What To Do If You Are About To Fall From A Horse: 9 Safety Tips To Avoid Injuries

All horse riders — beginners and veterans — face the risk of falling from the said animal. In horse riding Birmingham, the situation and the adeptness of the rider play a crucial role in determining the extent of the injury he or she might encounter.

According to statistics from the Fédération Equestre Internationale — the international governing body for horse sport — the risk of having a serious injury is one in every 55 falls.

Causes of Horse Falls

When you try out horse riding in Birmingham, bear in mind that there are different ways in which you can fall from a horse. The most common situations are falling towards the horse’s neck and falling sidewards. Falling backward is the least most common.

Below are the possible causes of a horse fall:

The horse stops or turns abruptly

The horse trips or spooks

The horse gets excited

The horse refuses or over-jumps a fence

Safety Tips

Don’t get us wrong: Horse riding Birmingham is a fun and exciting sport. If you want to keep your cool — and more importantly, avoid suffering from injuries — here are nine safety tips you need to follow if you’re about to fall off your horse:

Be prepared and properly equipped. As a general rule, always wear proper gear (e.g. An ASTM-approved helmet, boots with one-inch heel) to keep yourself protected.

Kick your feet from the stirrups. This will prevent you from dangling upside down and getting your head hurt when it gets close to the horse’s hooves.

Decide if you should hold on to the reins or let go. When you’re about to fall off, and you’re on the fence about whether you should hold on to the reins or let go — choose the latter. Picking the former might be more dangerous not only for but for the horse as well.

Never stick your arms out to attempt to break the fall. Doing this will only lead to breaking your wrists, and possibly hurting your arms, too.

Direct the bulk of the impact away from the fragile parts of your body. Do your best to not be on a state of panic, or else, you won’t be able to think clearly and protect your fragile body parts (like your head and wrists, as mentioned above).

Round your back by tucking in your chin to your chest. What you can do is to round your back as much as you can — tuck your limbs in close and bring your chin to your chest.

Remember to roll away from the horse. About to fall off while horse riding in Birmingham? Always aim to hit the ground with your shoulder and immediately roll away from your horse to avoid getting stepped on.

Know how to do an emergency dismount. While others say that doing this is riskier than falling off, there are instances when this could be your better option. For instance, you horse is headed for a busy roadway.

Always ride in a safe environment. Get a horse that matches your horse riding Birmingham skills and always ride in a hazard-free environment to prevent yourself from having any serious injury.

Bourne Vale Riding Stables offers lessons for horse riding Birmingham. We've a licensed school that has been teaching horse riding in Birmingham for years.