What is the worst wreck you have been in or witnessed?
Injuries happen. At the last horse show I was at I saw a man in a cast and the first thing I asked was, “Horse related accident?” to which he responded, “No, I just tripped.” We both laughed and I told him he really needed a better story, or at least a better build up. But the incident got me thinking. Horses can be dangerous, but so can many other hobbies. This spring my 14 year old nephew broke his ankle/leg when he landed wrong during basketball. Another friend injured her knee in the same way. Several people I know hurt themselves simply walking, or rather, while simply walking.
Horses can be dangerous but there are ways that we can make them safer including educating both the horse and the rider and by simply being aware.
Here are some interesting statistics;
- one in five injuries related to horses happens before mounting up
- most dismounted injuries are more serious than mounted injuries
- dismounted injuries tend to be kicks
- mounted injuries tend to be falls
Total pro sports ranked horseback riding at #7 in comparison with other sports-
- Football
- Basketball
- Cycling
- Skateboarding
- Baseball
- Softball
- Horseback riding
- Ice hockey
- Lacrosse
- Golf
- Tennis
There are many interesting products out there to help reduce the chance of injury. Riding helmets are the most widely known and recommended piece of safety equipment. Others include safety vests and break away stirrups.
How dangerous do you consider horseback riding to be? What is the worst wreck you have been in or witnessed?
P.S.-Here is an interesting video on breakaway stirrups.
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My first trainer/teacher who also happened to be my second cousin lost his life in a horse related accident. He was with a large group of people hunting, and his horse ran off. He fell off and landed in a creek where he was found later on. His neck was broken. This accident got me thinking a lot. Because of all the wild and uncontrolled situations I had been in too. I had just been lucky. This was in 1979, the year I arrived from Denmark to California, and the year I was introduced to western riding and to the American Quarter Horse. I have never again ridden those large dressage horses. As for myself I did have an accident with a pony who got scared of a dog, she made a quick turn around, went down, and I fell of and broke my ancle.
Having to wear all that stuff would ruin horse riding for me. Plus she would never learn a lesson when she falls off. Let her be a kid just make her where a helmet and let her learn over time
I have my daughter wear a helmet, body protector and she has toe cages on her stirrups so her foot cannot go through the stirrup, she also wears western boots that are loose at the top so her foot can come out. Some people think I’m over protective but I think I’m just being cautious 🙂 My injuries over the last few years have all been while I’ve been off my horse, I was leading him across a bit of water and he leapt and knocked me over, I got a black eye and a massive bruise on my thigh, another time I got between him, food and another horse and he kicked me in the butt, huge bruise – I was very lucky that he hit such a padded part of me, could have broke my hip or leg! I have to remember that he is 16.2hh, around 600kg and sometimes unpredictable. Breakaway stirrups look like a great idea to me……
I have never been in a serious accident but my mom worked in the stock yards and she got bucked off herding a bull down the alley and kicked in the head. She had a broken skull and bleeding in the brain. She is alive and she will still ride. I just love her to death.
Last year I was riding my spooky young horse while being lunged; I had ridden him several times before, and he was fine, although always reactive. Somebody banged a door shut and my gelding took off bucking which he had NEVER done before! I think it was being on the lunge line that got him really scared, as he couldn’t escape. The trainer couldn’t stop him and I hung on for quite a few bucks, then figured I’d better fail out. I landed flat on my back and knocked the wind out. Drove my self home after I caught my breath, but my back still hurt the next day so I went to the Dr. Turned out I had a compression fracture of the T12 vertebra. I’m pretty sure it happened during the bucking, not the landing. But I’m back riding now, and my back doesn’t bother me at all!
Thursday eve. horse fell under me broke my shoulder damaged my elbow, bruises everywhere. Still waiting to see how it gets patched back together.
So, I am an emergency nurse at a level one trauma center. We see the worst of the worst wrecks. The docs I work with are always quick to share a horse related injury with me since I ride. One of our trauma surgeons did a study a number of years ago on horse related injuries. He found that the longer a person has been riding the lower the incidence of serious injury. The fact is that as we get “more experienced” we tend to take less risks- leaving the risky business to the more adventurous riders. Makes perfect sense to me,
Or at least we get better at staying within our skill level.
my first official ride, I only had tennis shoes on. The half-arab mare I was on was really spooky about one end of the arena, and I came off 3 times. Got my foot caught in the stirrup and dragged all three times.
