It sounds to me like you are
trying to break your fall, thus the broken wrists. Whenever I realize the
inevitability of coming off, I relax, let it happen and never try to break
the fall. So far (45+ years of riding) no broken bones. Most
recent fall was a few weeks ago when my mare spooked at some electrical boxes
and unloaded me in the middle of a blacktop road. Aside from peeling the
skin off a finger holding onto the reins (I now wear gloves), I wasn't even
bruised. If you feel yourself coming off and can't hang on
................. close your eyes, relex and go limp. Works for
me.
Got a question for all of you who are getting dumped by your
horses....how in the world do you land without breaking anything? I've
been dumped by two red horses which resulted in first my left and recently my
right wrist being shattered...ouch!
Both are healed and I am
riding again. We've decided no more red horses for me though...the first
was a gelding getting my left wrist...the last one was a mare getting my right
wrist...hey, at least I'm balanced out now, right? <g>
SO any
advice on how to land better might be helpful...I did say "might"...only
because most times I am pretty stiff and attempt to reach out and
wham...broken wrist. I am naturally a pretty stiff person when it comes
to falling. I am also in my mid-50s so there's a definite loss of
flexibility to go along with it all.
I've found when I come off
sideways that at least I haven't broken anything...yet. But going over
those left shoulders head first gets me every
time.
