Doctor Reacts To Shocking Horse Riding Injuries

[@Evy_Holat]

Yes the human injuries are very serious but if a horse takes a fall like that and break a leg, it’s a death sentence for them

[@retrorevival1]

they don't even have to fall. horses bred purely for speed are so lacking in bone strength they can just snap a leg mid race out of nowhere. in the UK in 2024 we've seen 34 horse deaths in races already.

[@kellysmall5389]

@@retrorevival1It certainly doesn't help that these horses are 2-3 years old, they're still babies.

[@rosalinplaat380]

Yes is absolutely cruel

[@_sch_eme_]

That's all I could think about watching this whole video lol I was holding my breath until I saw the horses walk but even then I knew it was a very slim possibility they would be treated with compassion, after that.. Ugh.

[@deed5811]

​@@retrorevival1Watching that happen to Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby turned me off horse racing permanently. They had to euthanize her on the track. One sportscaster said she had the heart of a locomotive on champagne glass legs.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

For those curious about the horse injuries: First clip: Merrion Square was uninjured. Second clip: Teetan escaped unscathed, Lucky Patch and Pixie Knight escaped serious injury, Naboo Attack and Amazing Star had to be euthanized. Worst horse racing disaster in Hong Kong. Third clip: Sir Sagamore was uninjured. Fourth clip: Bebe was uninjured. Shouldn't have been out there anyway, she was dangerously agitated prior to the event and it was recommended that she not be ridden. A visit to the vet afterwards revealed her teeth were sharpened due to grinding while eating and they'd been pushing on nerves, so when Natalie tugged on the reins, she hit a sensitive nerve. Both retired after this. Fifth clip: Recite a Prayer broke an eye socket, but was otherwise fine and recovered well. Galvin was uninjured, but did have to go in for an x-ray just in case. Sixth clip: Long House Saint and Bonded were uninjured. Seventh clip: Solway Dandy seems to have been uninjured. Eighth clip: Jet was uninjured. Ninth clip : Reeve's horse was uninjured. Tenth clip: Sweet Kiss was uninjured. So, all in all, only two serious horse injuries.

[@lumini3172]

6:41 It looks like the horse (Solway Dandy?) is stumbling occasionally. Am I just seeing things?

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@lumini3172 Doesn't look like it. He's still running to this day, so the vet definitely cleared him.

[@leeannsickels8074]

​@@lumini3172probably sore but ultimately not seriously injured.

[@tyoldix3329]

thank you for the information! The second one just looked so horrific

[@PetMama1313]

Thank you so much for the horse side of this! I HATE it when the animal side is always left undiscussed.

[@ScarsFromTomorrow1]

Unfortunately a lot of these horses were probably put down. Racing, and steeplechase especially are so dangerous and lead to tons of horses injuring themselves beyond repair. But also, always wear a helmet when on a horse! I’ve noticed a surge in people complaining about them on social media but remember, looking cool isn’t more important than preventing a TBI.

[@MooseLover09]

Honestly I probably would have a VERY scarred and deformed face if it wasn’t from my helmets over the years, I’ve been bucked off onto large rocks, smashed into tree limbs and been slammed into walls by horses on the ground. The visor of the helmet was smashed in two of those instances and 100% took the brunt of the force

[@aff77141]

Dead ass don't know why all these people think they're the next john wayne

[@saltiestsiren]

Experienced riders think they're somehow safer from injury and accidents. Nope. Always wear a helmet. I think about the same thing when I see cyclists, skaters, motorcyclists, etc. not wearing one.

[@TeaWithTash_]

Nowadays I’m very Darwinian. If you don’t value your brain. I won’t. I care more about the horses. 😅

[@KidarWolf]

@@saltiestsiren I read a paper a while back that reported as a result of a study that the risk of a fall is at its highest in two populations of rider: absolute beginners who don't yet have the skill and coordination to avoid falling, and experienced riders who generally engage in riskier riding activities, or ride on riskier and less predictable horses. The first year, and any year after 10 are considered to be the highest risk groups. I was firmly in the ten year plus group when I started jousting. My first equestrian injury, I'd been riding less than a year, all of my other equestrian injuries happened after 10+ years, so anecdotally, the data fits with my experience.

[@the_frenchcrepe1219]

As an Equestrian it is so much sadder to see the horses get injured

[@VegemiteQueen1]

I didn't even notice the people at the barricades, I was so horrified at the horse sliding across concrete

[@Ameliaandhorses]

@@VegemiteQueen1neither, those poor horses

[@That_one_equestrian-63]

Yes😢

[@OliviaLin-y5k]

Ah yes the horses are much more important than a literal human being

[@abbyb6958]

I’m not an equestrian just someone with WAY too much empathy and seeing any of them injured hurts but knowing two of the horses from the second clip were euthanized makes it so much worse. These poor animals are forced into these dangerous situations and suffer the consequences😢

[@Snapdragonangel]

I’ve been riding horses all my life and I will say, the worst injuries I’ve ever seen have happened when riding horses. Always been told “it’s not about if you get hurt, it’s when”

[@retrorevival1]

the worst ive seen is the result of garbage breeding practices and watching thin boned horses built for speed and not strength just snap their legs mid race for no apparent reason.

[@barbara6304]

I never rode on horseback professionally, but I did spend a lot of time around horses every summer until I was thirteen. Those are beautiful, majestic and extremely fragile creatures that can do horrific damage to you. I am now going for a med uni, and can confirm, horse accidents are up there with car crashes for me.

[@rileya2305]

for most of my falls i’ve managed to land in a way where i receive no injuries. but one time when i was riding in field, the horse bolted and i fell on my back hitting my head. thank god for helmets because the concussion could have been way more serious

[@jennatull6478]

Then why do you do it? My next question....Does anyone ever get prosecuted for animal abuse?

[@JulianaBlewett]

The worst injuries are from motorcycle accidents. Pavement/trees/concrete + crotch rocket + human body = bloody mess.

[@CountessOfOle]

As a former Virginia EMT, I gotta say, Christopher Reeve is something of an icon for us. He very strongly credited the Fairfax EMS who responded to his incident with saving his life, and he was so grateful that he became a gargantuan sponsor that allowed Virginian rescue squads to update our ambulances and afford the latest and greatest emergency medical equipment. Thanks to him, a lot of counties that wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford adequate pre-hospital care can help those who need it.

[@caseinnitrate2004]

Hi, I think we are meant for each other

[@robynepstein7488]

My mom worked at the rehab institute that he went to after the accident and then she went on to become the CEO and president of the Christopher Reeve Foundation. He was incredible, I got to meet him a few times as a kid before he died.

[@Crispy_rice]

my last name is fairfax

[@irritatedslightly]

Fairfax VA?

[@kels1117]

My mom had an extremely high risk surgery when I was a kid for a tumor on her spinal cord. She had the same surgeon as Reeve and I really think he's the reason she can still walk today

[@MooseLover09]

As someone who rides horses on a semi professional level I can confidently say the social norm is to not go to the ER or the doctor unless there is something visibly out of place or broken

[@kyt-nh1ef]

Can you explain why they don't run in their own lanes? It seems so dangerous since they can collide into each other!

[@kategrossi8717]

100% relate.. Only went to the ER twice out of all of my horse injuries.. broken arm and broken ankle. Probably should have went more often.. but its just not what we do.... brush off the dirt and get back on

[@houndbarks]

Can confirm😂 My mother was pregnant with my bro when she fell off her horse, only reason she went to the ER was because her arm broke

[@stanwilliams4]

@@kyt-nh1eftoo many horses, not enough space

[@virginiamoss7045]

So, are you proud of that? Do you think it's the wisest thing to do?

[@Young_Artistlover]

As an horse rider when I fall I don't even worry what has happened to me I check on my horse immediately! I love my horse! ❤

[@cydbee.]

fr when I was riding I was always more worried about the horse then myself

[@Hhslayz111]

Fr fr

[@Williamaftn-h4i]

I haven't fallen yet cuz I'm new but that's what I would do

[@KylieBlair-o8d]

Yeah, it’s okay if we go down doing what we love anyways, just follow God’s will and trust him. No matter the risk, He always has a plan. ❤

[@cattymajiv]

@@KylieBlair-o8d Hogwash! Don't put yourself, and especially not an innocent horse, in danger by participating in these incredibly cruel events that are an utter waste of time anyway. No true horse lover would put their horse in harm's way like this.

[@AgataKu]

The way this first dude was edited straight from the field to a hospital bed was hilarious;pp

[@greenbrownblue]

haha was thinking the same xd hilarious

[@Giselle.829]

Omg same! I had to spot the video , I was laughing so hard!!!! 😂

[@yellowcatmonkey]

and necessary💯

[@seanie99511]

Doctor Mike always out here with the legendary edits.

[@Christian1234-s6g]

Lol yeah😂

[@charliep123]

You’re absolutely right about physical, occupational, speech, etc therapists being unsung heroes in medicine. They definitely deserve more recognition.

[@amyhouck7247]

3:02-Lisfranc fracture- A lot of stirrups have breakaway straps now. (Or at least the ones I used when taking dressage lessons did) The straps are rubber, placed on the outside of the stirrup and can easily be detached with enough pressure to prevent these types of injuries. 3:55-Rider pulled back on the reins too hard. When a horse is doing something like that it’s best to apply steady pressure to the reins rather than yank back. You also don’t want to fight them when they’re tossing their head like that because the horse will win. The last thing you want to do is make the horse think you’re a problem and be eager to get rid of you.

[@annenelson5656]

You’re right! I yanked the reins once and my horse’s head hit mine when he threw it back and I ended out with a TBI. I effed up big time.

[@foreverintroverted]

I totally agree! I ride a horse who doesn't prefer pressure on the bit. It took a while, but I learned that he won't fight if you don't give him anything to fight against, if that makes sense. For the vast majority of horses, a lot of tension on the reins only makes them more distraught.

