Am I being stupid and over reacting???

Question

i had a horrible fall earlier, i was just walking along on my new horse when she reared up and landed in top of me, i was taken to hospital in an ambulance with a neck brace and spinal board. I am ok, just shaken and a hidous head ache, The horse is going back 2moro and I feel like I need a break from riding. However my supposed friend reckons i am over reacting and that she would have got bak on. (she doesnt have a horse but rides). Do u think shes right? only serious answers am quite upset. x

Answer 1

Well, you have a reason to be nervous about horses. When something like that happens, it scars you for life. And it is really hard to go back to doing what you did before the accident. But there must have been a reson the horse reared up. She must have been spooked by something. Or was uncomfortable about something. Horses just don't do that for no reason. So, a break from horses is prolly a really good thing. But i don't think you should give up on horses. They are amazing creatures, and that was just a freak accident. Hope you feel better!! :) and hope this helped...  

Answer 2

I have 3 horses.. have had them for 5 years, when i fall off the right thing to do is get back on straight away

but obviously you got badly injured that you couldnt, you did the right thing, she will just be trying to make you feel stupid

Answer 3

If you're still in pain, don't worry about riding. But if you're fine now, I would have gotten back on. You don't want to let a fall ruin your life as a rider.

Answer 4

Take a tip from an ol' rough stock rider. Take a break for as long as you need to heal up. Once you can ride without major pain, get back on. If you don't you will develope a fear. I has happened to me. The best thing to do is get back on and ride as soon as it is safe for you to do so. Never let the horse win. If they learn they can win from that expierence they will learn that they can get rid of you anytime they want. Getting back on and working with the horse not to rear up again is the best thing, for the horse and you. Trust me when you get back on again you will be scared. Just use that to fuel your riding. Do you really think a bareback rider, saddle bronc rider, or bull rider are not scared about getting on? I know you situation is different but at the same time, it is the same princible. Luck and safe riding.

Answer 5

If you are afraid to get back on but you want to ride in the future it is usually better to to get back on earlier rather than later, the sooner you face your fears the better.  If this is the case then your friend is probably correct.

If you are still injured your friend is wrong.

If you are really really afraid and you feel you need time then you are probably right.

If you are not afraid at all or only a little bit afraid but you feel you need a break then you are probably right.

At the end of the day it is your decision but if you are still upset it might be better to wait untll you have a clear head and then decide.

Answer 6

sorry it was such a bad fall.  supposedly when you fall off you should get back on immediately. but couldn't happen for you so never mind.  the only problem that might happen is that the longer you leave it to get on a horse then the harder it is to do so.  i take it that this particular horse is being returned.  so my advice to you would be to ask if you could ride a slightly smaller horse that is safe to ride.  even if you mount,  walk a circle and dismount.  or even be led.  that will help with your feelings.  only then you might feel like a break from riding or not.  

not all horses are that naughty,  hope you ride again and enjoy it.

Answer 7

your friend is being silly...that must have been scary having your horse rear up and then landing on you...

you may be in some shock and if you need to take some time out you do that, don't listen to your friend, she wasn't in your situation so she doesn't know what she's talking about.

good luck hun, and i hope you feel better soon and get your confidence around horses back :)

but remember that you're not over reacting...your friend is

Answer 8

were i come from the riding way is to get back on no matter what, but if u dont feel safe then dont, i think the only time i didnt get back on was wen i was thrown threw a fence

Answer 9

You are not overreacting. That must have been a very traumatic experience.

To me the horse sounds way too dangerous, and it's good that you are sending her back.

Like someone else said, once you recover just start off slow.

Answer 10

I dont think you are over reacting....a horse fell on you. I hope you are ok. I dont think you should get on until you know that you are physically ok. Dont let this one experience keep you from riding. Take a break for a few days and get back on even if its not the same horse.