Last fall, I was riding bareback for the first time, fell off at a trot (from a quarterhorse pony!) and broke my tailbone. Lifeguarding was agony for the last two weeks of the season, I can tell you! 😀
During a penning competition a horse went down and rolled over her rider. When the horse got to it’s feet and took off it clipped it’s rider in the head then proceeded in a terrified run around the penning arena. When it found no outlet it went around one more time then attempted the 5 foot fence, tumbling over the top, crushing a woman and scattering horses in it’s path. It left the building the arena was in and fast as it could move ran across the gravel apron and ran into a metal fence post, head first, with out even seeing it and killed itself instantly. Even as a spectator it was the most terrifying and traumatic horse experience of my life. The rider and the spectator both got carted to the hospital and eventually were ok. The rider lost partial hearing. Thank goodness they were both young and the arena dirt was deep.
I got a concussion last year when I fell of my friend’s horse. The first time we took him for a ride since fall… He bucked and the saddle was way to small for me so I flipped over and landed on my head.
And last week a foal slammed if hoof on my foot. Two toe nails torn off and a tiny fracture on one of my toes.. Hurts ten times more than landing on my head…
Little injuries like getting stepped on while brushing my horse and not being careful where I put my feet and a couple of kicks when I tried to clean my rescue’s feet but nothing really bad.
Personally I believe I’ve come off of a horse every way possible. Including being flipped over on top of. I have had a couple of broken ribs and some toes, a Cossacks and arm broken. All for the love of horses. My husband suddenly dismounted and broke his arm, back, hip and cracked his jaw. His stirrup hung up which snapped his pelvis. He will still go out on a ride with me but a super mellow easy going horse is the only way he will ever consider it. Yup horses can be and are dangerous. You have to be careful and alert at all times. You just never know. I always say be aware of your surroundings and do your best to CALMLY deflate and possible explosions before they happen. Know your horse. What does your horse feel like under saddle when spooked? What spooks your horse? Where are her ears? What is the body telling you? Now to listen..
I’ve lost 2 friends to death from rearing horses and them being crushed. I think about the most recent one (May 14, 2014) every time I even think about riding. RIP dear Kim. You are loved and missed every day.
Deb…so sad. Do you mind if I ask; how old were the horses? What were they doing at the time (trail, training for show, etc)
Not at all. First was husband of one of my best riding cowgirls. She came home from work and found him in his recliner. Terrible shock. He was an older guy who (her words) was switching from riding a walking horse to a 4 year old App mare. He was going to start camping with (her) group and she said she felt sure he tried to get her to leave barn instead of waiting for his wife to come home. She figured mare reared and he used spurs and prob grabbed mares mouth. She went over, he got to house and passed from ruptured sternum, and aorta, ultimately. Very sad.
The one that has given me nightmares just happened.
One of my very dearest friends. She was a very experienced rider, drill instructor for her own mounted patrol, competitor, etc. had a WONDERFUL mustang who did it all but she got into dressage and co purchased a “project” warm blood with her instructor. In May, without instructor there, she put a western saddle on him and left her huge arena to practice in the field next to arena where letters were. A noisy vehicle and trailer spooked him and he went up and over.
Stacy it has shaken me to the core. I wasn’t there but my love for her and lifelong experience with horses has caused my imagination to run wild. I’m having a terrible time even when I’m on my own well-trained horses. I’ve trained them nd owned them forever-one 20 years, one 13 years, one 8 years and one 4 years I’ve ridden all over, West and East, shown a little, given many many lessons and since this happened in May I’ve only ridden a handful of times. My joy in riding is gone, but not my love of my horses. (FB page is Debra Brown Weber-you can see them. They are great horses. So, I don’t blame either horse for what they did…they are just horses. Still…
Dear Deb, I can relate to your trauma. We have just had the first anniversary of the death of a champion female jockey here in Darwin, Australia.
