Between Freddy and Lucinda, I’m SO impressed by the professionals you’re working with. Empathetic yet practical, exceptional communicators with people, kind and respectful to the horses, clear instructions, the right mix between demanding yet supportive - great examples for the horse world.
Wonderful video. I am recovering from a fall off my 17 hh, 6 year old. As a yung’un ( like you) I fell quite often and didn’t think too much of it. Middle aged, a break from riding & 3 kids later, falling has worried me a lot more. As I sat there on the ground after falling (with my arm out of the socket- I needed to hug!) I was actually laughing that I had fallen off and gotten this first fall (in many years) over with. Watching this, and thinking about vocabulary and mindset, will help me get back on, once I have healed enough.
I ride with a neck strap already, but now plan to practice grabbing it. Until it is automatic for me. Also going to do visualizations of hugging myself falling. I had time to think about rolling onto my shoulder on the way down, but I think I but my arm out first, which is why I dislocated my arm. Had I hugged myself, I am sure I wouldn’t have been hurt at all.
Such a brilliant video. I am very much in the mind that if you fall often you don’t hurt yourself. However if you rarely fall you do it wrong and get hurt.
Freddy taught my horse to self present to the mounting block after we struggled with mounting issues. Best 'trick' ever for safety, confidence and control. He's the best 😊
I'm always looking for fall clinics in my area. Love that you're bringing this to the attention of your fans. Learning to fall safely is just as important as learning to ride safely. I train my young homebreds to stop when I take my feet out of the stirrups so they learn to stop and stand if I fall. I also tend to fall off of them quite a bit, so they're well aware of how to behave when that happens. lol He's a great rider & a wonderful teacher. Excellent video! Maybe next time he can teach you some trick riding!
Ohhh, you do not know just how much I needed this. I'm so emotional rn. Got a posterior dislocated shoulder last year...far side of a jump...and to say my confidence was shattered is an understatement. Still struggling to work up to a canter on my lovely, sweet girl. Thank you for sharing your journey. ❤❤❤
I just had an overwhelmingly emotional epiphany when he said about nervousness, excitement, etc. being the same thing and the same chemical (so essentially it’s simply how you interpret it) 😮🥲 I am generally and anxious person and a very anxious rider, so I will definitely be taking that forward with me to try reframing my thoughts and emotions when I start feeling that way.
Fantastic video. The training you’ve gotten in these months since “the show that shall not be named” have given you a tremendous amount of spirit and confidence! You have a brightness to your aura. It’s just fantastic to see. You are literally glowing with joy and confidence!!! Way to go Meg. I can’t wait to see the results of badminton 🥇🥈🥉🏆
THANK YOU! Years ago, I had a fall. The horse exploded, took off bucking, and catapulted me airborne and to the right. I was wearing the wrong footwear (lugged soles). I managed to drop the left stirrup but got hung up in the right stirrup. I was literally dangling off the horse's right side, trying to stay with him long enough to get my foot loose. I was able to get rid of the stirrup and bailed - tuck and roll - and landed hard. I separated my LEFT shoulder. I couldn't understand how I hurt my left shoulder if I came off the right side. After watching your slo-mo video I realised that I did not come straight down. I had rotated my body to roll clear before I hit the ground. Long recovery, but at least I did not get trampled. Bless my very first instructor 60+ years ago. She taught all her students to tuck and roll. But we did not have mats! 😄
Fell off at competition this weekend, braced my fall w my arm..shattered my wrist. We absolutely HAVE to know how to fall properly & I’m kicking myself for not learning sooner. Happy riding y’all
I appreciate you sharing this with us ❤️❤️ I lost my confidence last year jumping after giving myself concussion after coming off, we hadn't jumped in over 12 months but seeing your journey through this has inspired us to give it a go again! It took a few meltdowns and the right friends to help but a few weeks ago we did our first upright and this Friday we jumped away from home again around a full course! I'd become quite content keeping all 4 hooves on the floor but honestly you've made me realize how much I'd been missing and I'd forgotten how much my pony loved it! Thank you so much!
Practising is such an important part. I used to do martial arts as a teenager and into my twenties. Where we also practiced falling. 20 years later I slipped with my road bike on black ice in a corner. No chance to keep upright, not time to think anything but "shit". But my body remembered and reacted. My head didn't touch the pavement because I managed to get my arm up and roll along the side of my body. I was slightly sore (because I'm unfortunately not as fit anymore as I was in my martial arts youth) but nothing bad. Jus a few bruises. So this is a longwinded way of saying - if you somehow can also practice the falling some more, do!
This was great to watch. Well done Meg. I thought it was so interesting to listen to Freddy talk you through the psychology behind all this. It added such a good element to such an important topic ☺️
Thank you! I tried finding videos on how to fall off when I first started riding and found nothing. I did a lot of visualizing though, and my first fall I rolled very well. I feel like this should be part of everyone's initial riding lessons.
I really want to do a clinic on fall safety. I'm relearning to ride and had two bad falls this year, and the instructors I worked with didn't give good feedback at the next lessons about how to fall safely, how to prevent your horse from bolting, etc. the next time I had seen them. Falling is part of the sport, which makes learning fall safety an extremely important part of it imo. Thanks so much for this video! The pros you work with are always so informative!
