Horse riding accidents?

Question

I want to start riding again, but I heard a few scary stories about horse riding accidents. My dad knows someone who's daughter died because she broke her neck falling off. She was a good rider. Also what happened to Christopher Reeve. I want to start again so badly, but hearing about these accidents is scary. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

Dont let these scary stories scare you from riding. If you take lessons and learn how to be a good rider and know what to do in case your horse spooks, bucks, rears up, then more than likely you will have a good time. However the freak accident does occur like chris reeves. But jumping is a very dangerous sport. I suggest riding western since the western saddle is easier to ride in and you have ahorn to hang on to. I do barrel racing and have had my fair share of spills, but none very serious. But one bit of advice i have to share with you. If you think wearing a helmet will save your life, sometimes it will, however, all the times I have fallen off a helmet has not saved my shoulder from getting dislocated or my ankle from getting sprained.

Answer 2

I hear the stories and I get a little unseated myself after over 11 years in the saddle, but it has never stopped me. The enjoyment I get out of riding is far greater than the risk. Compared to driving, I get little if any pleasure from it, however I risk my life every day when I get in my car.

Scary things can happen undersaddle. It's a fact of life, however I've had more scary moments behind the wheel than I have had in the saddle. And get this, I've been riding longer than I've been behind the wheel of a car. I've not had a serious fall unless getting the wind knocked out of me is serious. If you are responsible and have a good trainer you will not get hurt with any life threatening injuries unless by the hand of God and that is where freak accidents come in, which regardless, it's your time.

The rearing story above is a sad story and I hate to say it, but it could have been prevented if the rider was taught how to ride a rearing horse. Pulling back is a cardinal sin and that is what resulted in the horse falling backwards, which can cause death or horrible injuries. A habitual rearing horse is never a safe horse.

Finally, what happened to Chris Reeves will almost certainly never happen to you. First of all because he was competing Cross Country. Those jumps don't move and they don't collapse so you're basically hitting a wall when you get thrown from a refusing horse. A lot of cross country riders are injured because of those jumps, so if you aren't doing cross country you'll be fine. Second, Chris Reeves was only wearing a Hunt Cap, not an approved helmet, which basically means, his hunt cap was useless in protecting his head and was only used for fashion.

Most riding injuries are head injuries, which are killers if you are not wearing a helmet! Always wear a helmet!

Finally, don't let scary things keep you from living your life. When your old and can no longer do much of anything, your memories of your fun times will be all you have left to look back on.
What do you want to look back on?

Answer 3

I've been riding for 15 years, since i was 3. I have had some pretty bad falls. I once fell off over a 5'3 jump, and snapped 3 disks in my back. I was pernounced paralyzed in both my arms and in my left leg. About 3 weeks later, I was perfectly fine and started riding again. Lol. But recently, I had gone to the hampton classics, and my horse freaked out 15 minutes before i was supposed to ride; my foot got caught in the stirrup and i was dragged and i broke my left leg in 6 places. I'm still on crutches. However, riding is a dangerous sport and horses are undectectable animals so you would never suspect anything that happens. Take a chance. I say, if you havent had a bad fall, you aren't a good rider. Have a good time and dont let being scared hold you back!

Answer 4

Accidents do happen any time anywhere. People slip in the bathtub and drown - people get hit by cars crossing the street. I was 4 years old and broke my collar bone getting bucked off a Shetland pony. I had a friend in High School who was riding a horse; the horse spooked, she fell off hitting her head on a rock and drowned. The horse didn't kill her, nor did the rock - she drowned in the river.

I broke my neck in a rear-end auto collision - whiplash caused the bone to fracture. No impact was needed.

