How to avoid getting hurt by falling off your horse

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Falling off your horse is almost inevitable if you ride often and knowing how to do it is important to avoid getting hurt or dying. Falling is an event that can cost anything from simple embarrassment to actual death. If you practice horse riding, it is almost automatic that you will fall sooner or later. To avoid hurting yourself, especially to the head, ribs and internal organs, and to avoid frightening your horse, in addition to trying to keep it calm, you must learn to take the right precautions: you can thus reduce the risks for yourself. and for the horse.

Steps

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 1

Step 1. Always wear a riding helmet when riding

The helmet prevents the worst damage to the ground. MAKE SURE IT'S YOUR SIZE! Have it checked by a professional when you buy it and continue to take care of the padding!

Do not use a bicycle helmet. Many do, but bicycle helmets are specific to protect you from crashes with the bicycle and not from falls from a horse

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 2

Step 2. Choose clothing suitable for riding, such as boots with soles and a flat heel so as not to get stuck in the stirrups (if it happens and you fall off the horse with your foot in the stirrup you could be dragged to death), a helmet, long pants like the jeans o long breeches, riding gloves, reins with safety clips, leggings and protection for the ribs and internal organs.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 3

Step 3. Use suitable brackets, safety and anti-slip rubber bar

The bands come in different colors and the safety bands have different designs, but they are all made to prevent the foot from getting stuck in the event of a fall. Even with the safety stirrups make sure you keep your heels down - better to be safe than sorry.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 4

Step 4. Relax

In the time between leaving the saddle and touching the ground, straining your muscles will greatly limit the body's natural ability to absorb impact.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 5

Step 5. Check that the harnesses fit well, that they are not too tight or worn and that they do not rub against the animal

It could be why the horse reacts.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 6

Step 6. Check if the horse is in pain anywhere as this is usually the main reason for unsaddling

Run your hand all over the body and if the horse shows any signs of distress, call the vet.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 7

Step 7. If your horse starts having tantrums, you need to make sure he doesn't get too carried away

It's the little things that matter and lead to the big ones if they are not dealt with right away when the horse misbehaves.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 8

Step 8. Keep your arms folded

The same thing for the legs. The instinct is to spread the arms, but if the elbows are locked, there is a good chance of breaking an arm bone. Keep your elbows at an angle and don't strain your muscles.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 9

Step 9. Remember that you must fall safely

Trying to land on your butt can increase your risk of hurting your back, so try to end up with your arms forward if you can. If the horse is tall and you are short, you can try to land on your feet. If you can, use the same kind of force you would use to dismount. If you land on your feet, bend your knees to cushion the impact.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 10

Step 10. Bend over and roll away from the horse

Rolling will lessen the impact and pull you away from your hooves, while bending over will protect your head. Act as if you were going to do a somersault.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 11

Step 11. Learn, once you have finished rolling, to gently move your arms, legs, fingers, toes, head, wrists, And ankles, one limb at a time.

If you feel even the slightest pain, lie down until you get help; moving could be dangerous. If you can get up, do it slowly without straining your body. If you rode with someone, your partner should have been able to retrieve the horse in the meantime.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 12

Step 12. Feel (or control) your horse and hand it over for a while

This way you will find out if you have been injured and do some stretching.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 13

Step 13. Try to understand what happened

Were you going at a wrong pace and lost your balance? In this case you should work on the horse to make sure that it no longer misses the step. Did he get scared by a motorcycle heard in the distance? Take note and stay away from roads or learn to desensitize the horse about what might scare it.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 14

Step 14. Get back in the saddle if you can

This is a very important step, because the later you get back up the harder it will be, so much so that you may never try again.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 15

Step 15. Remember not to punish the animal who probably won't remember what happened

Getting angry wouldn't help.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 16

Step 16. If you hit your head on the ground when you fell, it's best to get a CT scan to make sure you don't have a head injury, and you should also replace your helmet

While it may still appear intact, helmets are made to absorb the force of the impact and hitting the ground can render them ineffective. Many companies replace helmets for free, so keep your receipts and check if you can.