Well done Meg. What a great experience to learn this. It takes away the scary feeling of falling. It makes it more normal to know what it will feel like if you fall. Less scary. Freddy is brilliant. It's all about confidence, and Freddy really helps with that, and gives you the skills to be prepared if necessary. Oooh, buy Douglas! What a wonderful chilled horse. A great confidence builder. 👍
Fantastic video! I had a bad rotational fall seven years ago resulting in 3 spinal fractures, 2 pelvic fractures and a splinched liver. I have only just started riding again, and I have a massive fear of falling now but I have always been a nervous rider, really. I would absolutely love to do training like this. It looks absolutely terrifying! I, too, was shocked when Freddie brought out the horse for you! 😱 Well done for being so brave 🙌 You are going to bring so much awareness to this important and neglected skill in our sport 💜 Thank you, Meg 💗
A young, but not novice, rider in Florida had a rotational fall this past Sunday and died from a head injury. She was between jumps and the horse landed on her head. The helmet did not save her.Very, very heartbreaking.
When I was about 14yrs old I was riding my horse to herd up our beef cattle and ended up taking a tumble. I can remember Black Jack stumbling and going down, I kicked my feet from stirrups and swung down forward and to the side. Thankfully he rolled the opposite direction watching this reminds me of that and even though it had never happened before it does happen in a split second and you just need to be ready. Great video and I could see that you seemed to get more confident as it went on Meg, well done
I’m so excited to see the Badminton vlog and remember it’s not what place you get it’s the experience and confidence you gain from it you really inspire me sending lots of luck😊
What an incredibly important video! Thank you for sharing this, Meg. Truly such good information, techniques, and confidence building. I was in tears once you had to actually get on the horse because I know what it truly took in your heart. Most of us have been there if we've been in the riding world for a long time. I'm so proud of you and everything you overcome! ❤❤
I needed this video sooner 🤣🤣🤣 I fell off a young, spooky horse the other week. Just in a run of the mill lesson and she was only trotting. But I fell in such a way that I broke both bones in my lower leg and now have a metal rod in it to keep it all together as it gradually heals. I tried to roll, as I knew I was coming off, but I messed it up somehow 😅 Tbh, not afraid of the fall itself and actually can't wait to get back on, which won't be for months 💔 but if I'd known how to fall properly, I wouldn't have been injured so badly. Even though it was a little late for me (and these things do just happen sometimes) it's great to see you share this and let people know there are ways to learn to fall safely 💖 So thank you Meg 🥰 and I really hope it's helped you. You did a fantastic job 🤩✨🥳
Love this! These videos are so informative and a great confidence boost for those who've had pretty intense falls. A little over a year ago I ended up falling and sustained a spiral fracture to my humorous (breaking it in three places). I had to have surgery and it put me out of the saddle for a few months, and since then my confidence in my riding has taken a hit. However watching videos like these have been slowly helping!
I've been waiting for this video! I've been riding on and off for the last 20 years and can say that, so far, I've never fallen off a horse. I guess my sense of self preservation is insane or something lol and I've always been able to just hang on for dear life (to the amazement of some), and it helps that I'm more of a Jumper and not an Eventer, and I haven't rode many high spirited horses. But I'm definitely an over-cautious person and have a lot of fear of falling and hurting myself which definitely has held me back in my riding, and in any other sport, especially when it comes to jumping. I think not knowing what falling off is like makes me more afraid, and I don't like the unknown. I don't think there's anyone in my area that teaches this but I've always wanted to take a few lessons just like this to get it over with and know how to do it as safely as possible. At least I can watch this video and try to retain what Freddy has taught you when the time comes. Thank you Meg!
I had a terrible fall in college and messed up my rotator cuff. It was awful. I still had to show up and sit on a horse in class while it healed. I did jump the final and passed. But it was hard getting over that fall mentally.
14:32 - This happened on my last fall, which unfortunately happened extremely quickly. I knew I was going to fall and was already preparing for hitting the ground but I hadn't managed to get one of my feet away from the stirrup far enough. Normally I tend to land on my shoulder/backside (when not my feet. One of the perks of being a short person that likes tall horses) and I just go with whatever is happening at the time if I'm completely off balance. In this case I was on track for a normal fall, but at the last second my foot got pulled back up caught on the stirrup and rotated me. Instead of landing like I normally would, I landed square on the base of my skull. That was the worst headache I ever had; I did get checked out and had a proper bad concussion I couldn't even do my job because looking at a computer screen physically hurt. I'm so lucky that I had head protection. Everyone was worried because of the sound I made when I hit the floor and this was in a safe setting. I did get back on and do a couple more jumps until I had to throw in the towel. The motion of jumping set off the nausea so bad that I risked another fall so, quit while I was ahead. I think the biggest part was that I knew it was just an accident. I honestly didn't do a lot of jumping because I was stuck riding horses that had all sorts of educational needs rather than being the nice lesson horses, and the one I WAS riding hadn't jumped in years and before I was riding him, was on the verge of being sold off because of his unpredictable (nervous) behaviour. So, it was a bit of a bad combo putting us together but it was done because of our trust. I fell off him a few weeks later when we pushed it too hard and put fillers in the same day they were introduced but that landed up being a normal fall lol
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. Unfortunately, i had a fall this morning, and Freddy's tuck and roll method really saved me. Surpringly, it didn't hurt when i bailed and hit the ground, and my trainer was super impressed by my form xD i wasn't hurt as far as i could tell in that moment, and i was able to get back on and finish my lesson on a good note.
