What's the scariest thing you've ever seen at a show?

[ADD526]

this wasnt at a show…it was at my house

so it was getting to be winter and the weather was bad so i hadnt ridden in a while. My mom had to take my brother somewhere but i had been through a lot of crazy stuff with my horse and she trusted me becuase i was good with him. Well it was cold and windy and he was thoroughbred. Our neighboors infront of us had a dog tied to one of those stake things on like a 30’ line and the dog was just running as fast as it could in cricles and wasnt stopping. My horse had seen this before se i wasnt worried. Well i got on and he was really jumping so i resorted to the just make him go forward cuase that always worked for me. Well finally he threw a huge crow hop which i lost my stirrups. Then he bucked which threw me forward and then he reared. Thank got for the visor on my helmet becuase i would have broken my nose.
So i hop off and go to the mounting block to hop on again. Well kind of the same thing happened again…I was mad now. He was being stupid. So i decided to lunge him but my lunge line was in the barn. Bad idea. I proceed to walk back to the barn and hes flipping out. Somehow he turns around and rears up. Hes straight up in the air striking out at me. Maybe one of the scariest things ever to see this horses belly and legs flailing at me. Thankfully he just scratched my arm. This really got me scared, I realized there was no way i was getting to the barn and back again. Plus i was afraid to let him go becuase wen this horse gets loose he runs a milllion miles an hour everywhere. So i try and walk him back to the ring, Him prancing beside me. I decide the only thing i could do was take off his tack and just let him be.
So he stops for a minute and i go to undo my girth. He spooks and my saddle flys off the side but he had a martingale on so the girth got stuck and it was pulling on his head, I hold the reins as hes cantering a tight circle around me and somehow i stayed calm so he didnt get worse and my martingale thankfully broke becuase he stepped on it. With his head a million miles in the air i reach up and take off him bridle and he takes off flying comes within inches of kicking me in the face…

he ran around for about 2 hours…an hour of that being full gallop. I watched him the entire time crying. Mostly becuase he was striking out at me which made me upset becuase he was such a kind horse. Finally he stopped…terrible day

sorry about spelling issues

[horsegirl888]

Wow, these stories are horrible. We just forget sometimes how powerful these animals are.

This wasn’t at a show, but it does have a moral.

I was going out to the barn to feed our horses their afternoon hay (they live at home and are on turnout in the daytime). My 9 year old sister was with me (I was 12 at the time). I was carrying a couple flakes of hay out to two of the horses (My Anglo-Arab show mare and the Shetland pony). It was a snowy, windy day. Set down the hay, stepped back because the pony was on one side of me and my mare was on the other. Mare lashes out with both back feet (and I remember this because I didn’t black out) and hits me about 2’’ below my temple.

I remember seeing her ears go back, then her butt dipped down (she was winding up for it and I didn’t realize) then I turned to the side and put my hand up over my ear. After which I felt the impact. If I would have stayed facing her I (according to the ER doctor) could have died. As it was I broke my cheekbone all the way through, but didn’t need surgery.

This mare has never been known to kick and has never tried to since.

Moral of the story: When the horses are acting weird, go with your instincts and throw the hay over the fence.

[Chef_Jade]

uhhh, why am I still reading this thread? :dead::dead:

[mjrtango93]

Oh I wish I hadn’t seen this many…

First time (still traumatized) I saw a horse die, we were trailering about 3 hours to go cross country schooling. Monty was not good in the trailer so it was a rock and roll ride like normal. Just as we pull in the driveway of our destination all hell breaks loose in the trailer! We all jump out and open the front escape door and see Monty trying to push himself out on the floor. We had a 3 horse slant with Monty in the middle and he had gone done. The back horse backed out with no problems, thought Monty had just scrambled and gone down so figured he would get up once T was out. WRONG! Ended up unloading my horse out the front escape after 2-3 minutes (seemed alot longer at the time!) of getting the crap kicked out of him. Once mine was out Monty gave one last groan and tried to push himself out and died. Turns out he had an ulcer rupture and his stomach exploded. To this day I am scared to death if horses move in the trailer even though that was 13 years ago and I know why he died.

Saw a few horses collapse with anurism’s and die from events, a hunter in a flat class, and a dressage horse trotting in the arena. Those are freak and heartbreaking but at least they go fast without pain. Had one of our schoolhorses drop dead of a heart attack 5 minutes into a lesson with student. But again fast and painless.

