Horsin' Around?

Question

I am wondering if anyone has ever been hurt or injured by a horse. Please share your story :) I love horses and have been in riding lessons for about a year. A couple weeks ago I almost fell off my horse and have been terrified to get back on ever since. I feel like I am putting too much trust in this animal and that at 2000 pounds, this animal that I love could seriously injure or even kill me. Please share your story with me. I feel like maybe this sport just isn't for me. I am interested in knowing other rider's experiences with horses and being bucked off, on a rearing horse, a horse spooking out while riding, or simply losing balance and falling off. Were you hurt? Did you ride again? Thanks everyone for your input!

Answer 1

Yeah, I've fallen off so many times i stopped counting years ago. I think the worst fall ive ever had was about 5yrs ago. at the time i was doing alot of backing/schooling of young horses and the one colt i was riding was spooked by a truck on the road. he bolted with me, and slipped on the tarmac, it was pretty nasty, fortunately he was fine, i however landed up in hospital with a fractured knee, broken collarbone and a couple of broken ribs, not to mention some pretty hectic looking roasties!!! I started riding again after about 4months...pretty much only because thats how long it took for my knee to come right.
Falling off is a part of riding. Horses dont buck or rear for absolutely no reason. Usually there's something worrying them.
I'm always a little bit nervous, especially when riding a horse for the first time, because you dont know what that horse is like. however if you're truly passionate about riding then you wont let one minor fall stop you. I remember my mom telling me when i first learnt how to ride "It takes 7 falls before you can call yourself a rider"....now im not sure how true that is, but i can say that i dont fall off for the same reason twice, i always learn from my errors.
I guess it's up to you at the end of the day. I can tell you for certain that this isnt the last time you'll fall off, and im sure that you wont be as lucky sometimes, as with ANY sport injuries do happen. When i was first learning how to jump, i fell off and broke my arm, it was 2 years before i felt brave enough to go over a jump again, and then proceeded to spend the following 4 yrs competing through the grades. i only gave up showjumping becuase i had to sell my horse.
So really its up to you. You can read all the horror stories and give yourself nightmares or you can ignore all this and decide that horses and riding are your passions and take the highs with the lows.....i really hope for YOUR sake that you get back on. because riding horses is truly one of the most AWESOME sports/hobbies in the world!

Oh...and another thing, next time you fall off, get back on STRAIGHT AWAY!!!!, even if you break your arm or whatever, your instructure should have made you get back on immediately. this is a GREAT way of not losing your confidence, even if you just get back on and walk around the ring a couple of times and THEN get off.

Anyways.....i hope this has helped you.

Answer 2

I was riding a hanoverian in Germany who tried to kill me. He tried to jump a pony (rider on top) and lost his balance when I jerked him back- I fell in the gravel and have scars down my arm. He then knocked me off on a low branch (he jumped up to meet it) and I fractured a rib or 2. 2 weeks later I was riding again.
Falling is really the way to learn. If you have only been riding for a year, you have a lot of falling to do. They will also get easier with time. My first years of riding I probably fell off at least 15 times until I got a good seat. By the end of that, you know how to fall on your butt instead of your head (I cracked 3 helmets in half) Then again, I ride draft and draft crosses primarily and they are a bit taller- farther to the ground.
So you own a horse? Try to stick with one that you know and trust if you are just starting out. Don't ride one that bucks, rears, etc. Be aware that most horses do not want to hurt you. Anytime I fell, the horses always jumped over me or stopped. Horseback riding is a high risk sport. Stick with a calm horse and calm disciplines and you can decrease that risk, but everyone will fall sometimes, and most of them aren't really bad falls.
It takes a while to build up your confidence again after a fall or a near fall, but just take it slow and everyone feels nervous about falling off, no matter how many times they do it. But, as the saying goes, you just need to jump back up in the saddle and ride. If it makes you feel better, the horses you are riding are probably closer to 1000 lbs. My horse, a full draft, is at about 1800, though they can go up to 2200+.

