How to you prepare your child for their first fall - before it happens?

[Hanamoon]

Now that both of my kids are riding, how can I prepare them for their first fall? I know that eventually it will happen. My 6-year old son has just started riding and my 10-year old daughter is jumping. When I was a kid on one of my first few rides my pony bolted as we were returning to the barn, pitching me into a gigantic blackberry bush. I really wish someone had just made me get back on because (other than about a thousand scratches) I was fine. I didn't get on a horse for about a decade after and I give some credit that incident for my present "nervous nellie" riding style.

My husband has told our kids that unless there is a serious amount of blood or a broken bone get expects them to get back on the horse immediately (plus he will give them a $100, when he bribes he bribes BIG). I've told them somewhat the same but that they need to get back on so that the horse doesn't have "hurt feelings". Is this wrong? What else is recommended?

Also, at our RS they don't appear to teach emergency dismount, I know some RI have differing opinions and it may not apply to kids. Should we ask our RI to address it?

[karl_hague_2006]

Now that both of my kids are riding, how can I prepare them for their first fall? I know that eventually it will happen. My 6-year old son has just started riding and my 10-year old daughter is jumping. When I was a kid on one of my first few rides my pony bolted as we were returning to the barn, pitching me into a gigantic blackberry bush. I really wish someone had just made me get back on because (other than about a thousand scratches) I was fine. I didn't get on a horse for about a decade after and I give some credit that incident for my present "nervous nellie" riding style.

My husband has told our kids that unless there is a serious amount of blood or a broken bone get expects them to get back on the horse immediately (plus he will give them a $100, when he bribes he bribes BIG). I've told them somewhat the same but that they need to get back on so that the horse doesn't have "hurt feelings". Is this wrong? What else is recommended?

Also, at our RS they don't appear to teach emergency dismount, I know some RI have differing opinions and it may not apply to kids. Should we ask our RI to address it?

You could ask your RI to address it.

However you cant really prepare for a first fall as such, however you can prepare them for after the fall,to get back on the horses back and continue riding where-ever possible

[Vicki&Milo]

Also, at our RS they don't appear to teach emergency dismount, I know some RI have differing opinions and it may not apply to kids. Should we ask our RI to address it?

I didn't even know that actually existed-I thought that was just what my sister called it when she fell off and didn't want to look like an idiot :rolleyes:
Vicki xx

[Skyhuntress]

Damn, I wish I had had your husband as my father *grins* All I got was a lecture that horse riding was dangerous and I needd to dust myself off and get back on the horse again.

As for preparing your kids, tell them honestly that falling off is a part of learning. Sometimes learning is painful ;) but it makes you a better horseperson.

[Hanamoon]

I admit that I was worried that the bribe might make falling somewhat tempting for my kids and that there may have to be downward sliding compensation scale for repeat incidents. :D But hey, whatever gets them back on the horse after their first fall....

I had a moment this weekend when I really thought I was going to fall going over a jump and will admit that besides "this will probably hurt" my second thought was "Bill's gonna owe me a hundred bucks!" but I was able to stay on...

[samsaria]

May I ask - what is the best way to fall, if you are lucky enough to twig you are falling when it happens?

I have no memory of either of my last two falls, first memory is just being on the ground and knowing there were hooves near my face.

Both occasions - first one, the instructor rushed over, scooted me straight back up. I dont think i realised what had happened for a couple of hours.

Second time, during a hunt. Fellow rider appeared me urging me to get back up, and gave me a leg over. Once again, it was hours later I realised I was freaked out.

Actually, oh my god :o :o :o now that i write this, i realise i've fallen of FOUR TIMES in the past 10 months, and i'd actually forgotten about two of them!!

Another one was straight into a ditch, I didn't drive my weight straight down my legs as the horse scrambed down, (i have learned now how to do it!!!!) i reached for the neck strap = me straight over his head :( But i smacked into a huge puddle of mud laughing.

Another one, was in front of a pretty high jump in the ring. Horse refused by dashing to the side, I slipped to the side and hit the barrel and then the floor.