[@wolfheartthewarrior2030]

I have watched the full video of the horse that flipped on it's rider and she flipped because she had some sharp points making her gums swollen and sensitive and she flipped as a pain reaction to the sharp bit digging into her gums from the sharp yank of the reigns

[@bonkislost]

was looking for someone to mention it, that horse never would have flipped backwards if she hadn't been yanking on the reins, that is a last ditch effort to get the rider to stop. the behavior before hand, pulling the head down and chin in, was more than enough to show she was hurting the horse

[@stranger_things_slytherin_457]

As a dressage rider I can safely say that you get trained what to do in certain situations and we have breakaway bands. They saved my foot last year since my horse spooked and I got dragged. I just had some pulled muscles and that’s it. Not even a concussion

[@luscious_lola1316]

As a rider all my life, mainly eventing, and training green horses , I have had so many accidents . Appreciate your medical expertise on these . Its a long recovery road but. Glad everyone is okay .

[@TRADITIONALwife84]

5:03 they were literally on the wrong side of the jersey barrier. That’s why they put those safety precautions in place. You can’t fix stupid.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

She said in an interview she was forced there because protestors were blocking the way to her car.

[@Bopig]

Exactly, what was she doing on that side when the camera would of worked just fine

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@Bopig She got stuck there because some protestors were blocking the way to her car, apparently.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@Bopig Apparently, she got stuck over there because protestors blocked the way to her car.

[@cattymajiv]

@@SentaiYamaneko I'm happy to hear that these things are being protested. The riders chose to be there, but the horses do not, and every year many horses suffer and die for the sake of human entertainment. All competitions involving animals are cruel, when you really understand them properly, and the competitive sports involving horses are among the cruelest. From racing and rodeo events, to jumping and dressage, to Big Lick. It's all horrible and needs to be stopped.

[@fleridanfox6150]

I joined a horse schooling ranch for a couple years. the ranch owner is a total badass and a retired trauma nurse, so she’s good at keeping her cool and always quick to narrow down any possible ailments in horse and rider. once we headed out to prepare for a show, and during a practice round, a rider from another ranch fell off their horse during a jump and landed hard on their neck. the ranch owner immediately jumped in to check on them. she said the rider had very possibly busted a carotid and is bleeding internally, and could soon be feeling nauseous. the rider protested, but then became weak pretty fast. the ranch owner put pressure on the affected area until an ambulance came to take the rider to emergency care. she’s also evaluated her own injuries and made hospital visits quick. helped take care of the horse I trained when he got arthritis, works very well with veterinarians, and taught me and a few other riders about vital signs and pain management for horses, and even how to check that you’re not about to inject drugs into a neck artery. I’ve quit my equestrian escapades, but I still really look up to that woman.

[@fleridanfox6150]

as for me, I’ve been bruised, bitten, stepped on, fell off a horse and couldn’t move without serious pain for a week. but the worst would probably have to be a possibly broken tailbone after falling off a horse twice. sometimes I still feel a bit sore after sitting in a hard chair

[@Nala15-Artist]

I believe that most risks in horse riding are manageable, it's just sad that nobody is taught how to manage them. At least when it comes to normal trail riding and horsemanship, nothing faster than a canter. Introduce anything faster or higher and then you just have to accept the risks, I think.

[@SkzchickenNuggies]

My coach is like that and she’s helping me keep my cool and put my horse first if I fall.She is a total badass

[@fleridanfox6150]

@@Nala15-Artistoh absolutely. the ranch I went to is a show jumping school, and they were very adamant about safety, good posture, communication with the horse, and just keeping calm about any situation, even with all the horses being very well-trained. I’m glad none of my horseback injuries were ever severe, just longer-lasting. but it just makes it all the more necessary to learn those things (and often have a seasoned trainer around to forcibly beam their confidence onto you lol).

[@gestaltdude]

What I remember most about Christopher Reeve's injury is an anecdote he shared years later. It was a short time after the injury and he was feeling the emotional impact of the consequences of what had happened. Then this guy dressed as a doctor comes in, speaking in a heavy Russian accent, doing all sorts of weird things and making such outrageous comments he couldn't help but laugh. That "doctor" was his good friend Robin Williams, who was in Reeves' year at Julliard. Reeves ended the story stating that, after that visit, he knew he would be OK.

[@SilverFlame819]

I guess "okay" is relative... :(

[@gestaltdude]

@@SilverFlame819 I suppose what he meant was it was the first time he could see a way through what had happened to the rest of his life, but without hearing the words directly from the source, it's impossible to know exactly. It's the same process everyone who undergoes a life changing injury has to go through, as they have to not only physically but mentally learn to adapt to their new reality.

[@robynepstein7488]

I can confirm this is true! My mom worked at the rehab hospital he was at and then later worked at his foundation

[@clwbchbabycakes]

They were actually roommates through college. When Christopher's insurance and money ran out, Robin stepped up and helped him.

[@elizabethroberts6215]

@@SilverFlame819allegedly, the actor didn’t do as his riding instructor said, ie do NOT wrap the reins’ around your hands’, when jumping. Reeve did, & consequently speared head first into the ground, when horse propped at the jump. He’d no ability to put out his arms’, thereby hands’, to ‘break’ the fall, as they were entangled in the reins’. If he had held the reins’ correctly, & still fell off, he might’ve sustained broken wrist, or elbow, or shoulder all of which are easily fixed. What he did sustain caused him to be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life………R I P Have horse ridden since 8yo. Have been in various equitation disciplines’. Loved Eventing. Played Polo, & Polocrosse. Have had falls, but, thank goodness, nothing at all serious………

[@WoundedWarrior2012]

I broke my neck in a rotational fall barrel racing 25 years ago, but I'm still riding at 58!😅

[@slyram22]

Keep on ridin’!😊

[@saskiak3944]

Dang, rotational fall in barrel racing 😱😱😱 I was always told they only happen in cross country jumping because of the solid jumps. Did your horse get stuck on the barrel?

[@lauren_barron]

I've had horses all my life. People who don't wear the proper gear (helmets, boots, pants) are some of THE scariest riders. I've been kicked in the face and fallen more times than I can count during my beginner years of training. PROPER GEAR SAVES LIVES NO MATTER THE SPORT. Accidents happen for sure, but being a mindful equestrian and listening to the animal, being wary of your surroundings and PROPER GEAR can be a huge factor in preventing many life altering injuries.

[@herstoryanimated]

+ body protector and (when appropriate) air jackets when doing jumping/hacking/cross country/racing

[@melissah85225]

My tall boots saved my leg

[@lilik6945]

​@@herstoryanimatedabsolutely. i saw a guys ribcage shatter because he landed under the horse at a jump.. he might have survived if the hirse had just stepped on him, but the jump adding the additional height and the weight on the two front feet killed the man instantly

[@ljo0605]

Not much can protect your face but I do agree with wearing what you can (hat, boots, body protector)

[@Wolf_equestrain]

As an equestrian myself the worst thing to happen is a roll over incident and getting dragged by the leg(ur foot caught in the stirrup) many people have died from roll over accidents. If you don’t know what they are, it is when the horse falls on top of you. It’s most common in cross country because the jumps are hard and don’t fall like a pole. And just a reminder if a horse breaks their leg, they will have to be put down.

[@hayleyanderson4841]

Yeah I know someone who was dragged through a mountain side for a stretch because of a tangled lead rope

[@melissah85225]

Rotational falls scare me!

[@erintym]

I use breakaway stirrups because dragging is my biggest fear

[@YesOfcImASwiftie]

Fr tho. My worst equestrian fears are these two. Hannah's story was really sad.

[@haydengill9881]

It's why I honestly feel that they need to not have such extreme courses and not be so comfortable with pushing the limits so much with their horses. They're extremely gutsy riders but it's soooo dangerous and at times I don't understand why you'd risk you and your horse in that way. I know rotational falls can happen other times as well (horses are horses) but it's just so unnecessary in my eyes. 😬

[@Lampey22]

This would be so cool if Dr Mike and a vet reacted to horse racing accidents. Dr Mike would speak about the human injuries and the vet would speak about the horses injuries

[@Iwoasasaned]

As a vet I feel it would be a wake up call for many people because many cases would just end with „sadly we have to put the horse down“ or „because of economic reasons the horse is put down“, „put down“, „put down“, „put down“ 😖

[@Lampey22]

@@Iwoasasaned damn. Why is treating a horse so expensive? Is it special to horse or would another usually wild but domesticated/tame animal (such as monkeys and snakes)

[@Iwoasasaned]

@@Lampey22 horses are huge and heavy , so you need quite a high amount of medicine compared to a dog or a cat and you have to deal with the huge weight and muscular burden for stability. That’s why it is quite easy to treat a broken leg in smaller animals or humans and almost impossible for horses (even if mounted to the ceiling to get the weight off the injured leg, will you keep the horse hanging there for months?) and it’s often the case, that those horses were put into serious training way before they were old enough and sustained subclinical damages before the accident which makes it even harder. The price? It’s dangerous to treat horses, owners are sue happy but bad payers, the equipment is expensive and we talked about the expensive medication all this adds up in the vet bills, it’s a business after all.

[@RandomAnything-su5wf]

Been thinking along these lines as well though I was thinking of NERD and Snake Discovery rehabilitations and treatments with a guest vet. would make an interesting compare and contrast.

[@CurrentlyVeterinary]

@@Lampey22 A horse also can't live on three legs like other, smaller, animals can. So if a horse breaks it's leg and the only choice is to amputate it (which happens more than you think in smaller animals), then the horse would be euthanized. They can't walk on three legs due to the way their center of gravity is and the way they evolved to balance and run. This is also one of the reasons that people are starting to realize how bad horse racing can be, especially when you learn about how many owners only see the horses as money making machines rather than a living, breathing, sentient being. Many people will even kill horses just because they aren't fast enough.

