How to avoid a freak accident with horses 

Dear Warwick. Great video. I relate to what you are saying. I had a bad fall at a Parelli Clinic in Condamine Qld Australia. No one wanted to talk about it afterwards. I was flown to Toowoomba Hospital and discharged the next day with 11 broken posterior ribs, broken collarbone, little fractures on spinus and transverse processes. Treated with little regard. There were 7 horses including me riding in a group. Just walking. Then all 7 horses got spooked and two riders fell off. I think it was caused by a thirteen year old horse that was restarted and it was behind, i think he got spooked and it made all the other horses spook, his rider fell off too but didnt get any broken bones. She fell off again 3 days later whilst being in a demonstration with the instructor . Thats when I realised, this horse may have caused the horses to spook the day I was injured. My horse that we bred and was started by this Parelli instructor prior to me arriving for the clinic. The clinic was a two week clinic "getting to know your horse" after being started. Anyway, it still niggles at me and makes me sad and disappointed. Weeks later I rang that hospital back to tell them of all my fractures that they didnt pick up on except my collarbone. I told them I was booked into surgery to get my collarbone realighned. I told them how one of their staff spoke to me condescendingly, telling me her name then saying, "I dont fall off horses to end up in hospital". I was discharged with only light painkillers and had to go back to that clinic to feed my horse ( the instructor drove 3 hours to get me from hospital) and wait a week until my family drove 8 hours or more to get me and our horse. Sorry for the long rant. I guess the story triggered my memory. Thankyou for reading this if you found it here.

Absolutely brilliant video...people often dont realise how much is involved in being a horse person.

This is so true!!! When I trail ride I tell folks before hand I am not a talker on the trail. Most women want to have long emotional conversation trail riding. Last time I got sucked into a "horse training" conversation and a black bear crossed our path. I ended up with a broken collar bone. If I had listen to my horse who smelled the bear many minutes before seen I would never have landed on the ground. I talk to my horse and stay in the moment with her. Thank you for this video and all your videos. I was waiting for the cat to crawl up the horses blanket... ;-)

Well not a head injury - but I had a "freak" back injury a month ago. OK, let's look at the duck signs - 1) been clipped that day, 2)had the farrier, 3) not been out in the pasture for two days due to completely sodden ground, 4) allowed to spend twenty minutes licking sugary lick while being clipped, 5) not been ridden for a week, 6) i wanted to do a particular exercise in the school no matter what, 7) spooky about noises behind the tall hedge alongside the school - and what happened? Out of the blue, when I said please come back to trot - he said NO. I said yes, he said Go flying then mum! Who bucked - he did. Whose missed the signs that something was going to happen - I did. Now this 52 year old and this 20 year old are going to go back to school and learn how to do things properly. Thanks Warwick for making so much sense that we wonder why we never thought of it ourselves!

This is one of the best videos I have watched and should be compulsory watching for anyone starting their horsemanship journey. I have been following you Warwick for the past 2 years and it has transformed the way I interact and work with my horses. Your frankness and approach makes so much sense. I am so much more "keyed in" to my horses and I think they are just as happy about that as I am. I am so much more centered and patient and observant within myself when working with my horses. My confidence is really starting to develop. I find that I know how to approach issues and find the answers so much more effectively than before.I think through the "why" and "what next" so much better. I know that my knowledge and approach now (and as it grows in the future) gives me the best possible chance to have a safe and great relationship with my horses. I can not thank you enough for sharing all this with me and others. So appreciated.

I had an accident three years ago that resulted in a broken pelvis and three fractured spines. Looking back now, it was easily avoidable. My horse had severe ulcers and would have been in a lot of pain, I was also in a bad mindset: I was determined to ride no matter what, because I wanted to blow off steam. I had also just brought my horses home from two weeks away at another property. I took my horse out into the bush alone for a trail ride. So many signs. I ignored them all. That accident put me in a wheelchair, not permanently thankfully, but I am lucky to be alive. I wish I had just taken the time to think, to reconsider my decisions, instead of just pushing on, so pigheaded and selfish. I am much more thoughtful now around horses, probably to the point of being too cautious, but the alternative is just not worth it.

