And I'm in A&E.

Paulag said:
I believe my signature may be an appropriate comment. Anyone want to tell me they told me so. ;)

Paula
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No, no, no. These things can happen - always so easy to see what you could have done better in retrospect. I say well done for the damage limitation by use of fall training, and wearing of body protector.

But very sorry to hear there's been a hiccup. I've been following your posts re looking for and finding that dream pony, and it's been lovely. Please carry on.

Hey, maybe the fall will cure your migraines - you never know ;)
 
teacups said:
No, no, no. These things can happen - always so easy to see what you could have done better in retrospect. I say well done for the damage limitation by use of fall training, and wearing of body protector.

But very sorry to hear there's been a hiccup. I've been following your posts re looking for and finding that dream pony, and it's been lovely. Please carry on.

Hey, maybe the fall will cure your migraines - you never know ;)
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You know I said that - I had one coming on in the hospital, falling face first from a height clearly being a migraine trigger - but it's going a bit now I'm home and eating for the first time sine 7am.

Paula
 
Fair enough op, didn't realise you'd hurt yourself elsewhere, thought you meant it was literally your head you had taken the impact on alone.
 
littlelegs said:
Fair enough op, didn't realise you'd hurt yourself elsewhere, thought you meant it was literally your head you had taken the impact on alone.
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It's ok - it wasn't my best handled fall ever. This is where that yard comes into its own as Bree has been checked over, trotted up and had a short ride already and they will take her back up the hill tomorrow. Thought I might need to take a few days off with the migraines but for some reason didnt think of this.

Shall be back in saddle as soon as humanly possible. Do hope I don't get lizard brain. *


Paula.

* Lizard brain - a fear that isn't controllable by rational thought - usually occurs after an accident and makes it difficult to do the thing you were doing when the accident occurred.
 
Paulag said:
* Lizard brain - a fear that isn't controllable by rational thought - usually occurs after an accident and makes it difficult to do the thing you were doing when the accident occurred.
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I have also been diagnosed with this, I'm glad to hear it's a recognised and named condition :D

Sorry to hear this, can certainly sympathise.
I do hope you recover soon with nerves intact.
 
Glad you've been discharged.... I have lizard brain too. I also came off in May and had to spend four days residing with the NHS whilst my spleen repaired itself - shame the 6 busted ribs took a bit longer (still sore!). Also needed a new hat and the doc said my BP saved my life.

Am back riding now but every time I pass the spot in the road where I ate tarmac, I involuntarily shudder :o
 
Oh no I'm sorry to hear you took a tumble Paula :(

Glad it wasn't more serious though - it's a long way to fall off those big black beasties!

I would never think 'told you so'; that could happen to anyone!! Plenty of people get caught off guard so dont be hard on yourself :)

Kim
 
Glad you are back home Paula and not confined to a hospital bed. But do take it easy for a few days. Do a google search on magnesium supplements for migraine. It might help and worth a go if you've tried everything else.
I still pause and check each time I pass the junction my car got rammed at in may. Do I have lizard brain too!! .?
 
TrasaM said:
I still pause and check each time I pass the junction my car got rammed at in may. Do I have lizard brain too!! .?
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Think that might be just good sense and learning from experience. ;) Unless you get a big hit of adrenaline just before doing it.

I feel as rough as a badgers bum. But I guess that's my first fall over and done with.

Domane - that sounds really nasty. Guess I was lucky.

Paula.
 
Glad to hear that they've let you out, OP.

I often wonder if wearing BP's hinders the 'tuck & roll' action.
When you do get back on , you really need to make sure that you do not let your reins get too long to gather up quickly, so no more 'picnicking' for your mare.
 
What the back protector did do was come up and catch me on the windpipe so I need to make sure it's tightened properly. But there is no doubt the accident would have been worse without it as my ribs aren't even sore.

The turn her round to look at the motorway and let her have a couple of mouthfuls of grass was actually suggested to me by the groom. Shes very food centred and is absolutely not allowed to do this at any other point. But no, I won't be doing it again.

Paula
 
Paulag said:
The turn her round to look at the motorway and let her have a couple of mouthfuls of grass was actually suggested to me by the groom. Shes very food centred and is absolutely not allowed to do this at any other point. But no, I won't be doing it again.

