Hi All,
I was hoping to get a bit of support from fellow riders after a rather scary experience yesterday. I would just like to point out, i wasn't riding my horse at the time...my horse has been in and out of work for several months due to serious injuries and ailments. All we have been doing is hacking to build her fitness up before bringing her back to work (i trust my horse more than anything).
I was riding my friends horse, a section D gelding (she is on holiday at the moment). I have ridden this horse so many times before, hacking, schooling, jumping and never had any issues. I'm a confident rider, strong and riding feisty things doesn't bother me. My mare isn't exactly a novice ride.
So yesterday morning, i took him for a hack with a friend before riding my horse. We were going to go around the tracks we do all the time. We had to move out of the way of a car, which was fine but then my horse wouldn't go forward. I tried and tried, and no luck, we were tight for space as we had a ditch either side of us, so couldn't really manouvre him.
Anyway, next thing i know we are going backwards down a fairly steep ditch! I tried to get him to move forwards, but he wasn't having it and next thing i know i have slid down the back off him, in the ditch and he ended up on top of me. I was screaming for help, as he was trying to get up, he was catching me with his hooves, on my leg, my head and my face (luckily he is only shod on the front). I don't think it went on for very long, but felt like a lifetime. He pushed my head in the water and managed to get to his feet. I remember looking up, realised he was standing and the only thing i could think of was to slide out between his back legs. Not the brightest thing, but i just had to get out of there. Next thing, he ran home with my friend who called for an ambulance.
I am so lucky, my hat is damaged and i thank god for that. I have a fat lip and bruised face, badly bruised leg from the knee down, no brakes and ache all over.
I have had plenty of falls, but that is the scariest one ever and i hope i don't have to go through that again. I won't be riding him again, for sure and i am out of commision for 2 weeks.
My friend said i should have turned him out before riding, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and i have ridden him straight from the stable before and never had an issue!
I will tell my friend when she gets back this week, but i am dreading it. I love my horse to bits, and i know i can ride and control her, but there will always be something in me deep down that i need to get sorted before i get on my own horse. I will also be sticking to riding my own horse from now on as well.
Any advice on how to move past this? I am glad i wasn't riding my horse as i don't think i would ever get on her again. Any advice on how to approach my friend?
Sorry, bit of a long post so thanks for reading.
I was hoping to get a bit of support from fellow riders after a rather scary experience yesterday. I would just like to point out, i wasn't riding my horse at the time...my horse has been in and out of work for several months due to serious injuries and ailments. All we have been doing is hacking to build her fitness up before bringing her back to work (i trust my horse more than anything).
I was riding my friends horse, a section D gelding (she is on holiday at the moment). I have ridden this horse so many times before, hacking, schooling, jumping and never had any issues. I'm a confident rider, strong and riding feisty things doesn't bother me. My mare isn't exactly a novice ride.
So yesterday morning, i took him for a hack with a friend before riding my horse. We were going to go around the tracks we do all the time. We had to move out of the way of a car, which was fine but then my horse wouldn't go forward. I tried and tried, and no luck, we were tight for space as we had a ditch either side of us, so couldn't really manouvre him.
Anyway, next thing i know we are going backwards down a fairly steep ditch! I tried to get him to move forwards, but he wasn't having it and next thing i know i have slid down the back off him, in the ditch and he ended up on top of me. I was screaming for help, as he was trying to get up, he was catching me with his hooves, on my leg, my head and my face (luckily he is only shod on the front). I don't think it went on for very long, but felt like a lifetime. He pushed my head in the water and managed to get to his feet. I remember looking up, realised he was standing and the only thing i could think of was to slide out between his back legs. Not the brightest thing, but i just had to get out of there. Next thing, he ran home with my friend who called for an ambulance.
I am so lucky, my hat is damaged and i thank god for that. I have a fat lip and bruised face, badly bruised leg from the knee down, no brakes and ache all over.
I have had plenty of falls, but that is the scariest one ever and i hope i don't have to go through that again. I won't be riding him again, for sure and i am out of commision for 2 weeks.
My friend said i should have turned him out before riding, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and i have ridden him straight from the stable before and never had an issue!
I will tell my friend when she gets back this week, but i am dreading it. I love my horse to bits, and i know i can ride and control her, but there will always be something in me deep down that i need to get sorted before i get on my own horse. I will also be sticking to riding my own horse from now on as well.
Any advice on how to move past this? I am glad i wasn't riding my horse as i don't think i would ever get on her again. Any advice on how to approach my friend?
Sorry, bit of a long post so thanks for reading.