I assisted Simone with a fractious young horse in the barriers for race one and she was killed in her next race for the day ( link below ). So many of us had a similar internal trauma as you, Deb. Some of us struggled to even pat our horses for some time. Thankfully we were all offered free professional mental assistants. Having the support of a team and knowing others felt the same was of great benefit to me also. I keep telling myself that Simone would not what anyone to loose the joy of riding.
I hope you find the joy again Deb.
Janette-I thank you deeply for your support. Going to try riding with the perspective of training “for a client” as I ride my good horses. I’m going to take them back through the same steps I would if I were readying them for a beginner client, or a horse I’m getting ready to sell. What could it hurt? I know how to start horses and if the perspective of mine is that they are “in training” and might possibly be for sale, I will be detached, and not suffer anxiety so much. I will have a plan. Thank you and I’m sorry for your loss as well. Deb
Ive had two bad falls and one near-death experience riding. My first bad fall I was riding my mare(bareback and with a halter and lead) up the road to the farriers and she bolted and took off I was fine till she made a 90 degree turn right next to the road I went off but held on to the rope to keep her from going into the road and was drug about 25 ft down the shoulder of the road. I had some serious road rash but still took her up to the farriers and he was astonished that I was able to walk.with all the road rash. The second one I was riding my husbands horse and we were galloping along a field and all the sudden she stops listening and starts bucking and while bucking she took me under the only tree in the field. I ended up falling off and my friend and sister rushed over to help me. I had a concussion, a sprained wrist and had complete memory loss of that day and was in and out of consciousness for 30 minutes afterwards..I dont even know how I stayed on my mare bareback going back home. The near death was I was riding a friends horse in a pasture that was close to their barn well I was cantering him and he decided to go back to the barn and jumped the 4ft fence but halfway through he stopped jumping and crashed through the fence and continued on then her tried going into the barn which had a low metal roof(i thought i was gonna be decapitated) but thankfully i could duck down low enough and get him stopped that neither him nor me were hurt.
I was riding in a round pin when I got bucked off hitting my head on the pin and breaking ribs and my pelvis.
I got bucked off in a freak accident in 2009 and landed on my face and chest, broke my jaw on both sides of my face by my ears. First time I was wired shut for 6 weeks and the bones didn’t heal and couldn’t be pinned back together, so I went four months without being able to chew because my bite was messed up. The next surgery my jaw was rebroke and pinned and realigned so I could chew again, after being wired shut once again, and finally healing. My surgeon told me to keep riding and to this day I am still riding, just not on that horse!
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When I was 10 or 11, I had a traumatic head injury and was in a coma for 3 days because of a horse accident. My mom was leading my brother and I around in our front yard when a dog came out and attacked the horse. The horse never reared or bucked, but of course tried to flee. He was able to get away from my mom and took off down the road to get away from the dog. Unfortunately he stepped on the reins and kind of bambi’d it. When he went down, my reaction was to hold onto my brother to protect him, so I was unable to try to protect myself and took the impact with my head. Thankfully I have no recollection of this, although it was quite a while before I wanted anything to do with horses.
Been bucked off, stepped on, dragged, kicked, bit, broken half my bones and still say I would rather die doing something I love than to live my life as an empty shell. When “horse blood” runs thru your veins, its not ur hobby. It’s ur life.
In 1977 before we wore riding helmets, I was 9 years old and had a horse run away with me that I was trying out to purchase (he was barn sour), and I fell off at top speed and hit a fence. I dislocated my shoulder, broke my back, was knocked unconscious and wasn’t breathing. My father resuscitated me and I was taken by ambulance to the hospital. I spent 3 days in ICU with a severe concussion. I’ve suffered from severe back problems my entire life, had one back surgery and now I need a lumbar fusion. I’ve also had memory problems since then and do not remember a lot of things from my childhood. Of course, I continued riding, and I still do to this day! But I’ve had many falls, kicks, horses rearing up and come over on top of me (twice) and several other near death experiences, but this was probably my worst.
We didn’t buy that horse!