Paula
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Then I'd be furious with the groom. I know you chose to follow the advice but she knows that you are inexperienced and should be more careful with her suggestions. As I read your OP, I did think, 'Well I'm not surprised', it honestly was an accident asking to happen.

Take care!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Then I'd be furious with the groom. I know you chose to follow the advice but she knows that you are inexperienced and should be more careful with her suggestions. As I read your OP, I did think, 'Well I'm not surprised', it honestly was an accident asking to happen.

Take care!
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More out of practice than inexperienced, I suspect my 17 year old self might have made more of a fist of staying on though. You can't strap their nose to their chest the whole time and if she'd really decided to go short reins wouldn't have made that much difference.

Paula
 
Nasty. Glad you're feeling a little better and hope you mend well.

As a learning point: letting them eat (with head down) near something unpredicated that they're worried about is a Bad Idea. They are always on much higher alert with their head down on the ground and will react much more expolsively to something unexpected, than if they're standing staring at it. It turns what would have been a snort and a shy into a full on violent spook, which often ends up with them broncing.

Whilst taking her up to look at the traffic is a great idea, letting her put her head down to graze is not. By all means use food as bribary but stick to feeding carrots for good behaviour, when you're on the ground beside her.
 
Hindsight is always 20:20 Paula, you did what you thought was right having taken advice from someone... I'd probably have done the same, and, no doubt, like me, having read some of the posts above, you'll think again about letting her put her head down for a 'treat' again....!!

The main thing is that you aren't majorly broken.... as a fellow sufferer of 'Lizard Brain' after coming off a youngster a few times, I sincerely hope this doesn't happen for you, but it sounds like you have lots of support at your yard, and I bet you don't need advising to take it slowly when you get back on!!

Have a {{hug}}, sounds like you need it, and take care!
 
You are always too hard on yourself....do not ask people to say 'I told you so' it is no-ones place....yes you have a youngster but you are also using an experienced yard to assist you every step of the way (more than most would do!!) You are not a novice and you have been working uber hard on your seat...I am glad you are ok and hopefully you can rebuild the confidence you had gained...it is still early days and look on the bright side! you can go hat shopping now ;):D
 
Oh nooooo - poor you! Just caught up with HHO. Glad you're back home & no long term damage done. Silly Bree - them there black things can bronc with the best of them at that age - she will become a lovely sedate lady tho'!

Upside is you can go shopping for a new hat :p You don't need to replace your BP tho' after a fall.

Am sure she'll be lovely when you get back on. Cut that lizard head off before you do!

Hope your heads ok and take it easy for a couple of days xx
 
Morning,

Thanks all for your advice and support. It would be very easy for me to think of selling her after a fall like that, but it was partially my fault as with 20:20 hindsight even if she was being good, letting her eat grass was risky and I'd got a littl complacent.

I'm off work today, as I got one hell of a crack on the head and it's a responsible job where I need to be thinking straight, but i hate having to cancel clinics. I feel absolutely fine in myself apart from everything hat wasn't covered with a hat or back protector hurting.

It was wierd when I was picked up. I knew who everyone was, and who Bree was, but couldn't think why I'd fallen off a horse when I hadn't ridden in years and didn't know what day it was or what clinics I had, although obviously I knew what I did and that it was important to get word to work as I was likely to be missing something.

Main problem is my knee, which honestly I could have done stepping off a pavement. Been twisted and there's a little tear in the quadriceps tendon. So any twisting movement at all hurts. That's the one that will keep me off the horse for a few days.

Already planning how to get back in the saddle. She'll continue to be ridden while I'm off and they will take her back to where it happened today, so I'm tempted to just take her straight back, but keep her on a short rein. But if they want me to ride her in he school for a bit I will take advice because it's no fun having to rescue your stupid liveries and take them to A&E.

And I just remembered that someone who'd seen her come down the hill saying "she'll make an excellent jumper with that buck". :)

Paula
 
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I'm so sorry to read this. Just give yourself a bit of time, it sounds like your yard is great and they will be keeping her in work, so give yourself the time you need to get comfortable on her again - that old Lizard brain sometimes needs a bit of time, even when 'normal' brain tells you it will be fine sometimes with Lizard is lurking there too (I've had this a couple of times in the past after 2 bad falls, and love that it now has a name!!!)

Can I ask - what brand/type of bp were you wearing? I wear one all the time (Rodney Powell) and I'm thinking of upgrading it later this year, and just wondered what yours is.
 