I needed a vid like this. I fell off my horse a month ago and fractured my L3 vertebrae. Safe to say I'll be rewatching this for tips when I'm back riding in 4 months 👍🏻 Good luck for badminton 🫶🏻✨
I'm very happy I grew up as a goalkeeper in football before coming into riding as it's pre trained me into falling well. In football it's drilled into you to fall onto the soft part of your scapula, as throwing your body into the ground onto your arm will dislocate the shoulder and landing onto your legs will tear your muscles (which has happened to me once, the only time I didn't land on my scapula, tore my TFL).
I started riding back in the 50 s at a riding school. Back then a big part of gymkhanas we’re the games. These were fast and furious and you could win really good money. This taught hand/ eye coordination as well as to get your feet under you whilst the horse was moving. We also rode a lot without stirrups and bareback. Falls were common ensuring laughter from other riders. Now, because of the fear of being sued, much of the above is abolished!
This is awesome! We have nothing like this around my area. I have PTSD from a few bad falls which all landed me in hospital for surgery. I'm going to go look around my place for something I can use to recreate this! Well done Meg and thank you for sharing this!
I wish this video was out few wks ago. My horse bokted on me easter weekend when i had already lost me stirrup, i lost the other and decided to bail. Broke my ankle and had operated on last wk to pin. I would live to do this sort of training. Ive only been riding 9 mths. So not balanced at canter yet so i knew the bolt was game over for me. Its fab you share all your lows too Meg thank you x
Loved this video, once you practice falling it can really help save yourself or prevent you from breaking any more/any bones. I can’t wait for the badminton vlog and I bet you already know this but we will all be rooting for you! 🥰Ps; Love your Jam Bam badminton pony book 👀
Oh Meg your such a brilliant rider! Honestly this looks so fun and helpful at the same time but I really hope this helps your confidence! Also anyone else loving the music 😂😉
THANK YOU for bringing up this extremely important topic, Megan💗. It might save some lives by making people be more conscious about this skill that one should take into consideration and actually practise. You have come a long way yourself Meg💕 and today you are again on the prestigious ground at Badminton. An inspiration, that is what you are! Have a safe and happy time at Badders with the DREAM TEAM💓.
Well done Meg. Talk about making falling fun. You looked like you were enjoying yourself in the end. I’ve seen Freddie doing trick training, he’s brilliant. Thanks xx
So pleased to see this. Every time you tell people learn how to fall you simply gain abuse that it’s not possible. Yes it is possible and it’s vital. Tuck role.
Fabulous video! I honestly think EVERYONE should learn how to do this when they learn how to ride - learning how to fall off safely is just as important (if not ✨more important✨) than learning how to stay on. Loved Freddy too. What an epic teacher - I love him!
How to fall off a horse: Step one, get on a horse. If that doesn't work, keep riding. It'll happen! haha In all seriousness, learning to resist the urge to brace yourself with your hands (tuck and roll) is paramount, and should be in all new riders first lessons. Unfortunately many accidents are too fast/explosive/unexpected to 'think through'. Thank God for safety gear, air vests are a game changer. Great demonstration guys!
When I was in my 20s my then husband told a vet we could exercise his horses. They had not been ridden in months. We saddled up and I got on and the horse immediately started running to a path that went up and down ravines at a high speed. I knew I had to get off because I did not have experience for this. I was able to slow the horse down and turn him around but in the process evidently the equipment was dry rot so the bridle broke and I had no control. Then the horse went at a full gallop to return to the stable but he was headed directly to a highway. Visions of the horse and me being hit by a big rig truck went thru my mind and so I immediately got my feet out of the stirrups leaned to my left and forward covered my head with my left arm and started what I hoped would be a controlled fall. Then the horse suddenly made a 90 degree turn to the right so I flew to the ground faster than anticipated. Fortunately my arm did protect my head but at first I thought I might have injured my back. The vet and my husband ran up and immediately tried to pick me up. I yelled at them not to touch me. I needed to see if feeling would return to my legs before I was moved. I stayed down for about 10 minutes and was mentally assessing all my body parts and realized I was ok. I stood up checked everything and I was fine. So I found out how to dismount a horse in an emergency!
I have always wondered that if you have the time to register you are having a rotational, should you attempt to fall off? Also, this was eye-opening, as I actually realise that in my first few stunt riding lessons, I was always saying sorry to the horse😂
Love Douglas. Hope he finds a happy home. Excellent video. Freddy is good. But one question, whenever I’ve fallen off, it’s happened so fast, haven’t had time to think about it, before I hit the ground. So how, as a rider, do you have time to do all those safety wraps?
I have only just turned 11 and have watched you for 2 years now but last year on the 4 th of November I had a bad fall I fell of three times the first time I landed on my head the second one I landed on my feet.However,the last one I went full speed into a fence and broke my humerus- it was not fun though- but you are so brave doing that and I absolutely love watching you your so inspirational
When he started to mention the importance of Vocabulary @ 05:13 I paid full attention because words do cast spells!!! Glad he mentioned this and I shall be looking him up. He could, if not already, do motivational speaking and life coaching with that mindset. I hear so few mention this.
I’ve had horses most of my adult life, I got my first horse had her for 15 years and never once fell off her. Loaned a 17h beautiful horse well behaved could spook a bit but nothing I couldn’t sit to. One day out riding on farm land the horse flies were out bad and terrorised both me and the boy. In an effort to get back to the horse box asap not noticing the geese coming towards us my horse spooked and I came off backwards landed on my side on ground that was like concrete fractured 7 ribs ouch. Since then have fallen off three times but now wear a protection vest and it’s the best thing I’ve bought not hurt or injured myself at all. To me they are as essential as wearing a hat and saves a lot of injuries and a lot of pain.