I recently came off. Horse flipped up and over in a ‘freak accident’ (meaning my mare doesn’t normally do so) she landed square on me and the horn ‘punched’ me in the gut. Obstructed blood flow to my right kidney, ended up losing it. And had a ten inch tear in my abdominal wall. Went into surgery to stitch it up. Never broke the skin but left one heck of a bruise!! I still have 2 months until I can ride again. My doctor advised me not to ride but, eh, I can’t wait to get back on. 🙂
Every injury I’ve ever sustained was to do my own stupidity. Smashed toes, bruises from being to close while my filly stomped a fly, dislocated fingers when my mare yanked on the lead rope. Things that’s could have been avoided if I hadn’t been dumb and just payed attention to what was going on. I was even thrown once when trying out a new horse, needless to say I didn’t buy her. She was a train wreck waiting to happen! My horses are all well behaved and I trust them. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to get hurt. Pay attention, be smart and most injuries can be avoided. Oh, and don’t ride crazy, spoiled horses. That helps a little!
I broke a few ribs a few years back falling off while re-training a STB. While following other horses, she broke into a canter for two strides. I think she was terrified I’d whip her for breaking stride. She jumped to the right and I fell to the left. Must have hit a rock or something.
D-ring tore out of saddle when my horse gathered himself for a canter. I awoke the next day in the hospital with a broken collar bone, 3 broken ribs, a damaged pancreas and severe concussion that has left me with permanent memory issues. (No, I did not have on a helmet.) At the time of the accident I had been riding and showing horses over 40 years without a severe injury. It only takes 1 second for circumstances to change and you are in danger of losing your life.
On my 10th week of wearing my cast… Going this Monday for an MRI to see about surgery! My request: make sure it heals by the World Show! My sweet new gelding was just figuring out Showmanship- he started trotting like a gem when of course I tripped!!!!!!! He landed on my right foot, and mashed the side almost off! Thank God for a good made Justin Boot!!!! It’s broke right behind the joints of my toes! Problem: I have Rhematoid Arthritis! In every joint (23..yes!) and it’s pushing the bones apart! Leave it to the bucking, run aways, and spooks to not hurt me to bad… But my own two feet!!!!!!
Two years ago I was doing barrel pick up my barrel partner had her spurs on I grabbed her up hauled butt to the other end she was saying Mary go faster than all of a sudden my four year old mare started bucking lil girl came off I stayed on til last buck fell at horses right front shoulder she jumped to miss me but ran over me she hit me right between eyes with front foot and hind foot caught my ribs I jumped up went to my barrel partner who was arms length away I asked her was she OK she said my back hurts I said don’t move I had to sit down the world was spinning they took her by ambulance but thank God she was OK as for myself a couple of black eyes and my horse stopped and stood by my side until I got back on her very bruised lesson learned was make sure barrel partner has spurs off!!
I have had my share of tosses/falls. First one was when I was four and got bucked off my pony. Thought it was fun at the time. I got tossed a couple more times before my horse spooked and jumped sideways while loping, and landed on me. My head bounced off of the road giving me a concussion – I was eleven at the time. In my thirties, I had a young horse I was working with. The first time I took him out on the trails he pitched me – hard. He went straight up, I went over his head and landed on my knees and face. I had a nice imprint all the way down my face, and the horse ran home. Then in my forties, I had a 14 year old mare with an attitude. She wanted one to one thing and I wanted to do another. She started rearing up. On the third time, she went over backwards on me, fracturing my pelvis in four places and giving me a brain bleed. That one scared me enough to realize that horses are bigger than us and really can seriously hurt you. I probably could have avoided the incident after looking back. So use common sense and wear a helmet! And when you think “you are the boss,” think again!
