Why it pays to have your cinch tight!

Had another meeting with the ground today, from my lofty position on Mac's back.
I rode him out and was thinking, gee he's kinda logey today. At the arena I got off and stretched my legs and noticed that the cinch was really loose. "Hm m m. Maybe I should tighten that. Naw, that's ok, I am just going at a walk, and I am balanced enough I could ride him without one " (minor exageration , but sounds good for this story).

So, I meet up with a friend and as we are riding at a walk away from the arena , and just as I was saying over my shoulder to her, "Mac is really lackluster today", Mac spins violently to the right. The saddle slipped left and I was clinging to his left side. As we spun around I see out of the corner of my eye, her horse spinning and the rider (about 60 years old) tumble to the ground. I was haning so far off the left side, I tried to get Mac to take one more step to kind of "lift" me so I could get enough of my body over his backbone to kind of "skootch" the saddle back up, but no deal. And I reached over his back but there was nothing to pull myself up with (Mac has almost no mane ) Gravity took hold, the saddle completed it's journey around his belly and I rolled into the muck.

Of course, my next thought is "OH NO! He's going to go bonkers with the saddle under his belly!" I am up and tryint to lift the heavy saddle far enough to reach and undo the latigo. Of course, Mac is fine.
He's so cool about that, but felt the need to spin with ZERO warning!

Anyway, we two old ladies had a laugh and went on our ride.
I don't know if that qualifies for another punch on my frequent faller card. Probly not , 'cause I wouldn't have come off if
I HAD PROPERLY TIGHTENED THE CINCH!!!! ( I am a do-do)

I'm extremely guilty of keeping my girth loose because I think I can balance without one. Honestly, I usually can, but sometimes things go south! Therefore, a snug girth is a plus.

I am always worried about the girth not being tight enough because on my dads first ride of his new horse the girth was really loose and when he went to get on the saddle slipped completley to his left side!!! My dads horse went crazy and now he gets really nervous when my dad goes to ride him!!!!!


Lucky neither of you were hurt!!!

Glad you are okay. It would have been good for a laugh after the fact. Lol

Bahaha. I'm sorry. I had to laugh.

I have a similar story. One day this summer, some of the wranglers took the other counselors on a trail ride. (I wasn't with, but I was told about it a handful of times.) Someone forgot to check one of the horse's cinch and they were going along about their business. One of the girls who doesn't ride often and therefore doesn't know how to keep herself balanced had this horse. While they were walking, the saddle just slid to the side..with her on it and she just hit the ground. She was fine and thought it was hilarious.

You know, I have had three falls in recent months and the good thing is that it keeps the whole experience of falling in the "oh well, that kind of stuff happens, no big deal" catergory. If I went a long time without falling, then I might get all upset when it did happen.

I am terrified to fall because I've only fallen once ever. Well, legitimately. I slid myself off while trotting bareback and got back to on to resituate myself. I'm not sure why I'm so bothered by it. When I did fall, I was loped over. I stood up and was more concerned whether my friend got a picture. I was sore, but that was it.

Ugh. I just want to ride Abby bareback. I'm just pretty sure has NEVER been ridden bareback and doesn't get it if I put any pressure on her back without a saddle. She's fine with a saddle, she just doesn't get what I'm trying to do. I kind of just want to jump on and let her dump me. I'm just scared. Poo.

Good thing about falling is that usually, once it starts, there's not a thing you can do about it, so you don't have to worry, . . Just fall. Simple as that.
Stops the worrying right there.

I ended up sideways on one very spooky horse at a full gallop. Luckily the horse that spooked at everything imaginable wasn't at all bothered by the saddle and I slipping.... go figure, just slowed to a stop and looked at me like I was nuts! Her owner had saddled her and I hadn't checked, I now check before getting on any horse, even if I saddled them!

Hehe, I guess you learned your lesson, lol. My friends little brother had been riding for a little while and had amazing talent. He'd only really been riding for a couple of months and had a sturdy seat, could easily post, pick up the right diagnol and was very soft in the hands (however, his mom was the coach). Anyway, one day he had brought out one of the older horses to ride and his sister (my friend) asked him where the girth was. His response, "What's a girth?" I have to say it was one of the funniest things I've ever heard. I still wonder how he forgot...