BHR - I'm upset about a horrible riding accident we witnessed today

[Sanny]

"FUN and GAMES" sort of class at a horse show. We were at a fun show for our minis today and our show had ended and a big horse show had begun. It started with a terrific display of horsemanship and drill team work and then they started games classes for youth. We were packing up our trailer and sort of watching what was going on in the arena. Five minutes before the accident I was watching and thinking what sort of idiotic game is this?? They had kids on horseback with the foam noodles you use at the lake or the pool and everyone had a stuffed animal or bear of some sort they were holding as they were riding and with the other hand they had the long noodle and the kids were galloping around the arena and swerving at each other and beating at each other with the noodles and I'm told what they were trying to do was knock each others stuffed animals away. So they were handling the horse, the noodle and the stuffed animal plus galloping and navigating around an arena full of horses and riders. It was crazy and out of control and two horse/rider combos crashed into each other and both horses went down to the ground and it looked like one horse possibly landed really badly and rolled over or landed right on top of its rider. Neither horse nor rider could get up and the rider left the arena on a backboard in an ambulance and the horse was down and couldn't get up or use its hindquarters. They eventually got it to it's feet but it couldn't walk and one leg was horribly twisted at all the wrong angles so probably badly broken they had to get the horse into a trailer or horse ambulance of sorts. OH....the other horse/rider combo were not hurt. They were able to get up and walk away from it.

I can't get it out of my mind, it was so awful and I'm wondering what the status of both the rider and horse is. It was a young (pre-teen or teen) girl and her horse. We all know how many things can go wrong and what accidents can happen when you are just riding. I'm all for games and having fun (like barrels, or poles or flags or egg N spoon sort of organized games....but this one was just an accident waiting to happen.

 

[crponies]

What a horrible thing to witness! I hope you are able to get some sleep tonight. I certainly hope those people will think a little more seriously about their games in the future!

 

[nootka]

Acckkk that is awful. Sounds like a real idiotic idea for a "game" for anyone let alone the kids. How sad and I hope both can recover, though it sounds like a terrible situation for both.

Liz M.

 

[js1arab]

I am so sorry you had to witness something so awful. I just know it is a matter of time before I have a similar story to tell. Our 4-H club does some crazy things sometimes. In my opinion there should be more classes that prove a horse/riders abilities, not their lack of sanity. Every year our obstacle courses have contraptions I consider a safety hazzard. Thankfully they have cooled some of the "fun" classes. They used to have a water race where all the riders had to ride down around a barrel (at full speed of course as it is a race) with a bucket of water on it. They had to scoop up a glass full and race back to pour it into a bottle until the bottle was full. So many of these horses only get out for the fair and aren't used to all that excitement. Of course every year someone got thrown. Thank goodness no one ever got trampled because it would have been so easy with that many crazy horses and riders. Sometimes I wonder just what we're all thinking to have classes like these for our kids. I have always told my own kids and any who have worked with me for 4-H that they will not be allowed to do the" multiple horses in the arena" races. Even in the one horse at a time I make them stay at an easy lope for the horse and riders sake. I feel so sorry for that poor horse and also for the girl whose parents didn't protect her from the pain of hurting not only herself, but her horse as well.

 

[Russ]

Hope the young lady is ok and the horse. Shame it had to happen.......a bad way to end a fair that was supposed to be fun.

 

[AppyLover2]

That definitely sounds like an idiotic "accident waiting to happen" thing! Sure hope the horse and rider are ok, but it doesn't sound good for the horse.

 

[EAD Minis]

OMG that is horrible, i hope both are ok with time. :no: Hope she is ok to get back in the saddle eventualy and hasnt raddled her love of riding!! :no:

That definitely sounds like an idiotic "accident waiting to happen" thing!

You said it

:

 

[Jill]

Just picturing what was going on in my mind, I cannot imagine who would think that was a good idea for the KIDS or the horses. :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: Kids cannot be expected to know better or think it out, really, but the adults in charge... urgh

AND the rules would prevent one of those kids from showing a mini stallion but not protect them against such a really dangerous situation like that "fun game". Have to wonder too, how many of those kids parents weren't at the show and wouldn't have a clue what risky things are / were going on.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

OMG how awful! I hope by some miracle that the child and horse are okay.

I remember so many stupid things my cousins, friends and I did as kids on horseback. We would have jousts (my grandmother freaked and made us use layers of pipe insulator and wrap our posts in duct tape at least) and even go racing down hills trying to mimic the scene from the movie Man from Snowy River. We were flat nuts and not one of us ever had on a helmet back then. We would swim in the creek and pond on horseback even. It is truly a miracle that the worst we ever got was bucked off and bruised every once in awhile. I am so paranoid now...would never let kids do what we used to do!

-Amy

 

[Pepipony]

What a bunch of moronic idiots! Wonder how many parents will blame the promoters instead of their own dumbbutt selves? Poor horses

Hubby and I used to play somewhat like that years ago. Would take fruits from the trees in the pasture and chase each other around. Dont know who enjoyed it more though, us or the horses LOL Know how crazy it got with just the 2 of us in 100 acres. Cant even imagine allowing my kid to do that in an arena with another pair, let alone many. Just boggles the mind how ignorant people can be.