Fifty five and I’ve been riding my whole adult life. I’ve been kicked, bitten to where I thought my upper arm was about to break, stomped like a dog twice (once to the ER) and had a few horses fall with me and I usually only do Western Pleasure! Today I began riding after suffering a compression fracture of the spine (L1) in April of this year. My gentle, predictable gelding suddenly spun around and dumped me so fast I could not even try to stay on. I was by myself with no phone and after he spooked at nothing he stood over me. Finally I was able to grab a rein and use him to stand. With the pain I had I knew I was hurt bad and was ‘browning out’ but was able to walk to the barn hanging on to him. Once there, I called a friend who called my husband at the house to come get me. When they told me my back was broken I thought I’d never ride again. I did have my helmet on but it did not help my back! Anyway, I was able to ride my 3 quarter horses today at all gaits and even took a jump with no real back pain and I think I’m gonna make it!
Interesting I think minor injuries are common
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My horse threw his head back and hit me in the check with the poll of his head. Shattered my cheek bone, I now have 3 titanium plates and 9 screws in my face.
My sister Patsy was showing her Arabian almost 2 years ago in Gainesville Fl. She was showing hunt seat and wore a hunt cap… not a helmet. She mounted Buddy, but before she could get her right leg in the stir up he backed up and fell on his butt… she went off the back and landed in sand and grass. She was in a coma the second she hit the ground…
Drs advised her husband to turn off the ventilator and let her die, they said her brain damage was to severe to ever wake up… he said no. she was in a coma for 3 months. It has been almost 2 years, and she still struggles every day. She will probably never walk again because she has no balance. She works hard and exercises every day to make her body strong.. She has a traumatic brain injury. She sits in a wheel chair and struggles with a lot of every day tasks.
Patsy was 64 years old when this happened to her, she had owned and ridden horses her entire life… it wasnt the the first time she ever fell from a horse but it has changed her quality of life dramatically. Patsy always wore a helmet when she rode…. but when she started showing with this trainer, the trainer told her it didnt look “pretty” and she didnt need a helmet if she wasnt jumping… so she stopped wearing her helmet and wire a hunt cap to look “pretty”.
Surprising how dramatically your life can change in a split second.
I think like you there are dangers to every sport but the situation depends on a lot of factors. I personally have been kicked, stomped, bite, and thrown my share times. I’ve had ribs broken, an arm nearly broken and most recent my tail bone broken in horse related injuries. I have a friend that is always getting kicked by her horse and she uses the fact he was abused as an excuse to let him do these things and then puts kids that don’t know how to ride on him. My injuries I admit was my ego getting in the way and not paying attention, yes 90% of mine could have been avoided. That being said when my son played football we had several kids have to go to the hospital for injuries. Baseball my son broke his finger during a game. He also broke another finger earlier because him and his friend wanted to see what it would be like to drop a brick on it. (Yeah real smart it was at the friends house.) My other son has broken several toes just walking across the room. Then my husband three weeks before we got married wrecked a fire truck and severely broke his wrist, he does not have 100% use. So I think anything in life has a potential for danger.
The day after my sister got her horse back from the trainer she was in an acre and a half pasture. Her horse bolted as soon as her butt touched the saddle. We was headed through the fence at the far end of the pasture. She tried a 1 rein stop. The horses eye was at her knee. At the last minute he turned. Her chest collided with a tree branch. Kathy my sister came off the back of the horse. Her back hit a tree root breaking it. Kathy made it to the hospital thank God she was wearing a helmet. She died 2 weeks later do to complications.
My worst accident happened when I was riding drill team. I had only had my horse for a few months and had finally gotten him into the whole drill team thing. We were running a maneuver and the horse to our right decided to kick my boy. He stumbled and couldn’t catch himself. He ended up completely somersaulting. I went off over his head and he came back down and landed on top of me. Thankfully he wasn’t hurt and he didn’t panic. He didn’t try to get back up, he likely would have killed me if he had. Took a long time for both of us to get over that, but as much as it sucked it was that accident that gave me complete trust and faith in my horse. He did his best to protect me that day. I walked away with a broken clavicle, but I walked away!
Eight years ago I was grooming my barrel horse. It was close to dark and she was the last of eight horses to work on. I was frustrated and mad. I touched her w the clippers too quickly and she planted both (shod) front feet in my face and down my body. I spent 20 days in the coma unit and another 30 in icu/step down. I broke an orbital and took MANY stitches. My husband was told to leave me in the nursing home. Thank God he didn’t. A year later I started having my own memories, and although I was still on a walker I was on the mend. I still struggle with seizures and balance problems ,, but I ride every day still!!
