A true horseperson will get right back on in a case of dented pride. Unlike in gymnastics or karate, falling training in horse back-riding isn't taught very much, despite it's danger. That is why you need to read this article to learn how to deal with a fall. That is the biggest question riders ask themselves when the fateful moment comes. Jump jockeys roll into a ball to spread the impact.
Jockeys stay still to decrease the chances of being run over.
But looking at us, our natural instinct is to extend an arm, trying to break the fall and putting us in high-risk for a broken arm or wrist, because it's that part of the body that will take all the weight and pressure of ourselves and the fall. This is definately a no-no, though some riders say that they do extend an arm, then they soften it as soon as it touched the ground. Never keep hold of the reins in a fall. If the horse was unbalanced to begin with, you may pull him onto you, resulting in a severe and perhaps fatal accident. Some falls may be a 'one moment in the saddle, the next on the ground', but all falls are NOT like that.