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  Discussion on Horse flips over backwards and lands on me
Author Message
Member:
sbawer1

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 7:23 pm:

I was trying out a possible horse to purchase today when the trainer tells me to back him up 3 steps. He was resistent. I tryed again to back him up. Next thing I know he is rearing up and flipping over with me underneath him! 1 broken finger and sprained knee later I am wondering 'why me?'?? Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't take up biking. Maybe I would be 'less broken.'. I still love horses and can't live without them however! I don't know why this happened, he has never shown behavior like this before. He is the horse of someone at the barn I board at.
Member:
zarr

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 7:39 pm:

OUCH! Wow would love to know what made him do that . Are you familiar enough with this horse to know if this really was unusual for him? As I've hobbled around thru the years with various colored cast & bandages etc my husband shakes his head walks off muttering BUT yes your right no way could I be with out horses! Heal fast and Well Cindy
Member:
sbawer1

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 8:02 pm:

Good question as to why he did this. No, he has never shown tendencies to do this previously. He might has lost his footing when he went up the first time and in trying to catch himself went over backwards. I don't know. But I'm obviously not buying him! My husband can't even deal with my injuries anymore...
Member:
hwood

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 11:59 pm:

You may have used more pull back than the horse is used to feeling . . . He may have a tooth issue . . . you may have pulled more "up" than back (some horses are trained to rear on an upward rein cue) . . . or it may have just been a freaky thing . . . I would check out his teeth, though.
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 - 12:18 am:

Well, for sure you don't buy the horse.

I don't know how the horse was trained or what style of riding you do. For my sport, a rein back doesn't use the reins, except to block forward motion. If you pulled back on my horses, I would hope they would not flip over, but I doubt they'd back up.

I have had a lot of odd experiences riding sale horses. Anymore, I ask the owner or trainer to ride the horse first. I can ride a lot of odd jumps, but I don't seek them out anymore.

I hope you feel better and find a good horse buddy.
Member:
boomer

Posted on Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 - 12:28 pm:

I'm just happy to hear you are still standing. That is a very dangerous thing. A guy I know who worked at a race track here in Washington had that happen and wound up with a broken back and in traction for a year. He almost wound up paralyzed
Member:
sbawer1

Posted on Thursday, Sep 20, 2007 - 9:48 pm:

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm standing. Black and blue and purple. 1 Broken finger, 1 sprained knee. I realize I'm very lucky.
I've never experienced flipping over before and I did nothing different with this horse than I have done with the dozens I've ridden before... but you never know!
Member:
imogen

Posted on Friday, Sep 21, 2007 - 10:20 am:

Unless the owner/seller is totally decrepit or otherwise cannot ride, always make them get up first and/or SEE the horse lunged in front of you before you get up...

People tend to minimise broken fingers but they can be much more disabling than you would expect. Be sure to get physiotherapy on it early or you could be left with the finger fixed in one position (tendon adherence). This happened to me.

Imogen
Member:
hwood

Posted on Friday, Sep 21, 2007 - 10:36 am:

Agreed about having owner tack up and ride his/her own horse before I get on. This is standard procedure for me when I am looking to buy a horse or checking one out for a client. As this is a horse at your barn, I can see how you might not think to expect the owner to tack up and ride first since you've probably only seen the horse handled and ridden before.
I'd still seriously suggest to the owner to have the owner have the horse's mouth/teeth checked.
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Friday, Sep 21, 2007 - 11:05 am:

I've had some of my worst accidents while "test riding" potential new horses. No broken bones (yet) but lots of bruising. I've even been bit, and kicked at, before ever mounting up!

I think no matter if we know the horse and consider ourselves experienced or not, there's just that something "new" that can cause a reaction like happened with the horse flipping over. New rider, new weight, new ways of asking for things...whatever.

I would suggest spending time with the owner first just observing. How does the horse act? Pushy, shy, indifferent? Just with basic handling, grooming, tacking up. Watch the horse doing ground work, then being rode.

Next, do the same things yourself. I actually encourage anyone wanting to buy a horse from us, to come and spend a few afternoons here. Bond, play, free lunge, etc. Even if the horse you are looking at don't know how to say, free lunge, or there isn't a round pen or enclosed area available, you still get an idea how well the horse responds to you. Only then would I ride, and my first rides would be just small circles, lots of flexing to the side, one rein stops, ask for haunches over. It might sound ridiculous when you just want to buy the horse and bring him home, but it saves tons of aggravation, and possibly could save you life.

I was very fortunate years ago when a highly trained (read: trained beyond my ability, then and now)horse backed and sat down with me! And did it so fast, I flew off! I loved watching this mare being rode over the years, she's still around, but I had to pass on her. I think there are very few folks that can ride her except the guy who owns her, he's gotta be pushing 80 now.

BTW, my brother got pretty racked up doing some off road biking...not very safe either!
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