How to fall with Horse & Hound

H&H invited some intrepid riders to take a ride on the fall training system at the British Racing School. Find out how they got on plus advice on how to fall safely in the point-to-point special, on sale 18 November 2010.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• horse riding
• falls

[DawnMM1]

I know it's important to learn to fall, but it's different when you're anticipating it on a machine rather than experiencing the real thing. Whenever I've fallen, I've thankfully never gotten hurt, but things usually happen so fast I barely have a chance to react or control how exactly I fall. Still, I guess having practice and information couldn't hurt...

[116HorseLover]

the funny thing is that when you are falling off you don't think..... hmm how am i going to fall!?!?

sideways or like a Burrito flying 4m in the air hmm haha even though relly good vid =D

[akaBambiAnne]

@DawnMM1 Very different when you land on a SOFT MAT, rather than the HARD GROUND... agree with you Dawn

[thexashes]

im pretty sure if you jump sideways in a race you prob just end up under a different horses feet and sending that rider going too..? im just assuming this was for racing since you mentioned it a lot but yeah lol 

[116HorseLover]

@hossluver1994 yep that kinda happens to me, for some reason I know how to fall!!! but I never think about it =D

[tequilastequilas]

i have a broken shoulder off a bad fall i had last week, and i trained falling for 2 years and it didnt help

[LuckyZoneOne2]

Okay kids, today we're going to practice falling!

[ABonner93]

The idea is muscle memory, I believe, the more you practice it, the better your body will respond when it come unexpectantly. Sort of like trotting around in jump position forever, if your body knows how its supposed to feel, it will revert to that when things come up fast, like when you actually jump.

[hossluver1994]

@116HorseLover I think though (and I could be wrong) that this sort of gets an idea in your head and maybe subconsciously if you practice falling then you'll do it when you fall of instinctively without having to think....O.o lol though makes sense!

[EventingGirl7]

i've fallen off many times, but i recently just got bucked off my 17hh tb and broke my wrist in 2 places. i didn't think, oh i am going to fall off to the side and try and catch myself/break the fall with my hand, therefore breaking my worst. what ever happens, happens.

[kirstloveshorses]

1:54 looks like all my falls except my very first one. :[ hah

[hairyexmoor]

i dont think you can reall learn how to fall, depends on the situation and horse really. your horse could rear and you slide off backwards or your horse minght refuse at high speed and you go flying. its hard to control how you hit the ground tbh :L x