So tonight I had my first fall off a horse at the barn I volunteer at/take lessons at. Nash and I were going over some small jumps and I stupidly leaned too far forward during our last jump which caused him to stop. The end result was me landing on his neck and almost sliding back into the saddle as I was falling but no such luck. I went flying and almost landed on my feet but somehow ended up on my butt. Nash went off in the opposite direction and the sweet boy came flying over as soon as I was on the ground. Neither of us are hurt minus a sore tailbone on my end. We manage to sail over it no problem once I got back on though. What about you guys what was your first fall? 

I'm glad you're okay! I don't remember my first fall. I was actually trying to remember them all awhile back and realized I had forgotten a lot of the details of them! BUt the last time I fell, the horse I was riding spooked as we were riding by the barn door at a same time a car was pulling into the driveway and one minute I was on the horse and the next minute I was on the ground - he's 17.1hh so it was a long way down!

I've been very fortunate and never fallen,  but I came pretty close to it once when another horse spooked to snow/ice sliding off the indoor arena roof during a group lesson. I've seen a really small girl bucked off a 17hh horse though and that terrified me. She ended up breaking her arm. ):

ive dismounted once and slid off once XD
never been fully thrown

the first time i think i was about 10ish and it was on the devil reincarnet of a shetland pony named flash. 

my uncle had it in his head that ponies were "safer" even though we all grew up on 15-17hh horses and learned to ride that way -.-

it was easter and even though i wanted to ride my normal mount a 17h paly mare he said no it was for the grownups -.-

anywho i got on flash and rode fine for a bit then he decided he was over it, grabbed the bit and ran as fast as those stupid mini legs could take him straight towards the gate. he slammed on the breaks at the last second (i stayed on for all of this) and then reared up. I had enough of the nonsense, kicked the stirups and slid off the back and landed on my feet. Never again got on that beasty XD

Second was my stolen boy cowboy. He was a lawn ornament for about 5-8 yrs prior to me hopping on bareback in about 08ish? XD

apparently I dont have the leg muscles i used to have and well we were happily trotting the back pasture and next thing i know im sliding oh so gracefully off into a sticker patch -.-

he was a good boy and immeditaly stopped and came right back over and put his head in my lap and was throughly confused as to why i was on the ground bahaha

i got back on and rode back to the gate with my mil yelling if i was ok XD

rode him a few more times after and he became a grumpy lawn ornament once more. 
he recently passed about a month ago 

so i am once again horseless 

If I was to regale all my falls we would be here for days or weeks :p but I do remember my first.

My second time on a pony (my parents had bought me a riding lesson on the Sat and the Sun at local riding school - they had no idea what they started) and on the Saturday I had a beautiful cross breed grey mare named Lulu - she was about 14hh and I loved her to the end.  She was also in her 20s but man could she rocket.

Sunday, I was given Bramble (he was a surprise BOGOF) and his mum Bambi ended up being one of my faves.  Bramble we think was a Shetland x Welsh (in his 30s now and still going) so he was only about 11hh.  We were trotting around the indoor arena and I had been told to stop getting too close to Hansel.  I got too close and was in the corner.  Hansel kicked out and Bramble cantered past the other ponies and up the arena.  Get to my instructor and he slams the brakes on - I stayed on until that point and then slid off the side.  Put back on and what an effort I made after that to not get so close.

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One of my funniest falls I think was when I hacked down the road on my lovely Tilly with my friend and her pony Bailey.  A new sign was erected and Bailey stopped.  Tilly (normally confident and go anywhere) decided yep, that sign is scary and we're not going near it.  She hops up on the bank beside us and turns so she's looking down.  It's a steep bank and I can't do anything as I feel myself slowly slide out of the saddle, onto her neck and she ever so thoughtfully put her head down so I could slide all the way down and land on my hands and knees on the road.  OUCH.  I cut my knee to the point I still have a scar.  I sat on the road wetting myself as my pony is still stood somewhere behind me.  My friend is sat on her pony also wetting herself.  Cars are stopped as they can't get past me on the road.

I finally pick myself up, pull Till off the bank and hop back on and the madam walked past the sign without a second glance.  

