fun question!!!!for horsey people?

I was trail riding my show horse, who is usually very composed on the trails.

Then, out of the blue, a huge wild turkey came out of the bushes and came straight at us.

he wasn't so composed anymore.

I fell off, hit my head on a rock... and he ran all the way home. I was lucky that my trainer was riding with me... man. I cringe just remembering it.

=]

I was riding my Trainers OTTB. and he is really well trained she has had him for a long time anyway. I was used to riding the laziest horses a Pony who wouldn't canter unless you use Spurs AND a crop. Another one who will just stop and me kicking her with all my might and my trainer slapping her butt can't get her to move LOL. So anyway I was used to using A LOT of leg and if you just barely squeeze him he will go off into a canter. So my "little" leg and his "little" leg were different. I had also just recovered froma nasty concussion where my right side went numb. So I was trotting him in a 20 meter circle and he started going faster and faster and faster, So iwas pulling back and doing half-halts so of course being an OTTB he went FASTER off he went into a full fledged canter. I clung on with my legs which to him meant FASTER. I ended up smacking into the side of the arena and almost going over the wall. And I didn't hit my head. I landed sitting on the ground. I had a few cutts and scrapes but other than that I was fine. The Bad thing was there was another girl and her horse in the arena as well at the time and I kinda almost ran them over, non the less they were freaking out and cowering in a corner while all this was happening. I got back on and finished my lesson, I haven't ridden him again though. I will someday...

Well..

My stupidest fall: I think it was like my 5th or 6th lesson, so I was not the greatest rider... my trainer left me alone for 2 minutes, and somehow when I was trotting a circle, I was leaning and randomly just started to slide off.. and then the horse freaked out and bolted, so I completely fell.

Worst fall: First time riding in the outdoor ring last spring, and of course, all the horses had "Spring Fever", and my horse spooked at squirrel, and did this running side step thing, and I actually stayed on for about 20 seconds, but I lost my balance, and my foot got stuck in the stirrup, and I got dragged.... and a really badly sprained ankle. And she then proceded to gallop around and wouldn't let anyone touch her, and she was in heat, which made everything wonderful..lol

I was a newer rider to an english saddle. My horse" Lucky" was a little lazy so I carried a whip. He was stung by a punch of bees a while before and he did not like getting the whip up on his hip. He broke from the canter to the trot and I went to tap him behind my leg but i have my hand a little out and back and ended up smacking him on the butt.We went off in a bucking crow hoping mess. I got to forward and came off over his left shoulder. landed on my left shoulder and separated it. The funniest dismount i ever had was. I just bought the cheapest english saddle I could find.$200 -saddle bridle bit pad and girth. What a deal. I am not kidding when I say the first time i rode in it. Someone was working in the indoor arena and Lucky shied at a noise. I stepped down on the strups and a buckle broke and I flipped off the saddle. There have been other of course.

well I've fallen off a bunch on times but never has a major injury till about 5 weeks ago. i was jumping and for some reason my horse hit the jump and flipped. was thrown away from the horse and landed on my shoulder. broke my collar bone(clavical) in 3 places. its not healing so having surgery next week. i was riding bareback which saved my life. had i been useing a saddle i would have ended up under the horse when he landed and prolly been crushed. while i have rode and jumped that horse many times since my fall i still have yet to get up the courage to jump the same jump which we fell over.

I've only had 2 falls so far, but the first was pretty harsh. I was on a larger POA- he was bigger than most of his breed. He was never weaned correctly-if at all. He was very, very, VERY herd bound, but I was asked to exercise him and show the owner's grandaughter that she shouldn't be scared of falling off. The horse, Oatmeal, was about 5 at the time. All the other horses were kept up in the paddock and we were in another field. Everything was going great until he saw his mother being ridden by the grandchild in a very small ring. He was very attatched and tried to bolt to her. When I pulled back and wouldn't let him, he got agitated. We fought for control for a few minutes before he got pissed and bucked me off. I was in a western saddle(i ride/show both disciplines) and the horn went into my stomanch before he tossed me over his head. I landed on my head and continued to tumble down a very steep hill as he raced off towards his mother. I was very stupidly not wearing a helmet, and I'm lucky my neck wasn't broken. I walked away with a small bruise on my shoulder and a sprained wrist. I'm sooo lucky I was hardly injured. I've been a bit more careful with horses since, but I hoped right back on. I stayed in the ring this time though...