This video always stands out in my mind as the most profound as it helped me realize I don't have to stand by the old adage of 'being afraid and saddling up anyway'. There were many times I would recognize that my horse was upset, but rather than respond to that with patience, curiosity, and a desire to work on the fear, I would just hop on and expect things to sort themselves out. I could create some 'wet saddle blankets', and things would be ok. This clearly didn't work for my horse, and only made me feel frustrated, fearful, and out of control. After seeing this video something just clicked with me, and I was able to take my ego out of the equation. I realized that I didn't have to do things that way any longer. I could pay attention to what my horse was telling me and if that meant not riding, or getting off in the middle of a ride so be it. There is no shame in being smart and present, rather than stubborn and egotistical. Thank you for all of your videos! #journeyon20

Good video! Reminds me of an accident that occurred with my horse, which could have been avoided had I thought ahead more. I hadn't been riding her for long at the time: maybe only a year, so I didn't know her very well, or at least as well as I do now. I was relaxing after working in the arena, and took her into the paddock for a little cool-off ride. On the way back I met up with two friends who had been riding off property, and had just returned. I tailed along onto the back of the ride, dropped the reins, happy to relax the rest of the way. In hindsight, a very bad idea! My horse is one of the lead mares in her paddock, and likes to be at the front of a ride. She tends to get very testy and irritated when placed at the back. She is also very smart, and she knows when she's been given the chance to act up. Loose reins, laidback posture: it's the recipe for trouble. And trouble I got. She decided she would be the first one back to the stables, kicked up her feet and threw me off in what I must say was a very impressive buck, which landed my in hospital with a broken collarbone; snapped clean in half! I wasn't able to ride for about 2 months while I healed, understandably, and we weren't exactly on the best of terms once I did get back to riding her: first thing she did when I went to catch her again was give my a nasty bite on my chest that's left me with a scar. But I learnt from all of that. I understand what I did wrong, in terms of reading the signs and knowing my horse better. 4 years on and we get on brilliant now. There's the occasional bump now and again, as she is known for having a bit of attitude when she doesn't want to do something (aka she's very lazy and doesn't like doing work) but she certainly enjoys being with me far more now, and I enjoy being with her!

This is why it’s taking me so long to train my horse to ride. I’m taking my time so I stay safe.

Completely captivated by every word you said. Awesome vid. Very clear & concise. Made an awful lot of sense. Thank you for sharing that Warwick

Great video Warwick! I really think this is the #1 thing I learned from you, to really notice how my horse is with whatever I am working on that day. Getting things perfect, taking that time, knowing when something is off. I used to be the person who needed their horse held to get on.

This old dog trainer has gotten some fame for something I say about biting dogs: It's never the first time. Meaning, when someone brings me a dog saying that the dog bit someone and it never did before, when I start asking questions invariably I find out that, while the dog may never have actually bitten before, there were plenty of signs that the dog was leading up to a bite. There was a whole series of prior incidents where the dog might have bitten but things just hadn't lined up quite that way before. Tangential thought: often people don't see the signs in their dogs because they've projected their own view of "this is what a dog is and does" onto their dog without ever realising that their dog had not read that book. Many dog owners don't realise that somewhere between 90% to 95% of all dog bites are motivated by fear. The owners often have the idea of biting as an aggressive attack that they totally misinterpret all the times the dog showed fear. They didn't realise that a fearful dog is literally about 1000% more likely to bite than a very self confident dog.

I couldn't agree more! I have thought about this so much. Not necessarily in the "outliers" 7 mistake sort of way, but in the read the signs and what happened before what happened, happened sort of way. I have been training horses and people for a number of years, and the longer I do it the more and more important this principle becomes. Horse riding can be an incredibly dangerous sport if you're not constantly paying attention. That's what my old boss used to always tell me, "Pay attention!". Thanks for sharing your thoughts, keep up the good work.

I wouldn't put my knee in front of a horse's head either. That's a really funny cat.

A few months back I started riding my horse without saddle, halter or anything and I only do it when everythings "perfect": No spooking on the pasture, standing perfectly still while grooming, relaxed in the arena ... I just never connected it to awareness... that video will give me quite a lot to think about, thanks so much !!! oh, and LOVE LOVE LOVE your cat :-)

You're are so right. I'm not putting in the time to fix the signs I've seen in my gelding.