There is NO reason not to ride if you want to. If your Dad doesn't want you to ride it is probably because he is concerned for you and your safety. I would recommend that you take lessons from a very good trainer and have your Dad come and watch you - this would ease his fears. Maybe you could even get him to take a couple of lessons with you if he doesn't ride now - that could help as well.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

I won't deny that accidents happen I have been to the er more than once from incidents with a horse BUT people get killed in cars all the time are you going to stay out of them because of it. Get a horse that you can handle. My advice is to find one that is a little older ( 10-15 ) that has been kid ridden and broke. Most of these horses anyone can ride and they are a good starter horse. As you gain confidence and experience then you can move up to a faster fiestier horse. My 8 year old daughter got her ear bit off by her brothers horse this spring and she still gets out and rides and has started doing barrels. It is all about the horse and hiding your fear from it. Good luck.

Answer 6

stuff happens, i mean that you're not going to die by falling off your horse and breaking your neck unless God is ready for you. You can't let fear run u away from doing something that u want to do that badly. just start out again walking the horse or a light trot. I think riding again will help u get over the fear of having a riding accident

Answer 7

You could try going to a riding instructor and starting on an older horse. If you tell the instructor your problem, they would know exactly which horse to put you on. I've owned several horses from the age 6 to 25 and have never got into an accident. Neither have my friends.

Answer 8

The thing with horses is everybody gets hurt, it happens, but you know what everybody that has ever had a kitten has gotten scratched...The majority of people get up dust off their butts, and pride and get back on. It is a small small number that get hurt seriously...kinda like I don't know that many people that have died of ragging kitten attacks either. At the same time I am NOT saying that you don't have to use common sense and safety when working with horses as they are not pets but livestock. Just be safe and have fun with it all.

Answer 9

I believe the old saying, "If you fall off the horse you have to get back on again" would be the one to follow here. There's always danger in anything you do, if you want to do something, then give it a shot. Horse riding accidents aren't that common, otherwise there wouldn't be so many people riding them.

Answer 10

My very first horse accident story that lead me into hospital.

I was 11. I Just bought my mare in October 1996. She had "training" but she sat in her stall when the trainer returned her back home. They were selling her, so I bought her by a friend told me about it.

December 29th, 1996 myself, my step sister, a friend of ours and step dad all rode on the trail to a park on the other side of down. It was about a mile and half out when the rain started again. The ground was wet. My mare had a habit of rearing if she didn't get her way by wanting to go back home. (barn sour as they call it).

She reared up. I pulled the reins up towards me chest than down to my hips (so can tuck the head under and then able to turn her in circle). She lost her footing do to that and she feel on top of me.

Almost 1,200 pounds went onto my left side. I woke up when the ambulance and firefighters where there. The last thing I saw was my horse being lead by my friend and step sister leading my step dad's so he can ride in the ambulance with me.

The doctor thought my back was broken until x-ray showed I only had a spine injury.

I also had: 2 broken left ribs, left colasp lung and 2 breaks in my left pelvic, which later x-ray's showed a 3rd crack 2 months later.

I was in there for 4 days and was able to go home on strict rules that I do not ride and need therapy. I couldn't walk or anything. I developed amonia.

My mom was going to sell my horse due to that fear. However, my social worker told my mom I need my mare to heal and to not develope a fear.

With in 3 weeks I was getting on my mare (I wasn't suppose to. I sneaked since I lied to my trainer, who we hired, that It was ok. Which, it wasn't lol). So, with in 2 months I was riding. Which further injured me a little but my passion was to ride and not develop a fear.

You need to know that horses are horses. They don't come with instructions nor come with "what will be next". Just as you ride in a car, get on a rollercoaster or walk across the street, everything you do is a potential "accident" to happen.

I sure have had a lot more accidents with her and my other horses. Yet, over the years those accidents help me enhance my riding skills. I know now what is "dangerous" and what can "upset" my horse. I try to avoid situations or quickly learn how to adjust to a bad situation for myself and my horse.

It takes time to learn. I had skin torn off all my left hand, pinki repeatly broken, knocked down, thrown down, trampled on, thrown into things, kicked in my chest, legs and hands bit.

Part of owning a horse.

You just need to know where your passion is in your heart and know that you will take risks. I rather die while doing something I love, than die thinking all the things I didn't do, because of fear.