Answer 3

Actually yes, I have been injured by a being thrown from my horse. I was out riding and my horse was acting up. I wanted to lope and went to kick her into that gait, but she stumbled and I lost my stirrup.I bruised some of my kidneys and it hurt alot. The other time was with a friend. I was loping down a road with one of my friends. My horse was again acting up. She loped off into the ditch and stopped immediately. I lost my stirrup but i didn't fall off. Instead my stomach landed right on the saddle horn and I had a bruise for about a week. So these are my encounters with my horse. I got back on after my first fall, even though I said that I would never ride again. You have to trust the horse inorder to ride again. Just start by going out to the barn and talking to your horse..Then slowly but surely start taking little rides,and if you don't feel all that comfortable out in the open, ride in the round pen. Never be afraid of your horse. He can sense that and might become terrified of you. Good luck with your horse.

Answer 4

Well, I have been hurt more times then I can count too. The first time I fell off was when I was 7 years old. My horse spooked on a trail ride and I fell off. It scared me but I got right back on. Since then I have been stepped on, bitten, kicked, jumped on(long story), struck at, and bucked off. I work with only "problem" horses, at least that is what their previous owners called them, so I deal with a whole lot of dangerous situations with horses. They are not out to hurt you but they will do what it takes to protect themselves if they feel threatened. My advise is to not be afraid and get back on, at least that is what I do.

Answer 5

I had a horse spook, rear, fall and roll over me many years ago. I was lucky only to have a mild concussion and a few cracked ribs (thank God for deep mud). And this was caused by human error. (Someone was trying to spook another horse by honking their horn and my colt reacted instead). And it did take me awhile to get where every little snort did not make me nervous. And I had been riding for years when the accident happened. Very few horses will try and hurt you on purpose. But all horses can react to a scary situation, and this can be equally scary to you. I would suggest going to John Lyons website and reading the article about his wife and her terror of horses. And how she overcame it. I also have a copy that I would be glad to send to you. Just email me. Good Luck and I hope you do not give up on riding.

Answer 6

Hi, i came off my horse a few years ago just as she got into a gallop... so i fell hard. Lucky the dirt was soft and I only winded myself and passed out for a few seconds (my friend thought I was dead!) When i came round, i got straight back on the horse, because I have always been told that that is what you do. I got off again almost as quickly...LOL
I walked the horse back to the stables in a very dizzy state and then drove home! Very silly I know. But I was very lucky to escape my fall with only a jarred shoulder. It was sore for a few days, but there was no stopping me from getting back on my horse.

Answer 7

Wow horses are beautiful animals don't get me wrong but I work at a barn and i know the dangers of being around horses. Not too long ago i got stepped on from being too close, that was one close insident. I haven't got thrown off...yet. I've been almost bitten by the horse i was going to ride and that day she was MAD. so of course i was scared too. but i rode her and sometimes horses have bad days like us. if you almost fell off the question is was the horse trying to throw you or were you not on the right way. thats a question you have to ask yourself! like my boss told me "a horse is an acccident waiting to happen" i hope you get back on your horse!!

Answer 8

Hi, I think that most people who own horses have had at least one accident. I had one years ago that left me afraid to canter. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful friend who put me on her old horse and help me work thru this problem. I find now that I enjoy trail riding far more then showing. I can go at my own pace and have a wonderful old quarter horse gelding to ride. If you truely love horses and want to be with them you can always look at smaller horses, or a different disicpline. Good luck.

Answer 9

I have been hurt so many times I can't even count them.
They are large fast and powerful animals.
Each one is an individual and must be treated with due respect.

Every time I get hurt. It's my fault. I've been doing this for years.
Most horses are incredibly loving and have no intetion to hurt you.
In fact I've had some worry and cry... A few that simply stood over me and protected me.

Don't be afraid. They have much to give.
But know what you are doing. Accedents can be brutal.
There is nothing wrong with taking precations.
Find out what it is you did wrong. Correct it or better yet find an expert to help you correct it.

Answer 10

Years ago, when I was vaulting ( gymnastics on horseback), I came off, and fell right between the horses legs. She was cantering, and jumped over me. Horses don't just try to hurt you, they usually watch out, when you fall off of them. But of course, there are those horses, which have learned by humans to be harmful. If horses are trained well, they will respect humans, and won't just hurt them on purpose.