Such a treat video .. I appreciate you for putting your feelings up front and working through them and sharing it with us ,. It's a common feeling that many just bottle it away
Interesting video. I have fallen off a pony galloping as a child and it really hurt but I was OK. I also played rugby at a high level as a teenager and adult and was severely injured from many thousands of high intensity impacts. As a rugby player, learning to fall when hit very hard and fast by multiple players many times in a match is more or less a learned skill. My sons also are judo coaches and learning to fall in that sport is also essential and players are trained to do it. They don't just fall but are thrown hard into the mat maybe a hundreds times in a session. That hurts as well. What I would say is that the more you fall the easier it gets. Learning that it hurts but that it doesn't hurt in a permanent way is the key here. Imagine you just fell off a horse 1000 times. After a while, like a stunt rider you learn how to do it and you get used to it. If you only fall off once every five years the fear you will do it again is what stops you because you have only the one experience. EDIT: Ski racers are also likely to fall and have to learn to fall. Almost all speed and contact sports require a degree of ability to fall safely. Also think about jockeys in National Hunt. How many actually get badly hurt in a year and they might fall off several times a season.
I think learning how to fall should be one of the first things you're taught when you learn to ride. I haven't ridden since I was young between the ages of 5 and 7, but I remember one time when the pony I was riding decided it was silly time and started bolting/bucking (wasn't a bad horse just had a lot of energy that day) and I knew I was falling but I landed on my legs in a standing position and I was so proud of myself but the instructor had a bit of a go at me. She was saying that trying to land on my feet was dangerous and could have really been hurt etc, but at the same time I was super young and no one taught me how to fall safely so the scolding was a bit unnecessary
this was an ace vid im glad theres peeps like Freddy teaching how to fall off without ouchies and im glad you enjoyed it in the end to . I thought Doug was cool to :)🐎🐎
petition for Meg to buy doug? 😂 but seriously! Lovely video to see and I could see you getting less and less tense each time so good on ya Meg! I remember learning to ride and practicing falling and I hated it, but it has saved my but more than a few times!
the videos of people clambering back on in cross country actually made me really sad. yeah i’ll stay on if i can but i won’t make my horse keep going if they’ve just tripped like that. i’ll get off and make sure they’re not hurt instead of potentially make them keep riding on an injury.
This is such a good video I only recently got back on a horse after 6 years but this was due to a rotational and never got my confidence back then had kids so never got back on but when I did it was like the first time I rode a horse I was absolutely terrified and hated that but after a few hours in the saddle felt alot better. Thanks for sharing the struggle after a fall and how much it takes to get back on! Well done
Thank you very much for the video. I came here with a huge pain on my hips from yesterday . 🤣 It was one of my first lessons and i wasn’t prepared at all.
Between Freddy and Lucinda, I’m SO impressed by the professionals you’re working with. Empathetic yet practical, exceptional communicators with people, kind and respectful to the horses, clear instructions, the right mix between demanding yet supportive - great examples for the horse world.
I appreciate that there are people like Freddy teaching people how to fall off safely.
Meg, you did really well.
Wonderful video. I am recovering from a fall off my 17 hh, 6 year old. As a yung’un ( like you) I fell quite often and didn’t think too much of it. Middle aged, a break from riding & 3 kids later, falling has worried me a lot more. As I sat there on the ground after falling (with my arm out of the socket- I needed to hug!) I was actually laughing that I had fallen off and gotten this first fall (in many years) over with. Watching this, and thinking about vocabulary and mindset, will help me get back on, once I have healed enough.
I ride with a neck strap already, but now plan to practice grabbing it. Until it is automatic for me. Also going to do visualizations of hugging myself falling. I had time to think about rolling onto my shoulder on the way down, but I think I but my arm out first, which is why I dislocated my arm. Had I hugged myself, I am sure I wouldn’t have been hurt at all.
Such a brilliant video. I am very much in the mind that if you fall often you don’t hurt yourself. However if you rarely fall you do it wrong and get hurt.
Bruh just because fall don’t mean it’s a bad thing
Falling gives experience and then u know what to do next time
@@M00n_fairyX that’s what they said??
@@bluewolf9166 what do u mean “that’s what they said??”
It’s not a bad thing
Just keep on trying
Freddy taught my horse to self present to the mounting block after we struggled with mounting issues. Best 'trick' ever for safety, confidence and control. He's the best 😊
I vaulted for 6 years and this was one of the most important thing I learned! Epic to see it almost 20 years later !!
I'm always looking for fall clinics in my area. Love that you're bringing this to the attention of your fans. Learning to fall safely is just as important as learning to ride safely. I train my young homebreds to stop when I take my feet out of the stirrups so they learn to stop and stand if I fall. I also tend to fall off of them quite a bit, so they're well aware of how to behave when that happens. lol He's a great rider & a wonderful teacher. Excellent video! Maybe next time he can teach you some trick riding!
Ohhh, you do not know just how much I needed this. I'm so emotional rn. Got a posterior dislocated shoulder last year...far side of a jump...and to say my confidence was shattered is an understatement. Still struggling to work up to a canter on my lovely, sweet girl. Thank you for sharing your journey. ❤❤❤
I just had an overwhelmingly emotional epiphany when he said about nervousness, excitement, etc. being the same thing and the same chemical (so essentially it’s simply how you interpret it) 😮🥲 I am generally and anxious person and a very anxious rider, so I will definitely be taking that forward with me to try reframing my thoughts and emotions when I start feeling that way.
