I once sleep walked out to the pasture and rode my horse bareback while I slept.  Seriously. It must not have gone too well... I woke up on my way back in the house with a really sore back and dirt all on my side. My horse was in the wrong pasture and his bridle was hanging on the gate - heck of a way to wake up.


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## Mamaboid (Jan 9, 2012)

Only ever fell off 2 times.  Once my Tenn Walker/Mustang stepped in a hole and pitched me forward when she went to her knees.  The other time, I fell for the old "horse took a deep breath while cinching trick".  I just kinda slowly slid over to the side.  BUT........there is something worse than falling off.  That is NOT falling off when you should.

I had a horse that was owned before I got her and had been taught to rear up by a very irresponsible teen owner who thought it was funny.  We  "untaught" her and for 3 years had no problems.  However one day on a ride, my sister in law did something to her horse that spooked it and it took off with her.  I tried to take off after her and inadvertently gave the knee/reign command that had been her signal to rear.  She did, I wasn't ready, and instead of falling off or jumping off, I was off balance and both the horse and I went over backwards.  I hit the ground first and she hit me.  I was soooo lucky.  I had my hair in a pony tail and the back of my head hit the ground where the pony tail was so it cushioned my head.  Nothing was broken, but I carried the exact imprint of the saddle and horn across my stomach and hips for almost a month.  One good thing, she didn't like it any better than I did, and she never reared up with anybody again.


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## Fluffy (Jan 9, 2012)

> BUT........there is something worse than falling off.  That is NOT falling off when you should.
> 
> She [reared], I wasn't ready, and instead of falling off or jumping off, I was off balance and both the horse and I went over backwards.  I hit the ground first and she hit me.


\

Yikes! I guess that's why saddles don't have seat belts! I'm glad you were ok!


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## wbruder (Jan 10, 2012)

Growing up, my horse liked to take off on me, then swerve abruptly and leave me in the dust as he galloped for the barn. I'm not sure how many times I walked home, MILES, muttering what I would do to him when I got back.

One time, he took off in the ring, straight for the fence. I could have sworn he would swerve, and braced myself, but instead, he jumped the fence, throwing me headfirst into the barn, my head barely missing a large nail. As a kid, I always bounced back from my falls, sustaining now major injuries...

My mom fell off 2 years ago and sustained a double brain hematoma that almost killed her. She is (mostly) ok now, and still does the whole horse shebang. What a trooper.


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## MaggieMay (Jan 11, 2012)

eeks I cringe reading all these stories, when I was young, I would fall off usually from fooling around and not paying attention, didnt have any bad horses, for example one time my friend and I were bored, so we rode her horse double bareback, I was in the back and FACING BACKWARDS to see if I could do it.  We were cantering along a dirt road laughing when she had enough or something stung her, but she pitched a bucking fit, we both hit the dirt, she with a scraped elbow with bone showing and me with a fractured wrist, shattered the bones and took years to heal...I fell off 2 yrs ago off my sons haflinger pony when we didnt tighten the girth enough and I just tipped off.  Many falls training horses in between, and just this year started riding my haflinger filly, so keeping my fingers crossed I dont have any unplanned dismounts!  Kids Be Careful Out There!!!  Helmets are a good idea.....


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## Toshi (Jan 12, 2012)

I wouldn't say fallen off, i'd say ''Forcefully removed'' 

I only been forcefully removed about 4 times in the 5 years i had my horse, all those times i held on to the reins though.


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## Watch Your Step (Feb 25, 2012)

Well I'm just learning so only about 2 or 3. Once I was riding the laziest horse in the stable, We were trotting, and all of a sudden he cantered (Wish he'd do it when I ask.) I fell, cut my knee and hurt my wrist. It wasn't that bad. The other time I was riding without stirrups, and someone came up the rail, I had to go left. Since I was off balance, I landed on my stomach and bruised my hip. The other time a lost my balance when trotting without stirrups (The horse had the choppiest stride ever). All the rest were just sliding off.


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## yankee'n'moxie (Feb 28, 2012)

I have fallen probably 5-6 times in the time that I have been riding (like 3 years). 