I was about 12 and taking riding lessons, I think it was the second or third one, we went out into the arena where a local vet was taking a first round on her stallion Woody after he got back from the trainer. He spooked reared and came back on her crushing one side of her pelvis. What’s worse is we then saw the trainer roughly haul away the horse swatting him in the face repeatedly with his hat. We had a few people drop out of the class after that incident.
Fell off in Feb onto frozen ground flat in my back. Compression fracture to L4. Was in a brace for 10 weeks and. PT for two monrhs… I was off balance and he bucked wanted to go back to the barn. Dont bounce back the same at age 52!
Feb. 9th of this year I came off a mule that had bolted on the arena. All was fine until he reached the end of the pen and went left. I kept going straight and landed face first on the top board. Fractured my septum, split the skin down my forehead, nose, and around the eye. Also suffered a concussion and neck sprain. Been riding almost 20 years and had never come close to a serious injury until that day.
I fractured my skull in a riding accident 2 summers ago. I was working with a small horse that had rearing issues. I have no memory of the incident, so I have no idea how it happened. I believe he may have dumped me then kick or stepped on me. After a few plates and screws were added to hold my skull together I’m good as new, and still riding… With a nice helmet!!
I’ve had two pretty bad horse related injuries.. The first (and worst) was when my quarter pony was being trained for cart. She was doing great then all of a sudden she took off and I lost control (I was still green myself), she took a really sharp turn and the cart flipped trapping me inside. It took two grown men to stop my pony and get me to safety. I wasn’t seriously hurt but it was the scariest moment of my life !!
The second involved my friends draft horse, I was walking through the barn at the show and I stopped to check on her food and water, but when I touched her she kicked me in the side of the knee! Everyone around said it sounded like someone shot a shotgun lol … I don’t know the extent of my injury because I didn’t want to miss freestyle reining soo I refused to go the hospital! It still gives me problems today but nothing to serious !!
I was riding a young horse in an alfalfa field, he was bitten by a wasp and bucked off breaking my wrist and tailbone. Was off work for six months
Came off at the gallop into a post wrapped in barb wire. Got back on with an ice pack on my sore ribs. Trainer saying sit back, me it hurts. When I went to hospital 4 hours later for a tetanus shot, they kept me in because they though my spleen was ruptured, two broken ribs and bruised lung was what I really had wrong. The doctor however made me laugh when he asked why it took so long to get to the hospital, when I said I had to ride my horse his reaction was….’You got back on the horse? are you stupid or what?’ He had an English accent so it reminded me of Monty Python. Hurt to laugh though.
I have been riding for 30 years, I have started more than a hundred colts, rode broncs, rode pens, guided, and worked on ranches. I am currently healing up from a broken leg from landing wrong when a 3-year-old I was riding outlasted me in a surprise test of my bronc riding skills. Maybe it is just my problem, but every time I have been hurt by a horse (3 times) I can trace it back to my own fear and ego. I was usually trying to impress someone, show the horse who was boss, or failing to read the horse or the situation I was in with a horse. I have seen three people critically injured by horses, not counting rodeos. Two of the three were just being stupid. The other one the horse just fell. Being present for the horse and being able to read the horse and the situation is 90% of being safe. Being able to assess ones own abilities is also paramount. There is so much education available for new horse owners. Take advantage of education and get rid of all the ego possible and horses get a whole lot safer.