The other time I jumped on my *very* green QH bareback. He would've been fine but I guess when I came down my legs hit him hard enough to signal 'go'. And he took off at a trot sideways up a rugged hill(it had rained recently and the wash had made the little hill by the ring hard to manage). I might have been able to control him and stay on if someone hadn't of dropped something behind him. He's pretty spooky and naturally, bolted. I fell off onto my knees. I was fine, other than the miner bruises on my knees and the inability to sit on them for a few days.

I love him though :)

My first big fall off was when my horse was two and bucked me off. I landed twisted and since then I have pinched nerves (not too fun). My second big fall was about a year later when she slipped in the arena and I fell off landing on the back of my head (and dummy me was not wearing helmet) it wasn't my horse's fault the owner of the arena watered it down for "dust" reasons and he said it was ok to canter NOT! I get headaches a lot from it. :(

Another time I was riding, and a loose horse came and back kicked me in the ankle now that hurt like hell

Owie sounds like yours hurt too!

about 2 yrs ago i bought a 5 yr old gelding he was so pretty (buckskin). I decided to go riding by myself and he saddled and everything perfect, thought i had got my hands on a really good horse... NOT!!! lol. I got on him and clucked at him to go forward and he starts bucking after about 2 mins of that he threw me off kicked my head and broke my back might i add we were on pavement so that made it hurt even worse!! Scared the crap out of me he took off down the road don't know how i did but i ended up catchin him putting him back in the pasture and driving a straight drive truck back home!! Still to this day i haven't trusted but 1 horse since, and haven't rode much at all i pretty much just ride in the wagons now!!! Worst day of my life and still have awful back pain and a pinched nerve!! Needless to say i sold him!!

That's a tough one...

Twice, I was knocked out and had a concussion. One of those times, I also lost my confidence--I was eight and riding a pony on a trail ride; the pony spooked, bolted, and bucked and off I went. The other time, I don't actually remember it :). I was jumping and my horse slipped, and apparently I hit my head...ha. In terms of risk/injury, that was one of the worst, but it didn't scare me.

My horse flipped over a jump, doing a total somersault, about 5 1/2 years ago (spring 2004). Scariest thing ever--I have it on video. He wasn't hurt and I was just a little sore, so in that regards, it wasn't that bad. But it was definitely scary. This is it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgpYQPWlEXE

Another "dangerous" one was when I was about 15 (summer 2002). I was showing in jumpers, my horse was galloping, and he put on the brakes before an oxer. He slid into it, I flew through it and landed on my head. The problem was that I was almost exactly one year post-op after spinal fusion surgery, and landing on my head at full speed isn't a good idea when you have metal rods holding your spine in place. Fortunately, I wasn't injured--just seriously sore for a week!

Another scary as well as painful fall was in summer 2007. My very green horse bolted (which is my biggest fear in terms of losing control) and bucked, over and over. I stayed on for a few laps but eventually tired out and came off. I bruised several ribs and was extremely shaken--that was the second time I lost my confidence. I continued riding him, but I was nervous for a long time. He's doing fantastic now :).

Those are the "worst" in terms of injury, risk, and/or fear involved.

It was my first time on a green horse.... I didn't know he was green when I got on him, but I found out shortly after. I was doing alright (it was like my first year of riding...) and the trainer asked if I wanted to try a canter, of course I said yes. The minute I asked he took off in a gallop and I was dizzy (I was in AZ and hadn't drinken enough water that day it was 155 degrees out). So I was starting to freak out because the horse would not slow down to sitting back and half halts!!! I turned to try to circle the horse, but there was one other rider in the arena and she halted her horse right inbetween the fence and all the jumps. At the time I had only jumped one log before and didn't feel comfortable weaving through the jumps. The next thing I knew I was on the ground and I landed on my side with my ribs awkwardly curved up. My mom, who was watching the lesson, said that I blacked out and the horse planted his hooves to avoid galloping into to fence. I flew off and hit the metal fence with my ribs and spun around it a few times before hitting the ground. I blacked out a few times after my fall and tried to get back on after I felt a little better (that didn't go well; I started to black out again so I got off). I broke several ribs and my thumb and tore a tendon.........now I know to stay calm if a horse takes off....