My Daughter's first fall...

[Purple Hugs]

Bless her, Erin (aged 6) fell today for the first time. spritzer, the RS pony she has riden a few times before was being a bit stubborn walking and trotting, so RI picked up a lunge whip and made it 'swoosh' behind Spritzer... Poor pony jumped and that lead to Erin losing her stirup and falling on her bum! :o She kind of spun around parralel to the pony but in the air - then dropped. :rolleyes:

she of course burst into tears, so I went into the menage, where we had a hug, dried her tears. I made a bit show of checking spritzer was ok, and the RS dog (big soft bull mastiff) came to check on Erin - they are friends as Erin brings her a bonio now and then.. RI was really surprised as Molly - the dog never comes into the menage even when it's open apparantly. :D

Then after petting sprtizer and molly, Erin was ready to ride again! :D After a bit of confidence boosting by RI she has survived the fall to ride another trot! ;)
Was riding on her own by the end of the lesson. :D

And came home with her very first Rosette for being brave! :cool:

I'll post a pic as soon as it's uploaded! ;)

[ponylover88]

Aww first fall is always the worst. Shame she had to fall off, but glad she wasnt hurt, and also glad she wanted to get back on. :D
Sounds as though your daughters made quite good friends with the dog then! :D

[purrrfect]

awww bless her!!! i remember the first time i fell off.. i'd been worrying about it for ages & was so proud when it actually happened i went round telling everyone! lol.. weirdo

[Purple Hugs]

Lol Purrrfect.. that's funny! I guess it must've been the relief that you had gotten it out of the way! ;)

Erin is certainly friendly with the dog, she's only just getting to the point of feeding a horse a polo, but will happily stroke and feed the dog! even if it is nearly as big as a pony!!

She's on a different pony next week so that may help, lolly is also apparantly better at going into trot! So that will definately help! :p

[soulburyrider]

Hope she's feeling better and not too bruised !

was being a bit stubborn walking and trotting, so RI picked up a lunge whip and made it 'swoosh' behind Spritzer... Poor pony jumped and that lead to Erin losing her stirup and falling on her bum! :o She kind of spun around parralel to the pony but in the air - then dropped. :rolleyes:

Not exactly the cleverest of manovers for an Instructor of young kids to make I think if she really had to do this then a warning to your daughter to sit tight may have been in order. Certainly the Instructor I have would have held the pony at the bridle to prevent it spooking at the lunge whip. Or been able to use voice commands to get it to behave properly.

Fortunately your daughter was able to bouce back and get back on board but this could have terrified others from riding again.

[coverblown]

She has done well to get this far without coming off!! And only 6....

Hope she's ok. And you?? I used to hate it when Cait came off. 3 times in one lesson. Harley threw her over the jump, and then tossed the bridle off after her...

Cait did gymnastics as well when she was little and developed an amazing capacity to stay on, she ended up getting herself back up on top even when under the pony's neck.
Probably couldnt do that now....

[stormandsummer]

Not exactly the cleverest of manovers for an Instructor of young kids to make

I agree this behaviour by instructors really makes me mad :mad: and i am an adult too

A simular thing happened to me but i was about to take a jump, and i had lost my strirrup and wanted to regain my position before the jump and next minute i heard a crack and wham i was kissing the sand :eek: I now make a point of saying " do not use a lunging whip on the horse i am riding, if we fluff up i want to learn by my mistakes, what can i possible learn from the floor ?? " This usually works :D

Purplehugs : i am glad your daughter is okay, to fall is one thing but to fall because someone made you fall is another story, brave girl :D

[Purple Hugs]

I know it sounds horrible, but it wasn't that much of a 'crack' of the whip, the horse was being really naughty before.

Erin's worked on the lunge and is a great little rider, but for the fact that she struggles to get the horse into walk/trot. Or keep it there. So RI has been trying to get Erin to be a bit more assertive getting the horse to walk and trot on her own rather than with the RI too close. Just prior to her picking up the whip, she'd been leading pony and then when she walked away pony stopped dead, wouldn't move on, and when RI started walking back over pony started again, then RI turned back.. pony stopped... and so forth!

The RI did feel terrible so I feel a lesson learnt regarding the whip with this certain pony.

Thankfully Erin is ok - she's been fine today and is so pleased with her rosette.

I'm hopeful that this other pony will help with the control aspect, as riding wise she is getting on so well, it's only this that is holding her back.

As a mum - well it's not nice to see your daughter fall:eek: , but I knew looking at the fall as it was happening that it wouldn't be serious - She didn't hit anything other than the sand, and pony was out of the way before she landed. Thank goodness! ;)

[SupaTania]

The first fall is always the scariest as you never know what to expect. Glad Erin is okay and hasn't been disheartened from riding again. Sometimes even the littlest thing will spook a horse, can't always blame the instructor.


Dakota is virtually bombproof, and has had a lunge whip helping him forward plenty of times. But one time, it must've caught him off guard and he spooked resulting in a fall by the rider. - Not exactly the instructor's fault, just a mere accident, which do tend to happen with horses.


