I came off this morning and right in front of lesson kids, moms, barn staff, etc. I am fine but feeling like an idiot. Of course, my naughty pony took off running. Please tell me that you have more embarrassing moment, so I feel I can show my face at the barn again tomorrow . :(:(
couple weeks ago, the pony i was on decided to suddenly stop and stick his head between his knees to try and vigorously rub the bridle off. i was leaning down futzing with a boot at the time. ended up hanging on his neck at risk of going over his shoulder, but not quite off.
at the walk. :rolleyes:
instructorās back was turned, fortunately, or iām sure i would never have heard the end of it. 
iām sure you will hear lots of stories worse than yours. :lol:
I fell off in front of a group of Girl Scouts that had come to our barn to get their horsemanship badge. I wasnāt just a boarder randomly riding in the arena while they were thereā¦I WAS THE DEMO RIDER!
Completely my fault. We had set a small vertical up in a place that was easy for them to see but not the greatest approach for me and the horse. I was riding my dead-honest eventer, got lazy about the approach and let him drift toward the standard, figured heād adjust. He very sensibly declined.
It was one of those easy falls you donāt even think about (just rolled slowly over his shoulder; I popped right back up and was fine), but it apparently scared some of the kids and they started crying. Dāoh!
I went to dismount after a particularly difficult lesson, not realizing how wobbly my legs were. As soon as I hit the ground, I collapsed and fell on my !bleep!
Years ago, a too-enthusiastic leg-up sent me right over the horseās back and plop to the ground on the other side. Since then, Iāve been a mounting-block girl.
[QUOTE=GrayTbred;8259620]
Years ago, a too-enthusiastic leg-up sent me right over the horseās back and plop to the ground on the other side. Since then, Iāve been a mounting-block girl.[/QUOTE]
Similar to this a few years ago I was getting on a green colt. Leg up, colt went sideways and I was barely on and didnāt quite go with him.
Same colt a few weeks later. Riding in the arena showing how far he had come. Going past the chute and he spooked wicked hard to the left leaving me on our previous path. Then the little brat ran away and out the arena. I was absolutely mortified. :o
I once fell off in my courtesy circle.
At an A show.
On a catch-ride pony for sale.
After a lovely lesson where I was feeling pretty proud of what I had accomplished, I smoothly dismounted ā and then promptly tripped over my own big feet and fell on my butt. The look on the lesson horseās face as he turned to look at me was priceless.
Thank you all! I feel much better not being the only one to make a complete ass of myself!
Most embarassing so far was at the start of our second endurance ride (LD. ) My totally lazy, princess jumper had been conditioning for months, and I detected NO evidence of heart or competitive nature in him, so we started with the pack.
Mistake. Three strides out he realized he was in a RACE and I couldnāt rate him with seat, hand or voiceā¦ He wanted to be with the front runners! He bucked me off promptly. To my credit, it did take him three decent bucks. Then with that panic, he took off THE WRONG WAY. He did an entire half mile up an alternate path before trotting back to me. One of the ride volunteers had to help me catch him.
By the time we got sorted, there was still plenty of time, and we set out alone. He took my pace, was contrite, and finished well. We donāt start with the pack anymore.
I jumped a tiny crossrail and my horse got super excited and took off bucking after. I wasnāt expecting it at all so he bucked me off over his head in the middle of a large lesson of special needs children riding with their parents, pony walkers etc. Thankfully the trainer had asked I wanted to go over the jump after her more advanced kids had so she wasnāt mad at all but a number of the younger kids were upset and I had to talk to them that I was completly fine while hiding how sore I actually was lol. I got back on and they calmed down and everything was fine but it was mortifying.
I fell off at a horse show after jumping an oxer backwards in front of the judge. Think that is bad, both stirrup leathers came off the saddle, one with me, the other one fell off after the horse and I parted company. After I got up, the judge politely let me know that my other stirrup leather was at the other end of the ring.
True story. I am sure the judge does not remember me, but I cringe a little bit when I see him.
I was helping school horses at a show. I had a GIANT hangover. My legs were wobbly and I was just not on my game. I dismounted, and my second foot hit the ground and I fell right on my a$$ into some bushes.
I also fell off when I was using one of those stupid bareback pads with stirrups? I kind of forgot what happens on those things. So I took one foot out of the stirrup to fix it, and boom, Iām on the ground. Laughing hysterically.
Long ago I was riding a naughty jumper pony, and wasnāt super fast at stopping his little bucking rants because it was just so FUNNY that he though he could buck me off. He caught me off guard while walking on a loose rein though, and just as my trainer yelled āDonāt you DARE fall off that pony!ā I kerplunked over a shoulder.
I somehow fell in front of him, so getting whacked in the back by a hoof was punishment enough. I learned my lesson about stopping bad behavior early.
These are making me feel better too!
A long, long time ago. I was showing. I went over the jump, but my horse didnāt. As always I didnāt let go of the reins so he drug me a fair distance. I finally let go, he ran bucking like a fool. I caught him, jumped the jump and left the ring.
I have a good one. A few years ago, I was riding my saintly older mare, the one I can put anyone on safely, bareback. We strolled over to the neighborsā to ride around their pond. As we were moseying around the pond, one of the neighbors stepped outside and called something to me. I couldnāt hear her, so I was twisted around asking what she said and trying to hear.
Then a duck flew up out of the brush around the pond banks, right up under my saintly mareās face. Of course, she leapt sideways. She may be a saint, but she is still a horse, after all! And me being twisted around trying to hear my neighbor, well, I just slid right off and plopped on my ass in mucky pond bank slop.
My neighbor was trying to warn me that I was coming up on the duckās nest so my mare wouldnāt get spooked. Full points for effort!
I fell off at a schooling show in the warm-up arena recently. Totally shouldnāt have. We were just discussing whether she would listen to me or not. And not only that, I was loud about it. I hopefully did not disturb whatever test was being ridden for the judge. My boots and breeches were dirty for the remainder of the day. We still had a truly amazing day and rode two amazing tests.
When I was a teen, my trainer took me to the property next door to his so we could ride on the practice race track. The horse and I were galloping down the long side, then it came time to corner around to the other long side but the horse decided he just wanted to keep going straight (toward home). So we did. He jumped that fence and I fell on my a$$ (or maybe my head, canāt recall). hahaha. So stupid. Luckily only my trainer witnessed that fall. I felt so stupid.
Oh, wait, I have another great one! Picture dressage newbie me at my first dressage clinic ever, with a trainer/R judge who was quite well-known and well-liked in my region. I was both looking forward to it and very nervous.
Happens I was riding the same mare as in the story above, only here she was an under-confident 7yo with a pretty good spook in her.
The owner of the host barn had a pet chicken who had been roosting on the rail of the arena near the mounting block, causing no issues whatsoever. As I was mounting, the chicken hopped down to the ground. My mare, understandably, darted away from the scary chicken. Assuming sheād continue to flee in that direction, I desperately flung my right leg over as fast and hard as I could.
My mare darted left.
I basically threw myself over the horse and landed in an ungainly heap in front of the well-known and well-liked clinician.
OH I have some awesome ones that hurt like heck and than I have ones that are like huh that was dumb.
I had just gotten my sweet horse I have now. He was off the track a couple of months. His canter was getting better the racing direction of course. The other direction wellā¦still rough. I asked him to canter and he got all confused and bucked me off. I was on the ground before I knew it going what the heck.
Now he is much better and prefers his cushy dressage horse statusā¦but will be all big & bad when he gets off the trailer somewhere new with snorting.
