Had my first fall today, what was your first fall like?

Question

So I had my first fall today and it went better than thought it would. I didn't get hurt, no broken bones or bruises, and it happened so fast I didn't know what was happening.

It happened while I was cantering and the stirrups slid off my legs (bad heels) and he did a sharp turn. I kind of slid off the saddle and laded in the dirt...it's like a strange dream that never happened. Any way I got back on and cantered him again but by myself (he was getting excited cantering in a group).

My parents didn't say anything bad...just asked about my neck (had problems with it), if I got hurt and that's it. I was scared they would make me stop. That's improvement because before my mom would have made me quit so I guess she's getting used to the fact of riding.

What was your first fall like? How many times have you fallen after that? Ever been seriously hurt? What was your worst fall?

There's another girl in my lesson and she has been riding for about half a year longer than me and she hasn't fallen off yet. Before my lesson she was talking to me but after she thinks she is too good to talk to me because I fell. What should I do?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Glad to hear your first fall was nothing major - it's often the worry of falling off that makes many riders nervous, when infact more often than not - most falls are nothing more than a bit of a shock and maybe a bit of a bruise here and there.



My first fall was many years ago, off a fat shetland pony I rode on holiday, I guess it wasn't really my first as I was not properly riding at the point and it was barely a fall :P. But the lady who was leading me had forgotten to do up my girth, the saddle slipped steadily until suddenly along the drive - it went right under his belly, I landed in a heap and the lady paying no attention kept going, I had to run up and point out I'd fall off!



After that, my first proper fall was a bit nasty - fell off in canter, landed on my head and can't remember much after that for about 10 minutes. When I do start remembering things, I was back on board walking home, and my arm had swollen to twice it's normal size and was al wonky, turned out I'd broken it, and needed 3 months off riding!

Since then though, I've had loads of falls - too many to count, and have had nothing else serious, a few bruises and got a dent in my leg from landing on a large boulder - but apart from that all is good.



As for the girl, ignore her - the good riders all fall off at some point, if you don' fall once in a while, you're probably not pushing yourself.

Answer 2

My first fall was cantering on a horse that got excited very quickly, I had been riding for about a year and a half. I was really not very confident on the horse he always quickened up and started galloping around the ring. I lost both stirrups and kind of fell forward and to the side, as soon as I did that the horse ran to the middle of the arena and I fell off on my head and shoulder. I didn't get hurt just a few bruises. I have fallen off 3 or 4 times I kind of forget. I fell off twice on a pony that was kind of ornery, and I fell off once or twice on a 16 hand dressage horse. My worse fall was the first time I fell off the pony, we were cantering and all of a sudden he tripped, I guess the trip kind of spooked him too because he did a huge buck coming back up from the trip. I fell forward because of the trip and then he bucked and started cantering again. I can remember every second like it was slow motion, I fell forward, then got jerked forward even more falling out of my outside stirrup and for a second while I was falling to the inside of the area my foot was stuck in my inside stirrup, for a moment I thought I was going to be dragged, that's why it was the worst, I didn't get hurt or anything other than my elbow where I landed got all scratched and bloody.



As for the girl who has never fallen off, I wouldn't want to talk to someone like that anyway. Usually if you have never fallen off it means you are not challenged enough ( no I am not saying that if you fall off every time you ride than you a good rider) but it must mean you are challenged right? Anyway what ever you did this time to fall off you probably won't do again, and that means you are getting better. Falling off and getting back on also means you have guts, that girl probably wouldn't get back on if she fell off. Falling is part of riding.

Answer 3

My first fall was only small. I must have been .. six? I'm not sure, but quite young. I was trotting, and my feet slipped out of the stirrups and off I tumbled. I can't remember it too well, but I got myself in a right state, cried my eyes out.



I've honestly lost count of how many times I've fallen off. More than 15, probably more than 20.



Once, I fell off when I was 12 (?) due to being put on a green-broke mare by a crack-pot of an instructor. I broke both my arms. It was awful. I couldn't even go to the loo without 'assistance'.



My worst fall was either the one I just mentioned above, or when I broke my collar bone. I won't bore you with all the details though.



As for this girl: I'd either tell her to stop being so up her own @rse, or calmly explain that you have to have fallen of at least 7 times to be a good rider. That should take her down a peg or two.