Worst accident was coming home from a show. It was a 10 hour drive up I-5 and 3 hours from home my friends truck tire blew and he lost control and his trailer flipped and came to rest on the horses rump side after sliding down the hwy about 100 feet. I had gone home ahead so got a call to bring the trailer back. He had 4 horses on board, the one in back didn’t have a scratch on him he had broken his halter and was standing facing the door when it was opened. Next horse took 3 minutes to get out and had 3 really good lacerations but nothing that needed stitches, 3 horse took over 20 minutes to get out (he looked dead) but came out with shattered withers, severed tendon, and 9 broken bones in his neck, fourth horse took another 10 minutes to get out as he had gone through the front wall to the tackroom and his leg was caught in the sharp metal. That last one was euthanized on the scene as he had basically cut his leg off and only parts of skin held it on. Lesson here people is never EVER pull a 4 horse BP with 4 horses! The weight is just too much and a truck tire blowout can happen. This is why I am a freak about dually’s and GN to minimize this ever happening.

[jward72182]

I was two out from my jumper round at Kern County in California in the late 90’s. They were schooling some of the grand prix horses in the schooling ring behind me so I was watching them to take my last minute jitters away and focus. I saw one rider about 10 strides away cantering towards me go limp. The rider ends up falling off the horse about 3 strides from me and the horse runs into my horse.

The lady had a stoke and the medics came over asap. Of course, my trainer is yelling for me to get in the ring as they had called me twice already. Talk about not getting rid of last minute butterflies by watching warm-ups!

The lady ended passing away. Apparently, she had had several strokes while riding and had told everyone previously if she died while riding, she would die happy.

[JUMPERROUND]

Scary but also pretty funny. I was at a dressage show about 10 years ago when someone’s horse got loose. This was a big park like property without many fences so scary enough. On his first flight around he ran into an occupied port o potty and knocked it over (door side down) It took years for me to use a portable after viewing that mess.

[Room_31]

That would be one of two instances. The first is when I saw a pony break its leg mid-way over a jump and the second was when a horse that was stabled across from me was spooked and jumped over its stall door (the horse was about 17.2). It subsequently ran loose for about half an hour, causing major havoc left and right. When the horse first escaped, 17.2 was coming right at my pony and I = very scary!

[eclipse]

I was working at the barn one summer and we went out to the paddocks to feed lunch hay, and noticed one of the horses kick out a fly & get his hind leg stuck between the gate & fence post (total freaky accident). So 2 girls are holding him up while I go to phone the fire dept as I figure they have the jaws of life and can cut him out. They arrive and are proceeding to hold him while getting out the jaws of life, but suddenly he goes down & the sound of his leg snapping is truely terrible. All they can do now, is wait for the vet & cut him out of the gate while holding him down & stop him from getting up. One of the firemen has the horses head in his lap & is whispering into his ear & the horse is shivering, the rest are holding him & patting him. The vet and owner arrive at the same time & euthanize him on the spot! To this day, seeing those burly firemen crying at this still makes me cry!

[Gray_Horse_H_J]

Schooling Show Stampede

My last barn had a scary schooling show incident once. A novice under saddle class was in the indoor ring, 6 riders total. Me, a few instructors, and a handful of other people were standing at the “in-gate”, which was really a wide open door that connected the large indoor to the small one. The large was the “show ring”, small was the “schooling ring”. So we’re all standing and watching when the stirrup leather on a school horse’s saddle snapped. The woman riding lost her balance big time when the stirrup broke off and was clinging to her horse’s neck. The horse bolted, causing all 5 other school horses in the ring to bolt as well. All 6 horses were literally stampeding straight for us by-standers. One trainer said, “Build a wall!” and I said, “Are you NUTS?” These horses were hauling @$$. I did not show up to a schooling show to be mushed into a pancake by 6 freaked out school horses. We all jumped out of the way, and all 6 horses galloped into the small ring. 2 riders fell off in the midst of all this, one riderless horse ran out of the small ring, down the aisle and out the door (it was spring so the doors were open), but someone caught him fairly quickly. 3 of the others stopped in the schooling ring. I managed to grab the rein of the small pony (tiny little thing) that was whizzing by, and he seemed relieved that a human was telling him what to do. The last horse, with rider still attached, galloped out of the small ring, around the corner and down the long aisle. Back to her stall I guess.

Everyone was fine, but sheesh!

[zoeee]

Reading all of these stories is quite eye-opening.

Not at a show but terrible all the same.
I was taking pictures of an advanced lesson going on. Horse takes a long distance and is jerked in the mouth (not extreme by any means but this is a sensitive horse and hates long distances even with the proper release). Lands and bucks twice. Rider is unseated and falls, but has the stirrup stuck around her ankle. Horse spooks and proceeds to gallop around the ring. I run to call 911. I am still haunted today by the visual of her dragging against his galloping legs and hearing her yell in pain.

Result: Three or four broken ribs and a broken jaw, plus plenty of bruises.
She had to have teeth reconstructed but first she needed to have her jaw wired shut.

Moral: Make sure you have stirrups that will break away when needed. There are many kinds, and they are built that way for a purpose.

[AHorseSomeDay]

The scariest thing I saw was when I was showing at Westbrook Hunt Club a few years ago. I was walking by the hunter ring and right as I walked by the horse and rider crashed into the fence. The rider was lying on the ground and never moved. The horse was ok though. The noise was so loud.

