Have you heard that statement before? Do you know where it comes from? There is no original citation of the saying, but we know it is cowboy wisdom from the Old West, and we have seen it in films like The Man from Snowy River.

We also know that after a few centuries of horsemanship and horse and human psychology, its meaning has become more nuanced.

Primarily, it used to mean that if a horse bucked you off and you did not get back on, your horse would "win." The famous Jim Craig line from the movie, after being asked by his mentor what to do if your horse bucks you off, is, "You don't let him win." The implication was that horses would learn bad habits, and a good horseman should not let that happen.

There is some wisdom there. And there is some wisdom for the human too. Sometimes, falling down simply requires getting back up. To keep our brains healthy and our spirits high, we have to keep getting up, like we did when we learned to walk as kids.

But here is where it gets nuanced. Sometimes you should not get back up. Not yet, anyway. You may need to calm down, and the horse may need more preparation. And sometimes you should not have gotten on the horse in the first place. She was not ready.

What I can say is this. If you do come off, you do not have to get back on to teach the horse a lesson. You can work with them from the ground, exploring healthy focus patterns and better movement without tightening up and launching into the air.

There is a window, about 30 seconds to 2 minutes long, where the horse's adrenaline is peaked, and getting back on may result in more injury or more frustration. During that window, you can guide the horse on the ground, refocusing and settling their heart rate. They do not need you on their back to prove anything. You can prove something much better from the ground.

Remember I said nuanced? It is important, because not every situation is the same. I have seen horses buck off their riders and then learn the move as an escape mechanism for any high-stress environment. In this case, we have to teach them that bucking did not serve them. They do not get to leave the environment. But you can do this from the ground too.

If you are a confident cowboy, you can stay on, buck it out, and enjoy the rodeo. No harm, no foul. But you can achieve the same results from the safety of the ground.

I have also seen horses lose their rider and never link bucking with any desire to escape. It was just a little hiccup, and nobody was worse for it. No lesson needed. And I have seen horses lose their rider and take months to undo the behavior. It can take many sessions of teaching and preparing them to stay calm and grounded in stressful situations.

But here is a simple rule of thumb. If you are hurt, do not get back on. There is no need to risk permanent injury for pride. If the horse is wild, do not get back on. Stay on the ground and teach better focus, calmer movement, and take your time to prepare properly.

And as far as your own brain and spirits go, do get back on in time. I have riders who come to me for coaching and spend the time it takes to get their confidence back to 100 percent.

The first exercises we do are preparatory for the horse and simple for the human. I ask the rider to stand above the horse at the mounting block until the heart rate normalizes. Incrementally, we make progress toward riding a safe horse that is well prepared.

​The lesson is this. If you get bucked off, take a minute. Can you help the horse understand from the ground? And if it is about you and your confidence, then get back on intelligently, without pride. You and your horse will benefit from a smart, confident leader.
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​To Your Success! Don