I love to see a part two added with more tips , especially for riding safety. This makes a lot of sense what you are saying. I also plan to pass this idea along to my students.

Thank you Warwick. I love your analogies and keep up the good work!

Wow. This has opened my eyes a lot, thank you.

Dear warwick , i love you, you have taught me so much. Thank you thank you thank you

There couldn't be wiser words said! Watch the signs your horse gives and be consistent about safety and training! Wearing a helmet will help once it's all gone to hell but avoiding the hot spots to begin with is key. Experience is a tough teacher!

Great video! We had a palomino mare in that had flipped over on someone last year. Just as you said, read the signs. All the little things make for big wrecks.

Yes, mindfulness is the key... Very Zen & awesome advice!... Grant (Gold Coast, Australia)

Warwick, your talk here brought to mind the term "normalizing deviations", used to describe one of the common accident precursors. Things which aren't quite right, or not well understood, are explained away and accepted as normal, and because there's often no immediate negative result this further justifies the acceptance behavior and continued operations. You get comfortable doing things you shouldn't be doing. Until the cold morning comes when those sub-par solid rocket booster O-rings can't handle the stress and just like that, your Space Shuttle and seven astronauts are gone. Recognize warning signs. Ask questions. Get answers. Act upon them, whether it's your horse or a rocket.

A great book, which the authors wrote about accidents (and how they could be prevented) is Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite. But for any prevention to happen, accidents have to be looked at, accounted for and researched. If not, they're bound to be repeated again and again. We must heed this advice and learn, this point can't be made enough. Thanks Warwick! BTW, I will say, your spending 80% of this video within striking distance of a tethered horse made me nervous, especially with your back to him. Not something I'd do, but then, I may be overcautious.

Thank you Warwick 🤗

Great video thank you!!

Thank you for this; and from someone who has been rendered completely deaf after a recent illness,thank you for closed captioning!

Interesting , when you were saying that the horse gives the signals /warning signs, your cat sniffed Bundies hind leg, Bundy gave the cat a warning by lifting his hind leg, the cat looked at the leg wondering if she should persue the sniffing, the horses leg was still up and the cat decided it was not worth the kick in the head if she pursued the sniff. Perfect example!!

By far best video on youtube I watched for a long time. And I watch a lot ;-) Cheers from Austria Warwick.

So true well said I call it perceptual awareness I say if the horse hears something sees something is worried about something wants something I want to be fully aware of it and if possible before they are without looking for monsters everywhere buy knowing they are looking for preditors everywhere and besides we all have our good days and bad days. You put it so well .... who would drive their car with faulty breaks but we often get complacent about other things that are vital and when they accumulate well as the saying goes its an accident waiting to happen Be safe by knowing your horse being aware being observant

I have studied horses and riding for over 50 years. I see that you have managed to condense and combine the teachings from numerous high level horsemen from diverse disciplines. You draw from science and philosophy to bring practice into the 21st century in your own unique way. For me, and thus my horses also, this helps me to have a clear and progressive path towards goals and also remedies for any blocks encountered. So many of your films have had a huge impact on me that I could not mention them all but I think that the two on teaching collection were revelationary and have influenced everything I do when I ride and teach.#journeyon20

In my experience a useful tool to help people understand the signs they ignored before a wreck is hypnosis. I was in a serious wreck with my mule and afterwards I was concussed and guilty but I couldn't remember what had happened. I asked a friend to hypnotize me, and walk me through the hour leading up to the event. And THEN I was able to see my errors, what I needed to take responsibility for, and train against a repetition. Once I was able to understand what I had done to help cause the event I could take positive steps not to have it happen again.

I completely understand this! My biggest issue is that I'm getting the issues, and trying to tackle them, but I have a lot of people pushing me to get on and ride, even though I'm aware of the signs. Like excess wind, dragging to grass when walking to and from field, constantly looking for her field mate. She's very anxious and it's made me anxious, so when we get into the school her anxiety level shoots through the roof again. She spooks at everything up and down the long side. But still people are pressing me to get on and ride her and after I fell and broke my collarbone last year (a car clipped horses back legs). I'm pretty much terrified to get on. We are a right pair! lol

I’m a retired safety professional, having worked at chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing sites where safety is VERY important. We only learn if we’re willing to openly discuss “accidents”.

