So a shamed

When I was younger and taking lessons I got run away with and bucked off many times! I always just thought that was part of horse riding. You can't guarantee that it will never happen and it should make a better horseperson. Learning to take the falls and regain control is all part of the game :)

Kids fall. Its part of the game. I always tell my kids that when they fall off it means they are a real rider now. They get a laugh out of it. I had one kid fall and get drug about 20 feet in the arena. She jumped up and was great. Then her Mom walked into the arena and she started bawling. There was nothing wrong with her. Just seeing her Mom made it all click.

Don't stress. If you are going to teach you are going to have students fall off. Its not always their fault, its not always the horses fault and its not always your fault. Its just part of the game. We are trusting these huge animals to carry us around. Poop happens. The most quiet of horses will have their moments.

As for the poster who mentioned relying on arenas. I like to keep my kids in an enclosed area until they get an idea of how to control their horse. It just minimizes the degree of the disaster. I actually keep my kids on a lunge line for about 8 - 12 lessons before I let them have their reins and ride on their own, then put them back on the lunge line to learn to canter. You actually are required to teach beginners on the lunge line when you do your coaching certification.

How can they learn how to ride out of the open if they can't ride in arena without getting scared in horse running off . I'm at it woulda been a lot worse if they were out on a trail ride and horse ran all the way back to the barn
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They learn to ride out in the open by first learning good riding skills in the arena and then transferring that to outside the arena. Beginners don't need to worry about controlling a horse on the trail AND trying to stay on. It can be overwhelming and intimidating for some.

Not everyone rides outside of an arena. Before I bought my horse he had NEVER gone outside of the arena. I know several people who own horses and don't even canter IN the arena and ONLY walk outside of it.
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The rider was riding well in the arena, it was said plain as day in the OP. One doesn't know what will happen outside of the arena until you go outside of the arena.

Oh yes, I feel for the instructor, everyone is ok and the horse is hopefully ok.

Speaking of arenas and indoor arenas, a little of topic, but where I come from we could ride outside nearly 100% of the time, when I moved we rode indoors for nearly 75% of the time. The anxiety associated with being boxed into an arena was immense for a while, and then I got completely comfortable with it......and then summer rolls around and I'm terrified to ride outside!!!

I have had the realization that people can become arena sour for sure!

(now I make a point of going to the open (no fence) outdoor arena as much as possible so that the 'fear' doesn't come back)

I learned to ride out on the trail. I started out riding rental horses...nose to tail fashion. I never had lessons.

I bought my first horse and just assumed I should ride him out like the rental horses. It was a lot different for sure, being in control of your own horse. And I am a big wuss! But I had a good first horse (an Arabian gelding) and it took about a year but I developed a good comfort level with him. (He was a lazy, perfect beginner's horse).

I did ride in the arena some, practicing things like trotting and cantering, but basically I just bought a horse and rode him out on the trails without lessons or knowing any better. Maybe not the recommended method of learning to ride but I did fine. It's been like 18 years now and I'm still a happy trail rider.

Well it was a lesson and I'm sure it was a lesson learned. Gland to hear she got back on! I'm sure her and her mother know the risks and if you want to ride, sometimes you need to take risks. Its even happend to people that have riding for years. Its an animal and you can't garantee anything.
Hope she comes back for more lessons.

I think a person is doing the horse a disservice if they never train it to ride outside an arena. I personally wouldn't own a horse that I couldn't ride solo outside an arena. To me, the most spectacular well-bred horse in the world does me no good if he isn't safe to ride in the real world.

I would think it would significantly limit the number of people that would buy the horse if he/she were sold too. Can you imagine anyone owning a horse 150 years ago that couldn't be ridden outside an arena? They are BORN to be outside the arena.

Well I got my new guy just a week ago, he's been kind of fresh and he's in a new barn and I've been trying a whole pile of different saddles on him, so I've been hiding out inside until next week....then I will take him outside to the open arena and work him and take a nice stroll across the fields