On time when I first started riding(I had been riding for about 6 months, I think) I was riding a paint gelding for the first time and he was being very stubborn. The arena that I was riding in had a "bridge" in it (for training trail horses to walk on and over stuff). Well, it was position so that you could go around it either direction. I asked him to go around it on the outside (at a fast trot) and he wanted to go inside. Well we were getting closer and closer to it, fighting each other, headed right for the middle of it. I finally released the rein tension (because I didn't want to TROT over that thing)! And even though I let him have his way, he decide at the last second that he was going MY way, after all, and I went the opposite direction (his way)... Ahh!

Another time I was riding with a friend and the horse that I was riding exploded (for no apparent reason) into a bucking, rearing, and bolting fit, where he slid to a stop. My friend said that it literally looked like she was watching a rodeo on TV. Anyways, I flew off and landed on my back, with myhead about 6 inches from a giant rock! 

Another time, I more like emergency dismounted. The same friend and I were going to ride her Arab mare double, bareback. I was on the back. Well I had no sooner gotten on and asked her to "walk on" (with a leg cue) and she spun around and I (sort of) emergency dismounted while she was spinning (definitely a ride)! Turned out that she a a bite from one of the other horses, right where I had nudged her. 

Lot's more times to tell about, but I supposed I should leave room for someone else...

Oh wait! I have to tell about the time that I was riding my friend's Arab mare (the same one) and we decided to go for a nice long trail ride. Well we were cantering along on a deserted back road and along came a dirt bike, just as fast and as loud as he could. My horse took of like a lighting strike! She used to be an endurance horse, so she could move fast for a long time! Anyways, my friend saw that she wasn't being controllable and galloped her horse (an appendix jumper) out in front of us and turned sideways in the trail. My horse came to a sliding stop and I flew off over her head! What a ride!!

Ok, I'm done! LOL


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## ChristyMarie82 (Mar 1, 2012)

I've fallen more times than I care to think about in the ten or so years I've been riding.  I had an Arab/Appy mare once who liked to rear and flip over backwards with me - put me in the hospital once.  Otherwise, I've never been too badly injured.  Two and a half years ago, when I was still healing from the C-section I'd had four weeks previous, I was thrown from a "completely broke" horse I was looking at to buy...I landed face first, almost broke my neck, and DID break my nose...

I'm now a very nervous rider.... :/


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## Karma (Mar 2, 2012)

I have been riding for almost 20 years now so honestly more times than I can even remember though many occured when I was young, daring, and stupid.  I think the worst was when a pony I was riding came to a sliding stop at the barn gate after bolting back to the barn, I flew off and smashed my head into the steel rails of the gate. Luckily my mom has always been a stickler for safety and putting on a helmet before going near a horse was ingrained in me, my head was fine once I woke up minus the minor concussion the helmet however was not and had a nice inch deep imprint of the bar. We actually have a "wall of fall" in our tackroom with all the cracked helmets, broken pieces of tack, some of my & other family members xrays after falls on display to remind my family members each time they go near the horses of the importance of saftey. On a less serious note, my most mortifying "fall" happened with the same pony except he decided that laying down in the middle of the ring at a local show in front of 100s of people was a good idea.  At least it gave them all a good laugh.


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## ChristyMarie82 (Mar 2, 2012)

Ooh, karma, ouch!  The first time my arab/appy mare reared and went over with me, my head landed right on an extremely sharp rock.  I was knocked out for a very short (I think) period of time.  the damage to my riding hat scared the living heck out of me!  I won't ride without one.  now, I've been known to take it off for a picture or something, and I've put my daughter up on a horse with daddy with no helmet (BAD ME!!!)...but while actually riding...never!!  

I kept that hat for a long time...and when I met DH and he didn't want to wear one, I showed it to him...


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## gretchenann (Mar 26, 2012)

Too many to count !! But i am 50 and have had horses all my life 
the question is, how many times have we gotten back on !!


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## macisherfield (May 16, 2012)

Ohh well, I got and unbroke arabian when i was 10....dads choice and i have had 9+ minor falls 
and 2 or 3 serious falls where the hospital was needed....


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## SkyWarrior (May 22, 2012)

I didn't fall-- I rolled off. 