Fantastic video. The training you’ve gotten in these months since “the show that shall not be named” have given you a tremendous amount of spirit and confidence! You have a brightness to your aura. It’s just fantastic to see. You are literally glowing with joy and confidence!!! Way to go Meg. I can’t wait to see the results of badminton 🥇🥈🥉🏆
THANK YOU! Years ago, I had a fall. The horse exploded, took off bucking, and catapulted me airborne and to the right. I was wearing the wrong footwear (lugged soles). I managed to drop the left stirrup but got hung up in the right stirrup. I was literally dangling off the horse's right side, trying to stay with him long enough to get my foot loose. I was able to get rid of the stirrup and bailed - tuck and roll - and landed hard. I separated my LEFT shoulder. I couldn't understand how I hurt my left shoulder if I came off the right side. After watching your slo-mo video I realised that I did not come straight down. I had rotated my body to roll clear before I hit the ground. Long recovery, but at least I did not get trampled. Bless my very first instructor 60+ years ago. She taught all her students to tuck and roll. But we did not have mats! 😄
That goes straight into the 'Top 3 Meg videos ever!!!!'. Amazingly informative! Freddy was a natural on camera. Every rider should watch this!
Fell off at competition this weekend, braced my fall w my arm..shattered my wrist. We absolutely HAVE to know how to fall properly & I’m kicking myself for not learning sooner. Happy riding y’all
I appreciate you sharing this with us ❤️❤️ I lost my confidence last year jumping after giving myself concussion after coming off, we hadn't jumped in over 12 months but seeing your journey through this has inspired us to give it a go again! It took a few meltdowns and the right friends to help but a few weeks ago we did our first upright and this Friday we jumped away from home again around a full course!
I'd become quite content keeping all 4 hooves on the floor but honestly you've made me realize how much I'd been missing and I'd forgotten how much my pony loved it! Thank you so much!
Practising is such an important part. I used to do martial arts as a teenager and into my twenties. Where we also practiced falling. 20 years later I slipped with my road bike on black ice in a corner. No chance to keep upright, not time to think anything but "shit". But my body remembered and reacted. My head didn't touch the pavement because I managed to get my arm up and roll along the side of my body. I was slightly sore (because I'm unfortunately not as fit anymore as I was in my martial arts youth) but nothing bad. Jus a few bruises. So this is a longwinded way of saying - if you somehow can also practice the falling some more, do!
love Freddy's way of thinking and all of his expertise. big takeaway - language to ourselves and don't put human emotions on the horse
This was great to watch. Well done Meg. I thought it was so interesting to listen to Freddy talk you through the psychology behind all this. It added such a good element to such an important topic ☺️
Thank you! I tried finding videos on how to fall off when I first started riding and found nothing. I did a lot of visualizing though, and my first fall I rolled very well. I feel like this should be part of everyone's initial riding lessons.
I really want to do a clinic on fall safety. I'm relearning to ride and had two bad falls this year, and the instructors I worked with didn't give good feedback at the next lessons about how to fall safely, how to prevent your horse from bolting, etc. the next time I had seen them. Falling is part of the sport, which makes learning fall safety an extremely important part of it imo. Thanks so much for this video! The pros you work with are always so informative!
Well done Meg. What a great experience to learn this. It takes away the scary feeling of falling. It makes it more normal to know what it will feel like if you fall. Less scary. Freddy is brilliant. It's all about confidence, and Freddy really helps with that, and gives you the skills to be prepared if necessary. Oooh, buy Douglas! What a wonderful chilled horse. A great confidence builder. 👍
Fantastic video!
I had a bad rotational fall seven years ago resulting in 3 spinal fractures, 2 pelvic fractures and a splinched liver. I have only just started riding again, and I have a massive fear of falling now but I have always been a nervous rider, really. I would absolutely love to do training like this. It looks absolutely terrifying! I, too, was shocked when Freddie brought out the horse for you! 😱 Well done for being so brave 🙌
You are going to bring so much awareness to this important and neglected skill in our sport 💜 Thank you, Meg 💗
Wish you well with “getting back on the horse”. 👍
@Pamela Hay thank you! I am very lucky to have a 25yo "Mr Reliable" type TB, who I brought out of retirement to ride again. He really looks after me 🥰
A good way to restart, with a “ confidence giver”. Your Mr Reliable is worth his weight in gold. 😊
@Pamela Hay he sure is, he's the best 🥰
A young, but not novice, rider in Florida had a rotational fall this past Sunday and died from a head injury. She was between jumps and the horse landed on her head. The helmet did not save her.Very, very heartbreaking.
When I was about 14yrs old I was riding my horse to herd up our beef cattle and ended up taking a tumble. I can remember Black Jack stumbling and going down, I kicked my feet from stirrups and swung down forward and to the side. Thankfully he rolled the opposite direction watching this reminds me of that and even though it had never happened before it does happen in a split second and you just need to be ready.