 

[tazz001]

Oh my...I am so sorry you had to witness that!! I was flabbergasted just hearing about it!!

What kind of idiots adults would allow this kind of "horseplay" to go on...whoever organized the show is just plain stupid!!

 

[anoki]

That is just horrible......I don't understand how that proves horsemanship to 'kids' :no:

I'm all for fun & games too....but they are animals, they are a lot bigger than us, and I think people forget this!!!

~kathryn

 

[Pandora]

I am just sick they allowed this. That poor horse..I think all the people involved should have their leg broken and made to suffer like that poor horse. Having kids gallop around like that is just dangerous and nuts. :no:

 

[keeperofthehorses]

Oh how awful... what a gutwrenching scene to witness, I can imagine how upsetting it was to see it coming and watch it unfold. I hope the little girl recovers and I hope the horse was humanely dealt with. :no:

I'm almost afraid to ask... Were the kids at least wearing helmets?

 

[runamuk]

I think I could see if they were "jousting" but then it would only be two at a time in the arena and more controlled.............that is so sad for the kids involved......accidents can happen in the safest environment so put kids in a questionable evironment is just asking for trouble. Even sadder is the injured rider who it sounds like lost the horse as well..............kids should have fun with their horses but also have it be as safe as possible :no: :no:

 

[Reble]

Awful thing to happen and hard to get back up in the saddle again. :new_shocked:

Yes, my daughter was in 4 H and went on a trail ride, we went along, made her wear her helmet and so did we, but Mom no one else is?

Had to leave the trail and go part on the road, hot and road slippery, about 4 girls ahead of us started to run up and down this hill, thank goodness no cars, but horse lost balance and down and flipped, no helmet, girl never did ride again and horse all scraped and badly hurt because of the gravel and road, slid a great distance sideways taking off the skin of the horse. Hit her head and was taken to hospital.

Helmets to me are a must, do not care how old you are

:

My daughter is 21

At the Paso Fino Show, she wore a helmet, in gaming, fun classes or going out on trails.

 

[bfogg]

This is one of my pet peeves!

I am flabbergasted and enraged to see hula hoops in obstacle classes where the child has to put it over the horses head and move it down over the horses body including their legs.

Now yes you can train a horse to do it not a problem, however its just a matter of time until some child has something happenand the horse gets hung up in it and starts kicking and thrashing trying to get it off.

Now the sad sad part is this horse will never trust something put over their body especially around their legs!!

Imagine trying to drive these horses after,and why a hula hoop ???????Because this is something your supposed to encounter on the trail???

How many hula hoops you all had to put over your minis body on the trail to get home !!!

I remember many years ago a mini blew up with a hula hoop child was badly hurt and mini as well parents sued club and the officers of the club.

I am totally against using one in this way. Turn on the forhand okay, maybe but please please do not do not use this as an obstacle!!!!

Thank you for considering and listening.

:

Bonnie

 

[Sanny]

Sad Update.......my husband and I were talking about this again today and we had driven two vehicles to the fun show and I left first and when he was leaving he stopped because he saw the trailer that had gone into the ring that they had put the injured horse in to get him out of the ring was pulled over in the field where all the trailers were parked. He was told by someone standing outside the vets trailer they were "dealing with the horse" right there. As in putting the horse down.

I didn't hear anything further about the owner/rider who looked to be about a 12 year old girl. Last I saw of her was her being strapped to a backboard and loaded on to an ambulance. Nothing was on the news.

The kids all did have helmets on at least, but of all the games on horseback that could be played this was one of the stupidest I've seen. My son who is 8 years old told me today that my daughter who is eleven years old said "this is going to end in a disaster" when the announcer was explaining the rules and they were sitting in the bleachers watching. We still don't get exactly what they were actually supposed to be doing in the game. My daughter thought the kids were supposed to be in teams and using the noodles to knock down the other teams barrels but instead were galloping around and beating each other with it. All I saw was total chaos until the accident stopped all the action.

WANTED TO ADD about the whole helmet issue. I didn't wear a helmet at all growing up and when I think back to all the times I was thrown or fell off my horse I just shudder about what could have happened. My kids ALWAYS wear a helmet. Our local 4-H club is going to require helmets starting next year and there are a few upset families that are pulling their kids out of 4-H as a protest AGAINST the new rules. Most are in favor but those that are not are being very very vocal about how much they resent more rules and more being told what they can and cannot do.

 

[Pandora]

Not making your kids wear helmets is so stupid. I grew up riding horses and I always had a helmet on, and that was back in the day when they were those horrible black unvented things. At least the helmets are now vented better these days.

I can't tell you how many times I fell off. I had one mare who would throw me just for kicks and then look at me like "what are you doing down there?"

:

Course back then I was really into jumping and would jump any horse we had, even my mom's dressage horse

: I can remember taking my 3 day eventer out with just a bareback pad on (no stirrups) and halter (no bit) and jumping him. BUT I ALWAYS had a helmet on.

Parents can be so irresponsible. I feel sooo bad for the horse.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

while slightly off topic.. really kids should all wear helmets while driving as well. I understand it doesnt go great with the pretty dresses but again the danger is there