Hey all. I had the most frightening experience. I'll condense so it's not a three page post...Trainer is loping an almost 3yr old in the big outdoor pen. Filly comes into some deep footing (we think), took a bad step and went down - a complete summersault. As she is getting up, trainer is still aboard, sort of. His bell was rung pretty good. She stumbles again and he goes off the side, but spur gets hung in the pad. Right spur hung, and he's off the left side, kinda half unconcious. He has his wits about him enough to grab the inside rein and turn her head towards him to avoid her running off. She starts to spin. I'm in total shock at this point and walking as fast as I can across the pen. Didn't want to run and frighten her more. So I see her foot clip his head and I'm sure he's done for. Suddenly, as she starts to panic, I hear him say in a completely calm voice "whoa". She stopped instantly. I'm frigging serious. Dead stop.
I get to them, and try to free the spur but can't. The buckleon the strap is mangled. He tells me to lay the horse down. I think he's got to be jking. I asked her to just by guiding her head down and she LAYED DOWN. I can't believe it at this point. Uncinched the saddle, and freed the poor guy. Filly still laying on the ground, my dear friend is bleeding but alive. I asked filly to get up and she did. Thankfully she's unhurt. My friend tells me to saddle her again and ride for just a few minutes to restore her confidence. I did and she was fine. My friend and trainer injured his ACL in his knee, and now has a few stitches in his head, but is otherwise fine.
This filly had a strong foundation of groundwor, and knew what the heck the word "whoa" means. She has a trusting relationship with people and I think that's the only reason she layed down ror me. I firmly believe that her early foundation saved my friend and trainers life. I learned a few lessons from this - I'll never wear spurs with a chunky woven blanket EVER again, and no matter who says it's BS, I'm gonna continue with the ground work an all of our horses.
Vet came to examine the filly to be sure nothing was wrong, and says she is perfecly healthy and sound. Thank goodness. I think I wanna buy this one!
Goodness, I'm still kinda shaking from the whole ordeal. I'm just so glad it turned into a happy ending!
Awww that is scary! We had one similar incident where it was a family with a green rider and a green horse (we all knew something was bound to happen). The greeny was riding english and dismounted but didn't kick her last foot out of the stirrup and ended face down in the dirt with her foot all the way through the stirrup. Well of course mister greeny horse (he was a thoroughbred who did not need to be ridden because he had horrible horrible ground manners and needed soft and suppleness on the ground before anyone was to mount him and ride) started to go into a whirlwind spin with the kid flying through the air on his outside. All I could do was pray. This horse was not going to stop no matter what we did, because he had no ground training to be calm and obedient. It would only be a miracle to save her from a broken leg or worse. This went on for more then two minutes and some how her foot came off and the horse took off running in a freak blinding bolt to the pastures. I still don't know how her foot came off.
So me being the only non beginner here, I ran and caught the horse. Horse was fine, just super hard headed like always, and the girl was of course wayy to afraid to mount him again. I for sure wasn't going to get on him, he needed so much work on the ground before I was going to mount him and ride him.
To bad they learned the hard way.
This shows how ground work is assential before anyone is to get on a horse. Do it people!
Thanks for the great post - just goes to show ground work is EVERYTHING. Without it there is no foundation, and a house with no foundation is not stable. Great GREAT story. Hope your friend recovers quickly.
Ditto I was taught from a young age that groundwork and building a trusting relationship with my horse was absolutely essential; and every horse I have owned or spent a considerable amount of time training has done anything with little asking.
As far as the 'scarey' part of this story, that is way I wear spurs that have blunt ends (no rowels) and I never put a spur strap on...I've never had anything like that happen, but I have heard of things like this happening, so my personal preference IF I have to use a spur, is no rowel, and no strap...I also witnessed a person at a show get their foot caught in the stirrup, because the spur itself got caught, where otherwise they might have gotten loose. Just goes to show you never know! :?
I have kept a knife in my pocket ever since we had a truck\trailer accident years ago, and my dad had to ask a bunch of bystanders if they had one, because my QH was stuck underneath my mom's arab, and couldn't get up because the halter held him there (on his side). This was also a testement to my horses trust in me, because when I went to the back of the trailer, they were both trying to move, and all I said was 'whoa, easy' and they both stopped. I climbed in, and slipped a lead around my boy's neck, while my dad cut him free. That horse waited until I asked him, to get up. If a horse could have been frantic beyond obedience that would have been the time, but both those horses trusted me to get them out of their predicament and waited to move until I told them it was okay to.
