Advice sought re: disabilities

[kungfuteacher]

Hello. I am new to this forum.

As a teenager I rode and looked after ponies a fair bit. I got out of riding, except for summertime hacking, as I got older and children came along. Since then, I have been diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome (sometimes called EDS 3) and fibromyalgia. I use 1 crutch most of the time and for anything where I am on my feet for a longer time I use 2 crutches or a wheelchair.

My children (3 girls) took up riding lessons in January and have just taken to it like a duck to water! I decided to go back and brush up my riding so I could help them. I found that despite my almost constant pain, riding does not cause my joints the agony that other exercise does, particularly my hips, which survive 2-3 hours riding without an issue!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I decided to look in to part loaning some ponies to give the girls more experience looking after them, as well more riding experience. I have been twice to the yard to simply guide the girls in grooming and tacking up the ponies, and having my youngest on lead rein. Unfortunately what I have found is that I can't stand the intolerable pain in my hips when on my feet for three or four hours! It badly affects me and I have never considered how to look after ponies any other way that on my feet and without using a wheelchair or crutches!

I wonder if there is anyone out there who is a wheelchair user who could offer some advice on whether this is possible, especially when the yard staff may not have seen a wheelchair user looking after ponies - and maybe the ponies have never seen a wheelchair either! Things like bringing them in from the field, grooming, tacking up, leading a pony etc.

Surely it can't be impossible given that there are paralympic riders?!


Many thanks for your help

 

[Leo Walker]

I fractured my spine and have problems walking very far, especially over rough ground and standing for more than abut 10 mins hurts. Riding doesnt and it definitely helps. I've moved to a yard where its flat, the fields are close to the stables, and they provide assistance. It really helps!

I have a grooming kit box thats a mounting block as well and I sit on it, a lot! I make sure I sit down before I get too tired, as once I get tired its too late and I have to stop. Could you get something like that?

 

[dollyanna]

I backstepped for a friend who is a permanent wheelchair user, she looks after her animals completely herself including managing a 14.2hh with sweetitch and therefore needing a boett on and off all the time. She can't get across fields but she leads to and from the field, horse is trained to come to call, she can muck out herself but someone empties the wheelbarrow (you could use a trolley one or 2 wheeled), she can tack up or harness up herself. Basically all she can't do is empty wheelbarrows, get across wet fields and load her horse in the lorry. It takes a new horse a couple of weeks to get used to the chair but not long at all really. It is important that they lead well though.

 

[soulfull]

I can walk for short distances but also use a large mobility scooter. I tie haynets on the seat etc. I lead my horse from it and have a 4 wheel garden tipper trolley that I use as a trailer for poo picking, carrying things.
I also have a tack trolley that I push with all riding tack on it.

 

[Shay]

I can't stand for long having broken my back in a riding accident 10 years ago. (I'm also hypermobile - but not to the extent you are I think.) I always have something to sit on. A grooming box which doubles as a seat. A portable mounting block I can sit on. A shooting stick, a collapsible chair - all sorts. I also have a trolly for moving tack because I can't carry things held in front of me. I always move full feed buckets in a wheel barrow - I can manage teh empty ones in one hand at my side. And I make my daughter carry a lot - even when she was little!! (Mean Mum..) I'd honestly not thought of using a wheelchair because I can walk and stand for short periods. I fought hard to be able to do that and I don't want to go backwards! But there are loads of options if you have a supportive yard and think outside the box. Good luck.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

Inspirational all if you. And I moan about a dodgy knee. Puts everything in perspective.

Please don't take the wrong way. Is meant seriously.

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