EVERY time the person present just cut the nonsense and chucked me back up.

So i guess, its them that needs to prepare for the riders falls! Really, i only once fell off as a kid, and i landed on my feet! Kids are lucky, they bounce more than us tense adults.

gosh i'm dreadful, falling so much. How much DOES the average person fall off in say, a year??

:)

ps - I swear by back protectors now since falling at speed during the hunt. Ground in the arena is soft... so your land is a big spongey ;)

[Esther.D]

Best way I know is to treat them as a normal part of riding and get on with it - if not injured (or not badly) they take their cues from you, if you get visibly agitated then they will be far more shaken up than if you remain calm and encourage them to remount. Sounds good on paper, just wait until Beth is big enough to ride and has her first fall! :eek:

[NoviceNic]

My daughters first fall at the age of 6 was a nasty one. Pony bolted into full gallop and Jasmyn hung on for dear life. :eek: As she fell she landed gracefully into a roly poly but I really felt guilty. :( My daughter has never forgotten her first fall. :( However she has her own pony now and has had quite a few silly falls and doesnt think anything of them as she loves her pony too much to give up riding. It just doesnt help her confidence. But we keep going and I know that after watching her trot off lead rein up the road after her friend my stomach was in my throat but I had to hide my feelings and whoop at the thought of her confidence growing. I find that praise works brilliantly. I tend to tell her shame about the fall but you really did wonderfully to hang on all that time. And her pony gets a silly " Naughty Bonnie :p ". This usually makes Jaz laugh again and get back on.

[samsaria]

NoviceNic, aw, your daughter sounds gutsy!

This thread is really making me think; a horse bolted on me about 6 months ago and it was SO PETRIFYING and i seriously questioned ever getting up on a horse again. It was a thousand times worse than falling off. But the guy i was riding with kept saying to me Well done, You hung on!!! - it was really bad, it must have been horrible for him watching his friend being taken for a ride around a field on a hunter... but like you did with your daughter, his praise made me actually PROUD of it, after all, I hung on!!!!

I am still working up my confidence as everything goes belly-up for me once i introduce jumping :eek:

[Dreamchaser]

Also, at our RS they don't appear to teach emergency dismount, I know some RI have differing opinions and it may not apply to kids. Should we ask our RI to address it?

I was taught a the emergency dismount as a kid and have used it twice, both times when a horse has bolted with me. One of which I managed to break my femur because I just happen to push myself off when the horse bucked. The other time I was very glad about pushing myself off. The horse bolted through the field. I jumped off when she went back through the riding arena (we don't have any fences around it) and she was a bit slower than her full out gallop through the fields. It turned out that she ran back into the barn and ran right into the cross-ties as a horse was in them. She flipped over backwards.

I really feel they should be taught to kids because in certain situations it is much better to get off that horse than be on it. As long as they understand it fully and when to use it. At the camp I work at during the summers, we make a point at teaching the non-beginners how to do it.

I also remember at my old barn it was really snowy one day so the kids in one lesson spent their lesson falling off in the snow. It was an easy way to learn how to fall.

[teapot]

dont make a big song and dance about it. I've seen both this approach and the "it's only a fall, 6 more and you're a good rider" etc.

Guess which helped the kids the most? The second one. It's part of riding and yes do tell your kids that they may fall off etc but don't do it in a way that they become scared. Otherwise you do more harm then good.

When they fall off - check they're ok, rub them down and say wowwwwww superman or something - then get them back on etc.

Oh - best way of falling (if you have time) - curling into a ball like jockeys do

[stormchaser]

When I was a kid my folks put me on bikes, rollerskates, rollerblades, skateboards, ice-skates, skis, pogo-sticks... anything you could fall off from! And I was always expected to laugh it off, get up and keep going after a fall, if there weren't any injuries that needed tending to.

When I finally got up on horses, and finally fell off with no injuries but rather rattled, I told my mom over the phone that I was disappointed about it, was afraid she'll lecture me that riding is really dangerous, but she still had this it's-ok-it's-all-part-of-learning attitude. I haven't fallen off since though.