Answer 4

Congratulations! The first fall is always the hardest.



The first time I fell I had just turned 7. I fell off a stallion on to a goat. :-)



My most dramatic fall was while going x-country. The horse flipped over at the water jump. He landed next to me and then rolled over to get up, pushing me under the water. We were both fine.



A few years ago I had a very undramatic and rather pathetic fall. I got up and seemed fine, so we rode back to the yard. After lunch I found that I couldn't get out of the chair! I had done some real damage to my back. I didn't ride for almost a year after that and I have only just started competing again.



I've lost count of the number of falls I've had.



As the the girl - Her time will come

Answer 5

I've fallen three times with nine years of riding... not too bad, eh? :D



My first fall didn't hurt at all... I was jumping a really tall jump and the horse I was riding twisted in mid-air and bolted when he landed, so I kind of just jumped off and landed on my butt.

Second time I landed on my butt again and it didn't hurt at all.

Third was my worst... I had no reins or stirrups and my horse was bolting around the arena. I made it a few laps, but when I got hold of my reins he ducked his head and I went off his shoulder. It wouldn't have been too bad except I twisted in the air and landed on my back really weird. I had to lay in the dirt for half an hour before I could get up. I couldn't walk normally for three months...talk about painful O_o haha



Honestly, I would ignore her. She's not worth it. If she keeps riding she will fall eventually, trust me.

Answer 6

I fell off twice. Neither was a bad fall but the first was quite a scare.



It was the first week I started riding at my sleep away camp. I hadn't even started trotting but a bunch of us and 2 counslers went on a trail ride. It was at about 6 oclock. We were walking down the trail and everything was fine until the lead horse spooked. The counsler said they were in trail mode so every single one turned around and started galloping in full speed. I fell on my knees so just 2 bruises was my injury. I was very scared because some people on the trail were near rocks and they fell on them. One girl broke her collar bone and elbow and another got a concusion and so on. There were ambulances and a helicopter. The horses went all the way into the main road. That was my worst experience with horses.

Answer 7

What I remember from my first fall is quite sketchy because I was 3 but I was riding a fat and greedy 13.2 pony. He put his head down to eat and I got pulled out of the saddle and went down his neck like I was on a slide.

I've fallen off around 7 times.

I've never been seriously hurt but i've had a sore knee for about 3 months after landing awkwardly onto it

My most dramatic fall was when I was jumping and the pony fell over and almost did a back flip. I did do a back flip off her but we were both fine.

For the other girl, just explain to her that you have to fall off to become a better rider.

Answer 8

My first fall happen about 6 months after I started riding. Me and other kids in a group lesson had talked out instructor into letting us have a fun bareback lesson at a week long summer horse camp. My horse for the week was a 17.1hh OTTB. Another person started cantering, my horse flipped out and started running. He turned fast and I just slid off into the arena fence. I skinned my shoulder and cracked my helmat almost in half. But I got another helmat and got back on.



I've fallen countless times since then(that was about 12 years ago). I've broke my wrist once falling off at a show, and cracked a rib one time landing on a rock. My worse fall was just over a year ago, I broke my collar bone in 2 places and tore every muscle in my shoulder. That took a while to recover from. But while it was healing all my horses learned to neck rein since I only had one hand. lol

Answer 9

My first fall ever was a simple loss of balance cantering around... I basically slid off, grabbed the horse's neck and (sweet teacher that he was) he stopped, and I landed on my feet. lol



That was so long ago! ;) I still remember being all excited about it, though. Since then, I've had plenty of other falls... a few of which I *really* wish I had video of (I've had some spectacular falls through the years), as your own memory tends to down-play the moment a bit as adrenaline kicks in. lol



How many times have you fallen after that?

Goodness... I don't think I can recall all of them. ;) I've come off horses, had horses fall with me, on me, etc. etc. etc.



Ever been seriously hurt?/What was your worst fall?

