Bugger I fell off

[nancydrewrocks]

I have been having riding lessons for a year or so - fairly competent in the school: reasonable control in canter, can do a few (small) jumps linked together etc. I thought I was doing ok.

Today was my last session at my stables as I am moving so decided a nice leisurely hack out would be good. Didn't ride my usual horse as he is lame.

All going fine nice little trot and canter then more trotting and then horse freaked at a pile of rubble (?) Don't really know what happened but my friend who was behind says horse shied from rubble and then kicked/bucked till I was off which admittedly didn't take long.

So I am now sitting here with a swollen finger and a cut up leg wondering how I will ever get back on a horse again

Can anyone convince me it is worth it or should I take up knitting?

oh dear, sorry you are hurt - hope nothing is broken or too badly bruised

might be difficult to knit with a swollen finger though? I think you should get back on

that can't have been your first fall though!

it takes 10 falls to make a rider of you ( well so my instructor used to say when iwas a kid and i now find myself saying to my dds) Best to book a nice gentle hack , ask for the calmest old dope on rope the stables have and explain to the instructor what happened, confidence can take a whiile to get back so go slowly but do not give up,

Thanks mitchy.

Hadn't thought about how restrictive knitting would be - damn you might be right!

It is the first time I have fallen off as an adult. Before that I rode for a year or two when I was in my early teens: fell off loads then but naturally thought I was invincible - Also despite less padding then I think I bounced more!

I wont push myself now and I am quite cautious as I worry about falling off. I am a big wimp.

nancy - do not give up we need more regulars in teh tack room, mitchy , me and seeker get bored making the tea on our own

You could try the confident rider CD if you need a confidence boost - they seem really good for giving you inner calmness.

Knitting won't get you out in the fresh air anyway

I bet the horse hadn't been ridden much lately because of the snow and spooked when it wouldn't have done ususally.

When you hack out it's tempting to have loose floppy reins but the horse is reassured by the contact. So... keep contact and the horse is less likely to spook but if it does you're more likely to remain in control.

I'm 48 - had horses for over 30 years till recently but now just ride a friend's novice eventer once a week. I do occasionally pop him over some cross country jumps - no more than waist height - but I've well and truly lost my bottle!

So... I thought how can I get a safer adrenaline rush? And I've taken up white water kayaking (I'm not very good). In October I went to Wales for the Teifi Tour, turned my boat over and my face hit a rock and I had to have 6 stitches! Never had stitches through anything I did on a horse! I bet you could get a nasty wound sticking knitting needles in yourself! So stick with the riding - it's great and I'm sure you'll soon get your confidence back.

You're no good unless you do fall off, it's part of riding - comparing the bumps and bruises with your mates. At least now you can join that club.

Nice gentle indoor school ride perhaps, or hack with friend for 30 mins or so at a walk and you'll soon be wanting to go faster!

• disclaimer - I LOVE knitting

Thanks everyone .

It can't have been the snow as I'm not in the UK - we were in the desert and piles of rubble/sand are pretty usual!

There were 5 horses and one was a stallion, the others (geldings) all seemed not quite their usual selves but I thought they might be excited about going out (although they do get out regularly) and the grooms (who are all very experienced didn't think it was a problem). Could that have been it? Not that it matters.

I know it makes sense to get back on, especially as I hadn't considered all those needle injuries! Anyway back to uk where I need to find myself a nice little riding school with some cobs - those arabs are too much for me!

it's not just the needle injuries, it gets quite compulsive and expensive (actually this seems to be a theme common to all my interests, nothing in moderation) and you start doing it in odd places at odd times of the day and night yet never actually finish a single garment

although to be fair never as expensive as anything equestrian

anyway good luck

Ahhh... well I guess if you're coming back to UK then you will have the 'comfort blanket' effect of getting on a nice cob instead of an Arab, so psychlogically that will be good for a while. But actually I think that something nice and forward going is usually easier to ride than a plodder that you have to chivvy along all the time. But just think ahead to the summer and lovely hacks through woods and lanes, birds singing etc... focus on that to motivate yourself to keep up with the riding.