[Guin]

I think I will stay home and take up knitting. :eek:

[ECMSD]

[QUOTE=JUMPERROUND;2925536]
Scary but also pretty funny. I was at a dressage show about 10 years ago when someone’s horse got loose. This was a big park like property without many fences so scary enough. On his first flight around he ran into an occupied port o potty and knocked it over (door side down) It took years for me to use a portable after viewing that mess.[/QUOTE]

that would probably be my worst nightmare

[mbp618]

Not sure if this was mentioned (didnt read all the pages) but last year Sept 06 HITS sAUGERTIES
In the childrens hunters ( I was in the next ring over doing the aduls)
the horse flipped over the jump and died instanlty and the girl was air lifted It was so sad and the girls sister had been watching her go ahhhhh chills im getting typing this I felt so bad I think they shared the horse
Very sad

[woahhh_pony]

not at a horse show but still scary…
I was about 11 and went to the barn to ride a couple of horses. My friends and i checked on the mares and foals before we left to go on a trail. We were on the trail for about, say and hour and a half. While we were cleaning our ponies my friend caught sight of one of the foals lying directly under the fence between their paddock and another. We headed up to the field to find him not moving but still alive and exhausted. we called the vet and had the assistant trainer come up to see the foal. turns out he some how managed to get under the fence and was paralized in his hind end.:no: We werent allowed to stay there while the vet put him down.:(It was so sad to see such a sweet baby have to go that way…

[Dirty_Little_Secret]

At the Raleigh horse show where a kid in the children’s jumped ahead of her horse at a fence; he stopped. As she flew over his head the reins got wrapped around her neck. The horse proceeded to freak from the weight, rearing and coming down on her, galloping and dragging her body. The crowd was sobbing! I really thought she might be dead.

Finally got the horse stopped and released the girl. Her neck was immediately very swollen and very bruised. After she was rushed to the emergency room it was found that she only had swelling and bruising- other than that just sore.

It was by far THE most startling thing I have EVER seen.

[ECMSD]

not at a show but…

my friend and i were on our way home from a show. everyone walked away with either champion or reserve. we are meeting our trainer back at the barn to help unload the horses. as soon as we pull up we see the boys out in the pasture running. i jump out and then all of the sudden, one of our miniture ponies becomes pinned up against the fence by a large pony (very sweet gentle pony who i guess was caught up in the moment of adrenaline). the mini senses danger and trys to get away but i stood there and watched knowing i couldnt get in the middle of the fight, in shock. the mini bit the large ponies butt to try and get away, but the large kicks him…and connects-directly in the head. it was the most sickening thing i have ever seen and heard. i kinda snap out of it at that point and run out into the pasture and start throwing horses to a friend and adult waiting outside the pasture to take them in. Then it gets worse. the miniture (georgie) was laying on the ground and his best friend (a fellow mini named timmy) stood over him, almost as if he was saying goodbye, knowing and understanding {fyi trainer and vet had already been called but it was too late}

just then our trainer pulled up the driveway with ALL of the kids in the truck. she parks out of sight and tells the kids to get in the barn. these kids are all under the age of 10-they understood what was happening as well but didnt want to believe it.

the whole accident happened in 1 minute, which we were lucky for. georgie didnt suffer for long.

the hardest part was going back into the barn and letting the kids know. we sat for over 3 hours with the kids and they just didnt want to believe it, none of us did. All of us went through guilt and anger, and uncontrolable emotions. me only being 15 at the time was just as devistated because i was with the ponies the first day we got them. and have trained him to carry a cart, then after a younger kid crashed him while carting (she was not supposed to be doing it) i retrained the pony to trust people. it took 3 years for him to let a person touch him, catch him in the pasture, and relearn to cart. i had grown so close to this pony and was horrible to see him die and buried. its still so hard to believe but luckly because most of the kids were there, we can all easly talk about it and laught about teh good times with him. we have a burial out in the feild and all the kids wanted to chip in to buy a tombstone–i love these little girls

okay sorry that was so long
RIP Georgie 10/27/07 5:01 pm

heres a picture of timmy on the left and georgie on the right
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2963844660102488755eGyrWN

[pleasedaspunch]

Did not have a chance to read through all of these but this happened in 2005 while I was at PG Equestiran Center

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/15/AR2005091502359.html

[jumpin_it]

i second that knitting idea!
some are so scary, but i cant stop reading!

[arena_run]

One of the scariest, and most heroic at the same time, things I have ever seen was on TV. It was a bronc rider who fell off the bronc but got caught in a rope. The horse wouldn’t stop (of course) and the pick-up riders coudln’t get to him. That horse drug that man around for at least one complete roundof the arena.

At that point the crowd simply flowed down into the arena and brought that horse DOWN. It was an amazing thing to see. That horse literally disappeared under those men. sylvia