Getting over a fall
DanaBEE1
I'm a 15 year-old who has been riding for 5 years, mainly competing in
long distance competitive riding. Recently (actually 4 days ago) I went
out for a training ride w/ my horse and adult friend/trainer. We were
just about home after a hour and a half hard ride and were walking the
last bit home to get the horses cooled off. My horse was extremely
relaxed and we were on a dirt road very close to home when he bolted
straight into the air (not a buck, his head was up) and I could not keep
my seat for the life of me. I ended up taking a hard fell, hitting my
head first and then absorbing the rest of the shock w/ my wrist, shoulder,
elbow, and hip. Luckily I had my helmet on, when I looked at it later it
had cracked from the force. I ended up walking the horse home by hand and
then going directly to the hospital to have x-rays on my wrist.
Fortunately, again, there were no fractures, just extreme strains (have to
wear a splint), many bruises, and a large abrasion on my elbow. Because I
could not (in the condition I was in) go back and work my horse past the
spot he "spooked", my trainer took him out but he had no reaction when
passing the spot where he earlier threw me and she could not find anything
that would have spooked him. Also, it is too early in the season for
stinging insects.
What my main concern is, is that I might not be able to bring myself to
get back onto the horse. He has NEVER done anything like this, and has
always been extremely reliable. I have taken numerous falls before, just
never on him and I have never been injured. I am feeling really ackward
about this, because I have always been a very confident rider, alert, good
seat, and willing to keep working to get any problems worked out, or goals
accomplished. I know that if I want to continue w/ my summer plans
(Michigan Shore to Shore Trail Ride and also Distance Competitions), I
can't take much time off in order to get my horse in shape. I was
wondering if anyone had any advice about overcoming the fear of re-injury
and taking falls. Giving up horses is something I definately don't want
to do (especially after all of my savings have been put into it! :)) but
I was just really shaken up by this since it was so unexpected. When it
happened, he was doing a steady, calm walk and I was alert to the
surroundings. Any advice is *greatly* appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Dana (my e-mail address is Dana...@aol.com, or you can just post a
message here)
Bob Markey
Dana,
My thoughts are with you. 3 weeks ago my 3yo did one of those spooks-
out-of-nowhere things and dumped me on my head as well. And, like you,
I was pretty frieked about it. Couldn't get right back on (couldn't
even stand up without being dizzy!), was really scared. I'm getting
over it. Here are some things that helped.
A friend rode her for me for a couple of days. Someone who is not ever
backed off by silliness (which she is slightly prone to being only 3)
and who could give her some good positive forward rides no matter what.
My friend's confidence in her helped me to build my own.
My first ride on her was in a lesson with my teacher who watched me
every second of the ride. I knew she was right there with me which I
really needed at the time.
I told everyone how scared I was - and got incredible support from
everyone. Each day at the barn 3 or 4 friends would ask how it was
going, encourage me, tell me how brave I was, etc. etc.
Sending my helmet back to Lexington (mine was not obviously cracked on
the outside) and hearing back that it was cracked and needed to "be
destroyed" put some closure on the head injury part of it for me. (I'd
been knocked out. A first for me, but my 4th concussion.)
My new helmet arrived just as I was starting to feel a bit more
confidence. (BTW, if your helmet is a Lexington, they will replace it
if you send it back to them.)
I got some wonderful support from people on the net! Some suggestions
for dealing directly with fear while I was riding - I'd be glad to
forward those to you if you want them. I did a lot of breathing and
trying to clear my mind.
Getting hurt is a tough thing to get over. Having your horse do
something really wacko that only a horse understands is also pretty
un-nerving (literally). Go out there and do some riding where you feel
safe (maybe in a ring for a few days) and slowly, slowly, your
confidence will improve. Oh, also I rode another horse one day to just
remind myself that I can ride (part of that was the difference between
riding an older horse and a baby - riding the older horse gave me the
opportunity to work on my position a bit).
A couple of weeks ago I thought I'd never look forward to a ride again
but I'm getting much more relaxed and enjoying my horse.
Good luck, it will come.