Great video and I could see that you seemed to get more confident as it went on Meg, well done
CONGRATS ON 200K SUBSCRIBERS!!!
this honestly had me in stitches . 😂😂 i love how you can make a joke out of nerves and make it all seem so normal x
good luck tomorrow and thursday 🫶🫶!!!!! no matter where you place we’re all so proud of you 💓💓💓
I’m so excited to see the Badminton vlog and remember it’s not what place you get it’s the experience and confidence you gain from it you really inspire me sending lots of luck😊
What an incredibly important video! Thank you for sharing this, Meg. Truly such good information, techniques, and confidence building. I was in tears once you had to actually get on the horse because I know what it truly took in your heart. Most of us have been there if we've been in the riding world for a long time. I'm so proud of you and everything you overcome! ❤❤
Freddy is great, what a mind set and super commutation skills. Douglas is stunning. Well done Megs.
I needed this video sooner 🤣🤣🤣 I fell off a young, spooky horse the other week. Just in a run of the mill lesson and she was only trotting. But I fell in such a way that I broke both bones in my lower leg and now have a metal rod in it to keep it all together as it gradually heals.
I tried to roll, as I knew I was coming off, but I messed it up somehow 😅
Tbh, not afraid of the fall itself and actually can't wait to get back on, which won't be for months 💔 but if I'd known how to fall properly, I wouldn't have been injured so badly.
Even though it was a little late for me (and these things do just happen sometimes) it's great to see you share this and let people know there are ways to learn to fall safely 💖
So thank you Meg 🥰 and I really hope it's helped you. You did a fantastic job 🤩✨🥳
Same thing happened to me. Tried to sort of roll off but ended up breaking my ankle x
@@handiequestrian oh no, hope you heal soon! x
Great video Meg. It's fun, it's easy, and you can do it. You love your horses, you love your job, and you go this Meg.
This is something that needs to be offered in every lesson program!
Love this! These videos are so informative and a great confidence boost for those who've had pretty intense falls. A little over a year ago I ended up falling and sustained a spiral fracture to my humorous (breaking it in three places). I had to have surgery and it put me out of the saddle for a few months, and since then my confidence in my riding has taken a hit. However watching videos like these have been slowly helping!
I've been waiting for this video!
I've been riding on and off for the last 20 years and can say that, so far, I've never fallen off a horse. I guess my sense of self preservation is insane or something lol and I've always been able to just hang on for dear life (to the amazement of some), and it helps that I'm more of a Jumper and not an Eventer, and I haven't rode many high spirited horses. But I'm definitely an over-cautious person and have a lot of fear of falling and hurting myself which definitely has held me back in my riding, and in any other sport, especially when it comes to jumping. I think not knowing what falling off is like makes me more afraid, and I don't like the unknown.
I don't think there's anyone in my area that teaches this but I've always wanted to take a few lessons just like this to get it over with and know how to do it as safely as possible. At least I can watch this video and try to retain what Freddy has taught you when the time comes.
Thank you Meg!
I had a terrible fall in college and messed up my rotator cuff. It was awful. I still had to show up and sit on a horse in class while it healed. I did jump the final and passed. But it was hard getting over that fall mentally.
14:32 - This happened on my last fall, which unfortunately happened extremely quickly. I knew I was going to fall and was already preparing for hitting the ground but I hadn't managed to get one of my feet away from the stirrup far enough. Normally I tend to land on my shoulder/backside (when not my feet. One of the perks of being a short person that likes tall horses) and I just go with whatever is happening at the time if I'm completely off balance.
In this case I was on track for a normal fall, but at the last second my foot got pulled back up caught on the stirrup and rotated me. Instead of landing like I normally would, I landed square on the base of my skull. That was the worst headache I ever had; I did get checked out and had a proper bad concussion I couldn't even do my job because looking at a computer screen physically hurt.
I'm so lucky that I had head protection. Everyone was worried because of the sound I made when I hit the floor and this was in a safe setting. I did get back on and do a couple more jumps until I had to throw in the towel. The motion of jumping set off the nausea so bad that I risked another fall so, quit while I was ahead. I think the biggest part was that I knew it was just an accident.
I honestly didn't do a lot of jumping because I was stuck riding horses that had all sorts of educational needs rather than being the nice lesson horses, and the one I WAS riding hadn't jumped in years and before I was riding him, was on the verge of being sold off because of his unpredictable (nervous) behaviour. So, it was a bit of a bad combo putting us together but it was done because of our trust. I fell off him a few weeks later when we pushed it too hard and put fillers in the same day they were introduced but that landed up being a normal fall lol
One of the most useful and informative equestrian videos I've seen in recent years 👍👊🤜👏👏👏👏
Freddy is a legend! What a wonderful video! His communication skills are ace!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. Unfortunately, i had a fall this morning, and Freddy's tuck and roll method really saved me. Surpringly, it didn't hurt when i bailed and hit the ground, and my trainer was super impressed by my form xD i wasn't hurt as far as i could tell in that moment, and i was able to get back on and finish my lesson on a good note.
I needed a vid like this. I fell off my horse a month ago and fractured my L3 vertebrae. Safe to say I'll be rewatching this for tips when I'm back riding in 4 months 👍🏻 Good luck for badminton 🫶🏻✨
Fabulous of you to do this and to film and share it with us!
Meg that was epic, good on you!! Freddy is legend, loved how he said don't put human emotions on the horses. What a great training to take!
I'm very happy I grew up as a goalkeeper in football before coming into riding as it's pre trained me into falling well. In football it's drilled into you to fall onto the soft part of your scapula, as throwing your body into the ground onto your arm will dislocate the shoulder and landing onto your legs will tear your muscles (which has happened to me once, the only time I didn't land on my scapula, tore my TFL).