I could listen to you all day

This is the best horse safety video I have seen so far . Makes me think back to last week when I got fed up with my whip and threw it on the ground whilst riding a horse I’ve been told isn’t spooky but how do I really know that . So silly . Newbie with much to learn . Thanks a lot for the excellent advice .

I'm a HUGE fan of your videos, and this one resonated with me so deeply. I've been saying this till i was blue in the face to my equestrain team. Also, the interaction between your horse and the cat is super cute.

6:16 bahahahahahaha that cat almost got a hoof to the face. omg He so wanted to jump on the end of that blanket.

Got the knee to the head, saw stars and had a crooked jaw for a couple of weeks. It fixed itself. Lucky! 🍀 🤣 Could have been a lot worse. Plus I learned that lesson. The hard way. Thank you, Warwick Schiller for your patient counseling. Definitely worth listening

This is so logical! I hope this will be common sense soon. Keep up the good work!

This is an excellent video I got my pilot's license in 2013 so I've been flying for 10 years and one of the first things they teach you in avoiding accidents is to not make the first mistake because the first mistake will lead to the second third fourth so on I understand completely what he is talking about about trying to understand the sequences of events leading up to a bad accident this is critical information that if people knew ahead of time could probably potentially stop a lot of accidents from happening unfortunately with having information it is easy to blame somebody else which is what happened in aviation now a pilot won't fuel up then he will convince himself he has enough gas even though he knows he probably doesn't he crashes his airplane and dies then an attorney sues the maker of the aircraft then nobody can afford to fly anymore and unfortunately that's the way things go don't know what is worse dealing with the accidents or dealing with something always being somebody else's fault even though realistically it's not

Geeze, when I had my accident what were the warning signs? Cocky 18 year old male full of testosterone: check 2 cute teenage female vet students to impress in the vicinity: check Mates openly bragging to them how good I was on a horse, over inflating my abilities in my head: check Showing off by riding bareback at full gallop even though the paddock was full of large rocks: check Turning to look back to see the girls reactions instead of paying attention to where I was going: check Finally, my horse tripped on a rock and down I went smacking my head on another rock. When I awoke from my severe concussion 3 days later the girls were gone, and so was my ego. Damn lucky to be alive and that was 30 years ago.

Excellent. I wish you would make a list of everything you have observed. I know it would be long, but even if one of those things saved alive, it would be worth it.

My boyfriend had his front tooth knocked out from putting his head in front of the horses knee. Good advice !

Really a great video! I did realize that I have put my head down at my horse’s knee while grooming, BUT, I won’t anymore!

wow this is such important information, thankyou so much

So agree with you Warick, bless for speaking on this,🙏🕊️❤️🦄

You really look like one of.my teachers. You both are looking to thing in a way 'normal people dont do'. And you talk about things were you normally dont think about, but when someones telling you that you're like, actually he is right and is so logic, how couldn't I see it. But thats what I really like, because it makes you think in other ways and that can be about everything. I really like the way you say it to, with good and clear exemples. I really like you're videos, but when I see them, I know I still have got to learn alot. But I hope I will someday totally understand it and that I can be a good horse owner and make the horse happy. ( sorry for the bad english, english isn't my best languas)

Thanks....great video

Please can you publish a video about dealing with Rider Fear? Thank you.

I'm so glad I found this video ❤

Makes perfect sense. I wouldn't call it "reading the signs" though. I'd call it "listening to your horse." In all relationships, people need to be mindful and listen to what the other one (horse or person) has to say. I have found that when my horse knows I will listen, he doesn't have a reason to freak out; he knows that he just has to find a way to communicate his concerns to me, and that he does. Great video !!

Love watching these videos...great practical, thoughtful info and great humor as well...thanks for sharing your great insights...I always learn tons of things when I watch these...

This one was packed with great tips, thanks.

I was told as a young child by an old horseman, something that I've never forgotten & it took me a few years to fully understand what he meant. I was sitting on the railing watching him work with a horse. When we were having lunch, I asked him if he ever gets scared working with dangerous horses. All he said was...Horse's aren't dangerous, just misunderstood!

haha of course someone with riding anxiety will "over-read" the signs. there's definitely a happy medium.