Julie
dana...@aol.com (DanaBEE1) wrote:
>I'm a 15 year-old who has been riding for 5 years, mainly competing in
>long distance competitive riding. Recently (actually 4 days ago) I went
>out for a training ride w/ my horse and adult friend/trainer. We were
>just about home after a hour and a half hard ride and were walking the
>last bit home to get the horses cooled off. My horse was extremely
>relaxed and we were on a dirt road very close to home when he bolted
>straight into the air (not a buck, his head was up) and I could not keep
>my seat for the life of me. I ended up taking a hard fell, hitting my
>head first and then absorbing the rest of the shock w/ my wrist, shoulder,
>elbow, and hip. Luckily I had my helmet on, when I looked at it later it
>had cracked from the force.
snip
>
>What my main concern is, is that I might not be able to bring myself to
>get back onto the horse. He has NEVER done anything like this, and has
>always been extremely reliable. I have taken numerous falls before, just
>never on him and I have never been injured. I am feeling really ackward
>about this,
snip
Robby Johnson
DanaBEE1 <dana...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19970406014...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
<snip cause of concern>
> What my main concern is, is that I might not be able to bring myself to
> get back onto the horse. He has NEVER done anything like this, and has
> always been extremely reliable. I have taken numerous falls before, just
> never on him and I have never been injured. I am feeling really ackward
> about this, because I have always been a very confident rider, alert,
good
> seat, and willing to keep working to get any problems worked out, or
goals
> accomplished.
<snip request for advice>
Dana:
You've learned at 15 what I've learned at 25 - that you can get hurt when
you fall! My best advice is not to push yourself. If it requires you just
starting off walking then do that. Eventually you'll get your courage
back. It sounds like your horse may have spooked at one of those invisible
things - he doesn't sound nasty (like my old horse was). Sometimes when
we're coming off a great trail ride we tend to lose sight of the fact that
we're astride and that's probably why you couldn't maintain your seat.
But you know what? It's happened to me and probably zillions of other
posters on this newsgroup. If your problem persists, don't be afraid to
speak to a sports psychiatrist. Therapy is not a bad thing and sometimes
you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Good luck!!
--
Robby Johnson
"God I can't wait to buy another horse"
cap96
<unexpected bad fall snipped>
>What my main concern is, is that I might not be able to bring myself to
>get back onto the horse. He has NEVER done anything like this, and has
>always been extremely reliable. I have taken numerous falls before, just
>never on him and I have never been injured. I am feeling really ackward
>about this, because I have always been a very confident rider, alert, good
>seat, and willing to keep working to get any problems worked out, or goals
>accomplished. I know that if I want to continue w/ my summer plans
>(Michigan Shore to Shore Trail Ride and also Distance Competitions), I
>can't take much time off in order to get my horse in shape. I was
>wondering if anyone had any advice about overcoming the fear of re-injury
>and taking falls. Giving up horses is something I definately don't want
>to do (especially after all of my savings have been put into it! :)) but
>I was just really shaken up by this since it was so unexpected. When it
>happened, he was doing a steady, calm walk and I was alert to the
>surroundings.
Dana,
been there, done that, and I know damn well how you feel.
It's entirely up to you. If your love of horses is greater than your fear of
another bad fall, you're definitely not going to give up riding. It will take
some time to get your confidence back, and you're bound to overreact in
certain situations for some time. I've had two kinds of bad falls - some I
knew why they happened, and can't really blame the horse, in which case I had
no trouble at all riding them again. If you know *WHY* a horse throws you
(asked too much, pressure, or unexpected events), it's easy to avoid it in the
future. You may be very apprehensive to get back on (especially if you *know*
it can happen again), but I find that fairly easy.
There are, however, a few horses that have thrown me I would never mount again
- horses where I don't know 'what hit me' or horses where I know they do it on
purpose and there's nothing I can do to prevent it. Luckily, I never owned
them. I don't know how I would feel about it if it were my own. you can, of
course, always consider selling him.
Are you attached enough to this horse that you want to keep him *despite* the
fact that you don't know the reason for his behaviour? Can you find it out?
Don't get talked into giving up riding, it's not more dangerous than crossing
the road, but only do things YOU feel safe with. Let me put it this way - NOT
being afraid would be a very, very silly reaction - you're just a perfectly
normal human being. The more you ride, the easier it gets, and the next time
you take an easy fall it'll helpo you no end. (Nice advice, I know, but it's
true).
