Falling Off Horses

by Anonymous

Hi. I have been on a journey (mental and physical!) with my lovely 17 year old welsh/arab gelding, who has played up increasingly on a previously loved cross country course. My explanation is that he had a fright when my daughter unfortunately fell off him in a lesson. This happened because the girl who she was told to follow refused, my horse decided he could pop over from a standstill which surprised my daughter and she fell off quite badly. She soon after did a one day event and he clearly didn't want to do it, and had her off after refusing several jumps. I took him down to a hunter trial last weekend expecting to have an easy romp round and we didn't even get to the first jump as he spun round and had me off comprehensively.

My interpretation is that he hated someone falling off him, and now associates the course with that possibility. I am going to go back to square one, and this coming Friday take him down there and just hack him round it, leading if necessary, just so we have a nice relaxed time.

My question is, have you done any research or do you have any useful material on the psychology of the horse when we humans fall off? I would love to write an article for my riding club newsletter, as usually all we humans think about is what WE feel when we fall off! so normally I think people in my situation would take the whip to the horse and force them round the course.
My passion in riding is to educate people that there is a better way, and your help would be much appreciated.

Best regards


p.s. I love your article on bitless - mine are both in Dr.Cooks and I compete the gelding in his, much to people's amazement! It is totally true that he is more focused with it as he is not worrying about the nasty bit.




Hi,

Thank you for bringing this aspect of the horse’s perspective to light. The research surrounding this kind of event stems from thoroughly understanding the complexities of FEAR. A horse's fear level is much higher than humans in general (remember they are flight animals to begin with) then add an event that causes a further unexpected outcome and now the horse has an experience closer to a traumatic episode than just a fearful moment (like a quick spooking). Add to all this their ability to remember and that is why they refuse to put themselves into a situation that "they" perceive as a repeat of the event. There was likely something additional that happened here just before the person fell off that triggered and added further fear to the situation that a spectator couldn't see. In other words when a horse is already in a fearful state or state of anxiety then when something triggers further fear, this takes the event to a whole new height and that trigger will forever bring back the memory of the trauma.

Now when I speak of trauma I am asking for us to think and feel of the really big ugly stuff in life. Let's say for example a woman was assaulted in an elevator, she would likely always have a fear of elevators because it would trigger the memory of the horrible event. Or a child who received a terrible beating with a wooden spoon, would likely have a fear of wooden spoons because it would trigger the memory and feelings of the event. Just by looking at an object or by being in a similar environment, we can feel like we are reliving that traumatic experience.

Your quotes: "my horse decided he could pop over from a standstill".

Horses don't decide these kinds of things. If he was really able to make his own decision he would more likely have stopped and turned away which is exactly what he chose to do later on. Here he was already in a state of anxiety.


"last weekend expecting to have an easy romp round and we didn't even get to the first jump as he spun round and had me off comprehensively."

Here is your further evidence of "trauma".

"My interpretation is that he hated someone falling off him, and now associates the course with that possibility."

You are correct about the association, but it is not about "hate", it is much, much bigger than that.

"as usually all we humans think about is what WE feel when we fall off! so normally I think people in my situation would take the whip to the horse and force them round the course."

Yes that is usually what happens yet I hate to be the one to tell you but your course of action wasn't much less forceful by taking him back to the hunter trail and asking him to jump. We wouldn't force the woman above to just get back on the elevator or ask the child to play with the wooden spoon without putting better memories about them on top first.

"p.s. I love your article on bitless - mine are both in Dr.Cooks and I compete the gelding in his, much to people's amazement!".

I am glad you are using a bitless bridle yet the "compete" part is "your motivation" and the reason you wish to have this horse back to doing what you enjoy and this is one reason (of many) why I disagree and do not support any competitive sport with horses. Rarely is the horse's perspective taken into consideration even with the best of intentions (so we think).

In addition, there is no difference between a human using a horse to compete for pleasure (a non competitive way) vs. a competitive way for competition. It's all the same because it is the human's ego attached to the outcome not the horses. To examine this in a natural state of horses, they would compete only for survival of the species, not to stroke their ego or win recognition from their peers. Further more you will never see two, three or any amount of horses run against each other to see who will get to the finish line first! For horses, there is no finish line in life.

"my lovely 17 year old welsh/arab gelding, who has played up increasingly on a previously loved cross country course."

The words "previously LOVED" questions whose perspective we are referring to. Horses don't LOVE a cross county course if they did we would be watching our horses run around all by themselves jumping every jump willingly and just for fun. This isn't to imply that horses don't enjoy a jump now and then. It means they are not likely to choose, love and do a cross country course over and over and over. Sure there are many horses when given the opportunity to go over a jump instead of around will certainly enjoy doing such a thing. The fact is, we have never encountered horses in the wild (or when left to their own devices) willingly and repeatedly jump over and over and over many jumps just for enjoyment!

Your horse is a mature gelding and given your passion he has been asked to jump more than most horses throughout a lifetime. You have come a great distance on your journey and a fun way to play, change things up and create better associations and communication is with the use of clicker training.

There is a great deal to still speak about regarding a horse used for one purpose only too. Balance is the key to contentment and happiness and I hope you and your horse find it all again.

Elaine Polny