How dangerous is horse riding?

[Toffeeapple21]

Obviously appreciate there is a risk (as with lots of things)
But how dangerous do you think horse riding is?
I'm considering getting back into riding but scared of falling and doing myself a nasty injury. How common is it to seriously injure yourself?

Apologies for the negative post, but just wanted some opinions on this.

[saintlyjimjams]

My worst injury was falling off a walking pony (broken arm). I find I'm most at risk of falling off when jumping, so am happy to concentrate on dressage etc

Agree about horses on the ground. My then 5 year old was kicked in the head by a pony and went flying through the air. Luckily he was wearing a hat and apart from bruising to the cheek (where the second hoof made contact) was unharmed. It took a while for my nerves to settle.

I returned to horse riding after a long break, and have found that my lessons now are teaching me to really ride in a way I wasn't taught as a kid. I don't think I ever felt fully in control when riding as a kid (I rode from 4-14) whereas now I feel much more able to cope with spooks, stumbles, stroppy horses, different horse. It's very rewarding to be honest. I do still get nervous before riding but usually relax once I'm on the pony. I do 90% of my riding in an indoor school and feel that's probably about as safe as riding gets (providing you're not jumping). Touch wood, before those words come back to haunt me.

In the 3 years I've been back riding I've fallen off once (cantering on the moor my pony either stumbled or spooked) and have seen one nasty looking accident. That was a weird one as the fall looked okay but the rider really hurt her back.

[sugar4eva]

Of course horse riding is dangerous, and they say you are never a proper rider until youve fallen off. In my opinion if you are fully equipped with a hat, body protector, good/sturdy boots and gloves for grip then you will be fine if you fall, as you are totally protected. The majority of falls are not bad, just a bruise here and there, but some can be aweful. I would try not to worry about falling off too much or else when you ride your nerves will pass on to the horse, which probably means your chances of falling off are higher, so just relax when your in the saddle, because after all riding is such a brilliant sport! good luck!

[sugar4eva]

Oh and also, the first time you get back in the saddle ride a ploddy doppy thing then you will feel safer!

[DENMAN03]

It is dangerous, no doubt about that! I have badly broken my leg in the past and have had many falls during my eventing years.. I actually had a crashing fall on sunday having not fallen off for a couple of years and it bloody hurt! I cant move my neck now and am in a lot of pain. As you get older I dont think I bounce as well.

Having said that, I got back on (eventually) and carried on jumping as I didnt want to end on a bad note. I will replace my hat though as it took a very hard knock and may well think about getting an air jacket as Im sure it would have saved a lot of bruises.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i should not have read this thread! i do however have a risky job so i cant see the point of worrying about the risks of doing something that i love. ive just started lessons and the sense of joy and freedom its giving me is indescribable - so ill carry on and what ever will be will be!

on my second lesson my horse spooked - i think that made me realise that its a free spirited free willed animal im on, not a machine! im careful, have a good fitting hat, and im having proper lessons with a proper and knowledgable instructor - dont htink i can minimise my risks any further.

[Alameda]

my neck still hurts from whenever I last fell, although it was nothing, cantering home, practically home actually, without stirrups when he was surprised by a bit of HAY that had drifted onto the track and spun round to gallop down hill. Hay, for fuck's sake. I flew over his head and landed on mine, as usual. Got up to find him giving the injured 'what? What did I do?' face.

it was ages ago though, maybe am getting old and it's unrelated but it feels the same. Maybe I need to be on bute too.

[NotGoodNotBad]

"In my opinion if you are fully equipped with a hat, body protector, good/sturdy boots and gloves for grip then you will be fine if you fall, as you are totally protected."

Sorry but I don't really agree with this. Sure, they improve your chances of surviving, and surviving without injury, but you can still have a nasty accident, e.g. you can still get knocked out when wearing a hat.

I'm undecided on body protectors actually. I never wear one, though I did buy one recently to try cross-country (still haven't done this, for various reasons including months of rain!) Anyway, I feel very stiff riding in it and would probably be more likely to fall off.

[Plomino]

Yes it's dangerous ( says she on sofa with leg in plaster caused by gross stupidity) . There will always be an element of risk ,even if you stick to hacking , because of the mix of live unpredictable animals , and other road users . However , you can do a lot to minimise risk , and tbh , if I stopped doing everything that was a risk , I'd never leave home .

Normally I do cross country , eventing , that kind of stuff . One of the conditions DH let's me do it , is that I minimise risk as far as possible , bought a point two body protector , and only ride sensible horses. And I'm still injured , by falling off whilst getting on . It couldn't have been a more mundane accident . Sigh .

[NotGoodNotBad]

Lucinda Green recently had a nasty accident just trotting up a horse!

But people also have nasty accidents with tea cosies or plastic spoons...

[Mumofthreeteens]

It is a dangerous sport. The dd of a friend's friend aged 11 sadly died in a tragic accident during a lesson when her horse spooked and jumped out of the menage. The poor little girl's foot got caught in the stirrup and she didn't fall free of the poney. Dd had a similar experience but luckily fell clear only to have her leg stamped on. Yesterday her friend was knocked out during her lesson when the horse took off and she hit her head on the support holding the poles on a jump. Thankfully she was wearing a hat. There are risks but then there are risks generally in life. A life without horses would be very sad and dull indeed. My dd likes riding as fast as possible around the jumping arena I just have to hope that she doesn't get seriously injured and insist she wears her back protector.

[strictlycaballine]

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8339097.stm

[alwaysGOLD]

Its a risk sport. You can take measures to reduce the risks i.e hat, etc but the sheer pleasure of riding/competing out weighs the cons for me.

Buts theres a risk factor with everything you do so i dont see the point of worrying - otherwise we would all have very dull lives :d

[Buildabetterworld]

NotGood, I never used to wear a body protector either as found them restricting. Then one day I fell off and broke my back. Lying in the field, scared, trying to feel my toes, waiting to be airlifted to hospital is an experience I never want to repeat and that is why (as soon as I had recovered...) I went out and bought the best body protector I could find and now wear it every single time I get on a horse. It did take a little getting used to after decades of riding without one but now it's just like wearing a riding hat, I don't even notice it. True, it won't protect me from every possible spinal injury (just like wearing a hat doesn't prevent every possible head injury) but it does give some reassurance to the people that matter most (DH, DCs) that I have done my best to minimise the risk and hopefully the chances of them having to wonder whether I will ever walk again are greatly reduced.