# What would happen if a horse landed on top of you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679 "2011-06-24T06:40:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![medicalwannabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@medicalwannabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicalwannabe)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/1 "2011-06-24T06:40:30Z")
Yes, I know that it would break your body. But, I was wondering what else it would do? Also, could you survive and not be paralyzed? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/2 "2011-06-24T07:02:05Z")
When you say what else it would do, what do you mean? Because, obviously, like you said, you know it would crush you. Do you mean what would happen to the horse? It would get up if it could. ---
**Author:** ![shamblesmaybe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@shamblesmaybe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamblesmaybe)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/3 "2011-06-24T07:03:26Z")
I think it would depend on the starting height of the horse. For example, a horse, standing on a low foot stool could be survivable with an injury range of anything between a brain contusion causing mild concussion and severe spinal injury± skull fracture. Whereas a horse (I presume it would have to be pushed) falling on you from a balcony would almost certainly be fatal, but to be more accurate you’d have to include details of the ground surface. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/4 "2011-06-24T07:53:26Z")
There are too many variables to form any rational conclusion about survivability. ---
**Author:** ![shamblesmaybe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@shamblesmaybe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamblesmaybe)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/5 "2011-06-24T07:58:52Z")
are you French or something? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/6 "2011-06-24T08:05:27Z")
I had a horse roll on my leg and I suffered no injury. I was riding and my horse decided it wanted to roll in some sand we were crossing (just a little patch, not like a beach). Took me a moment to realize the horse was going down (of its own will) and I figured it was time to get off. The horse was most of the way to the ground as I swung my far leg over. As I tried to get away my toe got caught under the horse and I fell backwards landing on my ass. The horse then started rolling with my leg under it. I of course was pulling away but horses are heavy and it was not easy. It got halfway up my leg and I was thinking it was going to roll completely over me. For whatever reason the horse stopped the roll my way and went back the other way and I was able to free myself completely uninjured (completely…not so much as a bruise or a sprain). In my case I was on sand so there was some cushion vs. hard ground and, of course, the horse did not roll completely over me. I guess the point of the story is “it depends”. They are big animals (1000 pounds is typical) and that can definitely squish a human. Horses are not a rock though and a bit squishy too and the ground you are on matters. In the end you could be anywhere from dead to paralyzed to broken bones to sprains to bruises to uninjured. I got lucky. It is definitely something to avoid. I love horseback riding and think they are amazing animals. It remains one of the more dangerous sports you can engage in. Horses rarely want to hurt you but they are big animals with a mind of their own and shit happens. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/7 "2011-06-24T08:36:13Z")
My son Peter would succeed me as Tsar of all the Russias. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/8 "2011-06-24T08:37:55Z")
You turn into dust and someone steals your silver slippers. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/9 "2011-06-24T09:19:26Z")
I presume you are talking about riding accidents. In that case, ask a jump jockey. For example, [Tony McCoy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_mccoy#Personal_life) has had over 680 falls, and suffered numerous broken bones. It’s not clear which injuries were caused by the fall and which were a result of the horse rolling on him. In a fall, you sometimes see the horse partially on top of the jockey, but I imagine it’s quite rare for one to roll completely on top of them. If you are referring to horses dropping on you at terminal velocity, it’s not survivable without safety equipment. This is why you should always check you umbrella is equine-proof (look for the horsey symbol on the label). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/10 "2011-06-24T10:26:49Z")
Depends on if the horse is on a treadmill. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/11 "2011-06-24T12:27:42Z")
Back about 25 years ago my parents still lived on the hobby farm and had a couple of horses. One summer they had a big barbeque party. Two full sized men decided to ride together on Velvet, our 20+ year old horse. She wasn’t having any of that. She reared up and back over. One guy got out of the way, the other guy didn’t. Broke his leg pretty seriously and he wasn’t able to work his job as an airline pilot for almost six months. Lucky that was all that happened. She could have landed higher up. Probably would have killed him. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/12 "2011-06-24T13:20:18Z")
I know a woman who was killed when her horse, walking gently in a soft sand ring, tripped and fell on top of her. On the other hand I know people who have had a horse flip on top of them while out jumping and they stood up uninjured. Chance plays a huge role. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/13 "2011-06-24T13:22:57Z")
It didn’t kill the 72 year old von Blucher at the Batltle of Ligny in 1815, but knocked him semi conscious. But after bathing his wounds in brandy and “fortified by liberal internal application of the same”, he led his men into joining up with Wellington at Waterloo and put a whoopin’ on the French. > **[Battle of Ligny |](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ligny#Bl.C3.BCcher_is_incapacitated)** > > As a reaction to the Old Guard's attack, Blücher instructed Lieutenant-General Röder to counter-attack with the two brigades of the reserve cavalry of the I Prussian Corps. While leading one of the charges in person, the 72-year-old Blücher's horse was shot and fell upon him. He was rescued and borne in a semi-conscious condition from the field. While Blücher was being taken from the field the French cavalry beat off the Prussian cavalry counter-attack. Lieutenant-General August von Gneisenau ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/14 "2011-06-24T13:38:07Z")
Catherine the Great, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/15 "2011-06-24T13:57:19Z")
> [@shamblesmaybe](#): > > Whereas a horse (I presume it would have to be pushed) falling on you from a balcony would almost certainly be fatal, but to be more accurate you’d have to include details of the ground surface. More importantly, how did the horse get on the balcony? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/16 "2011-06-24T14:21:09Z")
Interesting user name / post combo from the OP. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/17 "2011-06-24T15:05:09Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/18 "2011-06-24T15:38:41Z")
My sister had a horse fall on her in the mud. It slipped and fell, so she was knocked off, and then the horse went down on top of her. Neither she nor the horse suffered long-lasting injury. On a different occasion I had a horse step on my bare foot(I had lost my boot in some very wet mud. Luckily it being so wet and muddy, my foot wasn’t hurt, just dirty. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/19 "2011-06-24T16:04:34Z")
Cole Porter’s horse rolled on him in 1937, leaving his legs paralyzed. Complications therefrom eventually killed him, but not until 1958. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679/20 "2011-06-24T16:11:48Z")
I have a friend who is a jockey. She (yes, she) has been injured many a time by her horses. The worst injury she ever had was when her horse fell on her and then stepped on her leg to get back up. The horse falling on her just knocked the wind out of her, but him stepping on her thigh snapped her femur in two. They inserted a metal rod and she recovered. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-horse-landed-on-top-of-you/586679.md?page=2)