Anyone given up riding after bad injury?

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Oriel

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I've decided to give up riding after being thrown into the base of the sandschool fence which broke both the fence and my pelvis.

I don't often come off but when I do I hurt myself badly. Anyway, I decided whilst I was in hospital to sell my beloved horse and call it a day. I feel terribly sad about it and am dreading putting him up for sale.

Has anyone else made a similar decision?
 
It sounds like a recent injury?
I would wait and see how you feel as you heal.

I came off my tb and fracture/dislocated both ankles. I knew right away that I wouldn't be riding him again but more because he was too much for me. However it didn't stop me riding altogether - I found I actually wanted to ride more. Once I was fit and my tb was in a good loan home I got my little mare.

Only you can decide whats right for you and don't let anyone tell you that you 'should' or 'shouldn't' do.
 
I have given up riding after being hit by a car whilst hacking. I broke my back, and my loan horse died in the accident. I trusted him with my life, and I dont have the urge to ride again. I now have a 12.2hh pony who is just being broken to drive.
Dont make a hasty decision, it sounds like your accident is quite recent, so give yourself time, and recover from it before deciding. And dont forget, you can always change your mind later.
 
I almost did, but funnily enough it wasn't my accident that put me off!
When I was a young child, I used to go to a riding school that was meant to be the best in the area, but I hated it. The ponies were overweight, rude and dangerous. Horses were fine, but the ponies were devils.
I saw a girl nearly die as she was thrown from her pony, which bolted around the school, dragging her lifeless body with it, her head banging off each fence post. She went on to be ok, but it terrified me. I said I never wanted to see a pony ever again!
However, at that age I simply couldn't say no (far too shy!) and when my friend insisted I go and ride at her stables, I agreed. Glad I did! 14yrs later and still at the stables my friend suggested, I've never looked back :)

I hope you're ok and happy with whatever you decide to do *hugs*
 
I sold my boy after I broke my back in a fall. Not his fault - actually we fell together. He was an absolute angel and just lay still long enough for someone to reach us (we were in the sand school at the yard). Had he struggled or panicked the fracture would have seperated and I wouldn't be walking now. But anyway the Doctors said I should never ride again. And I did wonder as I am a mum to one daughter - then aged 6 - and the sole wage earner so it did occur to me that there were more responsible things to be doing!

Anyway I sold my boy and that cost a lot of heartache. But I used the money to buy my daughter's first pony so I wasn't totally horseless. I have ridden since - but the brace to allow me to do so is so akward. I get my horse fix on the ground with her lot. (We still have the first pony and now 2 more as well)

It is a difficult decicion. I know becuase of my personal circumstances I won't ride competatively or hunt again. But I can jump up on one of my daughter's lot to explain some manners or to pootle out on a hack. We're also going to break 1st Pony for me to drive becuase he is a total pet and we'd never get rid of him.

It might be right for you to stop riding, or to stop with this horse. But once bitten the horse bug tends not to go away easily! Don't completely close a door you'll later regret. There are other things to do with horses that are not riding.
 
Yes it is a recent injury and I'm still recovering physically.

I think if I was younger that I'd get back on again but I'm 58 this year. I know its not old as such - a guy in my area still rides his racehorses and he's over 80 but I feel really broken spirited too. Its a very sad decision to make.
 
I gave up riding one particular horse and advised his owner to sell him as a companion only.
The horse in question put his owner in hospital then she asked me to have a look at him, She got the usual back checks, teeeth ect - nothting wrong.
So i rode him first day had me off 3 times in the school then once he realised I was not giving up he worked for 10 mins like a star. Tried to get me off again the next day bucks and twists but didnt manage it ( as it turns out he managed to rip my shouder muscles and fracture my neck on the first day, I only realised when I collapsed at work) he then was fine for approx 4 months then in the middle of a ride went mental and reverted back to bucks and twists, very random! he broke my collor bone this time... I said no more, as I may not be so lucky a third time.
I advised the owner to sell him before he killed someone, as she had a 12yr old daughter that wanted to ride him.

I have had 8 bad falls and 7 were on other peoples horses........ mmmmm
 
I had a very bad fall 2 years ago and am still in pain as a result although nothing was actually broken. I regained my confidence after selling my mare and buying a cob however I witnessed him bolting with a friend and he nearly killed him. I can't get the images out of my head and am scared stiff now, however I also desperately want to ride. I've started looking for a smaller, older horse in the hope that I will feel safer but I'm not sure I'll ever stop reliving that horrid incident. I am late 30's and have two small children so constantly worry I'll incapacitate myself again and won't be able to look after them.

Horses are a drug though - give yourself time, don't rule out selling your horse and buying something more suitable but also don't underestimate how long your body (and mind) will take to heal.

xxx
 
Oriel - I am the same age as you. I had a fall in the autumn and ended up with broken ribs. Alright, not the worst thing in the world, but it really shook me and I said that was it, I'm too old. However, now I have got over the pain and fright, I think I may well ride again, but only on older schooled horses, and not four year olds, which was the age of the one I fell from.
So, give yourself some time to think, don't make any hasty decisions, as others have said, it is a bit of a drug.
 