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There was also the time I was hacking along road to meet friend above when a car coming towards us stopped and turned its engine off.  This had never occured before and Tilly spooked (at the engine being turned off!)  landing on her knees.  One minute I'm on my pony and the next I'm stood in front of her still holding the reins but my pony again is behind me.  The elderly couple in the car were so worried and apologetic as I muttered thanks but it's my pony.  

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Last one: walking home from a hack (same pony and same road) and half a mile out hear sirens.  Thats ok, they're on the main road.  Hmmm, nope they're getting louder.  Coming up to a driveway. Let's pull in here and dismount as Tilly a tad joggy.  Whoooooooa, ok let's tank off.  Police car came around corner with lights and siren going.  They put siren off upon seeing pony but too late.  I'm going flat out down a narrow road that 2 cars can only just pass each other on.  

Police car attempts to overtake and Tilly moves to middle of road.  Not one field gate is open that I can divert her into.  She's got the bit and not slowing.  We're just over a mile from home.  I turn to the police car and tell it to stop.  (Terrified pony is going to slip and fall).

I grab her mane and jump off the side - Tilly slithers to a stop (always stops when you 'fall' off).  Police stop and run over.  They're apologetic and on their way to a road traffic accident.  It's fine.  We're both fine.  See ya.  

They leave and I lead Tilly down the road - she's bouncing, jogging and pulling my arms out of their sockets so I jump back on board and just as she starts to settle, we come around the last corner leading to our driveway and there's the police and their accident.  It was a small bender fender.  Tilly sees them and starts jogging and we trotted to her stable.

I'm fuzzy on the details of my first "involuntary dismount" because it happened almost 18 years ago - eek! I know I was riding a little chestnut mare named Mindy who was very sweet and very good for beginners (which I was). From what I recall we were just cooling out at the walk after a walk/trot level lesson, when I think a gust of wind rattled something out the outside of the barn and Mindy gave the *tiniest* little spook/shy - it was really just a sidestep scoot - but I was totally not expecting it and had not ridden out a spook before, so I just sort of popped off and onto the dirt. Ultimately I think my mom was more traumatized! ^ ^;

I had another fall when I was young that was a bit harder - the mare I was riding (I think her name was Kanga?) stopped at a jump and slung me over her shoulder and ribs-first onto the poles. I had some nasty bruises but luckily nothing was broken!

Since I started riding again as an adult almost 3 years ago I've had a few falls, but in the time between stopping riding at about 13 and picking it back up at 23, I took a good many years of martial arts and learned how to fall without breaking bones. ;) Worst I've had so far since coming back is some scrapes/minor road rash and a torn pair of breeches (guess which one I was more distraught over).

I've also gotten fuzzy on the details of all my falls, but I'm pretty sure the first one was just me panicking. I was riding at this barn where a certain boarder had given permission for her anxiety-ridden TB to be used in lessons. Like he wasn't aggressive towards people, he was just always agitated and would pace in his stall and his paddock. That meant that he was somewhat thin, despite being fed; his back wasn't very comfortable. Anyway, my trainer thought I was doing well at trot and told me to ask for canter, so I did. It was so uncomfortable that I felt like I was falling, so I panicked, and tried to dismount while the horse was still moving. I fell on my butt and it was sore for a few days xD

Glad no one was seriously hurt during any of these! I haven't been back in the saddle since the fall sadly as it seems I have fractured my tailbone. 

First fall for me:

I had a pony who would take off with me and she new how to turn just right so 4 year old me couldn't hang. She did it to me a couple times. Luckily it wasn't too far from the ground lol. I named her "Black Beauty" but after all the trouble she gave me the adults referred to her as "The Beast" 

My second lesson I was in a group and at the back on a little 12.2hh, dappled grey 10 yr old Welsh x Shetland behind a 13.3hh Welsh.

We were trotting around the school when my o structure shouted - again - that I was too close. Get to a corner and I'm virtually on the heels of the bigger pony so Hansel kicked out and Bramble cantered up the school. I kind of hung on and then he did an emergency stop and deposited me beside my instructor. 

Nothing injured, got back on and tried my dangdest to not get so close.