[@Ava-ll9ql]

Dr Mike please do more horse injuries and not just on horse racing but general horse riding! You find some pretty weird and awkward falls due to the twists, turn and refusals to jumps! Thank you x

[@Ladina-p1u]

yes i also thought that. Like showjumping or also dressage has some really bad injuries like you said, bc of refusals of jumps and such things😄

[@cattymajiv]

@@Ladina-p1u The horses ALWAYS have a good reason to refuse too, and when they bother to investigate they always find out what it is, like the case that was discussed above, with the horse who had some sharp teeth cutting their mouth due to inadequate dental care. The rider was yanking the reins around and aggravating the pain, so the horse can't be blamed for throwing her off.

[@hannah.kate.]

My neighbour had an incident a couple years ago where her horse freaked out, she fell off and he landed on top of her, and she had numerous breaks, fractures and crush injuries. I can’t remember exactly everything that happened, but according to her doctors she had a 35% chance of survival with the severity of her injuries. She still suffers from chronic pain and unhealed fractures, struggles to walk for any length of time, spent months in hospital and more in rehab, but she quite literally got back on the horse after about a year and her dedication to riding and horses is quite literally insane to me. Equestrians don’t mess around, I don’t think you could get her to stop riding unless she was fully paralysed. She’s a strong lady :)

[@starfire6279]

And you can also still ride paralyzed-

[@hannah.kate.]

@@starfire6279 she’d probably find a way 😂😂 don’t mess with horse people, they’re scary strong 😂

[@starfire6279]

@@hannah.kate. fr

[@hannah.kate.]

*also, forgot to add - the horse is ok too 😂 his name is Woody, he loves apples and he’s doing fine

[@cattymajiv]

@@starfire6279 Right. And horses can fly.

[@linasultani7212]

Could you bring a veterinarian to comment on the horses injuries as well? Would be a great addition as a different medical perspective!

[@SentaiYamaneko]

I have vet tech training. Two of the horses in the second clip had to be put down due to broken legs (because horse leg breaks are almost always death sentences, despite advances in medicine), and the horse that fell over in the fifth clip came away with a broken eye socket, but the rest were fine.

[@WingsOfFireLoverDragons]

lol

[@sleepyalexa]

​@@SentaiYamanekoYour vet training added absolutely nothing, so why even mention it.. 😂 Anyone coulda just looked it up like you did.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@sleepyalexa Well, barely any of them were actually injured to begin with, and broken eye sockets in horses aren't much different than with humans (though I should probably mention that the orbit protrudes a little further from the side than other facial structures, so it's more prone to breakage). It's the legs that are the issue, and I did bring that up, so I'll explain that in a little more detail. Horse legs are evolved to allow them to run really fast. To move fast, you need fewer toes. Toes are for traction, not speed; the longer your foot touches the ground, the easier it is to turn, but the harder it is to move fast. So horse legs end in a single toe. The part where the hoof is, that's the distal phalanx, the final bone of the finger/toe. The hock (the part of the leg that looks like a knee) is actually their tarsus, the first of the three types of toe bones (tarsus, metatarsus, phalanx). This ensures that they can run at incredible speeds, but it really doesn't do them many other favors biologically. Most relevant to this is that most of their weight is supported on their legs, and horses are heavy. So if they lose one to a break, they can't really keep their weight off of it to let it heal. Not to mention all of the delicate structures crammed into that one toe that just so happens to make up an entire leg, which mean if it breaks badly (and it usually does), you basically have to surgically piece it back together. It's like how you need specialized hand surgeons to deal with serious hand injuries because there's so many little structures in there. Horses are also crazy anxious on an evolutionary level because their ancestors had to deal with high speed predators, so if they can't run, they get way too stressed out. If denied the option to run, their other options are 'fight everything and then drop dead' or 'just drop dead'. So getting them to rest and heal? That's not easy. And the craziest part is? You might think this is an animal we humans messed up through bad breeding, but no. Horses just turned out that way naturally. If anything, humans have helped, finding ways to ensure that a broken leg isn't a death sentence like it used to be. Heck, 90% of horses can survive a facture of the olecranon process (where the elbow is). Compound factures (where the bone breaks the skin) are still difficult to treat because they get infected so easily.

[@sleepyalexa]

@@SentaiYamaneko Wow, thanks, that's actually really interesting.. 👍

[@jessicanagle2664]

As a horse owner...we love our furbabies but so much respect for what they can do.

[@brianalambert1192]

Horse people in general seem to avoid the doctor like the plague. During an internship, I was straight up kicked in the head in front of other workers and management more or less looked at me and said "Well do you think you need to go to the doctor?" as I'm sitting there vacillating between crying and laughing hysterically. It's the one time that I'm grateful that I trusted my gut and forced the point because I take head injuries very seriously, but it was something that lost me a couple of points in their book. I also knew another in that same program who broke her wrist and kept working the rest of the day before she finally went to the doctor. A trainer I was working for who never wore a helmet fell of a horse and hit his head on a rock. There are still blood stains in parts of my car from me driving him to the ER. He had a seizure when he got there. They told him two things when he was discharged. Don't ride for a few days and start wearing a helmet. Take a guess on if he followed that On that particular note, I could care less if you're a cowboy, a rider, or a groom in a breeding shed. WEAR A DAMN HELMET!!!!! The amount of them that don't wear one because it doesn't look cool or they don't like the feel is ridiculous. I like the cowboy look as much as the next person. I'd also never ride with a cowboy hat unless it was custom fitted with a helmet inside. There's a toughness aspect to it; you need a certain mentality around these animals of "I'm not going to get pushed around" or "The work's got to get done no matter how badly I'm feeling". It's certainly an admirable quality, but I think the industry takes it too far a lot of times and I'm especially sick of these ones that look down at people who actually follow doctors' advice in the recovery.

[@rsqddogmom]

Rode for close to 20 years and would return in a heartbeat. Always wore a helmet no matter what. That $75 helmet probably saved me from a concussion or a TBI the day I emergency dismounted at a canter/gallop and slid into the fence posts of the outdoor. Thought I'd just gotten some scrapes and a sore shoulder until a week later when I realized my helmet cracked through and through. Will always buy Tipperary helmets from now on

[@joplumridge3974]

Christopher Reeves was not wearing an actual helmet like we do now. At that time they were often called a helmet, but were actually just a velvet covered plastic shell. I can only speak for Canada, but they had a sticker in them that said they were apparel only, and not a saftey device. They were required as show apparel though, and a lot of instructors required kids to wear them as a better than nothing situation. When Christopher Reeves had his accident, he was instrumental in getting proper helmets made and them being a requirement, along with some other big names in the sport. I was the first person I knew in my area to get a real helmet and got teased at the barn for having a mushroom head, right up until my bad fall. Stuck in right stirrup, went under left shoulder and knee of my warmblood when we went down on a 4ft jump. Hip, shoulder and elbow dislocated, then I was pulled back up and lawn darted unconscious into the ring. No significant head injury.

[@shakeyj4523]

That's not true. They did not have MIPS technology, but they did have helmets that were as good as motorcycle helmets. Christopher Reeve broke his neck, which has nothing to do with the helmet.

[@annenelson5656]

They also have neck airbags now.

[@meinthewild312]

@@annenelson5656Reeve was competing in the cross country phase of a sport called 3-day eventing, which is now called Horse Trials. I also compete in this sport. I have NEVER seen or heard of a neck airbag. We are required to wear body protector vests and some of those vests are inflatable air vests, but they do not provide neck protection.

[@Roosmarijn035]

@@meinthewild312 I've also always learned that your helmet needs to fit properly. If it's too large or not the right shape, it can brake your neck or nose.

[@meaganelizabeth3758]

I love that you show yourself googling something to double check if you were right. Doctors can't always remember every medical condition, but they know how to look for it!

[@s.stinnett3972]

Resourcefulness is essential! And Dr.’s know just where to look & trust the info!

[@laceesandberg2596]

As someone who rode horses for years (and loves them so much), this brought up some tough memories. When I was a teenager I was helping out on a cross country course and one of the horses flipped over onto their rider at one of the jumps. The rider died on the field due to her heart rupturing. It was one of the most awful days I can recall from that time frame. Horseback riding is a beautiful, but definitely deserves to be taken very seriously!

[@Alyathaean]

That's one of the worst things that can happen

[@sharroon7574]

Cross country is just crazy

[@amacsizizleyici]

Cross country courses are usually the most dangerous due to the environment and possibilities but it's one of the most beautiful and fun disciplines in horse riding i hope everyone rides safe.

[@bananascoaster1243]

I did hunter jumping and a couple dressage events as a kid but always thought cross country would be the most fun event. Now, not so much...😢

[@eliz_scubavn]

There was an incident at a big stables in my area where a horse got spooked, bolted and threw their rider. The rider ended up dying due to similar injuries to what you describe, and some news reports suggested that the body of the rider, a 40+ year old woman, was an absolute mess of broken bones too.

[@ThePinkus]

As a happier story then the last one, I remember a friend of mine crossing at full gallop the finish line of a jump competition shouting "I'm on the horse! I'm on the horse!" when the only thing still "on the horse" was the tip of her boot on the stirrup. She hit the ground after the finish line while the spectators exploded in an applause! The horse must have thought the encouragement was for him, because with no other reason headed for another obstacle and jumped it on his own! Thankfully, no harm occurred to anyone, and the only thing left was laughing together.

[@kategrossi8717]

As someone who grew up on a horse farm.. I have so many injuries from riding.. Im only 29 but have daily severe hip pain from being thrown from my horse when i was 20-21 and him landing on me.. among several other injuries that have followed me into adulthood. I love them so much, but wonder how my body would feel if I hadnt been so reckless as a teenager/early adult

[@nicoledohner2583]

I wish he spoke about the Kevin Babington injury… I was working as a professional when it happened and it really set off a huge change in showjumping and safety measures. That’s when I saw the rise of airbag vests and they became more and more widely used in the USA, to the point where USEF came out with new guidelines says riders wouldn’t be deducted points for wearing them (in equitation). I feel a lot of riders saw what happened and thought, “if I can happen to an Olympic show jumper, it could certainly happen to me as well”. I’ve even experienced a spinal fracture from a fall, and I’m happy to see the steps that are being made towards safety and injury prevention for the riders and their horses.