“Be there for the horse,” Ray Hunt
last august my horse snapped and went crazy during a pleasure stroll around a quiet track he stopped,spun and launched into a uncontrollable gallop from standstill. when he spun one of my stirupps sliped up onto my ankle i lost my balance and fell forward and off the side i wrapped my arms around his neck with a fist full of mane, hanging on for dear life. because the track had a 90 degree turn and i was hanging on the outside we couldnt make the turn. a few seconds before post and split post/rail fence that bordered the track my stirrup that usually needs a hoof pick to force bar open came open and the strap came free from the saddle i was able to let go just before my head got crushed between horse and fence i hit fence post my horse crashed thru and snapped off 2 rails. i broke my lower jaw on both sides fractured my neck at c1 vertabre colapsed my lung temporarily and had massive intrenal brusing thru my chest abdomin and left leg and hip. i was head first in the dtich by the road drowning in my own blood. i was wearing a helmet and it saved my life. i should be dead or in a wheelchair at the least but i am fine 1 year later with some metal plates and screws in my jaw bone and a numb face as a reminder. it wasnt my horses fault turns out he was starved of food and water all summer b4 i brought him and i put him in full livery and he was feed 2x day hay all night grass all day and it cooked his brain after being deprived. do your homework b4 you buy a horse i definatly will with my next one
I raised a buckskin Paint mare from 6 months to 3 years old and trained her as well. I had ridden her bareback and trotted her with the saddle in the round pen for two months before I attempted to canter her. The first time we cantered, she started bucking. I soon lost my outside stirrup and couldn’t get it back after trying several times. I bailed to the inside of the round pen and rolled to get out of her way. As I rolled, she turned in and her front hoof glanced off my right cheek bone (leaving a 1 inch gash) and then landed on my right ear (tearing the top half off). I blacked out for a few seconds and then sat up. Thankfully there were no broken bones and only a LOT of stitches to my face and ear. The doctor at the ER did such a great job sewing me up that the scar is minimal. I’ve been asked if the one inch scar on my cheek is from a cat scratch. There is no hearing loss or damage to my ear beside a scar that runs all the way over the top and behind it. The healing took about 2 months and I was back training her again. There is no reason I should still be alive from that…especially since I wasn’t wearing a helmet and the cheek bone is the most fragile in the human body. I now wear a helmet when I ride or train and am so glad I’ve never needed it since! I do have a pretty exciting story and some awesome pictures though!
At the barn I used to work at.. The lady that owned it , a horse kicked her durring a trail ride broke 3 places in her collar bone. After that healed and she was able to ride again, we was washing horses in the wash room. She was pulling on a horse fell back and broke her arm. Felt so bad for her that she couldn’t do anything.
Cinch broke , the saddle and I both come off in middle of field….closed head injury, amnesia for 3 weeks and I still don’t remember getting on his back that day and I don’t remember the hospital visit or the 35 ppl at my house for a cookout 2 days after my accident….month later I rode him again and he spooked over a potato chip bag in the field , multiple fractures in my pelvic bone , torn groin muscles…..decided he would be my best pasture horse/ best friend….never rode him again!
Saddle slipped sideways at a fast lope and my horse jumped over a small mound…fell off, hyper-extended my leg and couldn’t walk without crutches for 6 months. Lesson learned…be sure to tighten your saddle properly!!
I was driving home from work one night. I stop the horse as we came out of the woods on to a paved road and one of the shafts broke. The harness did not and the shaft hit the horse and he took off ,turned down the road that we used to go home. The shaft kept hitting him so he kept going except I had been dumped out of the cart. I was drug down the side of the road because I would not let the reins go. After I got my air back I said whoa and he stopped. His legs were cut up. My glasses were gone so were my shoes and my jeans were full of gravel. Thank goodness no broken bottles on the side of the road. It was a half mile home. So I unhitched him pick up the cart, he backed right up to it to be rehitched. Good horse. I lost a bunch of skin on the belly . He and I both healed quickly and we went back to driving back and forth to work. Amazing horse!
On a remote trail, climbing, my horse did a back flip and crushed my pelvis. 2.5 hours before search and rescue got to me and a life flight ride to the local trauma center saved my life (barely). I’m recovered, my horse was fine and I’m still riding – the same horse.
Had horses two years. My first horse was a cold backed mustang mare. The first three times off… Just bruised. Then I dislocated my tailbone and four months later she bucked me off and I landed on cement breaking ribs. Time to get a new horse. Got a sweet five year old gelding that’s as sweet as pie. He ran away one day and I decided to unass him. (Big mistake) broke my pelvis in four places. (Never jump off a perfectly good horse, they say?) then two weeks ago he boogered over a house for sale sign. He was already processing the four wheeler and the yapping dog, he saw the sign at the last minute and my normally steady eddie did the sideways teleport and I landed on paved road and rebroke the ribs I broke on the mustang. Have I mentioned I’m 50 and ride horse to alleviate the pain of arthritis and fibromyalgia? My ortho doc said after the pelvis he was going to write me an order to “stay in the middle”. Sigh. On the other hand there is some internal impulsion that keeps getting me back on..