Falls happen, but always put safety first. A confident rider is also a safer rider, I must add. After a fall, always check for injuries on both horse and rider, before getting back on.

[Floob]

Stormchaser- that's right always check for injuries. My little sister fell of when her pony cat leaped a jump and stopped, sister just kept going right out the side door.
She was crying, did the old dusting down thing and instructor popped her back on at which point she said her arm hurt. My mum made her go over a smaller jump (being led) anyway. Found out 2 days later that she had actually broken her collar bone!!! She wanted to get back to riding as soon as possible and is now fine.

I have fallen off about 5 times, silly falls mainly. Last 2 did half emergency dismounts, could've stayed on. JUmping, horse went buck, buck swerve and I jumped off and rolled just before buck number 3. This was a horse we were trying out, didn't buy.

Try to get back on, and if not hurt at all, try to make a joke out of it, I thought that my first fall was hilarious.

[MI Horsey]

Hi, both of my kids ride too .My eight year old daughter had her first fall last year but it was hardly a fall .Around the world exercise ended up on the ground on both feet :confused: .So the perfect, non scary first fall !!I tell both my kids that eventually they will fall ,that's part of riding .They have seen people fall off ,and have watched me recover from an injury . The horse my daughter rides is a sweetheart but once a year she bucks somebody off :rolleyes: (already happened this year ,so I'm hoping she filled her quota)
I have no idea how I will cope with the first bad fall but I'm sure the kids will handle it better than me :)

[Greentchr]

My husband has told our kids that unless there is a serious amount of blood or a broken bone get expects them to get back on the horse immediately (plus he will give them a $100, when he bribes he bribes BIG).

Wow! I'd fall off for that:D !

Seriously though, I agree that treating it matter-of-factly is the best way. Brush 'em down, check for broken bones, and hop back on. I fell off last year and bumped my head- knew I 'had to get back on', but somhow couldn't quite get myself walking over to the horse, and my 'rescuer' wouldn't help me get on!! I was a little perturbed at her at the time... of course, after the concussion healed and the broken bones showed up on the x-ray I was kind of glad I had not got back on:D .

Knowing that you will fall off at some point is important to tell them- I'm glad you are preparing them! Sounds to me like you are doing everything right!!

[palmerlover52]

Ha! wish i had a dad like that! instead i have the hysterical mother banning me from getting on "that horse" ever again (obviously i do!) and muttering various explatives about the horse in question, all involving dog food and a father who tells me if i don't stop falling off then i'll be spending more time on the ground than in the saddle and i should stop :) I've perfected it now. i remember to go into a little ball and everything. i even landed on my feet once! But i normally have a lil time when i don't remember. i remember loosing a stirrup or being bucked or whatever, then being on the floor. quite confusing. they probbly know it will happen eventually, and if not hurt will get back on anyway, just to get that money!!
PS: I've fallen 6 times in as many years, and never been seriously hurt (nothing more than a sprained ankle:))

[StormyJ]

The first time I fell off, I was seven, I snapped my wrist and just got back on!
It was actually a really funny fall though, the instructor was going "look at me, look at me". I took her at her word and the pony went straight into a wall! :D :eek: :rolleyes:

[1 morejump]

wow, I'd fall off for the 100 bucks! I knew a RI who taught her students to fall and they always landed on their feet. She wasn't my RI so I don't really know how she did it. Recently I fell off my 3 y.o. on a hack. He snapped his reins and I tied them back together and got back on.

You have to get back on for a number of reasons. The best ones are confidence and it sends a message to the horse. If you don't get right back on you will feel very shaken and may never ride again, I've seen it happen. Also it tells the horse a lot of things. It says, "even though we goofed up we are going to do it again, its okay accedents happen."

However, if you have a smarty-pants horse like all of mine are the message is, "HA! You may have tried it but I'm not dead so we are going to keep going!"

