riding on holiday... ha! - fell off again

[coverblown]

Hi there

Well you can see it all from the title.....

Cait and I went on a little "walk and trot" hack in France.

Horses were a little bit bigger (about 16 hh) and longer striding than we are used to (14hh and under for us please...) at home but no real problems for about 45 minutes. Except the rule for staying in single file - and just follow the horse in front, do not veer out on your own...... well my ride (Jules) was bigger and faster than Cait's ride (Litz) - she tried to push hers on a bit, and I -calmly- asked Jules to stay back (always quietly and kindly) as we were advised to do. But they hated it - and canter canter buck buck, Jules bit Litz who kicked back and spun; Jules spun too and OFF we BOTH went! Cait hasn't fallen off for three years - and I broke my back last time I fell off (and only earlier this year...)

So the pair of us sat on the ground like goofs!

And the horses ran away! I had to hold on to the lead horse while the escort found Jules, Litz was easier caught and Cait tied him to a tree whilst Jules finished his game.

The other riders were a bit scared at all these happenings and got off too.

Then we all wandered back to the school, leading the horses...... no damage done.

Dear dear..............

[Whatanejit]

Oh goodness Anne - I'm a bit :eek: and then a bit :D as you told that in a funny way.

Well firstly, they sound like suitabley unsuitable mounts for the job they were supposed to be doing.

Secondly, no offence but it is great that you had an 'ordinary' fall as these really are the norm in horse riding.

It doesn't mean that you will break your back every time!

Another horseriding adventure for the diary.

:)

Dee

[Miriam]

Oh dear. I bet the leader is going "English cant ride"

[Stella2]

Sorry to hear about that and glad you were badly hurt. I used to ride on holiday, but I don't anymore. I like to know what I'm getting on these days. As I've got older and wiser I'm not prepared to trust strangers in foreign lands for whom I just a customer.

Grumpy and proud - thats me!

[coverblown]

..... don't think we let the English down too badly - I'm a Scot in any case, and a young Anglaise did stay on - mind you her horse didn't spook, or buck or spin... and a young Frenchwoman was so scared by what happened that she got off and walked her horse back anyway!

Dee, you are so right - I was so worried about what daughter would think when I fell off - broken back and all that - that I was almost pleased to see her sitting there too and that her fall had been (ever so slightly) worse than mine! She fell on her knees and went over onto her bum - in the mud!

She was pleased that I'd got the first fall over with too. And neither of us feel confidence shaken thank goodness..

[muddyjods]

Glad you didn't get hurt there! But honestly, how do these people get away with using horses like that? Surely, any outfit that's taking tourists out *should* be using horses that'd make a "bombproof" RS plod look flightly, otherwise sooner or later someone will get seriously injured and the owners will get sued out of existence.

I've had more than my fair share of holiday-riding mishaps, in all cases caused by being given horses i couldn't handle despite stressing that i was a very novice rider. In the Camargue last year, my other half was put on a horse and told not to use any rein contact at all because he had a "very sensitive mouth"... fine, if it wasn't for the fact that this particular horse was also very competitive with the others, jogging along and trying to take off all the time. So o/h had two choices: try to use some rein contact , in which case the horse got stroppy and tried to take off, or not use any rein contact, in which case the horse was free to try and take off. The only "brakes" were in the form of the guide screaming at the horse and putting hers directly across the front of it in order to bash it on the nose. Guess how much we enjoyed that ride :mad: ?!!

Maybe someone should start a site where you can rate tourist-oriented trekking outfits overseas...after almost universally dodgy experiences in France, Egypt, the Dominican Republic ( a particular corker - i was so terrified after the first half of the ride that i consumed a number of 90% proof rum and cokes at the half way stage. The way back was, er, interesting) and California, i think the sensible thing to do is definitely stop hopping onto horses wherever and whenever!

[coverblown]

Those horses were really unsuitable. And although, like others, we did admit to 6 years of experience we did stress the fact that we usually ride quiet horses, we can be a bit nervous, and were not horse owners. We always deliberately really downplay our experience... and this happens.

I have been on many riding holidays and have always found it worst in France for unsuitable horses..... And it is worse when you just turn up for a hack rather than book a proper riding holiday... and of course that is when they can get away with it.

I think it would be great to have such a site Muddyjods, perhaps a part of this site, where we could rate both riding holidays and trekking establishments

[LauraHats]

Why do people do this? I went on a quiet trek in the Lakes a couple of years ago, despite stressing that I couldn't ride above walk (I can now:D) I got a huge boy who tanked off with me, bit the one in front and kicked the one behind....leader told me "you need to show him who's boss" Um...not me!!!!:D
Glad you weren't hurt though...

[x.fat-pony.x]

Oh dear. I bet the leader is going "English cant ride"

:D
Glad to hear everything was ok though PepsiMaxrock :)

[Faerie Rider]

Hi PMRX...you do seem to delight in stressing me out:rolleyes: got back from holiday myself and just read your mail...thinking oh god hope she's ok...now that panics over...honestly woman!!:D

Have to say I totally wussed out of riding when i was away...made the decision not to take my kit with me...then went past 3 schools right near where we were staying...and kicked myself. But saying that my niece got taken on her first hack on holiday and got thown when she cantered the horse she was riding decided to gallop and then shot her over the top...there was no first aider at the riding school and her mum took her to hospital her arm got stamped on but otherwise she is ok(they didn't wait for xrays as it was a 2 hour wait)..but makes me so cross..she is 9 years old. Just wish her parents had checked with her own school before sent her out they don't ride themselves.

Anyway moan over am so glad you are ok...am going to get you some sticky fixers for your saddle:p
lol
Katx

[coverblown]

thanks Katrina, I love riding on holiday, but as you saw this was a bit of a problem...

I posted in light hearted mode as I was quite pleased (yes, actually pleased) to have fallen off (its normal isn't it?) and not had a serious injury.

But perhaps I should have taken a bit more care.... been discussing this a bit more on another thread, and I may have come across as a bit more flippant than I meant.

How are you? and how is your riding coming on?

A. x

[jenb]

Eek! Glad you're ok!

I have totally given up riding abroad after my last experience. I was in Denver on business recently, and thought I'd found a really nice classical riding school nearby in the mountains. So I booked a lesson on what I thought was a schoolmaster, well bred by Weltmeyer. It was absolutely terrible, the instructor was rude, ignorant and completely unskilled. The horse was lazy and not off the aids at all - I can normally get a bit of a tune out of most horses but I could barely maintain a decent trot on that one. I was the closest I have ever come to getting off mid way through the lesson and walking out - part of me still wishes I had!!!

[Faerie Rider]

Sorry sweetie I was only teasing...didn't mean to sound like I was getting at you..I thought the post was funny:D could just pictire you and Cait sitting there rubbing sore bums!:D

My lessons are good had one today first since course...so took a bit of getting used to again and I did 3 looped serpentines...lots of steering. we are going on a hack again next week so that should be good.

Right children are calling yet again catch you soon apologies for any offense
lol
FR
x

[lh-sc]

[QUOTE=pepsimaxrock;1345478]Hi there
I broke my back last time I fell off (and only earlier this year...)
QUOTE]

WHAT?? What happened? How did you get it healed up so fast?

[coverblown]

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103377

Long story, lots of threads I'm afraid. There were quite a few of us at the same time, including Faerie Rider above...

Thanks for asking tho'

[Trewsers]

Blimey, glad you're ok! I always thought trail ride horses were pretty steady!!!!

[cwb]

I was thinking of going riding while I am in Spain for a fortnight in September - has anyone got any experience of stables around Barcelona?