Love this advice! Thanks for the video.

Great Video! You really gave me something to think about.We can learn a lot from your videos!

Love love love training every moment were with them this is what I'm trying to fetch my daughter she's pretty good and won't where ear phones I'd just wish she'd watch a few more Warwick Schiller video totally agreed abiut the signs there are always signs we just miss them or have bad training

I so wish I could bring Warwick to Wales!

This is so interesting to listen to :)

So good video, thank you. The cat is so cute, and want to jumb on to Bondi 😂 Bondi looks like.., “Hey, this sure is a long video…”

This is wonderful. Thank you!

I am glad to know when I learned to ride a horse that it only took me three days I never needed anyone to hold my horse after that :). But he was also very well trained still as it is said one can never be to careful.

here after i made several mistakes causing me to get bucked off and break my shoulder, trying to be better to avoid stuff like that in the future

Dang I love your videos, you say it like it is, such good stuff..

It sooo makes sense! Thank you!!!

What happend, before what happened, happened. Just had to note this somewhere.

Very important video.

Having been a Paramedic, I don't know how many riding "accidents" I've been to to treat, and then take people to the hospital for. I know at least half of them could have been prevented, just from my observation of the horse when I got on the scene. Usually a bolt in an indoor riding arena with a novice rider on a horse they had no business being on. Just by the way the horse was reacting to the way the assistant trainer was while just standing beside it with the reins over its head and no pressure on the bit at all. But the expression of the horse, that told me all I needed to know. Then everyone would try and tell me what happened. My father was in the military, and I would say, only 2 people should be talking right now. And if you're not the patient or the instructor, you go put your horses away. Lesson is over for the day. And the assistant would get upset about it. And I would say, All of this is upsetting the horses and the patient. So take your upset to my boss!! They quickly got quiet, and put the horses up. And I had 1 lead instructor say, You can't do that! and I said I just did. The lesson can be re-scheduled. Now, let me take care of so and so. So my partner and I stabilized the patient on a back board, after taking off her destroyed helmet that had hit the wall of the arena. We later found out, that she not only had a major concussion but she also had a broken pelvis in 3 places. Before we moved her, we had started an IV line and given her a heavy dose of pain medication. By the way her legs were lying, we thought of a possible pelvis break, so we had a sheet at hip level for after we moved her very, very carefully over to the board. After securing her head, that had a neck collar on it, and we tightened the sheet around her pelvis to help stabilize it. And, if there was a break, it would to slow down the bleeding. By that time the helicopter had arrived in the field closest to the arena, and they brought their transport gurney over. We helped load her up, and and off to hospital she went. Where she underwent 6 hrs of surgery to plate her pelvis back together. Later that day, after another call we picked up our back board and finished our shift. When news of the "accident" got out, the the instructor ended up having to close her doors. Reason was she had put a brand new rider, someone who had never ridden, on a 4 year old horse that she had just bought and had not even ridden herself, because he was difficult to lead. So this is a perfect example of negligence on the instructors part, and the inexperience of the rider. And NOBODY knowing how to RECOGNIZE THE SIGN. Best Regards and Stay Safe Everyone!! From Ontario, Canada, Jenn.

Bundy is such a cutie! Great information too.

Totally agree.. Precautions are a good thing.. I would rather avoid an injury especially if its AVOIDABLE.. Agree why not ask questions so it can be prevented. I talk to friends of WS about the "rabbit" count.. now

Which stallion were the weird warmbloods by? Think I might have one!

Totally agree.

Great stuff!

I’m a new rider, first time horse owner and I had to bail from my horse the other day because my saddle was sliding off to the right. I panicked and jumped off but came off hard and the saddle ended upside down under her belly. It was horrific! I was run over, and she took off like her hair was on fire with the saddle strapped on. I am very angry at myself because I made a terrible mistake and it caused my horse to get hurt. I just got her trained to the point of accepting the saddle and rider-I did many months of ground work and building a relationship (trust). I’ve blown it. I feel incredibly ashamed of myself for putting us in that situation. I was by myself in the pasture and had no business riding while alone (I was attempting to work through my fears of riding and did not want to have someone there as a crutch). I will never forgive myself! Thank you for your video..I was looking for advice on how to restore trust after an accident has happened. I learned a lot from this but it was a high price to pay for my selfishness & stupidity.