Answer 11

Only you can tell if you're in pain or not. Pay attention to yourself and getting better and then if you feel comfortable try to get back on. Take it day by day. Besides I would be scared if a horse reared up and landed on me. If your friend doesn't understand your needs and feelings she obviously doesn't care about your personal needs. A good friend would understand what you're feeling and help you overcome it on your own time, when you feel ready.  Like other people have said above me I agree either to send your horse to a trainer to figure things out or get a new, older, dependable mount to gain confidence on. Then you won't have to worry about whether or not you will be injured again. I would suggest getting a horse from a good friend of yours or getting a horse from a therapeutic riding facility that has worked with disabled riders. They are pretty dependable in most situations and are used to riders being around them. Good luck!

Answer 12

She is just worried she will have on one to ride with!

Take a break. Even nice quiet horses can be unpredictable and if your nervous even a softy can get twitchy.

So what if you never ride again. It's not the end of the world, if you want to start again, do just that. It's you neck at the end of the day.

Answer 13

The idea of getting back on EVERY TIME is nice in theory but it's just not always possible.  I fell off once and broke my collarbone and there was no way I even COULD get back physically, and bumping around would only have made the injury worse.  You could have hurt yourself even worse by getting back on.

If you need a break to get your nerves in order, take a break.  No need to get on and upset yourself and your horse.  You know they pick up on your emotions so why get the horse upset?  Just wait until you are ready.

Wrecks are scary, but they are a part of the sport.  If you are not willing to accept that, then maybe you should find another sport/hobby.  But really I think you should just give yourself some time to heal and relax and go back out there when you are ready.

Good luck and feel better!

Answer 14

You are absolutely right and you are not over reacting!  When you are ready, you will get back on a horse.

In the meantime, be careful and don't listen to others.  It is easy to to make mean remarks to others especially if you are not in their shoes.

Answer 15

Only an idiot would have gotten back on.

If they took you with a neck brace and spinal board, they suspected that nerve damage could occur with any movement at all.  So to get back on, risking permanent damage - up to and including paralysis - is a completely unacceptable risk, even on the quietest horse.

Further, it sounds to me like you have a concussion.  That's what the hideous headache is, and it won't go away quickly.  Consult your doctor in the morning.  The last concussion I had (also from a horse going over one top of me) took over a month, during which time I got nothing done, slept a LOT, and had dizzy spells that lasted even longer.  

DO NOT get back on until the concussion is healed.

Yes, the longer you wait the harder it is to get back on.  But risking permanent damage to save yourself the exercise of some will power later is not the right thing to do.

Take a break from riding.  Your friend has no idea what you've just gone through, and how injured - emotionally and physically - you are or could have been.  I'm sure she's just trying to deny the danger so she doesn't have to face the reality that you could have died, but she's wrong and someday she'll realize that.

When you're ready, go back to it.  It took me months, but I love it again and have done far better since the incident than before.

Hope you're better soon.

Answer 16

If it was serious enough to have gone to the hospital I would not have gotten back on! At least not right away.

I'd have either sold the horse or maybe gotten an experienced trainer to work wit hthe horse. I'd most likely sell it though, rearing is just too dangerous to take such risky chances.

Answer 17

There's a difference between getting back on a horse to better yourself and getting back on a horse that puts you in danger. A horse that rears is much more dangerous than one that throws a fit and bucks. I think you were right to send the horse back. You were very lucky not to have been seriously injured.

Start back up on a horse you can trust to behave and take care of you. Get some self-confidence back and then start riding more.

Hope this helps!

Answer 18

i dont think youre over reacting.. you need some time to rest and get over the incident. your friend probably doesnt understand that you could have gotten seriously injured and that getting back on a horse before youre fully recovered can lead to worse injuries.

dont let this upset you just rest until you recover and dont let your friends make you do something that you dont think youre ready for.

i hope this helps!

Answer 19

I think that you should get back on a horse as soon as your doctor gives you the OK. Not just any horse though--a calm, older, beginner horse that can still do the stuff you love whether it be jumping, dressage, barrels, w/e. Don't listen to your friend. It's not an overreaction at all. Horses can be scary at times--even if you love them. When your ready you can start riding other, more difficult horses again. If you don't do this ASAP you may get too scared and lose your nerve. Then you could regret not riding again.