[@ulhi7564]

I'm also very happy that even dressage riders are now required to wear helmets, there was such an emphasis on tradition for a long time that really was counterproductive. I have no respect for anyone who is an active horseridee in the public sphere and doesn't wear a helmet, too many kids watching that then think helmets are optional even though helmets and back protectors should be the standard especially for kids

[@lauranolastnamegiven3385]

@@ulhi7564 lack of helmet should be grounds for removing the video from this platform, as well

[@lauranolastnamegiven3385]

@@ulhi7564 I wish Western riders (even in Western Pleasure) would be required to wear helmets, too, I don't care that western hat-styled helmets look stupid, either wear those, design something better, or just wear a hunter-style one

[@micaelabatto6564]

Was just thinking about this! I was there and saw the fall at the Hampton Classic during the GP, it was horrible. One year at that show, a client of ours from the barn raised a large amount of money (can’t remember the exact details) to donate to his foundation 🤍

[@DaveLopez575]

Poor horses and humans - Always thank your nurses, doctors, your pt ot and all the people who support you during hospitalization, just like Dr Mike says. Even the people who clean your room and the ones that bring your food. They are all important. 💪🏼

[@Icyy6923]

As an equestrian, it's so much harder to watch the horse fall. That second fall especially was so hard to watch, my mind immediately went to the horses.

[@emmauecker123]

I've been around horses my whole life, and in regards to a horse kick, the closer you stand behind the horse the better because they can't get the full power in their kick. But if you're in that 5-6 foot away range, the force is so much stronger. so you either gotta be way close, or way out of kick zone.

[@sarahtyster7342]

now this is VERY useful info.

[@shakeyj4523]

That works for the back legs. Not so much for getting stomped though. In closer just means you walk on crutches for a few weeks. lol

[@blanca2301]

Yes, that’s how I was taught as well. I ride for pleasure once a week.

[@haydengill9881]

Besides the force, they can't get the leg up as *high* so your head is a tad bit safer. Further out, higher up the leg can go. Almost happened to me, I felt the air and saw that hoof come straight for me 😂

[@melaniepitt4295]

I can attest to that having suffered two serious kick injuries. Namely, open fracture of left femur and multi ligament knee tear - three out of four busted out. In the first I was in the danger zone you mention, the second was quite a deliberate assault by a horse I was leading from the side. He just managed to get sufficient distance from me. I still work around horses but only those I know and trust.

[@rachelmoore3418]

Fun fact! Horse riders are often trained to drop the reigns if they know they're going to fall off and can't stop it. This prevents you from being dragged and can help seperate you and the horse prior to landing. Also: horses are effing terrifying. I used to ride semi-regularly and it is not for the faint of heart. I ended up quiting before going any faster than a lope.

[@ChiIIi...]

Do you mean the stirrups?? You don't often hear people getting tangled up in their reigns the last thing you should probably do is just throwing them away because that would only increase the chance of you getting tangled up. Some do it to prevent accidentally pulling on the horses mouth but that's a totally different reason

[@rachelmoore3418]

@@ChiIIi... yeah, the stirrups are part of it, but I mean the reigns too. Some people do hold on, but all I'm saying is that some people are trained not to. If your horse is also falling and also off balance, holding on to the reigns might pull them down on top of you, and that can be incredibly dangerous. I am aware though that many people are not trained in this, as by the time both you and the horse are falling, there isn't much you can do.

[@VictoriaAllred]

My teacher DRILLED emergency dismounts into me. At my peak in riding, I could dismount a horse at a gallop in about two seconds.

[@KateandBree]

@@ChiIIi...No, we drop our reins. If you look at many of these injuries where they are being dragged, they are wearing the incorrect boots (one with a 1 1/2” heel) or they don’t have their heels down which pops the foot out. Most equestrians use stirrups that upon a certain amount of force, the stirrup bottom collapses to prevent drag these days as well. I use stirrups where the outside is a rubber band and it pops if I fall.

[@equestrain_emkay7355]

Lol ridings fun but dangerous

[@elizabethbanicki2031]

As a horseback rider, horses always, ALWAYS, come before me. I don’t care if I’m bleeding out in an arena, the medics are coming for my animal. Despite that, we care about our health too and I LOVE this videooo ♥♥♥

[@nightmarecreature4489]

Then don't get yourself and the horse in such dangerous situations in the first place. All of these accidents happen because you force the horses into doing something so dangerous and unnatural, like jumping while speeding at ungodly speeds or very dangerous, high jumps. If you truly cared, you wouldn't force your horse into something that can easily end up in it getting its legs broken.

[@elizabethbanicki2031]

I’m really not into arguing online, but I’m a hunter jumper who hasn’t jumped more than 2’6. Please don’t assume things. Thank you for your concern however!@@nightmarecreature4489

[@elizabethbanicki2031]

@@nightmarecreature4489 im a hunter jumper who hasn’t jumped more than 2’6, please don’t assume things about someone and something you obviously don’t know about. Even in big horse shows highly experienced vets and farriers are on standby. If horses are trained properly and respectfully they absolutely enjoy doing they’re job. The number one rule of horseback riding is that the horse always comes first. If you think every rider is making there horse break they’re legs and abusing, you need to be educated, and humbled.

[@elizabethbanicki2031]

Also, I’m not really into arguing online, so please take no offense. Thank you for your concern, anyway. 😊

[@GamerX66666]

That's stupid. Don't put your horses' safety above your own.

[@blancagrande4335]

The best combination ever, me, someone who loves horses in an extreme way, and a youtuber i enjoy watching horse associated things.

[@jessicas2379]

Oh also Safety stirrups prevent you from being dragged like that they are like an elastic that will come apart in the event of a fall! My teacher had those

[@KidarWolf]

Please don't just rely on safety stirrups to save you from dradding incidents, it's still possible, albeit rare, to get hung up in safety stirrups. If in doubt about remaining seated, kick your stirrups off, even if using safety stirrups. They're a nice bit of risk reduction, but they're not totally reliable.

[@jessicas2379]

@@KidarWolf yeah your right! I don’t ride anymore cause been busy with work. One thing I don’t miss about riding is the accidents that I witness

[@haydengill9881]

​@@KidarWolfIt's also a good idea to train a horse specifically for a fall. If they feel you come off, train them to stop and wait. It saved my ex when, the first day he rode, he ended up upside down hanging off my horse and he stopped and waited for me to come and help. He's a very intelligent and good boy, but I had done some training prior with him for this very exact thing. Yes, training may NOT help if the horse is in a panic, but it honestly can help, especially if you teach them to manage their emotions in such a way that they can handle things dangling off of them. I understand racing you obviously aren't there to stop, etc., but in general it's helped and it's something I think everyone should do with their horses at some point in their training.

[@katrinadaly1755]

I’ve never had safety stirrups - first thing I did when I got my horse was simulating a foot stuck in stirrup incident and taught my boy to stand stock still and immediately stop while moving when he lost pressure in the saddle and on one side and all of my weight was in one stirrup. Helped him learn not to panic at the weird pressure and know exactly what to do (stop and do not move) to get the pressure to go away. I trained the same thing with getting head, feet, mane etc. caught on/in something and I can say that that training has not only saved myself but probably his life a few times too. I’ve found him in the paddock with barbed wire around his hocks/legs and with a fly veil causing him to get stuck on a fence and each time he’s had no injuries because he knew not to panic and what to do. Being a TB he still manages to find other ways to get injured but 🤷‍♀️

[@brackenstorm2682]

8:17 Mike, you are actually correct. Never, EVER, stand behind a horse! The back of the horse aka the rump is in the horse's blind spot and if that horse spooks or you scare the horse and you're standing behind the horse, you're going to be kicked. As a former horseback rider, a lot of these people made mistakes that caused the horse to accidentally injure the rider/themselves. The only injuries I ever had was two concussions and a permanent deep bone bruise in the tailbone [I can no longer sit for long periods of time]. All were from falls off the horse. My nastiest fall nearly did take my life where I fell off my horse and hit my head on the fence of the arena. I miraculously walked away with just a minor concussion and a golf ball shaped bump on my head. Had I landed wrong, I could've snapped my neck and either become paralyzed or possibly even died.

[@Eros.n.pippins]

Dont stand behind a horse you DONT know or know will kick But also, the closer you are, the less power they can get in the kick. Meaning it'll do less damage and actually be safer than being away in kick range (long legs can stretch far) But also, just training and desensitizing will do a lot

[@lizard200]

I walk behind my horses all the time! But I never do it without talking touching them, just so they know its me! :)

[@likeAflamingo-i2e]

I've been taught (and that's normally when the horses were foals, during my dad attempted to breed with horses), to always talk with the horse and keep my hand against them when walking behind them so they don't get spooked and kick you. He also would correct the foals specifically anytime they turned their behinds on him with a light slap so they don't do that (because we were kids and it was to avoid them kicking us while working with them) When I was younger I also learnt my lesson because I accidently spooked one of the foals and got a hoof in the face and a nice black eye

[@carolientolsma9353]

Fellow doctor here. At 2:31 little addition about atelectasis; the lungs don't die off in the area. Imagine the lungs as millions of teeny tiny little balloon sacks filled with air. When people breathe more shallow, for instance due to fractured ribs, the little balloons can collaps and therefore not partake in oxygenation, so gas exchange. This means that if the extent of the atelectasis is big enough, the blood oxygenation can drop which you can measure in pulseoximetry (the clippy thing you put on your finger to measure oxygen). The lung doesn't die off, because the blood flow to that part of the lung is intact. But the blood going that way cannot take up oxygen from that part cause the little air sack is "closed". You can open the part of the lung again by breathing exercises/fysiotherapy with for instance the plastice devices shown in the video.

[@GhostlyEcheveria]

The fact that the top comments are more concerned with the horses than the riders is giving me faith for humanity.