I started riding back in the 50 s at a riding school. Back then a big part of gymkhanas we’re the games. These were fast and furious and you could win really good money. This taught hand/ eye coordination as well as to get your feet under you whilst the horse was moving. We also rode a lot without stirrups and bareback. Falls were common ensuring laughter from other riders.
Now, because of the fear of being sued, much of the above is abolished!
This is awesome! We have nothing like this around my area. I have PTSD from a few bad falls which all landed me in hospital for surgery. I'm going to go look around my place for something I can use to recreate this!
Well done Meg and thank you for sharing this!
Wow! This looks very entertaining! I can’t wait to watch :) You are so close to 200k Meg! 🎉❤ I hope all the horses are well 🫶🏼
I wish this video was out few wks ago. My horse bokted on me easter weekend when i had already lost me stirrup, i lost the other and decided to bail. Broke my ankle and had operated on last wk to pin. I would live to do this sort of training. Ive only been riding 9 mths. So not balanced at canter yet so i knew the bolt was game over for me. Its fab you share all your lows too Meg thank you x
Loved this video, once you practice falling it can really help save yourself or prevent you from breaking any more/any bones.
I can’t wait for the badminton vlog and I bet you already know this but we will all be rooting for you! 🥰Ps; Love your Jam Bam badminton pony book 👀
Oh Meg your such a brilliant rider! Honestly this looks so fun and helpful at the same time but I really hope this helps your confidence! Also anyone else loving the music 😂😉
THANK YOU for bringing up this extremely important topic, Megan💗. It might save some lives by making people be more conscious about this skill that one should take into consideration and actually practise. You have come a long way yourself Meg💕 and today you are again on the prestigious ground at Badminton. An inspiration, that is what you are!
Have a safe and happy time at Badders with the DREAM TEAM💓.
Thank you for covering this subject. I had a bad fall that destroyed my fearlessness and confidence.🙏 u both
In the USA there is a program called “Land Safe “-check it out maybe start one in England -or there may already be one .
Wow! A terrific prep video we all need . Want more ,plus the horse!
This was soooo useful even without actually trying this out. Learned a lot!
This video was so good! I broke my wrist last year exactly how Freddy explained! Definitely learned a lot from this thankyou Meg!
Well done Meg. Talk about making falling fun. You looked like you were enjoying yourself in the end. I’ve seen Freddie doing trick training, he’s brilliant. Thanks xx
I never knew this training existed. Thanks Meg. You did amazing. Facing and working to move through a fear is hard work, you are doing it brilliantly.
So pleased to see this. Every time you tell people learn how to fall you simply gain abuse that it’s not possible. Yes it is possible and it’s vital. Tuck role.
And he’s Epic ! Very much get on with it. Like like like.
Fabulous video! I honestly think EVERYONE should learn how to do this when they learn how to ride - learning how to fall off safely is just as important (if not ✨more important✨) than learning how to stay on.
Loved Freddy too. What an epic teacher - I love him!
Really great video, and you did incredibly well! Freddy is really awesome and his horse is gorgeous 😍
How to fall off a horse: Step one, get on a horse. If that doesn't work, keep riding. It'll happen! haha
In all seriousness, learning to resist the urge to brace yourself with your hands (tuck and roll) is paramount, and should be in all new riders first lessons. Unfortunately many accidents are too fast/explosive/unexpected to 'think through'. Thank God for safety gear, air vests are a game changer.
Great demonstration guys!
Brilliant video! Between you, Freddy and Douglas it was so informative and entertaining. You should feel proud of your bravery Meg.
Thank you for posting this Meg! So helpful to watch as someone else who has never been properly taught how to fall!!
When I was in my 20s my then husband told a vet we could exercise his horses. They had not been ridden in months.
We saddled up and I got on and the horse immediately started running to a path that went up and down ravines at a high speed. I knew I had to get off because I did not have experience for this. I was able to slow the horse down and turn him around but in the process evidently the equipment was dry rot so the bridle broke and I had no control. Then the horse went at a full gallop to return to the stable but he was headed directly to a highway. Visions of the horse and me being hit by a big rig truck went thru my mind and so I immediately got my feet out of the stirrups leaned to my left and forward covered my head with my left arm and started what I hoped would be a controlled fall. Then the horse suddenly made a 90 degree turn to the right so I flew to the ground faster than anticipated. Fortunately my arm did protect my head but at first I thought I might have injured my back. The vet and my husband ran up and immediately tried to pick me up. I yelled at them not to touch me. I needed to see if feeling would return to my legs before I was moved. I stayed down for about 10 minutes and was mentally assessing all my body parts and realized I was ok. I stood up checked everything and I was fine. So I found out how to dismount a horse in an emergency!
I have always wondered that if you have the time to register you are having a rotational, should you attempt to fall off?
Also, this was eye-opening, as I actually realise that in my first few stunt riding lessons, I was always saying sorry to the horse😂
In the army they say that everyone falls off eventually and you should stop worrying about the inevitable.
Bloody brilliant, Meg: a star pupil! Hopefully, you won't need to use this too often, but it was good to watch your lesson with Freddy and Douglas.
Love Douglas. Hope he finds a happy home. Excellent video. Freddy is good. But one question, whenever I’ve fallen off, it’s happened so fast, haven’t had time to think about it, before I hit the ground. So how, as a rider, do you have time to do all those safety wraps?