Oriel so sorry! That sounds horrid at any age and certainly no joke at 58!

I can see both sides. I certainly would not blame you for not getting on a horse again - goodness no! Equally you may feel that you still want to, when you are physically recovered. Best wishes for a quick and full recovery in any case x x
 
My friend gave up after a silly fall which resulted in her breaking her neck, I looked after her horse for a year while it healed and deciced what she wanted to do, in the end after trying to get back on she couldn't all her confidence had gone, but she's couldn't bare to sell her horse so has loaned her out instead.
 
Oriel, I'm also 58 and have just had a bad fall off a friend's horse. I'm not as badly injured as you fortunately, but I've damaged the ligaments around my tailbone, and pulled a hamsting tendon in my right leg. Its two weeks now and I'm still in a lot of pain so I sympathise with you. We neither bounce or heal as well as we did when we were younger :(

I've been riding 33 years, and haven't been 'decked' for nearly 20 years, so I guess I've been lucky, but then I gave up jumping many years ago :o

The horse that got me off was 17 years old and 16hh. The problem lies in that I have bred the horse of my dreams who is now rising 4 and 17.2hh. He is an absolute angel, and I backed and rode him away myself. Now I wonder if I am ever going to get the courage to get back on him, I am so worried about falling off again. I've spend ages looking at suede bum jods, air inflated back protectors, and even Portugese saddles that look difficult to fall off :D

I can't see me being able to ride for a bit anyway; I simply couldn't get on, and worse, couldn't get off at the moment. I'm just hoping that my courage will creep back because it would break my heart to have to sell him. :(
 
I had a bad fall about 5 years ago. Came off going x country (completely my fault) Pony lept the fence, I was catapulted over his head and he landed on me. I was very lucky in that I only suffered broken ribs and a collarbone and lots of bad bruising.

After I healed I was too scared to get back on for a long time. Eventually I sold my pony which broke my heart :(

After a couple of years I started part loaning a cob before deciding to buy my own again last year. Unfortunately, the mare I bought broncked me off, and then 2 of my friends. One of which broke her pelvis :eek: But she is recovered now. I had to sell the mare to someone to reback and start again.

I now have my dream pony but I have quite a fear of mounting still. I ride fine and can do everything without too much bother, once I have plucked up the courage to get on!!

Take your time and think it through, although seeing my old mare brocking off my friends and sitting with her in hospital was the moment I knew i'd never get on her again.

Wishing you a speedy recovery xx
 
Do you know its a really good question i love my horse he is part of the family but me like a lot of other people never fall off and leap back up to get back on. I have fallen off pads 3 x when he has fallen once resulted me using crutches for a couple of months then 2 weeks ago i had the most ridiculous fall ever and i have internal bruising all down my right side. I am a mother of 3 kids and they have all now asked me to sell my horse but as the last fall was just stupid i dont feel like it was his fault but i think if something happens again the choice will be taken from me as my hubby has already stated he does not want me like Christopher Reeves :(
so what do you do??? it is a very addictive thing and i can not imagine not having him but i guess every time we ride you just dont know whats going to happen they can be unpredictable but then who wants to ride a push button horse :eek:
Just make sure that you weigh up the pros and cons its a massive thing and when they have gone they are gone :(
Good luck and take care
x
 
I have given up jumping as i injured my shoulder about 5 years ago and it still gives me problems now.

I am also very fussy about what I will ride.

I do ride though, and am really enjoying my new horse. :)
 
Thanks for your replies and good wishes.

I think one of the defining moments was when my son came to see me in hospital. He looked really shocked and worried - he said 'Mum, if I'd come off my bike and injured myself like you have, you'd be right in telling me to get rid of my bike'. (he rides powerful motorbikes).... He was absolutely right.
 
I came to the point where I was almost ready to stop riding, a horse came to the yard where I worked that had already put several people in hospital and was named 'corned beef' when we bought him.

He would be good as gold and then explode out of nowhere and not stop. He threw me quite badly hurting my hip and it was only the fact that I was so close to doing my stage three that I got back on. I rode him once afterwards, but never felt happy.

That was a lot of years ago, and with age as others have said you do break more easily. It helped me to decide what type of horse to buy in future though.

I would give yourself more time and see how you feel, if your horse is a bit of a handful then perhaps going for something that is quieter and bombproof will be better for you? Riding can be beneficial in so many ways (when we don't fall off) that it would be a shame if you could still get the benefits from it and stopped.

I hope you make a quick and full recovery and make a decision that you are happy with. :)
 
I had a bad accident and did eventually stop riding as I have a child and am sole carer.

All I will say is get well very soon, and take your time over your decision. I think you said your accident was a month ago? Give yourself time to heal, physically and emotionally. There is no need to rush. Be kind to yourself.

I hope that you make the right decision for you.
 
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