I've been very lucky... I've had some falls that *should* have killed me, or where I escaped a hoof to the head by inches... my worst/most serious one was on the racetrack, though... I was breezing a colt, when all of a sudden, the billets on the inside of the saddle snapped in half, so off I fly along with the saddle at a good 40 miles an hour. I bounced down the track a ways (one of those falls I wish I had a video of... I'm sure I looked like a rag doll), and then sat up on the track, and was PISSED. I stormed off the track, yelled at the trainer about his shoddy tack (threw some dirt at him, made a scene, brushed off the EMTs) and went back to the barn to line up other rides for the following day. A few hours later, I realized I couldn't pick up my left arm all the way, and my right leg twinged and "squished" when I walked so I thought I'd pulled/torn some muscles. Well, went to the bathroom, took off my safety vest, and my collar bone was poking out of my shoulder, blood all down my shirt. Zipped up my vest again and drove to my mom's office (it was a week-day) and we went to the ER. Turns out my shoulder had to be screwed back together, and I'd also broken my right leg (the "squishing" when I walked wasn't a muscle pulling at all... it was bone squishing together... ew.). ;) Surgery on the shoulder and 12 weeks in a boot for my leg and I was good to go again. Back riding the crazies at the track. lol

Answer 10

I was seven and was sitting on the horse when he started trotting to the water trough. I wasn't expecting it, and slipped off. I landed mostly on my shoulder and knee. It hurt.



Don't have a worst, but my funniest was when I was with my friend on my two horses. We were loping/cantering them on a side of a cornfield that my neighbor owns. My gelding had a bad habit of putting his head down for a few seconds whenever I loped bareback. I was looking to my right watching some people in their yard, and when I looked back straight, his head down. I had time to say 'crap' and then flew directly over his head. He's a good boy, and once he realized where I was going, he stopped immediatley and did a sort of sliding stop. I laid there laughing for a few moments because my horse was just staring at me. My friend hadn't noticed and had kept going and when she turned around she had this hysterical confused look on her face.



I've fallen many, many times since I've started riding. I haven't had any really bad injuries, but I did screw my knee up riding.



And for that girl at your lessons, she's an idiot. Just ignore her. She'll fall. And you'll be there to laugh.. Mauhaha

Answer 11

my first fall was when i was 7 jumping my nan's shetland bareback. She tripped before the jump and i went flying over her head and landed on the jump, being a kid i just laughed and jumped up. ive got it on video. We were both completely fine, no bruises at all.



i have fallen off about 5 times since then. Im 13 and started riding the shetland at 4 and started lessons at 6. Never had more than a few bruises.



EDIT: about the girl that hasn't fallen off, my sister has been riding for two years longer than me and had never fallen off until last week. she was only in trot and she was on the most bombproof horse i have ever seen, a 20 year old 13.2 schoolmaster. She was concentrating on what our instructor was telling us and the horse tripped a tiny bit and she just fell off. not hurt at all. just got back on :D

Answer 12

I've been riding for 4yrs and just finally fell 2x XD The first time I asked my 26 yr old STB to pace well he didn't like that idea since he hasn't done so in about 10yrs. He bucked me off. I landed on my shoulder and rolled like you should and I dislocated my shoulder. I got back on and rode him again and this time I made him pace. After wards I went to the hospital and had it replaced.

The second time was a few weeks ago. I was riding my lesson horse for the week at school. We switch horses all the time because a good rider should be able to ride any horse.I was cantering on him and I had ridden him several times before. The wind picked up and made a scary sound and he bucked me off. I landed on my shoulder but didn't roll instead I sorta slide and ate a lot of arena dirt. I ended up spraining my shoulder. I wanted to get back on but I fell so hard it knocked the breath out of me and I was really dizzy for about 15 minutes so I felt it would be better if I didn't fall off again.



Both times happened so fast I didn't realize it happened until I hit the ground. Neither of them really hurt, much. I still ride all the time falling doesn't faze me I just hop back on and try again.



As for that girl either she is lying about never falling or her time will come. One of these days she will push her luck and fall. luckily for you you have it out of the way and now you know what you need to fix she is just waiting to find out her mistake. :D

Answer 13

Oh gosh, my first fall was VERY embarrassing. I was in my first jumping clinic, taught in a group by a prestigious rider with some French name I don't remember:) Anyway, I was having some problems before he asked us to drop our stirrups. Usually, dropping my stirrups at a trot isn't a problem, but I was really nervous. So, I drop my stirrups, and a second later, I've landed quite awkwardly on the grass. I sat there a second before got up to chase my pony, not knowing that I wasn't supposed to do that. He just stared at me. Once I got back on my pony, he acted like it was the first time I ever rode a horse. Humiliating.