Even if you feel fine after hitting your head, it's still best to get checked out at the hospital

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 17

Step 17. Take a pain reliever

Make sure you eat something or you could put it back and wait four hours before taking a second dose.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 18

Step 18. Prevent the horse from rearing, locking its hind legs. It is done by pulling the head to one side and pushing the hind quarter out. This way, his weight will be on the forequarters and therefore he will not be able to push backwards to rear up! However, do not pull down and back at the same time. DOWN + BACK = somersault

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 19

Step 19. Find a good trainer for your horse and remind him that you are the boss, that if you ask him to do things he usually doesn't do, there will be consequences:

you are the one the horse must trust.

Avoid Injury when Falling off a Horse Step 20

Step 20. If your doctor tells you not to ride a horse for a while, follow his advice until you get better

Advice

Ask the instructor to teach you what to do in case of being unsaddled. This way you will know how to avoid getting hurt or worse.
Mount again or you will be too scared to do it again. However, if you are still sore, wait until you feel better.
Prevent the horse from jumping by making it make tight circles. Never make them too loose or too tight, though.
Think first what to do so you don't fall off.
Bring a charged but unlit cell phone. Make sure you know how many miles you've driven and your vet number. If you are wearing jeans, keep your cell phone in your pocket and clip it at one of the belt loops, or also keep it in your saddle or ankle pocket. Asking for help is more difficult if your cell phone is in the saddle while the horse is running away and you are on the ground.
Better not to walk behind the horse to prevent it from kicking.
Always warm up the horse before mounting or jumping, so that it does not move stiffly and remember to let it cool down after riding or jumping.
Have the horse do the carrot exercise as a warm-up and to prevent him from misbehaving.
When riding in a field or pasture, check that there are no holes so that the horse does not trip and fall.
Never ride alone or at night as it is dangerous.
If you choose to jump, you and your partner should make the jump one at a time. The first person should control the other from a safe distance. Be careful when jumping as this is the most dangerous part of the ride.
When riding, use the safety and non-slip stirrups. They have rubber bands made so that if you fall they do not hurt you, preventing the foot from sliding and therefore falling.
If your horse runs away, make its Emergency Stop.
Always wear a riding helmet, suitable vest, gloves, boots and leggings. Better to be safe than sorry. The vest protects your ribs and internal organs from falling, while the leggings prevent you from slipping off the saddle. Lace-up boots may cause your foot to get stuck in the stirrups. Gloves keep you from losing your reins.
If your horse is afraid of cars, trucks, etc., place his haybag or manger near the road so that he gets used to the noise.
Go to the bathroom before riding.
Before riding, check the weather. If a storm or thunderstorm seems to be brewing, change your plans.
Give him special food to keep him cool and quiet four hours before whipping.
Never ride a horse on a road. If you fall or the horse runs wild, you both risk getting hit by a car. If you really have to be on the road, you will have to wear something reflective!
Go for a rope ride (with someone holding your horse) and ask friends, parents, instructor or anyone else to check on you so they can help you if something goes wrong. Riding alone is not that exciting.

Warnings

Never mount without suitable equipment.
If you lose consciousness for even a few seconds, call an ambulance immediately, even if you feel better afterwards.
If you have your health insurance card, always carry it with you in your pocket so that if you get hurt and someone you don't know stops by, they can help you and know what to do.
If you use safety brackets, bring spare rubber pads in case they break.
Never wrap the reins or the conducting rope around your hands or wrist. If you fall and the horse gallops off while holding them this way, you may be dragged to death or break a bone at best.
Do not be afraid. The horse would sense it. In this case he would be inclined to run and pull you behind. If you are nervous before mounting, take a deep breath.
If you feel that you are about to fall, take your feet off the stirrups so that you fall slowly and try to roll away from the horse's legs if you have time to react.
If you have back pain, do not go back on horseback. Back bumps take time to heal and mounting again could make them worse.
Before riding, try to approach the horse and stroke it to understand what mood it is and if it could hurt you while riding it.
If your horse has a distraction problem, mount it inside an enclosure or pasture to avoid any external agents. The horse may misbehave if he is also distracted by hay.
Give the horse only quality food and rewards such as apples or carrots. Sugar cubes, biscuits and mints will make him hyperactive.
Remember to ride with a companion who will keep you on the rope.
If your horse gets nervous when another horse or rider passes by, stop him, report to your instructor or someone from the stables and dismount, to avoid falling in case the animal gets scared.