[@KidarWolf]

To clear something up right quick: as a horse person, who lives near to a major horseracing town, I can reliably inform you that the part of the fence the first jockey hit is not solid. It is a moderately tightly packed box of thin sticks and brush, and has a lot of give. That would be the reason he was able to get up and walk away, despite how dramatic the fall looked. I can honestly say I've had worse falls than that at much slower speeds. My first fall resulted in amnesia from a brain injury in the first one. I don't remember the fall, I do remember being very upset my horse had a bloody nose after she smacked it on a fence post - the cause of my fall, in fact. The only reason I know I had that fall is because my parents told me, decades later, when we were talking about a more recent horse riding injury I'd experienced. My second fall resulted in a broken neck, which, surprisingly, was stable, and more or less resolved itself with zero medical intervention besides an X-ray, and wearing a collar for a few weeks to limit movement, just in case. Awesome stuff that it basically resolved itself, but it wasn't very pleasant to experience. My third fall resulted in yet another brain injury, this one markedly more serious than the first, and for me personally, actually more troublesome than breaking my neck. Initial symptoms were loss of consciousness for about 20 seconds, and, when I came to, slow return to full consciousness, along with myoclonic jerks for about 10-15 seconds during that time. This injury happened right at the beginning of the pandemic, and I initially resisted going to the hospital because I felt more safe returning home with my sister, who kept an eye on me over the next couple of days at her house, than I would have about being exposed to Covid in the hospital. I later went to my GP in that same week to talk to them about my pupils pulsing rapidly (hippus - yes, I got hippus from horse riding, I will never not be amused by that 😆) something which only developed after about three days. I knew hippus was a sign of deeper neurological damage than is typical with a milder TBI such as a concussion. I was booked into the hospital for an emergency CT scan, and diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. That was four years ago, and I still have some lingering effects, with my balance and concentration affected. I also need about an hour more of sleep every day than I did before the accident.

[@virginiamoss7045]

Do you insist on riding still?

[@KidarWolf]

@@virginiamoss7045 If I hadn't experienced a dislocation of the spine between L4 and L5 that has made riding too painful, I would still be in the saddle.

[@virginiamoss7045]

@@KidarWolf What is it about the "saddle" that drives you? All this knowing risk taking and subsequent medical bills makes all our insurance premiums go up unless you pay more because of your insistence on risk. Do you?

[@KidarWolf]

@@virginiamoss7045 Frankly my dear, I just don't give a damn. You're being confrontational with all horse riders in the comments. Get a new hobby. I suggest something harmless such as crocheting or knitting, and using safety scissors, since you're so concerned with safety.

[@electrowave114]

@@KidarWolf Maybe not even crochet, since crochet needles are actually really sharp and can do some damage. Maybe using non-toxic watercolour paints on edible paper? (Which, tbf, painting _is_ a very enjoyable hobby, but the relevant bit is it's also one of the least dangerous if you're careful about material sourcing and stay away from known toxic mediums.)

[@SasiakGnarly]

I used to be an equestrian for years and I love horses (one of my favorite animals!). But I have to admit that when people tell me they are afraid of horses, I fully understand them lol. I've had really nasty falls, and broken some bones while jumping.

[@burntcrumbs]

Ever since i remember being alive, i have always been afraid of them 😅 I did get to pet one at a school trip to a local police station though, they are adorable.

[@Lynxie26]

interesting note to add to the carriage horse that kicked out.. when competing on grass they usually wear studded shoes to prevent them slipping if the grass is wet. We'd always keep a strap over the horse's rear end so that if they attempted to buck or kick out, they wouldn't be able to get high enough to hit the carriage. Thankfully where I live we take horse injuries very seriously and you'll quickly skip right ahead of the line at the ER if you as much as mention a horse, even if you're walking in on your own two feet. I've had concussions, punctured lungs, torn ligaments, and tons of scrapes and bruises in my career with horses.

[@phughesphoto]

“Oh my God, the Hedges scare me!” That’s Steeplechase for ‘ya sweetie! 🏇🏻🏇🏼🏇🏽🏇🏾🏇🏿

[@EVERGREENRBLX]

I’m a Equestrian myself, and I recommend wearing safety stirrups when doing things like jumping, steeplechase, etc. Safety stirrups are stirrups that click off when you fall. This is used in many sports such as steeplechase, hunter jumper, and any time you canter. I do not usually wear safety stirrups, because I usually do walk / trot. Horseback riding is very dangerous. You can easily get dragged by a normal stirrup, and it can be extremely painful! Helmets are also VERY important. It’s like riding a bike, but on a living, moving animal, that can do unpredictable things. I❤️ horses!

[@scarletamazon3455]

Getting dragged by the stirrup sucks, and is painful and scary (it happened to me!) but the most frightening part of that for me, was seeing those horses legs flashing by, mere inches from my head. One wrong move from myself, or the horse, and it could be a kick to the head, or a finally falling from the stirrup and being trampled. I was scared the horse that was dragging me would cow kick, as he had before, and kill me in an instant, despite the helmet I was wearing. Thankfully I was fine, as was the horse. But seeing the strength and power of those legs so close to my head was a really sobering reminder of just how dangerous it can be! Oh, and my foot was okay, no fractures there either, decent riding boots, thanks mum! Sore and pulled muscles, yes, and both my ankles also sprain super easily, but that's likely unconnected to the riding accident specifically.

[@SephirothWaifu]

Subjecting animals to dangerous sports is why animals and people get hurt or die. These disciplines of many need to stop be its about money of course and these animals have zero choice pay for it. HORSES FLIP because they are unable to get rid of pain and the stupid women is educing pain to the horse's mouth, the bit ripping at its gums, teeth, esp. the bars also, the horses head is restrained by the tie-downs, to keep the horses head from going up too far. It's cruel and its why horses flip over. They are prey animals not dogs, thousands of years of being wired to do what only they can achieve from dying or getting hurt. Barrel racing is cruel seen it and the abuse as well. At our riding school no different. People simply need to educate themselves and understand different types of species of animals because what these horses do is natural and being forced to jump consistently over obstacles is not natural and just because they can doesn't mean its right. Where in the wild they do it because it has purpose and humans monopolize off it and breed a horse to specific confirmation that would facilitate their abilities for tasks people ask of or need. Humans are selfish and narrow-minded by nature and its one of the qualities that are not good.

[@roguespartan1194]

As an equestrian, I can say that what we do is extremely dangerous and I've had people try to tell me otherwise. That it's "easy", or that it isn't a sport. Well.... I've had two concussions from being thrown off horses(one in 2019 and one in 2023, where I landed nose first into the ground). In 2021, I got thrown and landed directly onto my right knee(and wound up with IT band syndrome a few months after the initial injury). I still get flare-ups of pain in my knee once in a blue moon. So to those of you who think it isn't a sport and it isn't dangerous, think again.

[@rosalinplaat380]

Just because it’s dangerous doesn’t mean it’s a sport. Driving cars is dangerous.

[@prettyponybaby2007]

Same. People tell me the same thing.. I haven’t had a concussion, but I’ve partially dislocated both shoulders, and thrown my back out from falls, and more. Nothing about our sport is easy

[@aff77141]

Yep. Horse riding is the only sport where you have to learn how to properly fall as a survival mechanism, because the fact is you WILL fall, but are you going to break your neck, or break your knee?

[@aff77141]

​​@@rosalinplaat380 nascar....... Is classified as a sport... Not to mention horse riding requires way more physical fitneas than that and than a lot of olympic sports

[@artemis754]

@@rosalinplaat380 hey, just to inform you, horse riding is considered a sport, mostly because it is a lot more than "just sitting there". the highly trained equestrians ARE trained to make it look like they aren't doing anything, but they are actually giving small commandos that are barely noticeable, just wanted to inform you.

[@haleighwhite6267]

So happy your covering this! I’ve fallen many times off horses and injured many areas! Worst injury so far has been a broken clavicle. Not fun. But horses are worth it!!

[@Adoptimuscribble]

4:08 yes its a traumatic thing called "degloving" where the skin gets ripped off of either the face, scalp or hands

[@lillianward2810]

I was obsessed for a while with Laura Hillenbrand’s book about Seabiscuit because it has some amazing details about all the physical stuff jockeys go through, both in terms of the stuff they did to lose weight and in terms of the devastating injuries. Fascinating.

[@hnichole]

This one hits close to home for me! In short, I coach competitive cheerleading for middle schoolers, and just a few months ago I got a call from one of my girls' moms. This girl did horse riding in addition to cheerleading, and her mom had told us that she'd been thrown from her horse, and instead of hitting the ground, her body had slammed into the end part of those obstacles the horses jump over (sorry I'm not an equestrian and don't know what they're called lol). This poor child was eleven, with several broken ribs, a broken shoulder and clavicle, and ended up needing a surgery a couple weeks later for breathing problems. She had to miss weeks of school. It was so hard to hear and watch her struggle because she's the sweetest girl, and it's so scary to think of how easily that fall could've killed her. We were all so thankful that she was even alive. All ended well, as months after this accident she was able to perform with us for our final competition (though very very modified, of course).

[@dreaming-of-spots6805]

The bits that hold the poles up are called standards- and yeah, landing on a jump is majorly painful, even if you're not seriously injured.

[@rachelrennie4149]

I can hear it. The sound of every equestrian on KZbin cracking their knuckles before going to their keyboard 😂

[@janemiettinen5176]

Well, some of it will be deserved. My ex thought riding is for little girls and more like sitting on a couch, than an actual sport. I walked him around for an hour and made jokes about him getting awfully sweaty for just sitting up on this walking couch..

[@Moraenil]

@@janemiettinen5176 My Dad thinks the same way, yet car racing is a sport. Even after I was bucked off, landed hands and face first causing me to still have carpal tunnel and tendinitis in both wrists ever since (that was back in the early 90s), he couldn't understand how I fell off or how I was hurt. I compared it to car racing one day when he said riding isn't a sport and admitted that car racing is. I told him, take car racing, remove the entire outer body of the vehicle, give the car a brain and personality of its own, then, for some sports, try to send it over jumps too, and you have equestrian sports....in a very simplistic manner. He said that change to the car makes it not a sport. I just shook my head and walked away cause that proved to me he'd never figure it out. Yet he's an athlete himself. He was a diver in college, played some baseball and football before that, currently he skis and kayaks. Guess instead of giving a car a brain and personality, I should've given it to the skis instead, but I was in the moment.