I have only just turned 11 and have watched you for 2 years now but last year on the 4 th of November I had a bad fall I fell of three times the first time I landed on my head the second one I landed on my feet.However,the last one I went full speed into a fence and broke my humerus- it was not fun though- but you are so brave doing that and I absolutely love watching you your so inspirational
Great video, but what happens if you go over the horse’s head? Do you learn to fall a different?
i think im in love with douglas, what a stunner
When he started to mention the importance of Vocabulary @ 05:13 I paid full attention because words do cast spells!!! Glad he mentioned this and I shall be looking him up.
He could, if not already, do motivational speaking and life coaching with that mindset. I hear so few mention this.
I’ve had horses most of my adult life, I got my first horse had her for 15 years and never once fell off her. Loaned a 17h beautiful horse well behaved could spook a bit but nothing I couldn’t sit to. One day out riding on farm land the horse flies were out bad and terrorised both me and the boy. In an effort to get back to the horse box asap not noticing the geese coming towards us my horse spooked and I came off backwards landed on my side on ground that was like concrete fractured 7 ribs ouch. Since then have fallen off three times but now wear a protection vest and it’s the best thing I’ve bought not hurt or injured myself at all. To me they are as essential as wearing a hat and saves a lot of injuries and a lot of pain.
Can you make a vid on everything you need for a horse. And add some you must haves
Amazing! You could really see yourself improving and getting more confident! Love how you made it funny and not all serious!
Such a treat video .. I appreciate you for putting your feelings up front and working through them and sharing it with us ,. It's a common feeling that many just bottle it away
Great stuff! We have a travelling clinic called LandSafe here in the US that does this training.
freddy is amazing, he helped me loads with my pony!
That was so cool. I wish there had been more training like that when I started riding and maybe I would have continued.
Good luck in badminton xxx
That was fascinating. Meg, you are brave and Freddy’s instructions were excellent. Well done.
Interesting video. I have fallen off a pony galloping as a child and it really hurt but I was OK. I also played rugby at a high level as a teenager and adult and was severely injured from many thousands of high intensity impacts. As a rugby player, learning to fall when hit very hard and fast by multiple players many times in a match is more or less a learned skill. My sons also are judo coaches and learning to fall in that sport is also essential and players are trained to do it. They don't just fall but are thrown hard into the mat maybe a hundreds times in a session. That hurts as well.
What I would say is that the more you fall the easier it gets. Learning that it hurts but that it doesn't hurt in a permanent way is the key here. Imagine you just fell off a horse 1000 times. After a while, like a stunt rider you learn how to do it and you get used to it. If you only fall off once every five years the fear you will do it again is what stops you because you have only the one experience.
EDIT: Ski racers are also likely to fall and have to learn to fall. Almost all speed and contact sports require a degree of ability to fall safely. Also think about jockeys in National Hunt. How many actually get badly hurt in a year and they might fall off several times a season.
I think learning how to fall should be one of the first things you're taught when you learn to ride. I haven't ridden since I was young between the ages of 5 and 7, but I remember one time when the pony I was riding decided it was silly time and started bolting/bucking (wasn't a bad horse just had a lot of energy that day) and I knew I was falling but I landed on my legs in a standing position and I was so proud of myself but the instructor had a bit of a go at me. She was saying that trying to land on my feet was dangerous and could have really been hurt etc, but at the same time I was super young and no one taught me how to fall safely so the scolding was a bit unnecessary
This is fab and honestly the most shocking part was hearing Douglas is only 5!
Wonderful video. I've not ridden much, but whenever I fell, used to just go with it. Better to be relaxed and laugh.
Every one should learn this….thank you for sharing!
I'm excited for this one because I tried to fall off properly the last time and broke my shoulder into 3 pieces. Honestly, a wrist break is easier.
Very proud of you!!!
From Texas
Really like his mindset and the way he explains/speaks. Great video and something a bit different
this was an ace vid im glad theres peeps like Freddy teaching how to fall off without ouchies and im glad you enjoyed it in the end to . I thought Doug was cool to :)🐎🐎
Really, really enjoyed this video. Best for tomorrow!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤
I loved this video! Thank you so much the bit about how we think and the language we use was really helpful for me ❤
So true, I do find myself talking myself down. Another great video x
Excited to watch! I’m sure this will be a very interesting video!!
petition for Meg to buy doug? 😂 but seriously! Lovely video to see and I could see you getting less and less tense each time so good on ya Meg! I remember learning to ride and practicing falling and I hated it, but it has saved my but more than a few times!
the videos of people clambering back on in cross country actually made me really sad. yeah i’ll stay on if i can but i won’t make my horse keep going if they’ve just tripped like that. i’ll get off and make sure they’re not hurt instead of potentially make them keep riding on an injury.
This is such a good video I only recently got back on a horse after 6 years but this was due to a rotational and never got my confidence back then had kids so never got back on but when I did it was like the first time I rode a horse I was absolutely terrified and hated that but after a few hours in the saddle felt alot better. Thanks for sharing the struggle after a fall and how much it takes to get back on! Well done
Fantastic vid! Love the Donnie Darko music! Pete nailed it! haha
So proud of you Meg this was a beautiful video well done 🎉🎉❤
Thank you very much for the video. I came here with a huge pain on my hips from yesterday . 🤣 It was one of my first lessons and i wasn’t prepared at all.
Brilliant !! Super Freddie !!