Answer 20

Only you know your horse and why it did that. I don't know what your horse is like other wise. What caused it to rear up? Maybe the horse needs more training. When a horse rears you lean forward, if you can think that fast, when it happens. I have had horses rear on me and had one fall over backward on me once. This is part and parcel of having horses. You should get back on, but you know the horse. Getting back on is part of the process, but some horses you shouldn't get back on. My sister's boyfriend thought he was going to ride a 3 year old un-broke mare. he needed me to help him with the saddle. I told him she wasn't ready to be ridden, that she needed more work. He said he would ride her. He did for all of two seconds when she dumped him on the ground hard. Some horses aren't ready and maybe yours isn't ready for your level of experience.

Answer 21

no your not over reacting...but just remember...the longer you stay off cause your scared the harder it is going to be to get back on....just remember that....anytime i had an accident (if i wasnt bleeding) my dad made me get back on....but do what you are comfortable w/....good luck and i wish i had more to help you with.....

Answer 22

You are not over- reacting- rearing horses can kill you.  I have been on rearing horses that have landed on top of me. thankfully I walked away from the situation only badly bruised, but I have a client that ended up with a broken back.  I could go on and on about riding mishaps with rearing horses.  Dump this horse as soon as possible, regardless of its training.  I agree with the other answers that you need to find nice quiet horses to enjoy on the ground for a while until you pass inspection by dr, and you get your confidence up.

Good luck-just take it slowly, you'll get back in the saddle sooner than you think,  

Answer 23

I wouldn't get back on this horse, since it rears.  If you have access to a more bombproof horse, I would ride it asap...fears tend to grow if nothing happens to interfere with the replaying of an experience like this.  Override the thoughts of your horseback riding trauma with good experiences on a safe horse if there is any way possible.

ADD.....your girlfriend is just saying what she has probably always heard.  Sometimes it is the best advice.....but in this situation, it is not the correct advice.  You never get right back on when you are injured unless you are a fool.

Answer 24

i think that you should def. get back on a horse. but i would suggest a nice, older and more gentle horse that is very relaxed. it will help build your confidence again. b/c if you don't get back into the saddle you won't ever conquer your fear. give it a shot, just take it slow though.

Answer 25

I think if you feel you should have a break, or your in pain, then you should have a break from riding. Only ride if you want to. That sounds a nasty fall. Your lucky you weren't serisouly injured.

Answer 26

well i think you need to take a break, you are not overreacting, she probably doesn't know what its like and what it was like. it's very dangerous when horses rear so i don't blame you to be honest.

when you have recovered, try handling a more quiet horse to build your confidence.

Answer 27

horses that rear like that are not a good idea for that reson. as he/she has done it once to you i wouldnt risk him/her doing it again as the result for u could be worse. so i would give her back.

i think once u have recovered and feel better you should try looking for horses again but look for a sort which is very unlikely to do that to u.

i know someone who had it done to her but broke her back and know she rides a really good little cob and is back to doing riding club.

dont let this horse knock your confidence go for a quiet one.

good luck hope that helped!

xxxx

Answer 28

You could be over reacting a little.  I mean you mentioned it was a new horse, so she was probably nervous in a new surrounding, and I am a firm believer of getting back on when you fall.  But like Amy S said, maybe you should spend time with a gentle horse.  If you feel it is necessary you could take a break, but I don't recommend it.

I remember a horse reared and fell on me once.  I didn't even get ice, they put me on another horse because we were still going on that ride.  I didn't even get an "Are You ok?"

Answer 29

I think you need to go spend time with a nice gentle horse and remember what it is that you love about the horses. Once you're comfortable being on the ground around familiar horses, you'll want to start riding again. Just take it slow and make sure you're ready for whatever you do. A nervous rider isn't going to do anyone any good. Good luck :)

Answer 30

You shouldn't be rushed back into riding if you don't want to. Just spend time around horses, especially gentle ones that don't shy easily. You could just groom them, maybe just lead them around on a leadline. And when you're ready, you can go back to riding.

Sorry about your fall, and best of luck.

Answer 31

The old saying is if you fall of your bike, you get back on it. Do the same with riding and learn from your experience. i know it was not your fault but your going to be more alert incase it happens again. Good luck