[@minetruly]

@janemiettinen5176 What I'm not getting is how it's an actual sport. Sure, the jockey needs to be fit. But in a sports race, it's the human who has to really build the muscle, strength, endurance, and speed to win the race. In horseracing, it's the horse. You're definitely doing more than a little girl sitting on a couch, but the horse is the real athlete. You're just a hitchhiker.

[@minetruly]

@Moraenil I'm astounded he doesn't see a horse as a harder to handle racecar. I don't think of car racing as a sport, either. But anything you say to convince me car racing is a sport, would also convince me horse racing is a sport.

[@allace8735]

@@minetrulywell if it really was just the horse they wouldn’t do squat 😂😂 I’ve been riding show jumping you need to be in control of the rein and be able to support them with your leg especially when going over large jumps if I was just sitting there we wouldn’t even move 😂😂

[@thelazygamingpanda3973]

The first one. The horse isn’t even like “hey my friend isn’t on me anymore” he’s dedicated to that race

[@alezmcc]

I went to the ER in Sweden after getting kicked by a horse in the back and was so surprised that the ER took me in straight away, no waiting in line at all. For me, it was no big deal, but the staff looked very worried. I´m so glad medical staff take horse riding injuries seriously! Luckily I had no major injury and after rehab and chiropractor all the pain disappeared.

[@ljwismer6028]

You should do equestrian injuries in cross country. We wear crash air vests in addition to the foam vest which is essentially a wearable airbag

[@brennapartridge9405]

Yesss I need this. But I'm not prepared to see the horse injuries😭

[@Lil_horse_lover]

As a horse rider, my eyes went immediately to the horse to see if they are alright, my mind set is the horse comes first

[@Neptune_EQ]

Exactly.

[@Thatonegirllol97]

The 2nd one scared me bc the horse got trampled

[@Gemma_Horses]

Same

[@bridgetlishy]

A comment up above said the second clip was the only one where the horses had to be euthanized. Two survived, two were put down. ​@@Thatonegirllol97

[@Miko_mika0]

Same!

[@Schleichtallihopeakuu]

I dont understand how people can still say horseback riding is easy.ty for making this video

[@mintyperfectionable]

As a teenager, I had a class during the summer where I would help take care of some horses on a farm. I wasn’t paying enough attention one day, just standing next to it, when the horse shifted its feet and stepped on mine. It was only a couple of seconds, but it felt like forever. I had no lasting damage, but my foot was a giant bruise for several weeks. I cannot imagine the pain these people must’ve felt getting hit with such force

[@lalaloopsy-rh8ht]

yep. i've been stepped on numerous times by a clydesdale. it hurts, and it definitely isn't for the weak.

[@greenapple9477]

​@@lalaloopsy-rh8htMASSIVE oof right there.

[@the_Lime]

​@@greenapple9477did you mean massive hoof by any chance

[@jasonnelson5745]

Also got stepped on by a horse. It hurt like a mofo, but was wearing riding boots so my feet were fine

[@KidarWolf]

Weirdly, my worst injury from being stepped on by a horse was when I was wearing proper equestrian boots, and the horse did a turn on the forehand on my foot when I turned him out. No broken bones, but the bruising was horrendous, and I was hobbling for about a week afterwards. When I was later stepped on by a much heavier horse, while wearing less suitable boots (soft suede, part of my costume at the time while I was working in jousting), no injuries at all. It has certainly made me wonder about whether close fitting and restrictive boots might have been the reasoning for the injury being more severe in the first incident, since my foot wasn't free to deform in the way nature intends. I would not advocate to anyone that they take the risk of wearing soft footwear or no footwear around horses however - it's just curiosity about the mechanism of the injury on my part.

[@sarahmarshall6008]

I managed to do a serious lisfranc injury just stepping off a curb wrong. Needed surgery to replace the snapped ligament and over a year of physiotherapy. Had never heard of it before and took a long time to diagnose - it wasn’t until I started seeing an orthopaedic surgeon that I finally got it diagnosed

[@milabuettner4696]

Yes, all these people got injured, but what about the horses? 😥

[@inmyelementblue7186]

They are not as fragile as humans.

[@peytonteague5965]

@@inmyelementblue7186their legs are. And even if the horse wasn’t injured that much, there’s still a chance they’ll put it down because it’s a race horse, and if there’s even a small fracture somewhere they will often put it down instead of taking the time to treat it.

[@inmyelementblue7186]

@@peytonteague5965 that’s pretty messed up that they have to take these drastic measures to keep from paying the expenses…smfh they’re still very resilient animals

[@khepur]

@@inmyelementblue7186, unfortunately, it's not always about the expenses per say - a horse that has to take time to heal is a horse that isn't making money/getting fame, so the owners might consider letting it heal to be 'not worth it' in the end. I'm not saying all racehorse owners are like that, just that there's a handful out there that would prefer selling the injured horse to slaughter than trying to heal it up. Might also have to do with the horse being considered a 'liability' for having a previous injury, like it raises the likelihood of it being injured again. :/ breaks my heart tbh.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@inmyelementblue7186 It's because horse leg breaks are nearly impossible to heal. It's not about expenses, it's about quality of life. And no, horses are not resilient, they'll drop dead if a dog barks in Kazakhstan at the wrong time.

[@jessicafoster9145]

Horses are beautiful creatures and gentle giants. But never underestimate the power of horses.

[@aliciacajamarca]

My family and I have been horseman/horsewomen for decades. My mother was a trainer/jockey for many years and started riding when she was 8 years old. Over the years she's had many injuries, broken her collar bone twice, was in an induced coma for a week after a horse fell on her on pavement, and has broken her pelvis. She still loves riding and is one of the best trainers I've ever had. I myself have been riding horses since I was two years old, and have been competing for 15 years as a hunter jumper. In that time I've had one concussion, a scratched cornea, and a fractured arm. Despite all that I still love riding and working with horses, and I have no doubt in the future I'll get more injuries. But it's what I love doing. One day, I plan to start a therapeutic riding center, a place where horses and humans can form bonds and recover from trauma.

[@abibachelor1249]

Out of all the videos you’ve done like this, this one got to me the most (when the horses were hurt)

[@Cookiofshadows2]

The fact that they immediately got up and continued on indicates that they aren't that hurt. If at all really.

[@MissDeadInside]

​@@Cookiofshadows2 The majority of this was at racing tracks, I can guarantee the majority of horses weren't fine

[@kristabrowning4382]

Ok, but how are those poor horses? 🫣😨😢

[@December_Horse]

they all prbbly died bc of the falls. Why doesnt it stop, like... JUST STOP.

[@MJguitars.]

Realistically speaking most horses that even just fall end up being euthanized. Most of the time even the smallest injuries lead to horses being put down or sold to a farmer later on to just live out the rest of its life. Some states are trying to adjust rules on horse racing but others want it gone completely.

[@Thosetwotherians873]

It’s abuse they don’t car3 about the horses health 2000 race horses di3 a year it’s sad but they don’t care they’re a multi billion dollar industry they just want money

[@kyirahgrace09]

@@Thosetwotherians873Do by chance watch Raleigh link

[@Mariana_Mirai]

​@@MJguitars. That's evil they feel pain too

[@Aurora-Ro]

I grew up with horses and currently have two of my own. Frankly I care for them more than myself, and just as much as the people around me. As I was watching the second clip my reaction was just repeating “ohhh the horses, ohhh the horses, ohh the horses” until I saw them get up, and still my heart hurt for them. Yes, this is bad for the people, get people to care for them immediately, but also get people to calm and check on the horses. In any situation it’s easier for a horse to panic based off instincts, no matter how well trained a horse is, you cannot blame them for panicking in stressful situations, even people do that. But people recover better than horses, for a horse a simple broken leg can mean death. I would care for the horses just as much as the people. So many of these clips are hurting me, i just saw the one where the horses slipped, that could be death for both of them, broken leg, internal bleeding ect. It happens and it’s sad. I wish Dr.Mike researched how the horses are doing too. Edit: OMG THIS VIDEO IS ACTUALLY MAKING ME CRY!! I’m a big Dr Mike fan, and this video is great but the horses injuries are hurting my heart. I also found the one part where Dr Mike said that he would never walk behind a horse, meanwhile, I’m sliding off my horses butts and doing acrobats and literally hugging my horses butts for like a solid 20 minutes casually resting my head and nearly falling asleep and they just stand there. WARNING: I’m not saying that’s safe, I’m saying I know my horses, and my horses know me, I know how to read a horses emotions ect. It’s different if the horse doesn’t know you in general, let alone if you don’t know the horse or horses behaviour

[@AcheronAlex]

There is a weird advice we get as vets is when working on horses if you are gonna get kicked you lean towards the leg expecially the back legs so they push you away before the full leg extend. Cause a short kick will hurt and send you to hospital with broken ribs. An extended leg kick plasters you to the wall and sends you to jesus. Also as many have said pulling on the reigns when the horse is panicking is the WORST thing you can do. Because they try and backflip. They cannot backflip. It's how a horse lands on you. At this point just put your feet out of the stirrups and let the horse throw you off or jump off. It's gonna hurt but better than being in-between it's legs

[@nancykaminski8600]

Absolutely. I’ve ridden for 40 years-eventing, jumpers, and dressage--and bailing out when your horse is frightened and bucking is far better than trying to stick it out. I have been injured, but not really badly: a sprained ankle, kicked in the lower back (right on the sciatic nerve--that one hurt a lot for several weeks), and bitten once. Other than that, just bruises. And no, I was never thrown by a horse! My jump trainer once told me, “riders are never thrown--they fall off because they aren’t good enough to stay on!” Bill never accepted excuses or blaming the horse when things went wrong. It is usually pilot error to blame.