I should add that before the ambulance came I mentioned to my trainer and other riders that I was shock and probably needed a blanket (it was also 20 degrees out) and they covered me in three horse blankets! It was surprising cozy and when the EMT’s got there they didn’t see me under all the blankets 🙂
The worst wreck I was in, I tried to mount my new horse (second day I had her) bareback and she spooked and before I was fully on her back started broncing – I fell off onto ground frozen solid and broke my sacrum and the transverse process off my L4 vertebrae. I had to be carted away in an ambulance which was embarrassing, but every time I tried to sit up I’d pass out so they called 911. I was in shock and said, “Just let me lie here and eventually I’ll be ok,” and my trainer said, “Um … others kind of have to use the arena too …” 🙂 The new horse, by the way, turned out to be a wonderful horse despite our difficult beginning!
first year owning horses.. cracked sternum after his head flew up while I stood in front of him taking off his halter. Next year.. broken hand (hit the saddle horn while he made a crazy leap over a tarp), a few smushed feet from being stepped on, on heck of a bruise from getting kicked, and a very sore butt from getting knocked over when they spooked, and a very sore hip from falling on the ice while taking hay out.
I’m a professional horse trainer, been riding seen I was three, and my dad has trained horses (very well) his whole life. I also went through 4-H and safety, safety, safety has always been emphasized. But no matter how vast your knowledge and experience, and no matter how many safety measures you take, horses are big, powerful, dangerous animals. They can easily kill you, and anyone who deals with them needs to remember that. Despite my caution, ‘stuff’ has happened: I’ve been kicked in the face (no shoes fortunately, I look good as new), had a horse intentionally flip itself over backward (very mushy ground saved me), had one back up so fast it lost it’s balance, broke the fence, and fell backward at the top of steep hill (saved by his heel catching the baseboard and the luck of landing to the side), had another rear and when I went to grab her mane I missed and grabbed the rein, pulling her over backward (saved again by landing slightly to the side), had an unruly, undisciplined mongrel stud go after me when I had him in-hand in the round pen (missed my head with each front foot but knocked me down and tore my knee ligaments), and had the usual plethora of horses slipping and falling down, jumping sideways and landing on my foot, knocking me down when they spooked and jumped into me, kicking me & nipping me (they paid for those with an equal measure of discomfort!), squashing me against a stable door (cracked ribs), and a few times bucking me off (broke three vertebrae wings when I landed on my back on a gravel road). That’s just life in the horse business (jump jockeys have broken most of the bones in their bodies). You’ve got to love and have a passion for horses to make them part of your life, but never lose respect for the fact that they’re dangerous and need to be very well disciplined, besides being loved and looked after.
My worst wreck was when trail riding on a “bombproof horse” and we had to cross the road and the horse reared, slipped and fell on my left knee. Completely dislocating it and making it so I couldn’t walk!
11yrs old just rained so the riding arenas were flooded my mom and I decided to get an extra hour in before my trainer arrived we were stupid and took the horse into the jumping arena (this was stupid because the horse had been training for jumping) stables was built by a truck loading bay so lots of slamming doors. Horse freaked when one slammed horse was kicking and bucking mom yelling telling me to hold on (da!) then I slipped and I learned to fly. Mom knew it was bad because she had to bend her head back to watch me as I flew. I hit the ground couldn’t do anything couldn’t breath everything hurt ears ringing I opened my eyes and the thing that freaked mom out was the fact that when she asked if I was okay i couldn’t speak. It came back after a sec. I was rushed to the hospital with a messed up hip, shoulder and sternum was bruised and a concussion the doctor told my mom if I hadn’t had the $800 helmet they would be having a completely different conversation. I got better and next morning money I was back in the saddle loved it too much to let one little fall stop me.