Ok, so I fell off rather painfully last night when I was horse back riding!


Mickey, the horse I ride, is pretty naughty LOL. His owner died a year and a half ago (He belonged to my lesson teacher's dad), so since then no one really rides him. I started riding him in the summer, and he is really energetic... He spooks kinda easily too, he started bucking when you ask him to canter (He doesn't really even know how to canter/lope... He just kinda runs!) over the winter, and he figured out how to make it basically impossible to lung him too: He will randomly stop dead and face you so you can't get behind him to get him going again. It's frustrating, but kinda funny at the same time. He's a smart horse, and he seems to enjoy teasing people like that LOL.


So the person that gives me lessons decided that we wouldn't lunge him again until the summer when we can use the round pen, because he is just learning more bad habits. When I got on my stirups were way to short, so she adjusted them for me while me and Mickey stood in the arena. So I had one leg up while my stirups were being adjusted, and all the sudden Mickey decided to take off across the arena. He is a fast horse (That's why I loved riding him!) and since I only had one leg in the stirup, I couldn't get back on and I fell off... I made it to the other end of the arena at least, though!
But yeah. It was scary, because it knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't breathe at first. After I rested for a few minutes, I rode one of the bomb-proof lesson horses named Johnny instead... He is a sweet heart.
My back and my neck are absolutely killing me today! I now have a bruise on my back the size of a soft ball, LOL.


I feel bad for Mickey though. He was for sale before, but I think he just majorly upped his priority on the For Sale list, since I'm not sure if he will even be ridden anymore. He is one of my top 2 favorite horses and he has taught me to be a much better rider, so I'll be really sad to see him go. I might ride him again if we can lunge him better in the round pen, but IDK if they will still have him in the summer. I hadn't cantered on him lately because of the bucking, but he was getting SO much better with his trotting and controling speed and what not, considering he was only ridden every other week when I go, that I was kinda proud of him. I'm gonna miss riding him.


I'm not sure who I'm going to ride now though. Bill is my other favorite horse that I had been riding for about 3 years before I switched horses (He is a retired show horse), but the other girl I have lessons with is riding him. Johnny is a great and reliable horse, but he just isn't a challenge to ride. I guess he can go fast if you push him to though. But for some reason I don't feel like I'm as good of a rider if I am riding and "easy" horse...


So yeah... Just wanted to talk about it a little LOL.

sounds like you should get back on the horse you like him even if he is challenging. perhaps he needs a different bit.

I rode a lot of horses like that. Get back on! Take things slow. Don't do anything until you feel ready. I have had the same thing happen more than once. It's scary and very hard to get back on once they have bucked you through a fence, bucked you off, bucked you off and tried to stomp on you. Yea it's hard and it's scary. I know. But getting back on is the best thing for you and him. Shows that you are in charge. Just take it slow.

Yeah getting back on kinda adds to the respect they have for you.lol. luckily I've never been seriouly injured with horses unlike my sister. She was bucked off and the post of a fence went through her skull. and then horse stepped on her head cracking it. I am glad you are ok other than a few bruises and sore spots it ca get really dangerous but it's still fun!!!

Oh yea...I love it. I know its dangerous but I can't stay away. I'm retraining Junior (my dad's horse) and he throws a fit and bucks any time he actually has to do work! And I don't have boots anymore so Im wearing tennis shoes...Oh well. Just don't do anything you are unsure about. The horse will feel it and take advantage if they want to. Go at your pace, not theirs

Thanks guys!


If they still have him in the spring/summer, I really do want to try to ride him again... But I don't want to ride him unless I can lunge him in the round pen first. I think part of them problem was that he had too much energy, because he was acting pretty antsy. He never bucks on the lunge line, so we were hoping that he would behave himself a little better if he wasn't already all tired out, but I guess not LOL.
It's not really my decision whether I will ride him again though. He isn't my horse, so if the person that gives me lessons decides that he isn't safe to ride, there's nothing I can do about it.

Falling off is scary, but you always learn a little something afterwards. It makes you look back and think "okay what went wrong and how can I prevent this from happening again?" I mean, it still hurts and everything though, haha.
I take lessons too, and it can be kind of hard to see the horses go when they go up for sale. I just tell myself they'll love their new homes and it doesn't seem quite so bad.
Do you ride english or western?

Um, noone else asked if your sister made it?! That sounds gruesome! I've seen some pretty bad accidents on tv with horses. They're scary but so majestic. Glad you're okay Jess, I cannot believe I missed this thread a couple months ago!! I guess your bruise is gone What happened to the big guy?

@Kgleek27: I ride Western. I've been working on loping w/o stirrups and getting my feet back in while I'm still loping, so I have better balance if this happens again! Lesson learned, LOL.


@Amanda: As of last week, they still had him. Their horses don't sell very fast, especially if they aren't very rideable. They've been trying to sell Kode since the end of last summer, and they still have her. So there's a chance I might be able to ride him again, since the snow has melted!


And I just assumed she made it, cause Mousey probably would have mentioned if she didn't!

Ah, that's good then I would hate to see her sold at auction for something bad :/