[arabianbaby]

i think you can't really prepare them for it.
all my falls so far have been jolly fun at the time... and awfully sore the next day (today being one of those days :P).

my daughter got thrown off the first time ever on a horse. she had her wind knocked out and was pretty sore, but was a great sport about it and asked if next time she could PLEASE have a saddle.
she hasn't fallen since but had her horse bolt on her last week and i have never been so scared watching them gallop across a gravel parking lot. she was terrified too. that was far worse than the fall since she never saw that coming.

i think the best you can do is get them back on and riding so the KEEP their confidence. most times the fear kicks in and confidence goes AFTER they have had time to think/worry for a while.

[Cheeky]

Heya,

Hmm .. I would deffantly teach them how to fall correctly, and how to do the emergancy dismount, and the one rein stop for bolting/bucking etc.. horses .. or get the RI to address it - even if it was a privo session. I had to learn the hard way .. only ever had 3 falls in all my riding life (have been riding since I was 3 .. and am 17 next week .. and hopefully no more falls *touch wood*), but I learnt a heck of a lot from them.

Also - make sure your kids do get back on (horses hurt feelings actually can be true.. depends on the case lol). A fall can shatter your world on horses for life .. and not getting back on and repeating (getting past/over) what went wrong can change that :)

Good luck .. also, I'd tell them that if you seriously cannot control your pony, that there is no shame in dismounting if you feel the need (if your at high speed or something - providing they know how to get off quick)

Good luck, they sound like intelligent kids :)

[Sparkie]

I've fallen off more times than I can remember, but not so much recently (touch wood!) My worst one was off a half-Arab mare who decided to run off with me then stop dead at a fence, I flew over her head and scraped my back along the fence. Wasn't wearing my body protector either, as I'd lost it!
I've always got back on after my falls though, only time I didn't was when my RI banned me from getting back on a certain pony as i kept falling off her over and over again!

[eml]

Basically I wouldn't worry. Kids tend to 'abandon ship' if things get wobbly and no one is in reach to pin then to saddle (not joking..I have a good line in one hand on rein to stop pony other grabs child or any part of clothing that I can hang onto!) It is going to happen and much more important than preparation is how it is dealt with at the time.

I find a 'wow can you do that again I almost missed it'/'give the pony a hug its upset you wobbled off ' approach defuses any worries and gets the child back on after a quick 'does everything still work' check!

[mogadoga]

Falling is all part of it- its the getting back on you need to concentrate on! :)

[horseyrose]

I wouldn't worry about it really or build it up too much. Depending on how confident your child is they may not actually be that affected by it. The first time I fell off (I was 6) I just got straight back on, it didn't scare me at all and it didn't occur to me not to remount. I know some kids do get upset though so the way you deal with it is important. Just don't make too much of a fuss about it, check they are unhurt and then encourage them to get back on. There are lots of good suggestions above!

[stormy's mum]

i would advise not teaching the emergency dismount because i ahve seen more people get hurt trying to learn it then actually falling off

[Baileyswalker]

My little sister fell of when her pony cat leaped a jump and stopped, sister just kept going right out the side door.
She was crying, did the old dusting down thing and instructor popped her back on at which point she said her arm hurt. My mum made her go over a smaller jump (being led) anyway. Found out 2 days later that she had actually broken her collar bone!!! She wanted to get back to riding as soon as possible and is now fine.


I can identify with that, came off on a cat-leap and was made to get back on and finish the course, before realising that something was defenitely wrong with my arm... went to the hospital and yep, broken collar bone. Strangely it started to hurt a lot more after i found that out :rolleyes:

[kyanya]

My motivation for getting back on was that if I didn't, my non-horsey dad would say 'Oh good, I knew you'd get sick of it eventually' and be happy because I'd be costing him a lot less! He would have taken the greatest pleasure in me giving up, so it always made me more determined to get back on!

I think getting back on is something that only the child can decide for themselves. I think all you can do is point out both sides of the coin to them and support them whatever. At the end of the day, if they do fall off and not want to get back on, you can't (and shouldn't) make them. If horse riding isn't for them, then so be it. At least you can enjoy horses :)