I wish you a speedy recovery and lots of fun with your horse - any horse.
Catja
Catja Pafort
Institute of Earth Studies
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
http://www.aber.ac.uk/~cap96
"Even less significant events have their own Horsemen. For example, the Four
Horsemen of the Common Cold are Sniffles, Chesty, Nostril and Lack of
Tissues." (Terry Pratchett)
Sending me spam is a waste of time and money. My time, your money.
David L. Inkster
In article <19970406014...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
dana...@aol.com says...
>
>
, I
>can't take much time off in order to get my horse in shape. I was
>wondering if anyone had any advice about overcoming the fear of
re-injury
>and taking falls. Giving up horses is something I definately don't want
>to do (especially after all of my savings have been put into it! :))
but
>I was just really shaken up by this since it was so unexpected. When it
>happened, he was doing a steady, calm walk and I was alert to the
time.
>
>Dana (my e-mail address is Dana...@aol.com, or you can just post a
>message here)
careful at that spot for a while. We all take spills and that is part of
horses.I hope you dont stop rideing . You will take many more spills and
that is that. Be Brave and remember this There never was a hoss that
couldn't be rode. There never was a cowboy that couldn't be throwed.
Cowboy in Hawaii.. GOOD LUCK!!
acs...@aol.com
>
><unexpected bad fall snipped>
>
>>What my main concern is, is that I might not be able to bring myself to
>>get back onto the horse. He has NEVER done anything like this, and has
>>always been extremely reliable. I have taken numerous falls before, just
>>never on him and I have never been injured. I am feeling really ackward
>>about this, because I have always been a very confident rider, alert, good
>>seat, and willing to keep working to get any problems worked out, or goals
>>accomplished. I know that if I want to continue w/ my summer plans
>>(Michigan Shore to Shore Trail Ride and also Distance Competitions), I
>>can't take much time off in order to get my horse in shape. I was
>>wondering if anyone had any advice about overcoming the fear of re-injury
>>and taking falls. Giving up horses is something I definately don't want
>>to do (especially after all of my savings have been put into it! :)) but
>>I was just really shaken up by this since it was so unexpected. When it
>>happened, he was doing a steady, calm walk and I was alert to the
>>surroundings.
>
>
Don't be ashamed to go back to basics with an instructor you trust.Just taking things slowly can do wonders. Get off if and when you feel like it. It doesn't matter that it happened at a walk or a
full gallop. A fall that unnerves needs to be worked through.
Rebuliding confidence is not a question of "putting it behind you" as another poster states. Take things one step at a time and don't dismiss your fears as silly or stupid. They're not. Also,
seeking professional help if you feel you need it is good advice.
Good luck,
Anne
Pprovenz
I got dumped 4 weeks ago, actually once 5 weeks ago and then again the
following week. I was in a lesson both times, the first fall over a 2
foot vertical where she threw in a short stride after taking off too soon,
and I did a somersault over the top. So the following week I was nervous
anyway and she was cranky-did I mention I was giving her 2 pounds of
Omolene 300 daily on top of her Purina 100 pellets to put weight on her
with the vet's agreement? So the third time I went over a 1 foot jump,
she bucked as we landed, I went up on her neck, wrapped my arms around
her, and she took off. I landed on my shoulder, my helmet grazed by a
hoof (and sent back to Troxel for replacement). I went out on a
stretcher, and will never forget being in the ambulance checking if I
could feel my toes, turn my head, etc. I broke 3 ribs and punctured a
lung but consider myself extremely fortunate. I can't ride for another 3
weeks and I am a little nervous, but can't wait. I discontinued the
Omolene and I have promised my family and boss to quit jumping, but not
riding.
KBanning
I'm right there w/ you! I went over a line consisting of , 1' bounce
jumps to a 1 stride 18" vertical; jumped ahead of my "otherwise,
caretaking, boy" and when he jumped big (as he always does) I ended up on
his neck, spuring him to "go faster". I bailed off into a pretty safe
corner. Hit dirt w/ my face, then hit hard back of my head, right hip
area. Asked some questions, which I answered o.k. - name, address, kids
name, etc. - then got back on, trotted the arena and did the same line
twice in great form. OK, scarry part - don't remember anything from that
week except the neck thing! I had a concussion from the fall.