Chin up and onto fall Number 2! :)

[nikkiandsharief]

SupaTania was just going to say that! fall no 2!!

there will be plenty more falls to come - the joys of horses:D Glad she's ok and got back on to do another trot! When she getting her pony??? :D

[Purple Hugs]

lol funnily enough on the drive home we talked about the fact that even great riders fall! :) And that you can sometimes hurt yourself, might break a bone etc. She reads the kids magazines (ok mostly looks at the lovely ponies) but we talk over the articles and riding tips etc. We talked about a girl that owned her own horse, fell and broke her collar bone - but still went on riding once the dr said she could. :D

Erin seemed ok with this, so that's the first hurdle!

Hoping my baby never breaks a bone :eek: , but we all know it's a risk, as much as it is for me.. maybe more so with me, as I ride big boys! hehe

Still, the good outweighs the bad as they say! ;)

[cloang]

Hiya, Hope Erin is ok, tell her well done for getting back on. Clo's first fall was almost the same, instructor used whip to get pony into canter and clo fell off twice in 5 mins. We are now up to 3 falls, as its so windy this week, pony was very spooky, black bag blew in from nowhere, pony went left, chloe didn't:( - But this time she managed to laugh and get straight back on:D .

Having a competiition with the other kids now, but she has loads of falls to go before she catches up with her best riding buddy, 5 falls in one 20 min lesson apparently:D

If we could only crack the canter I think a lot of things would go better. Audrey really loves to canter but cos chloe is nervous keeps slowing her down which makes pony crabby. Still it will all come with time and patience;)

Are you still looking out for a loan;)

Take care
ang

[Purple Hugs]

Hi Ang!
Glad chloe is ok after fall! poor thing! :rolleyes: Mind you that's a serious personal best.. 5 falls in 20 minutes by her friend.. was she jumping ?? or not jumping as the case may be!? hehe

Erin is fine, lived to tell the tale and been gloating over her rosette! :D Bless her.

yes, still looking for a share, but nothing around at the moment - not in my area anyhow. :rolleyes: Seen loads of 'loans' that are tempting, for me and for Erin, but keep stopping myself..... :rolleyes: one day.. but not yet.
I'd love to own, ro loan, later but when I don't need weekly lessons necessarily. At the moment could really do with maintaining my lessons - getting there.. slowly! ;)

[vimto92]

Hi Jane. Glad to hear shes okay now.:)
Bless her. I'm cantering and I ahven't fallen off yet....*gulps* I know its soon.:( Tehehe.
Wow! How nice of your RS! Giving her a rosette, that is lovely! Truly lovely. I predict she'll be getting a lot more rosettes...:p NO! Not from braveness either.;)
Your daughter sounds cute!:D
Vic x

[Purple Hugs]

I'll have to get Graham to download the pics from the camera, she's sooooo proud of that rosette! :cool: she held a 'horse & dog show' in our living room with her stuffed dogs and horse's! bless her, she had a judging table and everything! ;)

it's hard to imagine her competing, as we don't own a horse, but I suppose, one day she may! :D Either way is fine with me though, I don't mind what she does with her 'hobby'

And yes.. biased although I am, she is a cutie! :p

Here's a pic of her at the start of our riding lessons
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/purplehugs/Horsey%20pics/th_Erin.jpg (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/purplehugs/Horsey%20pics/Erin.jpg)

just realised.. she's still holding the saddle here.. and look at that concentration on her face! ahh... hehe

[cloang]

:D love that photo:D . Little friend who fell off 5 times has a very experienced pony who likes to drop her shoulder if the child is being a bit too clever:o .

saying that the same pony will plod around with a total novice and is totally bombproof:D

think I might get a couple of rosettes in case we have another fall - what a brilliant idea:D

speak soon
ang

[raingodz]

It is good to hear your daughter coped with her first fall so well and was able to get back on and trot by the end of the lesson :)

[Purple Hugs]

Ang - sounds like a cheeky pony!! hehe When it chooses anyhow! :D

I must take the camera with me when she rides soon - not next, as she's changing pony, and will be a bit nervous so don't want to add to it by taking pic's.

Can you buy rosette's individually? As Erin's taken to it so well, it'd be nice to give her a reward now and then - i.e. if she canters or takes a major step in her riding. :)

Raingodz - thanks! :D I'm so pleased she has taken it in her stride.

Erin came down the private stables i help out at on a sunday - there is a 23 year old ex RS pony there called dolly, and Erin took great pride in the before and after of grooming her! Which was really sweet. She's not very 'hands on' with horses, so i'm hoping this will help her increase her confidence. She'll now feed a polo with her hand flat on top of mine (before it was mine on top of hers as she was frightened the pony would bite).
Watching her gently brushing mud off etc, and enjoying the fact that dolly felt so smooth afterwards was really nice.

