Emergency Dismount
After seeing a few recent videos posted through bad_riding a thought struck me. Some of these riders could have saved themselves (and their horses) a lot of grief had they just gotten off rather than tried to cling on desperately in a situation that was not going to get better any time soon.
I've personally used my "ejector seat" three times. Twice I was riding bareback and once a Western saddle. The bareback two were a bolt causes by an exploding pigeon and an exuberant feel-good series of crow-hops. The under saddle experience involved a 50 degree slope, a fallen tree trunk, saddle getting caught on said trunk and rotated 6 inches off center, and a rushing, green horse. Because I removed myself by choice while I was still somewhat balanced I believe I saved myself from great potential injury. The two bareback I landed on my feet and then flopped on my butt, the third I ended up feet, then hip, then shoulder and apparently my head as I had a nice flat spot that could be felt under my helmet shell afterward, but I'd take that over head-first any day. Had I not been on a slope I probably would have stopped at my tush.
I think it is a skill that all riders should have and one I teach to my own students. Learning how to fall properly (i.e. protect yourself as you go down) and learning how to remove yourself from a bad situation by choice are skills that I think are sadly overlooked.
So in your years of riding were you ever taught the emergency dismount? Have you ever used it? How did that go?
I've personally used my "ejector seat" three times. Twice I was riding bareback and once a Western saddle. The bareback two were a bolt causes by an exploding pigeon and an exuberant feel-good series of crow-hops. The under saddle experience involved a 50 degree slope, a fallen tree trunk, saddle getting caught on said trunk and rotated 6 inches off center, and a rushing, green horse. Because I removed myself by choice while I was still somewhat balanced I believe I saved myself from great potential injury. The two bareback I landed on my feet and then flopped on my butt, the third I ended up feet, then hip, then shoulder and apparently my head as I had a nice flat spot that could be felt under my helmet shell afterward, but I'd take that over head-first any day. Had I not been on a slope I probably would have stopped at my tush.
I think it is a skill that all riders should have and one I teach to my own students. Learning how to fall properly (i.e. protect yourself as you go down) and learning how to remove yourself from a bad situation by choice are skills that I think are sadly overlooked.
So in your years of riding were you ever taught the emergency dismount? Have you ever used it? How did that go?