I suggest you get back on the right away!!!!
You clearly enjoy it. I know it'sslightly different but I had a massive fall off my mountain bike a couple of months ago and was hurt badly. Apart of me felt silly old fool I should give this up but when I see my male coleagues some are 20 years older than me off mountain biking I got on once healed did a couple of easy tracks to get warmed up and then went for it.

Take it easy and get your confidence and enjoy once again!!

Oh go on get back on, you know you want to. Although my sister had a bad fall a while ago, swore she would never ride again and so far has kept to her word.

I can second CMOT's recommendation for that CD btw. Seems to have had a fairly good effect on me. Although how much of that is down to my wonderful confidence giving instructor as well, I'm not sure. Probably a combination of the two.

Alright I am convinced (easy to say when no lesson booked!)

Now does anyone know any nice little riding schools on the surrey/hants border?

Thinking about it some more... the first time I went back on moving water after cutting my head open it was with the club coach who kept up a constant running commentary - reassuring me and getting me to build up from very simple paddling to moving across a stronger flow. So maybe book yourself an individual lesson in an arena? Then you'll feel safe and absorbed by the instructions and won't have as much time to feel scared. Then once you've crossed that hurdle of actually getting back on a horse you'll be more relaxed when you're next out on a hack.

nancydrewrocks - down in Hampshire there used to be Wellington Riding which was very highly thought of 20 years ago! Don't know if it's still there.

It is! look!

mitchy - have you thought of knitting a pony ? now a nice safe knitted one that is what i need.

Fortyplus that place looks lovely but 40quid for a half hour private??? Is that what it costs in UK?

I knew it would be more expensive but my hour private lessons here cost about 13 - I will be cutting down for sure

Nancy it's probably a bit more expensive in the south-east but, even so, think you will be looking at £30 at least for a private lesson.

Can't believe you get a private lesson for £13! Presume you're a little too far away for me to travel to given that you've mentioned desert and arabs!

When I was a child I came off. Broke a thigh, and damaged some teeth.

It took me ages to persuade my parents to let me ride again, but I just couldn't wait to get back in the saddle..

Get back up there girl.

I'm not sure tbh - the only lessons I've had have been with someone who is dressage instructor but a friend of mine and she charges £12 for half an hour when I ride her horse - but that's as a favour to me and she's getting her horse exercised at the same time so mutually beneficial.

My sister in law kept her horse at a place called Bury Farm in Slapton, Beds. They do lessons, too, so might be worth looking at their website for comparison. But it's still fairly high class stuff - you'd probably find a little local place where you could go for a plod loads chaper.

Maybe best bet would be a proper lesson once a month or something with weekly hacks in between? I can't see that you'd make much progress on anything less than that.

Have fun, though - that's the main thing!

Wellington is fabulous but probably the most expensive riding school on the planet. However, £12 for half an hour private lesson is very cheap. I pay about £30 an hour for lessons on my own horse. Have you considered a group class? My mum used to have lessons midweek in an aldult only group. There were only 5 people in it, and it meant she wasn't shown up by a bunch of 6 year olds.

If you find somewhere else that is cheaper for private lessons, why not try a couple of lessons on a lunge? They are excellent for improving your stability and position, and that might make you feel a bit more confident out and about.

As for falling off, it happens to all of us. Even the safest of horses can have a little spook or stumble. It is always a nasty surprise when you do fall off, but the rewards to be gained from the not-falling-off bits of riding are so much greater than you would get from knitting! I fall off about once or twice a year, and I have been riding for 33 years. I try not to, and am always happy to have a training session that will help me fall off even less, but I am resigned to the fact that I will almost certainly fall off again in the future.

For a laugh, here is the evidence of my most recent unplanned dismount. This was in front of the grandstand at Royal Windsor, and all the crowd went 'ooooh' really loudly as I was catapulted with force at the water jump. It was in the working cob class. Ironically, the cob in question (my mum's horse Murphy-no-brakes) won the novice hunter trial at Wellington the week before. Now there's a tenuous link for you

Oh pandora thanks for sharing! Feel much better knowing that people in proper outfits who know what they are doing fall off!

I undertand I wont find lessons in the UK anywhere near as cheap as I do out in the middle east but even so I was hoping I wouldn't need to sell my youngest DC to fund my habit !

I don't want to do anything fancy. I just want to have fun with it - get out and about in the fresh air and enjoy.