Dolly's a pro at being groomed so she's a great project for Erin. ;)

[stormandsummer]

It really sounds as if you and your daughter are enjoying riding and generally being around horses, i had to keep quiet for a while as i was mad about the RI cracking a whip and consiquence fall, I felt you was very fair with your comments and understanding to the situation too, I guess you was there and know all the circumstances etc.

It is one subject i am easily wound up about, i have seen it too many times and had a fall myself as a result, but i should take a leaf out your daughters book and take it in my stride and get off my high horse about it :rolleyes: Mind you i didn't get a rosette but i am 35 LOL

[Purple Hugs]

lol.. I couldn't help being a bit jealous of the rosette!! hehe i'm never likely to get one, but then as with you, I'm 34! :D

Basically it's the horse that didn't expect it, and yes the RI could have used another form, but she tried other things prior to this, and it's one of those things I think. She's a lovely RI and very competent, so I don't want to get all uppety about it, Erin needs to learn to sit such things too, but that's further down the line. :rolleyes:

I'm sure your experience has left it's impression with you, i know my own fall some months ago has left me reluctant to 'watch the shoulder come back'... lol as last time I tipped forward and fell off! :eek: :D

[stormandsummer]

i know my own fall some months ago has left me reluctant to 'watch the shoulder come back'... lol as last time I tipped forward and fell off! :eek: :D

Oh sorry i know i shouldn't laugh but i did at this, i take it you was learning to trot:rolleyes: How did you manage that ?????? sorry need to compose myself now but this is a first for me, i have seen riders pile into the horse in front cause they were looking down to watch the shoulder come back, but never seen someone tip forward let alone fall off too ( not giggling here honest ) Hope you wasn't hurt

We all have experience of falls and i am sure we can all agree that we live and learn by this and your daughter is being very brave, may be you could ask her to borrow her rosette :rolleyes:

[Purple Hugs]

lol.. it's ok, I laughed after it too!!
I was riding Kapella (first RS horse) and she's pretty big about 15.5hh, but we were working on which diagonal to rise to in rising trot.. well after not understanding what I was seeing on the shoulder thing.. I watched for a bit too long and didnt' realise I had started leaning forward... so my head being the heaviest part.. yep first thing I knew was when my head was level with Kapella's mane... and I was landing in the sand! :o

I must admit this was a long time ago now.. honest!! hehe But it still makes me worried.. like with new RS horse Bertie the other day, RI asked me to watch his shoulder.. and seen as he's 16.3hh I thought i'd better explain what had happened in the past. She was great at explaining that I had to keep sitting up straight and dip my eyes only!!
I survived to tell the tale!

Erin was riding a pony (the one in the picture posted earlier) behind me when I fell!! :p So at least she knows she's not the only one to fall!

I think I'll let Erin keep her rosette though! ;)

[Crazy Mare]

Sounds like you have a very brave little girl :D

Glad Erins ok. Cute picture, by the way.

[vimto92]

Aw bless her!
Her own horse and dog show with a judgings table eh? Cool!:)
If I had been in the same postition as her when I was her age I would;ve done the same!;) :p Its cute!
Lovely picture.......can I knick of with her jodhs and stretch them a bit?:p They are so cute! I want some!:D

[Purple Hugs]

lol thanks Crazymare, fingers x'd she continue's being brave! :D

It's funny as riding brings out the best in her, as she's not a brave girl generally, can be a bit shy, hates all 'school' sports etc. But loves riding.. and Yoga. :cool:

Vic - lol - yep she loves her imagination play.
Sadly her jod's are getting a bit too tight on the feet.. sounds funny but I have a nightmare getting her feet into them! the ankles are that narrow!! hehe They are Gorringe by the way, in case you want to go shopping;) ... they were blooming dear though £35! But she's a pink kind of girl!
I'm getting her to choose a pair from the Shire's catalogue for her birthday (to save me fighting with the old ones, and as they seem reasonable). :p

[Nimrod]

Glad she's OK. Have just booked my Erin his first lesson (he's 6 in August). She looks really sweet in the pic!!!! It's a great age isn't it? I am waiting for my first fall as I have nearly, so nearly, come off in all my recent lessons since beginning cantering. I am so unable to keep my stirrups and once their gone, I'm gone. She did really well to get back on and it's horrible as a mum I bet!!

[Purple Hugs]

Another Erin!! And a boy! wow, I've heard of a few other girls, but never a boy :) it's a great name! ;)

She's fine now, so fingers x'd next lesson is ok!

ok.. mental note to try and keep a tight check on stirups in canter! :eek: :D

[Crazy Mare]

Riding and yoga, what a great combination :)

[Nimrod]

listed under 'Boys' in our names book!!! But it's a great name whoever gets it:D . Better canter today with one hole shorter on stirrups.Still not great though. Better stop this thread, it's not the topic at all. Sorry!!

[julia gulia]

Sounds like the pony should have gotten a rosette too for surviving the scare!!!!;) l.o.l.

[Purple Hugs]

Riding and yoga, what a great combination :)
Thanks, she loves yoga with a passion and is hopefully getting better confidence wise since her fall - she's had a few wobbles. :o