Answer 14

My first fall was off a little flea bitten grey pony called Happy. She was the alpha mare in the herd so always wanted to be in front and one day we went on a hack and my instructor was riding her big TB who was obviously faster than a little pony so they overtook us. Happy was not so happy bout that lol so started galloping and we were coming up to a fence so I tried turning her in a circle and then just as I wasn't expecting it she turned sharply. I landed with my head on a rock but by some miracle was completely fine. :)



I've fallen off lots more after that. The worst was when my horse went crazy and had a bucking fit and I was knocked out for a bit, dragged, stepped on and ended up with a concussion and hairline fracture in my wrist but still got straight on afterwards lol



Ignore the other girl. Believe me she will fall off eventually so if she thinks she's better than you she has something coming

Answer 15

hmm well I am 15 now.. my first fall was when i was 9 (of coarse every time i fall now its once a year and its the worst falls you could possibly imagine)

I was riding my friends ex race horse named Raven. We were doing really good till he tripped and I squeezed and he took off. I had loose reins so i couldnt stop he just kept going faster and faster and you know how fast race horses run! So I jumped off and hit the metal pipe railing. Of coarse me being the unusual 9 year old my shoe fell off and i was standing up with a dislocated shoulder screaming *my shoe!!!!!!!* So yeah.



Also my worst fall.. I have only fallen off.. 4 times. There has only been one small little fall that I didnt even get a scratch on.



My 2 other falls.. well u can message me for that one haha

Answer 16

Well thats good you didin't get hurt on your first fall. Thats how it always is, seems like it happens so fast, like it was a dream that never happend.



hmmm...My first fall im not sure, i think it was when i was riding a pony, we were trotting over poles, and he got excited and took off across the poles, i lost my stirrups, then he cut a sharp turn and i fell off. He stopped as soon as he realized i fell off, they always say that a good horse will stop after you fall off. not sure if i agree with it though. But i didnt get hurt and got right back on and finished my lesson.



I've fallen off to many times to count, i can't remember anymore.



Well i was riding my mare bareback one day and fell off on my rib cage, but just got bruises. I was also riding her once down our dirt road bareback and she took off, and let me tell ya she can run fast. I fell off and got road burn down my face and a headache. I also fell off her once when she refused a jump and landed on the jump. There was also once when my stirrup got caught on a gate and she took off dragging the gate behind her and i fell off on my back. Nothing ever serious though, I've never gotten hurt that bad falling off.



My worst fall was probably the one with the gate, or the road burn on my face one. The worst though is whenevr a horse under you falls, thats happend to me a couple times.



Don't worry about her, just ignore her. She'll probably fall off eventually, almost everybody falls off at least once, she wont thinks shes all high and mighty then. Always get back on the horse after you fall off, don't be scared, they can sense when your scared and take advantage of it.

Answer 17

I don't know if this classifies as a fall was, but when I was riding this lovely 16hh thoroughbred at a group lesson and we were trotting without stirrups and suddenly my leg crossed over his hindquaters and i kinda half jumped onto the ground and landed on my feet by accident =)

now that i think of it , it makes me laugh =)

Answer 18

my first fall was when i was 5, i was riding an 18.2 ex racehorse who had been retired for a long time, but he was very gentle, and sweet, but he was scared of loud noises, and the door at the place where i was taking lessons didn't have one of those things where the door closes on its own, so it was a windy day, and somebody forgot to shut the door behind them and the wind grabbed the door and slammed it shut, so the horse that i was riding took off at kentucky derby speeds and i fell off. thats all i remeber about it. if this girl gives you crap about falling off, you know what? you are the real rider she isn't. because you've learned something and she hasn't don't talk to her. hope this helps ♥

Answer 19

Glad to hear ur okay!! i cant remember my first fall cause i was 3. loll but the furthest back fall i can remember was when i was 7!! i was on my showjumper banna and we were competing. i fell off onto the wing and broke my arm (i also had bad timing) i had camp the same week and had to go to camp with a cast on my arm!! lol