It's an airowear outlyne. I really resisted getting one because I felt it would be restrictive and was like planning to fall off. But boy am I glad I bought it because I don't have a single mark in the area that it was. They get more comfortable with wear as well because it moulds to your shape when warm. Only slight issue is that I tend to unzip it to dismount as it can catch on the saddle (which would apply to any BP). I also have a bruise on my windpipe where it moved up during the fall - but I think that was due to me adjusting the shoulders too loose for more ventilation under the arms (I was worried about it getting smelly - silly me). I should have left it where it was when it was fitted for me.

Me and hubby invented the term Lizard Brain after he had a nasty crash in the car and got a couple of panic attacks when driving on motorways. I didn't wan't to call them panic attacks and wanted to explain they would go in time. I explained that it was due to his amygdala (commonly known as the brainstem or lizard brain), which is the most primitive part of the brain (also present in lizards). Basically it responds instinctively when things leading up to a previous dangerous situation happen again - causing a rush of adrenaline. So it's not wussy fear - its instinct from your lizard brain.

Bree was actually responding to her lizard brain when she bolted. She was already on high alert due to the motorway and then I suspect something like a rabbit ran out of the undergrowth. Her instinct came not from a previous experience, but from evolved sensitivity to things crashing out of the undergrowth. Her lizard brain doesn't know that ther are no lions in the UK.

Well that was a bit if a science essay - you can tell I'm bored stuck on the sofa. But got to rest twisted knee.

Also just discovered the boss had to cover my evening patient group last night. I am sooooooo going to be in her bad books. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Paula
 
At least you've got HHO to keep you occupied! ;)

You WILL feel nervous going up to that area again , regardless of it being concious or unconcious. You'd be a fool not to! It wears off quickly though. I was wary of a point in our ride (which you can't avoid) where I fell off and got kicked in the face (dog jumped out of the bushes, super-sharp drama queen whipped round and bolted). A couple of weeks later someone said 'was that not where you felll off??' and I realised I'd entirely forgotten about it.

You will also clam up the second she tenses at anything but again it only take a shorty time before you forget. It's the intital week or so that you have to push yourself to get on and do it.

Expect and accept that you will be nervous the next few times you ride. It's normal!
 
Hope your ok Paula.

I like 'lizard brain'. Like your husband I had a nasty car crash, poor car rolled over 6 times and I came out unscathed!! :eek: amazingly.

But I apologise to anyone during my first 6 months driving again, 40mph was terrifying. I suppose I was having panic attacks but still 2 years on lizard brain strikes!!!

I'm sure you will be back on again and fine, sounds like Bree wasn't being anything other than a horse. Your livery yard sounds great, keeping her ticking over.

Let us know how you get on :)
 
Dammit I'm dented. Knee and hip will give way if I put weight on them even slightly twisted. But you know I actually feel like I have a life - I'm channelling my teens again. ;) Except I suspect I won't be telling my mum that I fell off - most definitely won't be mentioning CT scan.

Hubby is able to knock off a bit earlier than usual so I get to go and see Bree tonight. She apparently got schooled yesterday and went for a trot and a canter on the gallops today. I'm lucky with the guy who rides her as he's an excellent rider and, more importantly, really loves horses.

So I'm watching Dr Who Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and drinking tea.

Gonna write a thank you letter to the hospital as the treatment I received yesterday was truly excellent and I always appreciate it when someone makes the effort to say they were happy with their treatment.

Paula
 
I think your experience has convinced me of the wisdom of wearing my BP in future. I'd worn mine once..same make as yours, to do X country training then took it off to do a dressage practice. 25 minutes later I was catapulted off when my mount tripped and ended up with a broken collar bone. Don't think the BP would have saved me as I landed on the point of my shoulder but I had some explaining to do to my OH as he'd just bought me the BP two days earlier. I've gone over things in my head as to what I did that caused it or what I might have done to save myself. Fact is there was no time to do anything one second there was a horse under me then there wasn't. :o Each time the medics say..'so you fell off a horse' I point out that the b*****d horse fell before I did. Like you the hospital were great and had my first physio session today to let me know the limits of my permitted movement. Horse riding was not mentioned funnily enough.
Hope the knee mends quickly for you and lots of TLC helps.
 
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