[@Moraenil]

That's not weird advice, it's typical basic safety around horses. You either stay against their back legs when in that area so you're only pushed, or you go far enough around out of reach of a full kick. I learned that as a little kid at Girl Scout Camp and it was reinforced every year after for new kids. Then it was reinforced again in 4-H even though I already knew it as unthinking habit at this point. It's basic safety, pure and simple. Not weird. It's also how physics works.

[@AcheronAlex]

@@MoraenilI know. I meant for normal people. It's not weird cause we know horses. Normal people don't and when we are taught everyone that has never been near a horse does a double take. It's very rare to be told to go towards the pain and danger. We train on Circus (he is trained and very gentle with students. We learn how to "fall" horses on him so he is insanely used to being touched and surrounded. He also gives his feet easily cause he thinks you will be tying a rope. So what they ask us is to bend towards him and tap his back leg. He will raise it and hold it there for you. Everyone that hasn't worked on Circus instinctually recoils but we do the training until you lean in. An unforseen danger is during the summer he will protect himself from flies and you will get whipped. It's a sacrifice the university is willing to make. Also no idea what 4-H is.

[@AcheronAlex]

@@nancykaminski8600By thrown off I meant just ragdoll and let the momentum of the horse remove you. Since in the clip the horse was spinning she would have landed safeish distance away. You never wanna slide down while it's rearing cause this is how you go behind a panicked horse. I've just seen plenty of people try and jump off or slide off the horse and slipping which usually lands them under the horse. If you are not of the reflexes of jumping off a bucking horse it's effective to relax your body and have the forse of the horse throw you off to the side. Also yes it's never the horse's mistake (Unless they do something very very very stupid). And panic is something those animals just continiously fight with so it's up to the rider to take care of it. I don't agree with a ''rider not being good enough'' because it makes people try and stay on which is a lot more dangerous. Falling is embarassing but having your teaches tell you it's because your not good enough when sometimes you couldn't do anything and the horse did not respond at all is an angle I thing could only cause harm. And now a story about horses being dumb. I have a Gypsy cob. My boy does driving, some horsemanship and am trying dressage but casually. We were on an horsemanship competitions and we came out all fine and dandy did our gaits and were doing amazing. At the end of our show we have a section where The rider stands on the ground and asks the horse who is off lead to do different stuff. We were doing that and suddenly My boy decided that the woman in the front row who was wearing like a hat with flowers on it is far more interesting than his job so he just up and left me there to go look at her hat. He trotted over like he was just casually chilling and went right to her. The audience burst laughing at this giant of a horse just begging for this flower hat. He had to sniff the hat before I managed to call him back and he continued on like nothing happened. I swear to the whatever god exists that he has one braincell and it's in constant possesion of his brother the friesian.

[@Moraenil]

@@AcheronAlex 4-H is a youth organization (until 18 yrs old) that's similar to Future Farmers of America (FFA), but includes all aspects of life, not just farming/ranching, so it includes the city kids and those in between as well. It's insignia is a 4-leaf clover with an H on each leaf. The Hs stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health. They basically teach, through many different kinds of projects followed by a county fair (then the state fair), about intelligence, learning, compassion, helping others and yourself, and being good people overall. Much better than Girl Scouts in my opinion (where I learned nothing other than at horse camp each year). If you ever go to a county or state fair and see the kids showing livestock or dogs, or see the indoor exhibits with project items and record books...those are all 4-H kids' projects. There's everything from cooking, canning, sewing, woodwork, leatherwork, photography (video and still), livestock, dog training, horses (whole horse show and gymkhana), fair queen, to rocketry and seems to me recently I saw they're incorporating computers as well now (wasn't there when I was in). It's really terrific, and I recommend it to everyone with kids.

[@raayjane]

As a nursing student, i really enjoy watching your videos because you put a lot of the concepts we learn in class, into action & it helps me better understand so thank you Dr. Mike ❤ you truly are a blessing ✨

[@cathyreed6180]

I have watched horse racing most of my life, and be honest there’s not too much that surprises me when it comes to accidents. As for the accidents, the humans usually can heal up and go back the righty unfortunately the horses don’t have that same prospect most horses they get hurt they have to be put down and that’s very sad to me because I love horses, humans however, I can take or leave them most of the time.

[@shakeyj4523]

If you have watched horse racing most of your life, you do NOT love horses. No horse lover supports horse racing in ANY form.

[@katiewennerberg210]

So very true. I’ve loved horses and marveled at them my entire life. But it’s always made me so sad to know how little it takes to put one down. They’re such wonderful animals!

[@goated_messi_ronaldo]

fr, these people just love the excitment of seeing them run, they dont love them emotionaly@@shakeyj4523

[@Eros.n.pippins]

It depends on the injury. If it can be healed and raced on, they'll wait. If it can be healed yet not raced/ridden on(or they dont need/want the horse anymore) they'll become a "nanny" for foals to learn from or a companion If it cant be healed/the horse will suffer, they are put down For large racing companies like most the arab ones, it depends on the horse. But other than that, most are relatively good. Its just bad news makes more money, which is why people cant see the good in it

[@KristiKick]

2:13 Seeing the horse in the background with what looks like its broken leg flopping around is heartbreaking, makes me feel ill every time I watch it 😰

[@stanleywalters4993]

That copy and paste to the ER had me dying😂

[@minetruly]

IKR??????? I screen capped it!!!

[@alphakevin687]

Incidentially, dying is also what the horses do straight after they enter the glue factory.

[@LaikaBeachbird-vv8lu]

@@alphakevin687that doesnt even happen that often anymore

[@Nibbles2point0]

I’m a rider, and when a horse falls at the same time as you, usually our first thing is to run and check on the horse! Broken bones and all. Falling off is a part of riding, but you can get good at it!

[@ekbrandon93]

Rider: "They usually get kicked in the head, and that's how they get killed." Dr. Mike: "And potentially an infection too!” 😂😂😂

[@sarahequestrian4833]

Can’t have an infection if your dead 😎✨ 😂😂

[@chantalekilley4219]

That Edit at 1:10 "you're going to the ER" was awesome! so creative and fun. :)

[@mariagilbert2520]

As a person going into the veterinary field, I’m watching the horses and seeing their life end from an injury they can’t recover from. So sad.

[@Southernbelle627]

I want to get your take on my CT scan results and x rays after my fall off of my horse. I shattered my calcaneous, shredded tendons in my foot, I did a lot of damage. My surgeon said it was the rarest fracture form he has ever seen, and now they use my images to teach the new residents 😅

[@falconsfeather6970]

Ooo! A special case of a new (rare I guess lol) injury! Sounds like an honor to be part of their lessons, I hope you healed well though!!

[@tracybassham7453]

Dr Mike!!! PLEASE do a story on the surgeon who took out his own appendix because there was no one else! Leonid Ivanovich Rogozov

[@Jasmine_Sangma]

He already did that a long time ago in the form of animation. Check his page.

[@idarantorp9316]

As a biomedical laboratory scientist who works in microbiology... THANK YOU for talking about antibiotics and resistent bacteria 👍👍

[@Someone-from-somewhere.]

Thank you SO MUCH MIKE for acknowledging my comment and all the people who supported it! It’s amazing to see mainstream creators raise awareness on horse riding & its dangers.

[@EtownDancer]

Who needed KZbin to know it was dangerous? I'm guessing you don't own horses.

[@Justarandomcountryguy]

​@@EtownDancer BROOO MANY NEWER EQUESTRIANS/HORSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE DANGERS. IT'S GOOD TO SPREAD INFORMATION AND WAYS TO TRY AND PREVENT IT

[@EtownDancer]

@@Justarandomcountryguy BRO you should never go into something that expensive and time consuming without research or experience. You should not be relying on KZbin for advice on major life choices. Yes horses are a major life choice. Please speak to an actual professional about how to start and the REAL dangers.

[@Someone-from-somewhere.]

@@EtownDanceri think they mean just to spread awareness. Either way I can understand your take on the situation, but by spread awareness I meant more so by showing representation of the community. I’m sorry if the choice of words confused you-and yes I do ride horses and have been for the majority of my life.

[@KaceyClarke-j8k]

I almost startid crying when I saw the horse fall at 4:57

[@stranger_things_slytherin_457]

I clicked immediately as soon as I saw this and I laughed knowing how concerned Dr. Mike will be. I’ve been dragged before, and pulled some muscles in my legs but I got on that horse the next week! 😊

[@Abby-jh7hy]

I love horseriding and id never stop for the world but my dad fell off and really hurt his back. Its my most favourite sport but it can come with many dangers. Scary but fun. I love it :)

[@Evelyn_and_stormy]

2:00 I love how he's talking about all of the injuries that the humans got and one of the horses literally got stepped on by five horses in still got up😮

[@Alyathaean]

Flight instinct. That's why a horse always tries to get up and run away

[@Evelyn_and_stormy]

@@Alyathaean ik

[@MintFroztyIzWeird]

I believe one or two of them tore their legs, I saw one swinging around. Could’ve been the angle, but poor things, I hope they didn’t get put down :(

[@falconsfeather6970]

@@MintFroztyIzWeirdbased off of one of the other comments I saw, all horses recovered and only two had major injuries, but still recovered, one other (the barrel racing one) because of that incident, the rider retired as well.

[@pattykake7195]

@@falconsfeather6970 She should have …a terrible rider…

[@TheYoutuber381]

im a family medicine doctor did three years of undergraduate college courses, four years of medical school, and three years of family medicine residency it was long but it was worth it and now i help people !!

[@ShivDasondi]

I’m 14 and when doctor Mike is talking, about a medical condition I already know what it is because of the knowledge I have gained from him 😅😅

[@faithconner3175]

Watching this as a equine sports massage therapist makes me wince

[@Remnant123]

That is why some people get lessons on how to fall. I tend to go for rolling, by rolling your head tends to be tucked in and the force behind the blow is evened out over a larger area. Besides that I always hope that people will start to wear a cap (helmet) that is specially made for falling. Things like a body protector (which is for the back and stomach area) can also be good to wear as long as you can move quite freely in there. Being an equestrian is indeed not the safest thing in the world. On the other hand every sport has its issues.

