That was your friend? That one definitely made me LOL—she really took out the entire jump!!!
I’m in that group too and what I see is that the difference between foreign and American riders is that they have all the grit and we have all the hoity toity judgey bs. So they’re not perfect. No one is riding poorly on purpose and most importantly THEY’RE HAVING FUN and they’re not afraid to make mistakes and laugh at themselves.
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We don’t learn a crest release in UK/Ireland because, in theory, we don’t start jumping until we have achieved sufficient balance on the flat and, because that takes time, built up some core strength. Obviously, however, there are many exceptions and a lot of people will jump before they can or should. But then they can learn from their mistakes and habitually do so …
Generally we have a “get it done” mentality rather than a “must look perfect” one. Our tradition is built on foxhunting, crossing natural country at speed, and it still underpins basic riding education. Even our top GB dressage riders are notably more forward going in their canter work during international competitions.
The best bit about this nameless Facebook page is that evidence of failure, mistakes and self-directed humour has inspired a fair number of riders to stick with it, or return to the saddle or just feel better about themselves, which can’t be a bad thing.
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It’s amazing that it has retained its spirit for so long…you know weeks, in this modern world. The page is growing faster than anyone could of imagined, and I hope that they can keep control of it.
When I first joined I kept wanting to chip in with advice, but quickly outgrew that thought. There ARE some things that make me wince, and go poor horse, but I figure that 99% of people posting are savvy enough to know what went wrong and why.
I now find it totally refreshing, a place to share some great stories, even better pics and videos, just for the laugh.
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Oh man. About 5 years ago, I had the worst fall of my life. I was trying a horse to possibly lease, she scooted and flung her head and smacked me in the face and knocked me out. I landed on my left hip/butt and ended up with a giant butt hematoma. I actually saw a vascular surgeon for it, he told me they preferred not to open those up and risk infection, and it did go down eventually.
Fast forward to September, when I had a long-overdue hip replacement. It had gone so long that my hip essentially fused, and the surgeon had to correct my leg length. When he got to the top of the incision, he hit a pus pocket. Turns out that hematoma had encapsulated and basically set up housekeeping in there. It was full of old blood and dead stuff, and his surgical assistant said she could fit her whole hand in it before they took it all out. 
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I think it may have something to do with different riding styles.
In our North American H/J style, we are taught to stay over the horse’s center of balance and keep a light seat, with our lower leg and thigh being the primary base of support.
In some of the more British/European styles, the full seat is utilized quite a bit more, especially between fences. I think this lends to some riders being a bit heavy in the seat and a bit looser in the lower leg, and falling behind the motion. I think they tend to get popped over the tack and fall over the shoulder because they are behind the center of balance and the looser lower leg doesn’t provide the stability to “catch up” with the horse over the fence.
I don’t think necessarily one style is better than the other, because the more forward seat can lead to jumping ahead which has its own tumbling aspects to it, as well.
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A lot of those videos in which the riders are getting popped off the horses are just not going forward enough. Once the horse makes the effort over the fence the rider gets thrown.
A lot of the riders also look more competent than they are because the horses are pretty great. That’s not meant as an insult either just an observation. So while they look solid, the riders in fact lack the basic position to keep them secure.
Having lived worked and evented in the UK, the riders there are on average wayyyyy more educated and skilled than what you would find in North America. The falls on the page are just the process of learning in this sport (for the most part)
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If you are riding in a deeper seat without leg that’s not correct, so I don’t think it’s a good characterization of that type of riding. And, much of what one sees in the American style is a pinched knee and very little lower leg.
I sit on my jumper in the more German style, and if I didn’t have my leg on we’d be going nowhere, he’d be unconnected, and my trainers would be yelling at me, lol.
As for that site it’s obviously not for everyone, and if one can’t find the humor in it, than it’s not a good place to be. It’s meant for sharing stupid, cringeworthy moments that we all can relate to, without judgment or advice. I think it’s great, and I’ve had tears of laughter running down my face at some of the posts. I’m a good rider but a couple of months ago I nearly broke my nose in a really stupid fall over a large oxer. My horse is rarely naughty, and it’s generally always my fault when we fall, but (just like most of those posters, I’m sure) it happens infrequently. When I do fall it tends to be pretty ridiculous, and I definitely wish I had some of those on camera!
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I’m in that group too and one I recently saw made me cringe. If you can’t 2 point w/t/c with no hands, and learn a long crest release, there should be no jumping. I see a lot of rushing green riders, mostly adults. I don’t get it.
And that is the great thing about groups on Facebook. If you do not get it, or you are offended by the content you can simply leave the group and not have to see it.
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I love the humor on the group.
It’s wide open to who posts, obviously. There’s lots of falls where it’s clear what’s happened. I was just curious about the subset where the rider looks really solid coming in, there’s no obvious chip or long jump, and the rider comes off.
I am more used to seeing North American riders who are drilled in crest release, and those falls are usually from getting in front of the horse.
I think that Jealoushe has probably identified a big part of the problem: not enough leg. If the leg is working then it is there, around the horse, and can then hold the rider on board in moments of crisis, too. Lack of confidence plays a big part.
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