Is horse-back riding dangerous

Answer 1

Like any other sport, yes it is dangerous. You could fall off and be killed instantly or you could get kicked in the head on the ground and have the same result. There are obviously some precautions to be taken. First of all, WEAR A HELMET. It doesn't matter how old or experienced you are, you should NEVER horseback ride without one. Secondly, pay attention to what your horse is telling you. If it looks scared on the ground, don't get on because you'll probably end up back on the ground.

Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't ride just because it is dangerous. But you always need to remember that you are on top of a 1000 pound or more, prey animal who is prone to being unpredictable.

Also, when you fall off a horse, don't be too scared to get back on. Just don't rush either-you could have a broken bone and make it worse. (But then again, last Monday I fell off 3 times in one hour, and I'm fine.)

Ya its dangerous but i love IT!

Answer 2

Horseback riding is inherantly dangerous- even if you know what you are doing!
If you were inexperienced and you didnt know how to do anything but walk, sure it is even more dangerous, because you don't know how to perform an emergency dismount or how to canter or gallop... and that is what the horse does when it gets spooked.
Sure, horseback riding is dangerous. But you need to know how to do it. Then it is not so dangerous.
You should be wearing the proper attire, too. A helmet that is ASTM/SEI certified, boots with a one inch heel, and gloves and then tack with out rips.
You also need a well trained horse if you want to be really safe.
My point is, horseback riding may be dangerous but there are things you can do to make it less dangerous!



Even if you are a very experienced rider, a horse can be spooked by many things, such as cars, or agricultural machinery, or nothing at all. When that happens to can either try to hang on and risk falling off at speed, or try to jump off.
Trying to jump off a moving object with no warning from height is obviously going to be risky, whichever way you look at it.
Remember a horse is a wild animal and if/when you fall, a helmet does not protect your spine or neck.
Having owned my own horses and having a family that has always had horses, i talk from experience when i say that there are many things that create risks when horse riding. Anyone that says different, clearly hasn't known many horse riders, or seen what a horse behaves like when it gets spooked.

Umm I am a member of the United States Pony Club, I think I know that you should do an emergency dismount. It is safe if you do it right. You dont know much about horses, the person who edited this before.

The person who edited this before was completely wrong/

Yes as you can see there have been 3 other people who havecontributed to this awnser, so YES it is dangerous, but western is less dangerous as the horses are smaller, the saddles more stable to sit in, and the saddle horn.