Apparently, I was asking and reasking same questions and was taken to the
hospital.
These weren't the hardest jumps I've done - but man, how frightening!
This happened on April 1st (yeah, I know!) and I was back on him a week
later and more nervous than a cat! Since then, he's been really nervous
too! jumpy, not working off my leg, etc. Not just for me, but for
trainer too! It's put me in a spot where I don't want to ride alone and
that's really not like me - I ususally enjoy having the entire indoor
areana to myself. I guess it will just take time, but when your horse is
making you afraid, it's NO FUN! Let me know how you do!
Foxhuntres
similar thing happened to me...ended up selling the best horse i ever
owned because of a bad fall..sorry i did it but still have trouble getting
back in the saddle.
SandMotif
I am recovering from a similar problem. I won't discuss so much how it
happened but in short I was the end product of a refusal and cut my right
thigh on the jump cup pin. The fall itself was not too serious, but I can
recognize some of the nervousness that all of you who wrote about your
experiences did.
Some of the things that help me with nervousness is not just positivity
but imagining yourself completing the task before you in the most perfect
way you can. Reliable horses (or just any different horse) help out, too.
Confidence takes a lot of time but I think that it is vital to success on
horseback. If you have a trainer, he or she should be an encouragement.
So do anything you can to enjoy riding to the utmost.
Susan Fuller
SandMotif wrote:
A new book came out called "Overcoming the Fear of Riding" It has
quotes from riders such as Bruce Davidson. It helps the rider unlearn
hegative thinking and rationally assess risk as well as converting the
fear into a positive performance. sus...@bweb.net
--
MZ
Cliopia
Ok, here is my suggestion, 2 really.
1)Jump again, very small things but concentrate on one aspect. Really
think about keeping your heels down. Don't think about the jump itself
but just super think "HEELS DOWN", "HEELS DOWN", "HEELS WAY DOWN".
2)Have someone video tape you (don't think about them taping) and just
watch it over and over and over and redo in your mind your ride.
Mia
DanaBEE1
Thanks for the advice...I really appreciated hearing from everyone! Good
luck on your own situation.
*Just a side note...I have gotten back on and am riding! :)
Dana
Hitch
Dear Dana:
Having just come back to this group recently, didn't see your original
post. My only advice (from one who knows all too well) is to take it VERY
slowly. My mistake (25 years ago) was to get back on, (a few days later)
and ride out rest of show season in upper-body brace. My boys (geldings)
knew there was something drastically wrong with me, and were angels...but I
was never the same. I was 17 at the time. At the end of the season, I got
off the horse after my last class, handed the reins to my trainer (which I
NEVER did); told him to sell the tack and everything else, and retired two
perfectly splendid jumpers. 25 years later...I'm still jumpy. Can work
around horses; can walk and trot without problems; but at the canter, (does
it remind me of jumping? The oxer that took me out? WHAT?) I'm tensing up
badly.
I don't know anything about the "power of positive thinking," or any of
that...not sure I believe in it, overall. What I would recommend most is
going very slowly; ride an animal in which you have complete and utter
confidence, flatwork only, until you feel like you'll burst if you DON'T
jump. Don't make the mistake I made. If you push it, you might, like me,
find that it comes back to haunt you. I was once someone who rode as
naturally as I breathed...and now I'm not. Period. Oh, yes...I'd fallen
off a bunch of times in 11 years, but it never fazed me - until I got badly
hurt. And if your confidence is shaken (I'm assuming so from reading the
other responses you got), your judgment on approaches and the bump is going
to be rattled. This could lead to other problems - refusals, etc., which
could damage your confidence even further.
I sincerely hope you do well. Best of luck,
Hitch
DanaBEE1 <dana...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19970427034...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
Pprovenz
I fell off my horse 10 weeks ago, breaking 3 ribs and puncturing a lung
while jumping. It was the second fall in one week, and I couldn't ride
for 7 weeks. Having been back these past 3 weeks, and having promised my
family and boss not to jump anymore, I feel my confidence growing and our
partnership returning. I've lost my nerve to jump and probably won't look
for it anyway, but I am enjoying getting back up to speed-literally. My
dad taught me to drive at my confidence level-applies to riding, too.