[@KidarWolf]

I did learn to fall properly, but it still didn't stop me from being thrown in such a way that I landed flat on my back, arms and legs spread like a starfish, because the speed of the horse, and therefore the inertia I had, actually splayed me out starfish style. I couldn't have tucked and rolled even if I wanted to. I literally span like a frisbee on my way to the ground. Funny in hindsight, not funny when it happened. I'm just glad my instinct when a horse is playing up is to kick my feet out of the stirrups and sit deep, or I could have been injured much worse than just the TBI I staggered away with that day.

[@Remnant123]

@@KidarWolf Sometimes you can not practice it. But if it works 9/10 times it is still a great tool. Means the chances are a little better. I totally get what you are saying! This far I have been lucky enough to know when to fall. Get my feet out of the stirrups at the right time and move like I should. Knowing that you might be able to sit it through but if you fall you land in front of the hooves and can get run over, I once just decided to throw myself of sideways. So learning to decide those things is like something that can help, but not always works out. Hope you are doing better/well now!

[@ulhi7564]

I actually liked the first clip in this video, because the jockey did roll on the ground instead of just falling straight on his face

[@KidarWolf]

@@Remnant123 I used to sort of hedge my bets with kicking off the stirrups and sitting deep. I have an excellent seat on a horse. Sadly, those skills can't always help you, as an incident can happen without warning (my horse spun her nose out and smacked a light pole with her nose when moving at a canter, and came to an immediate stop, catapulting me over her head - she stopped spinning her nose out to the outside when she was overexcited after that, so she clearly learned doing that wasn't very smart!), or an equipment failure can do you in (girth failed while my horse was bolting, in the incident in which I suffered a serious TBI). I don't ride anymore due to a spinal injury from a non-horse riding related incident, it just hurts too much these days.

[@Remnant123]

@@KidarWolf Like I said previously it might now always work out like you want or hope. However if it saves you from a bad injury once it is still worth having a good skillset. Accidents can and will happen! It is just hoping that you can use your skills and they work out! It just like you said... Might not work because other things can happen outside of your control!

[@jadzia1071]

Those poor horses though. They get a death sentence for these falls.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

Only two. The rest were fine.

[@Bearwithme560]

@@SentaiYamaneko Sustaining a non-lethal injury may still mean the horse is no longer suitable for its purpose, thus a death sentence.

[@SentaiYamaneko]

@@Bearwithme560 Just a retirement sentence.

[@Bearwithme560]

@@SentaiYamaneko No. These are for-profit sports. The horse-sports industries are corrupt, and a "retired" horse is an expense. Only those who love them or can afford it will commit to their care for life.

[@DawnTheEquestrian]

Thank you SO MUCH for finally reacting to this, I've been asking for a while! 😊 I feel like people often don't realize the danger us equestrians choose to put ourselves in. Most of us (myself included) will walk behind horses that we trust, because we just do out of habits. Horse racing is easily the most dangerous of our disciplines, but even people in the least risky of the disciplines still put themselves at risk just going and riding. Lots of our injuries actually happen on the ground, whether we're kicked or a stepped on. And falling is risky too. I've seen people get concussions, saw a lady break her back and saw my friend get stepped on. (She was okay, just had a bit of bruising.) I've had falls as well, the worst being when I fell off bareback, hit the ground with my right shoulder and then rolled (my pony kind of jumped over me, that was scary). Managed to walk away with only a few scratches and a bruised shoulder, but it's scary stuff.

[@_productofboredom_]

This is the first one of these I couldn't finish. The injuries to the people are rough to watch, but the injuries to the horses are making me sick to my stomach.

[@greenbrownblue]

Ugh I have a hard time feeling bad for ppl who get injuries participating in harmful sports. Coz they abuse the hell out of those horses. Hundreds of them die racing each year. Equestrians keep on trying to educate about the harm for example racing causes, but somehow these sports are still allowed. Like that girl yanking the reins? The ones she used causes massive pain in horse's mouth that why the horse flipped. Imagine what it would take for you to do a backflip like that out of pain. Research also showed that horses have more sensitive skin than humans.

[@roguespartan1194]

It's an unfortunate part of the horse world, and i try to surround myself with people who arent abusive towards horses. As a rider myself, I always put the health and well being of the horse first. And I also make sure I'm taught to use bits and other aids such as whips and spurs properly to ensure that the horse doesn't experience any pain or discomfort. The amount of respect I have for horses is immense, and I'm grateful I get to work with such beautiful creatures. I wish all people in the horse world felt that way, but they don't. Some see horses as tools or ways of profiting money, which is disgusting and disgraceful.

[@el.kr.0150]

I totally agree. This sport is so cruel because this is not what horses were meant to do, and they still aren’t. We know that horses would never jump a hurdle but find a way to walk around it because their anatomy, especially their ankles, aren’t built for large jumps. Their shins are super sensitive and riding on horses, especially in such intense manners, can be harmful to their spine. The horses are the ones that suffer immensely during such falls.

[@rosalinplaat380]

Yup. Horse riding is great but let’s get rid of the bits, spurs, whips and the fcking tasers.

[@greenbrownblue]

@el.kr.0150 yea exactly. I don't know if you watch Raleigh Link but you mentioning the spine kinda reminded me of her. She rly put lots of emphasis on the fact that horse size should be appropriate to the weight of a person.

[@el.kr.0150]

@@greenbrownblue no I don’t know her but in that case i for sure have to check her out. I watched some stuff on horseback riding when the whole uproar around the olympic games were, because this german modern pentathlon athlete beat her horse on live tv. And the coach shouted from the sideline „hit it harder“. This sparked a whole conversation about whether disciplines with animals involved should even be allowed and what damage horseback riding actually does to the horses.

[@tennessee.tiger1988]

We used to own horses. One horse we had used to be a race horse. He was so sweet with kids. He'd let you come up and pet him and feed him. But once you got on him, because of the way he was trained, he thought that meant go fast. So my dad tried to tame him. Dad hops on his back, horse takes off, dad jerks the reins. This spooked him so he jumps in the air and falls over backwards...right on top of my dad. Full grown horse. It tore his stomach muscles and broke his back. Thankfully it didn't paralyze him so he can still get around...sort of. This was back in like 2005 or 2006. He's still around but he's never been the same since.

[@Therealwojo]

I didn't even know that PMNR existed until my last car accident. Now I've been having severe, chronic pain for a year. So, after chiro, out-patient PT, massages and being told no doctor can help me, I was finally referred to a PMNR. I'm only in my first week and the empathy and reassurance that they can help me has been over-whelming.

[@numberfive3321]

Are we just going to casually pass by a literal HORSE hitting a concrete barrier and it not moving?? 5:20 I mean WOW people have to be going fast when they send them flying in a car crash

[@TimWheat-i6p]

Yes because horses suck

[@Gacha_mushroomxD]

@@TimWheat-i6phorses don’t suck that’s your opinion what if they really love them 😢

[@Holly_Drayton]

As someone who has watched Dr. Mike for a couple years and as a fellow equestrian, this is the video I have been waiting for!🐴

[@DravenGal]

Christopher Reeve's accident was SO tragic. He was, and will always be, my Superman. He was by all accounts an incredible guy, loved by everyone who knew him. I cried when I saw him on Smallville, with Margot Kidder as his assistant (that made me laugh a bit too, even though I don't think they were in any episodes together), and when Christopher died from a BED SORE, I cried again. I mean, that seems like something so easily avoided! I still get choked up thinking about it. Then his loving wife died from lung cancer, and didn't even smoke. So incredibly sad! I'm just glad he got to do a few more acting roles after his accident, like his version of "Rear Window." I believe he had a foundation too, that made great strides in stem-cell research, that may help save other people. Truly a hero.

[@helenhodge-croom9635]

The weird part about the steeplechase fences are the tops are made of brush...think a straw broom only looser. They can hit them and it's suppose to give but you hit it hard enough it's like a solid object! That's why the whole panel of the jump comes down as well. Sadly it's the combination of tired horses, off set distance,and catching that brush top that brings most horses down(aside from tripping on each other or crashing into each other over the fence).

[@klervilecouturier1890]

Dr Mike is cute thinking that horses rider will willingly goes to the ER 🤣(especialy before checking the horses 😁)

[@BaguetteBot]

Why are people only reporting on the health of the humans who crashed? I also want to know if the horses were fine after those nasty falls.

[@v1nnc]

🇱🇦

[@Someone-from-somewhere.]

Equestrian here, if you notice any of the horses limping then it’s safe to assume that they have injured a leg and in turn will be put down. I believe there was a horse in the background of the second or third clip who’s bone completely detached and left it’s ankle dangling. If you want more info let me know and I’ll see what I can dig up.

[@ScreaminMadMurphy]

doctor Mike is not a veterinarian.

[@Someone-from-somewhere.]

@@ScreaminMadMurphy they said why are *people* only reporting on the health, not Dr. Mike.

[@ScreaminMadMurphy]

@@Someone-from-somewhere. about half of the comments are about the horses.

[@equestrianwhotravels]

Jumper equestrian here! I've snapped my ACL twice, broke my tail bone twice, and had a concussion. It's all a part of the sport esp if you're riding young horses. Equestrians are a special breed for sure, we will still try to ride or compete with broken collar bones, ankles, etc. My favorite saying "Either the hospital or get back on!". Our injuries mostly heal. If the horse breaks a leg, it's a death sentence.

[@FadeMouse]

I’m a horse rider. Yeah, we kinda get hurt a lot. It IS a sport, everyone!! :)

[@joannek1277]

As someone who rides horses, I just went to the doctor on Monday and found out I broke my tailbone from falling off. I was riding for a week with a broken tailbone😅 Surprisingly no concussion.

[@agneslawson9276]

About a decade ago it took me a month to finally go to the Dr. They did an x-ray and it was already healing lumpy because I'd been barrel racing on it. Good on you going in sooner!