We're hoping for the best. He has to have a ultrasound on his knee to see how extensive the damage is, but he's out for the cutting next weekend I think. Too bad...
But I'm bringing that filly to use for turn-back. She's such a nice girl!
:shock:Oh good grief - how scary - that was a BAD accident - I am so happy the trainer was not seriously hurt and that the horse is not injured - what a horror that must have been to WATCH something like that happen! I am so impressed that the horse laid down for you and you were able to get the trainer free - WOW - that's something! Hope all goes well for the trainer - facing a knee problem is no fun! Sounds like the little horse is a treasure!
It's great that the trainer had put the time in to be able to stop the horse and for you to lay her down. That being said, every single person that is around horses should have at least one sharp knife in thier pocket. In this particular case laying her down helped free him but what if she was already laying on top of him and you had to cut the latigo to get the saddle off and get her off him.
I was at a roping once and a kid let his horse get tangled in the rope and the horse went down. The kid fell over the front of the horse and the stap on his chaps hooked on the saddle horn. When the horse got up the kid was hanging upside down. About ten guys jumped over the fence and most of them had a knife in thier hand. Lucky for the kid his horse stood still and they lifted him up and unhooked him but any one of those men would have cut the strap without a hesitation. Had I been watching that wreck your trainer would be shopping for a new set of spur straps. I'm glad to hear everything came out so well and it sounds like you have a great trainer at your barn.
It's great that the trainer had put the time in to be able to stop the horse and for you to lay her down. That being said, every single person that is around horses should have at least one sharp knife in thier pocket. In this particular case laying her down helped free him but what if she was already laying on top of him and you had to cut the latigo to get the saddle off and get her off him.
I was at a roping once and a kid let his horse get tangled in the rope and the horse went down. The kid fell over the front of the horse and the stap on his chaps hooked on the saddle horn. When the horse got up the kid was hanging upside down. About ten guys jumped over the fence and most of them had a knife in thier hand. Lucky for the kid his horse stood still and they lifted him up and unhooked him but any one of those men would have cut the strap without a hesitation. Had I been watching that wreck your trainer would be shopping for a new set of spur straps. I'm glad to hear everything came out so well and it sounds like you have a great trainer at your barn.
It is so, so important to have a knife - and I did! I grew up sailing as well as riding, both of which make having a knife on you mandatory! I've had my A$$ saved sailing more than once because I had a knife, and I never forgot. Plus, my hubby is a silversmith and he made me a super cool engraved one for our anniversary! If the little filly hadn't laid down, my next move was to cut the latigo or hack at the blanket. I was wondering how long it would take me to do it as I was figuring out how to lay her down! Those things are so thick!
Thanks for the well-wishes for my friend. I'll pass them along. He's a true cowboy, so I'm sure he'll be cuttin again in no time!
I'm so sorry too, to hear that so many of you have had similar experiences. I know it is something I'll NEVER forget. It was just awfull.
I truely thought I was watching my mentor bite the big one.
Sounds like that filly has a really good head on her shoulders. I saw a girl come off and get her foot hung in an english saddle once, the horse kind of spun in slow circles (scared that it was dragging a rider but not freaking out). It was at a horse show and people kind of stood circling the horse, but no one was really brave enough to approach her becuase they didn't want to freak the horse out. finally the stirrup came off and the rider got up completely unhurt. I'm glad you were brave enough to actually go all the way to the horse and I'm glad the horse was smart enough to keep her head. Ground work is SO important and you've just explained why. I'm also glad your friend is going to be ok.
The frightening thing is, I DID have a knife - I ALWAYS have a knife. It was easier to lay her down. The guy just knew the horse would do it. My 1st reaction was to cut the latigo, too. I worked on a working ranch for a little while and learned the importance of having one on me ALL the time. Plus, my husband is a silversmith and made me an engraved one for our anniversary, so I am attatched to it for a few reasons.
Yes, this filly is special. She can SLIDE to, like crazy. I've never seen one smarter.
Trainer/friend is a true blue cowboy, so I'm sure he'll be at it again soon. Thanks for all of the well wishes for him!
I don't know what you mean by ground work but I do absolutely no lunging, don't own a lung line and just get on a horse almost the same day I get him home and I will put my guys against anyones to hold in an emergency..
