What you must do, though, is protect yourself from injury by listening to your instructor and wearing the appropriate safety equipment. The rider in this photo wasn't hurt, and in fact she left the ring with people cheering for her. There are two things she did that made a difference in how she ended up without being hurt.
One, you can see both her feet are in the air and out of the stirrups. When your riding instructor tells you to keep your heels down, he/she isn't just trying to make your calves ache. You are being taught to stay balanced and to keep your feet in the proper position, so if you ever do end up in the air, your feet are not stuck in the stirrups. This is important. Seriously.
The second thing is this rider is wearing a safety helmet. I can't say it enough times: wear a helmet when you ride. Would you ride a motorcycle without a helmet? Would you go to batting practice without a helmet? Would you rock climb without a helmet? No, of course not. Wear your helmet.
'Nuff said.
Thank you to Karen Goss for the use of her photo.
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