Falling Off.  Does it really “take 7 falls to make a rider”??   Part 1

Describing research into rider falls, an article headline read: The risk factors surrounding many falls may be preventable.

 Makes good sense to me. And it lines up with what I’ve noted as a judge and riding coach over the years.

While wearing protective gear – helmets and safety vests – do prevent the severity of injuries, wouldn’t it be better to prevent the fall in the first place?
Judges see their share of preventable falls. Enthusiastic riders, climbing aboard fresh, distracted or green horses – prey animals in a busy, unfamiliar environment…uh-oh.

Young riders joked with me – their barn policy is that anyone who falls off during a lesson buys their instructor a Coke.   Fun, but ….it does reveal an underlying assumption:  that falling off is a necessary evil of learning to ride… but is it? 

Falling off hurts!  It can shake a rider’s confidence so much that many choose to abandon riding altogether.
When I’m judging, I hate to see a competitor fall off.  I hate to fall off myself.

So as a coach, I do everything I can to minimize risks and systematically layer skills needed for every pattern course or test. I check to see each skill is thoroughly understood by rider and horse, before progressing.

Risk taking is part of our sport.
The process of becoming a competent rider is like climbing a staircase. We take a risk each time we stretch beyond our comfort zones. We step into the unknown the first time we climb aboard a new horse, try new tack, jump a bigger fence, or venture off-property to the first competition. We sense the caution signal of self-preservation, and push through it. As a coach and horse trainer it’s my job to measure each risk and determine when and how much to progress.

Nest post: Progressing sensibly: the science of “shaping” new skills – the key to rider safety
…and horse sanity