WHY!? Falling

Okay,so I was riding in the arena in GP today. Gidget and I did fairly well. She threw a fit here and there but then she calmed down and we worked on keeping on the rail at a trot and canter since she likes to go everywhere but there. I get back to the pasture and my sister wants me to jump my horse...well I haven't jumped her in 2 weeks...I put up some small jumps..I mean they are pretty small
So I took her to the lowest jump and we hop over it and once her feet touched the ground she put her head down and started eating..there was no time to get her head up and I rolled off. I got back on and did it again and was fine so I went to the bigger jump at a canter so we wouldn't clip it.I honestly don't know what happened and I'm confused....maybe I over jumped or she jumped too soon and I was not prepared so I landed on her neck and I mom shouts out saying push yourself back in the seat ..my mind went blank and I landed and giot the air knocked out of me...my sister freaks out and makes it a huge deal but my mom and husband saw that I was fine so they didn't rush over.I laid there after I lifted my body up so I could catch my breath and my sister decided to push on my ribs...OUCH! ...I told her to stop...anyways,it was super embarassing and I did tear up and was shaking..she had a boy over and well it was embarassing cause it happened twiceI don't know why I always fall...I fall more than anyone it seems...it's at random times. I just hate it.

It's very embarassing and I know my balance seems pretty good on the flat..sometimes not but there usually is a rider error...bad timing or something.


Help?

Falling a lot will make your balance get better real quick!

I have fallen 15 times in 11 years. Three time last year. Plenty for a middle aged lady like me.

But as for you, and this IS your thread, not mine, were you bareback or in a saddle? I think that jumping correctly takes some instruction.
Since I know that you are working on dressage, if I remember correctly, maybe you should just let the jumping go for a bit. Or, take a few jump lessons.

I can't jump worth beans. I only do it on a horse tha I know can pack me over the jump. Mac can do this. But it's him being a gentleman to me. (I love that guy!)

Sorry you got dumped. OH, I always cry after falling! I swear, it's like an automatic reaction and cuss, too!

Gidget, it happens to us all. Even the very best of riders sometimes fall at the most unfortunate or silly moments. You know, those moments where you are on the ground after a small spook or hesitation when all you can think is "How in the HELL did I end up down here". All you can really do is try to think about what went wrong so you know what not to do next time. I don't have any suggestions on what to do next time because I never could ride a jump in a butt-paddling saddle anyway LOL.

Gidget

I have heard of falling for a fella, but you are taking it too far.

B G

PS How were you holding the reins - long and loose or short and collected?

Tiny,I have actually been taking jumping lessons for about 2 months now :) I can jump fine with the school horses,no problem...but with Gidget it's a bit difficult......I'm not sure what happened but I think I will lunge her with a small jump and do it on the ground first. We haven't jumped in two weeks(been working on the flat mostly,which has come along very nicely!).

I guess I get a bit shaken when I fall. It just scares me a bit..not all the time,but when I actually get hurt then it does.

I've defiently have fallen off more than 15 times,lol....it makes me think maybe I'm not cut out for riding and that's what gets me when I fall.I was talking to my husband and was telling him you know I think I fall off once a month and sure enough it;s a new month and I fall.I spoke too soon!.....I love riding,I do it all the time. I take lessons for dressage and jumping.Both I find fun but at the same time I THINK Gidget might be better on the flat more than in the air :P......

I always manage to fall off when my mum is watching and guess what... she got a photo of me hanging off a horses neck about 2 nanoseconds from impact. Highly embarassing, especially when my mum gives the camera to my friend who promptly bursts out laughing and shouts "facebook!!!"

Anyways. Don't get put down by falling off. Gowd, I fell off the same horse (coinsidentally the one who threw me in said picture) 3 times in three lessons. I fell off another horse twice in one hour and got mild concussion. Man, I still got back on that horse cz I wanted to prove I could get him over that darn combo without hitting the dirt at the start or end. AND I did Don't be dishartened. They say after 9 falls you become a rider. After 90, you become flippin brave (or numb to pain ) but a better horsewoman and so much more knowledgable. I bet you don't fall off the same way twice!

Don't give up just because of a bad sieries of moments. Look at the bigger picture. How many amazing hours have you spent riding and enjoying it. That's what matters!

Meby try riding in light seat over ground poles to gain balance, and allow your horse to balance below you. Ride positive and don't look down -never look at the floor cz you'll end up there!-if the horse even thinks about putting its head down afterwards, hiss/"cht"/say "no!" and push forwards! Hope you find jumping enjoyable soon! Its truely brilliant! (when it goes right lol)

Has anyone ever told you that you are good at cheering people up? Thank you. When I fall I tend to roll off my horses neck and then fall...I usually end up forward when I fall off but occasionally it's on the side and man does that hurt!..my horse is short,14.2 and half hands...I consider her to be short. It's instant impact to the diaphragm. I've never not gotten back on and I do have to say I am proud that I always get on and end up doing it over so I can prove to myself...I will do some trotting poles...going back to step one.

I've only fallen off during a lesson once...and that was with Gidget..jumping....I'm going to blame her as we were going straight over a cross rail and her back end went sideways so I rolled off but landed on my feet sooo more like an emergency dismount. My friend did the same thing with my horse and landed on her feet....maybe it would help if I taught Gidget to jump first on the ground?

I just wanted to add my 2 cents, by saying that it happens to everyone! Heck, it happened to me today! I was cantering a mare I ride sometimes and suddenly I was on the ground. It's happened so many times now, I got up and dusted myself off, laughed and got back on.

Like you, I used to think I fell off way more than any other person. I think I do fall off the most at my barn (lol) but it's gotten to the point where I try to learn from every fall and move on. I've lost count of how many times I've fallen off my horse in the year I've leased him, but that doesn't matter.

It sounds like you have the right attitude so just keep your chin up! Just remember it happens to everyone.