Yes definitely. Like going against father’s rules about not galloping home and then, after many times of ignoring the rule, horse bolted. Result horse and rider (me, then a child) upside down in a ditch. Ditches are deep in England.

I'm back almost a year later, a freak accident happened to me on Friday..... ever see a 4 foot wooden cart wheel climb over a plastic 50 gal barrel on level ground, instead of the barrel pushing out of the way.... twice.......

LOL - I won't put my knee in front of a horse's head either - hahahahahah You are a horse trainer supreme, but nice to know you have "blonde moments" like I do, and don't even realize it. Love your videos - just wish I had good connection and ult data on the farm.

The little cat is so cute

I do crazy shit with horses. I go under their neck, walk behind them, crawl underneath them, dismount over their bum, etc. most of my accidents happen under saddle, I just don't think about the fact something bad could happen. The two mares I crawl underneath are super quiet with it and have been trained to do it, but I trust them despite the fact they could kill me. But under saddle I fall off a fair bit haha. Despite doing all this crazy stuff, I haven't been hurt doing it *touch wood*. But I'm learning to read the signs

Thank you so much for your video about this! I was involved in a bad horse accident as when I was 11 just starting to ride. Looking back I can see what you mean about the signs. Belligerent mare. The person who owned the horse saddled the mare with an English saddle for the first time. Then putting me on, with me being only having a week's worth of riding experience. Trail riding with me kicking her ribs the whole way to get her to walk. The horse's owner and I swapped horses half way through the ride. When the owner asked the mare to canter, the mare bucked her off. The owner ended up with a concession and a broken back. We were stranded on the trail all afternoon waiting to be rescued. Your video is so encouraging! Not just to realize horses can be so well behaved and respectful, but also to know accidents like what I've been through could be prevented. It gives me the desire to get back into working with horses again. Thank You!

i love this video so much! I think some of the freak accidents the media are referring to are also like cross country accidents when the horse trips over a jump and it ends in disaster because i have seen quite a few of those

I had my knee replaced. during recovery my horse needed the farrier. I was holding her standing in front of her when she threw a front leg at me. She missed me by a half inch. I know cause I was looking down when it happened. I didn’t count the mistakes, but I’m sure happy she missed my knee. I immediately stepped to the side You can get hit in the head if it’s near the hock too.

Bundie just isn't a morning person. ❤🌅🌵

Did Mr. Schiller notice that the horse was chewing on the popper of the tie rope?

Horses have survived as a species for thousands of years because of their fright and flight response. They also communicate by body language. It is when we supposedly intelligent humans start treating them as automatons that we get hurt by ignoring the signs that all is not well.

Where are you located? That looks like the central coast. Just curious I’m in San Luis Obispo.

That cat was doing its best to make a freak accident happen for you on the camera! Oh well. Great video anyway :)

I had a freak accident without even getting on my horse. It was entirely my fault. I took my new kind of halter broke arabian stallion out into an open space away from all fences for the first time in his life and was so busy admiring him that I failed to pay attention to what he was telling me and got my bones broken. My new horse had his first good gallop and had a wonderful time. When he was done I rinsed him off, cooled him down and fed him then went off to the hospital. I had a few people angry that I didn't punish my horse for my own mistake. By that time all he would have remembered was how much fun he had. He got to meet a lot of horses and had a run. He hadn't done anything wrong. I had.

lol, at 13:49 there is a big black bear standing behind your horse.

I have a question, how do I stop my horse from pushing/nudging/rubbing me and almost making me falling over?

Personal responsibility. Oh...and Dunning Kruger effect.

Buddy was giving the cat a hole world of signs but that cat want listening

I only got bucked off once. And it was because I saw a problem and didn't speak up to my instructor. I should have refused to ride her like that.

Your cats not reading the signs and is thinking of jumping up on bunny and that rug won’t stop her claws getting to him and that could be number seven

It’s a snowball affect

Wait for your horse to have a seizure and collapse on you on a XC course. That I call a freak accident. Happened to me, unfortunately, and there were absolutely no signs of disease.

7:44 is Bundy cribbing?? :o