Principles, Science and Training Methods
It is not enough to know how to ride; you must know how to fall.
--from a Mexican Proverb
Lindsay Nylund
Cert III in Fitness, Cert IV in Training, BSc PhysEd(Hons), MCom (HRM) 5 x National All-around Gymnastic Champion Silver Medallist in 1978 Commonwealth Games, Edmonton Canada:
first international medal in gymnastics for Australia All-around Finalist in 1980 Olympic Games, Moscow USSR Australian Gymnastics Federation – Athlete Roll of Honour NCAS Advanced Coaching Accreditation (Men’s & Women’s
gymnastics) Former Head Coach – WA Institute of Sport Men’s Gymnastic Program Australian Gymnastic Federation Coach of the Year award Coach of State and National Champions, Commonwealth and
Olympic gymnasts Horse Rider Fall Safety Training Program – developed and refined
over the past18 months.
Agenda Fall and Response Times Emergency Response Action Fall Safety Skills / Video Review Tumbling at Speed Training Required Air-vests
Spontaneity isn’t random. . . . How good people’s decisions are under the fast moving, high stress condition of rapid cognition is a function of training and rules and rehearsal.
—Malcolm Gladwell (2005)Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking
Fall Times (1 sec = 1,000 milliseconds)
Height 1.5 meters = 553 msHeight 2.0 meters = 639 msHeight 2.5 meters = 714 ms
Jockey Fall TimesJockey 1 1,000 ms (1 second)Jockey 2 1,000 msJockey 3 780 msJockey 4 700 msJockey 5 680 msJockey 6 680 msJockey 7 640 ms Jockey 8 640 msJockey 9 793 msJockey 10 501 ms (1/2 second)
Average 741 ms
Show Jumping / Cross-country Fall TimesRider 1 1,334 msRider 2 1,100 msRider 3 1,097 msRider 4 900 msRider 5 800 msRider 6 800 msRider 7 724 msRider 8 667 msRider 9 600 msRider 10 533 ms
Average 855 ms
On average riders have about ¾ of a second (ranging from ½ second to about 1 second) to respond in a fall incident.
Response Time (RT)
SIMPLE REACTION TIME (SRT)STUDY SUBJECTS TIME (ms)Gavkare, A. et al. (2013) Undergrad Students / Athletes 134 - 144 msKosinski, R. (2008) University Students 160 - 190 msDeng, S. et al. (2006) High School Students 160 - 220 msHitchens, P. et al. (2011) Jockeys and Track-work Riders 192 - 215 ms
What is your Reaction Time? (Ruler drop test)
Catch distance (cm) Reaction Time (ms) Catch distance (cm) Reaction Time (ms)
Fast10 cm . . . . . . . . . . 143 Good 21 cm . . . . . . . . . . 207Fast11 cm . . . . . . . . . . 150 Good 22 cm . . . . . . . . . . 212Fast 12 cm . . . . . . . . . . 156 Good 23 cm . . . . . . . . . . 217Fast 13 cm . . . . . . . . . . 163 Good 24 cm . . . . . . . . . . 221Fast 14 cm . . . . . . . . . . 169 OK 25cm . . . . . . . . . . 226Fast 15 cm . . . . . . . . . . 175 OK 26 cm . . . . . . . . . . 230Fast16 cm . . . . . . . . . . 181 OK 27 cm . . . . . . . . . . 235Good 17 cm . . . . . . . . . . 186 OK 28 cm . . . . . . . . . . 239Good 19 cm . . . . . . . . . . 197 OK 29 cm . . . . . . . . . . 243Good 20 cm . . . . . . . . . . 202 OK 30 cm . . . . . . . . . . 247
Average adult SRT is about 200 ms
RT = Reaction Time + Movement Time
Emergency Response Action
250 ms (React)* + 250 ms (Brace) = 500 ms *(once the rider realises they are falling)
RT = Reaction Time + Movement Time
Movement time = 250 ms
SUMMARY
There is no time for conscious analysis and evaluation of alternative courses of actionThere is time for trained response actionResponse action can be quick once trainedResponse Time will improve with training
Expectancy(warning signals) Bertelson (1967) found that
where there was a warning of 100 to 200 ms, reaction time was quicker than when there was no warning.
In an unexpected fall incident, additional time is needed (up to 200 ms) to change the focus of attention from “riding” to “falling”
Rider response time, after training, is estimated to be on average 500 ms where there is some warning signal that the rider may fall and 700 ms where the rider has no warning signal. Allowing for individual and situational differences, this is expanded to a range of values ±100 ms.
Hanging onto the Reins
• Not all falls can be practiced but the advantage of training is to make some behaviour second nature – crucial when there is only a split second to react.
• There is a tendency to hold on to the reins when falling. . . these images demonstrate potentially dangerous consequences for the rider.
Example of gymnastichead first fall incidentVideo = 25 Frames per second
Hand position to reduce wrist / elbow injury
Rotational/Head First Fall
Training requiredBasic session # Brace position (1) Dive roll drill (1) Standing dive roll (3)Advanced Dive roll from fast run (5) Dive roll over obstacles(7) Bicycle Simulation (9)
Illustrations: SURVIVING THE UNEXPECTED: Fall safety training for horse riders (Nylund, 2016)
Sideways Fall
4-point landing position
Prone fall direction
4-point landing position
Backwards Fall
Illustrations: SURVIVING THE UNEXPECTED: Fall safety training for horse riders (Nylund, 2016)
Tumbling at SpeedNewtons First Law of Motion
A body at rest will remain at rest or a body in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force.Benefit of Tuck and roll: Some of the force is spent on the rolling the length of time to come to rest is increased, and forces of impact are drastically reduced with arms in brace position the forces of impact can be diverted away
from the head and neck
Muscle tension to stay in tuck position, and arms in brace position to protect the head and neck
Skills development Brace Position Feet First Landing Four Point Landing Forward roll Sideways Roll / Egg roll Backward Roll Jump and land from height Emergency Dismount Dive Roll Straddle / Flank Vault Fall Simulation Activities Forward Somersault Pre-ride safety routines
Flank vault over a replica horse
Flank vault + sideways roll
Fall Simulation Activities Basic exercises and drills Replica Horse Mechanical Horse Bicycle simulation:
forward dive roll at speed (advanced skill)
Recommended Training
Location Any Location (mobile gym); Grassed area 20 meters x 20 meters Canopy for bad weather (protection from sun or rain)Scheduling Recommended 10 training sessions (group sizes of approximately 10) Can be done intensively, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, holiday
programs)Recommended session times Junior: Ages 8 to 12 years – 1 hour Youth: Ages 13 to 17 years – 1.5 hours Adult: 18 years and over – 2.0 hours
Final Questions?
www.horseriderfallsafety.com.au
Tel: 0416 043 058
“SURVIVING THE UNEXPECTED: Fall safety training for horse riders” – available now
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:
• A number of basic exercises, drills and skills can be practiced by riders unsupervised.
• Other skills must be learned under the supervision of a qualified fall safety instructor.
Recommended