Example.. I trim trees by breaking branches from the saddle. I grabbed a branch laying across the train and tried dragging it off the trail. It was stuck on one end and I was sidepassing the horse to pull the branch out when the saddle totally slipped around and I was dumped and the saddle was hanging under the horse and I was laying on the ground looking up. He never moved a muscle.
A person was caught in a dangerous crossing between a cliff and a train and the horse exploded having only about a 10 foot shelf between the speeding train and dropping off the ledge. I was not riding with this person but seeing a disaster in the making I ran my horse between the train and the rearing horse. AGain my guy never flinched even though he was within 5 feet of the flying train and I quickly moved in on the rearing horse, grasp the bridle and using my horse as a buffer the horse let me hold him until the train passed.
Again I do no ground work and will put my guys against anyone elses in an emergency. They will hold no matter what.
I don't know what you mean by ground work but I do absolutely no lunging, don't own a lung line and just get on a horse almost the same day I get him home and I will put my guys against anyones to hold in an emergency..
Example.. I trim trees by breaking branches from the saddle. I grabbed a branch laying across the train and tried dragging it off the trail. It was stuck on one end and I was sidepassing the horse to pull the branch out when the saddle totally slipped around and I was dumped and the saddle was hanging under the horse and I was laying on the ground looking up. He never moved a muscle.
A person was caught in a dangerous crossing between a cliff and a train and the horse exploded having only about a 10 foot shelf between the speeding train and dropping off the ledge. I was not riding with this person but seeing a disaster in the making I ran my horse between the train and the rearing horse. AGain my guy never flinched even though he was within 5 feet of the flying train and I quickly moved in on the rearing horse, grasp the bridle and using my horse as a buffer the horse let me hold him until the train passed.
Again I do no ground work and will put my guys against anyone elses in an emergency. They will hold no matter what.
RiosDad - I think it's great that your horses are so reliable.
We don't own lunge lines either. We have around pen, though. We work in it not to tire, but to communicate and form an understanding with our horses. The foundation for "whoa" is formed there, as is respect of space latteral flexion, roll-back etc. Lots of guys use them. It's just the way I was taught. That's what we mean by ground work. It's just a way of aproaching training that some folks prefer.
Makes me feel like I don't do enough ground work with my horses. And I *am* going to add a knife to my riding tools. I always have my cell, but a folding knife could indeed be a life-saver.
Hahaha! French in Russian....I love that guy. I've never tried the beer, though.
But seriously, it's essential to have a knife handy. We keep a kit in each vehicle that has one in addition to a pile of other stuff.
***update***
Trainer is feeling pretty good. He's on crutches for the time being, but I'm sure that will not last long. He's already complaining. Filly is fine and worked great today! Nervous in the spot where all the drama unfolded, but sound and happy. She works cattle all next week - should be fun!
Thank you kevinshorses for saying what everyone has been thinking. About time.
Awesome story girl! I mean, obviously not awesome he got hurt, but a good testement to the neccesity of proper ground work. Something similair happened to me, riding my Arab gelding when I was 13. He'd been trained to stop dead when someone fell off. We were riding in winter, and coming around a curve, he slipped and went down behind the barn. I was riding English and the force of him crushing my leg between his body and the ice actually cause the stirrup to bend (I still have it!) When he stood up, I was dangling from his side like a Christmas ornament because my foot was trapped. I just calmly said "whoa" and proceeded to holler like crazy for my sister. It took her a good few minutes to hear me and come running out. My angel stood stock still the entire time, and in pain from the boff to his ribs.
It always gives me chills thinking about that day and what COULD have happened. I truly believe groundwork is the key to everything. Some of the signals may change when riding, but that trust and dependability is still there.
I sincerely hope your friend heals fast, and a huge kudos to his brilliant training saving his life! Kudos to you as well for being so quick to act.
Woah! That's scary!!
I've been doing ground work with my mare recently, and she knows the word "woah"
I was canter around, and a friend of mine had her horse out and told him to "woah" and my horse stopped dead, and i almost flew off!
I have a mft and whoa. is everything to him i think he prides himself on it... lol hes by far the best at grownd wrk i have. but whoa can be crazy scary when hes running... awesome story i knew grownd work at 7 was still good!
Considering that it's been a LONG time since I've been on a horse, one that was old and docile at that, what's the best thing to start on when training the horse on ground work? I have future plans to gentle and train my own foal.
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