So far, I've had one unintentional roll that happened with my girl.  It came from ignorance in how green she was (a 16 year old arena horse who hasn't been trail riding beyond a ranch).  She freaked and bolted up a 20 foot hill and then, when I was trying to get her to walk down, she freaked and her footing got weird.  She was rocking so violently, I ended up rolling off her and then down the hill, whacking my (helmeted) head as I went on stumps and rocks.  I ended up in the ditch by the road face down.  Ninja training taught me to roll, so I only got bumps and bruises (many in areas I didn't think you could bruise!   ) and a seriously stretched radial nerve.  (still recovering from that).  We got my horse and I got back on her when I found a mounting point.  Rode her back and we dialed back the training to teach her.

Last Sunday we rode 7 miles or so (not without some histrionics), which is a huge accomplishment.


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## Kotori (May 23, 2012)

Miraculously, 0 falls. 
Had lessons when I was about 6 on an old horse.. went in front of the barrel instead of behind and awakened the sleeping beast....went galloping around a corner, trying to fling me off. my right foot was thrown out, but I stayed on.

Horse camp at 11 or so, given a thouroughbred. 3 year old. Not pretty, got sent across a pasture at a gallop over a fence. I hadn't even learned posting trot  but stayed on.

My latest one was a half-fall. I've been taking lessons for a month and went to a horse show. after going through, I dismounted. saddle followed me, but I got 1st anyway.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 23, 2012)

*3 times in my life. None requiring hospital.

First time: I had adopted a rescue horse (my first horse ever, he was green broke) when I was 17. Hadn't brought him home yet so we were still at his stable. I tied him up and hopped on his back bareback. Woke up about 5 second later flat on my back on the ground with the horse on the other side of the field. Apparently they failed to tell me he wasn't tie broke and when he reared up his neck hit me in the face and knocked me out. 

Second time: I was riding double with a friend who had no riding experience. She didn't know how to hang on with her legs and was trying to hold on with her arms, she slid off the side and pulled me off with her. 

Third time: Full speed across a desert field, horse didn't see the ditch, his front end went down and we both rolled head over heels I sat up about 6 feet away from him, looked at him he looked at me and then we both got up.

I had no idea what I was doing, and neither did the horse, but we learned together and he ended up being a darn good horse. I don't have him anymore but I still ride 1-2 times a week with my neighbor.

I am thankful I haven't ever gotten hurt, but I do enjoy reading about others experiences!*


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## FlaRocky (May 24, 2012)

I don't remember how many times I'v come off a horse. As a young and dumb(kid), if I could catch it I would try it.  Now I school all of mine from day 1 as a newborn. By the time they are ready to ride as a long 3 year old, they know what all the commands are verble and line driving. Know how to be hooked for driving and so putting under saddle is not a big thing. They get ponied from a young age, so not a big deal when put under saddle. A well started young mount, with great manners. All I have to do is add miles. Will not do it any other way now....

 Maye


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## Four Winds Ranch (May 24, 2012)

Lol!
 I have grown up with, and rode horses my whole life, so naturally, I have fallen off or been thrown more times than I can remember or probably even count!!!
Oh well! I am still alive!


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (May 24, 2012)

Never, thankfully ! Okay fine once, but i was like 3, and my sister saved me and she broke her arm instead    Always good to have a sis..

My MOM tho.... She had this horse, shetland mix of some sort, WELL, she loved the horse, but it would ALWAYS buck her off, and once, she swore she saw cartoon birds  But she CLAIMS she could've tamed him   Her mom forced her to sell him tho

I'm not a daredevil... but you want to hear cringing stories, ask my mom (or dad)


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## michickenwrangler (May 27, 2012)

More times than I care to remember, none requiring hospital.

Last time I landed on my feet!


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## Bunny-kids (May 29, 2012)

Never, actually. I used to be really good at staying on horses that (mildly) wanted me off. 

However, there was at least once (and maybe twice) I WISH I'd fallen (or jumped), instead of riding the (SAME!) horse to the ground as the HORSE fell. 

First fall was on the ground into some briars. Knocked the wind out of me, got a bit bumped up and scratched, but no big deal. 

Stupid me got BACK on the horse, who was a rental, and had a history I didn't know and should NOT have been ridden. 

Horse took off down the road onto the asphalt, and skidded in a turn and fell, rolling into the ditch. I went down with it. Praying the whole way. That one required a hospital visit.


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