Are horse people just tough when it comes to pain?

I guess so, but only if its horse motivated, I fell off and went to A&E about five hours later as I could not recall how I fractured my wrist!
.............. then was signed off so I loaded the trailer and went hunting in my cast next day.
[ I was no longer concussed by then]

Was in A&E again .............. no tears till Dr told me I should consider giving up riding, something about my age age (!) I re-interpreted this as not riding while still on crutches/in pain, then not riding youngsters :), then not riding nutters :).
 
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Bonkers2 said:
Was in A&E again .............. no tears till Dr told me I should consider giving up riding, something about my age age (!) I re-interpreted this as not riding while still on crutches/in pain, then not riding youngsters :), then not riding nutters :).
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Know the feeling!. The (rather pompous) doctor asked me if I had fallen off (lol) before . I told him ,oh about every few weeks. He said "have you considered that perhaps you are not very good at this"!!!Next day I had a new screensaver on my laptop of a rider jumping a fairly huge (actually it was bloody enormous) hedge . He asked "who is that " I said me. He asked how many years ago .I told him "Last week actually"!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I went to doctors a couple of years ago as I had shingles, she asked why I thought I had it and when I showed her what I thought was a mild rash she said "thats a really bad case of it. I would be in bed with that how r u coping?" I explained that I did have to give myself a pep talk to crack on with jobs on yard morning and night as tired!!! I also asked how I ended up with it (you usually get it when run down, weak immune system,). She asked if I had been unwell before the shingles appeared I said no but I had been bitten by the horse, dropped jeans to show her the massive orange sized black and red lump on my upper thigh she was horrified!!! I said it did hurt when did it but I hopped about in agony for a couple of minutes before wrapping it in vet wrap and lunging horse haha.

Over last 2 months have had whooping cough, have done horse twice daily, worked and had lessons, done fun ride, beach ride, xc schooling!! Not going to sit on arse for months!! Although on flip side I suspect whilst fresh air did it good, taking it easy would mean it would go quicker!
 
who takes four weeks off for a broken toe?!! I had a week off after I got kicked in the face by my horse
 
I think that everyone varies. I was brought up on the basis that if it isn't hanging off of pumping blood then you don't need to get any treatment and its no good complaining that it hurts. One time I managed to throw the entire contents of a freshly boiled kettle down my legs. I sat in a bath of cold water then covered the burns with cling film. The next day I got up as usual and happened to mention my stupidity to my manager who promptly marched me across the road to the handily placed A&E. They couldn't believe that I had just carried on as normal. Yeah, it hurt and by that time I had rather large blisters down my legs, but hey ho. I had to go back to the burns clinic weekly for 6 weeks and was severely told off by the staff nurse for remaining mobile, but as I pointed out I didn't have much choice. I do think I have a pretty high pain threshold but on the other hand, if I think or know from experience that something is going to hurt then I am the biggest wuss going and have in the past, made a complete idiot of myself over something and nothing. Believe it or not I just cannot pull a plaster off! The thought of ever having any part of me waxed... The other factor that influences me personally is being on my own, if I don't do something then there is no-one to do it for me so I have just HAVE to get up and if it takes me a year to do something that normally takes 15 minutes, then so be it. I have had serious back problems for 35 years and when it goes, I can be literally bent double for a couple of days. The pain is unbelievable but with the aid of copious swearing and tuneless whistling under my breath I have always got things done. One time I hobbled out to call my horse in - she was old and going deaf so I had to be pretty close before she would hear me and unfortunately she was on the other side of the field. I used my muck fork as a crutch, and for the first time in a very long time, my horse actually beat me back to the gate and stood patiently waiting for me as I hobbled in slow motion behind her. I've gone round the supermarket bent double before now too - but if I didn't I wouldn't have anything to eat. Needs must when the devil drives.
 
Pain is relative though perhaps familiarity breeds contempt. I am sure it is the need for the continuous care of the animal that makes you ignore pain. I need a new knee after walking about for 5 months after it was smashed I broke both my knee and ankle when a pony dragged me in a fence. I got up from the floor walked the length of the field to catch him went to the yard got first aid treatment for him treated his rope burns and realised I couldnt walk very well. Oh insisted I go to hospital so I went home had a shower and shaved my legs and headed off to A&E. They plasterd my ankel but missed the damage in my knee. I wasnt until 5 months later as I was still limping the sent me for an MRI and discovered my knee was damaged enough to need replacing with all the broken bits dissolving in the joint. I refused it but have had to give up riding but as I can still walk as far as I want so dont see the point in spending months if not a year recovering from the surgery. I am old and yes I have got lots of aches and pains from a busy lifestyle with horses but they have been worth everyone of them. Nuts rather than brave would be my diagnosis. Necessity is the mother of invention you just get on with it
 
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I agree we are a tough breed. Last year I had a nasty fall and fractured my wrist in two places. Had my wrist in plaster and everything....for all of 24hrs before the frustration from not being able to ride or drive myself anywhere got to much and I demanded my OH who works in the building trade cut it off :D I was back riding the next morning
 
Well perhaps if you had allowed your body to heal after your C section you would have made a much better recovery! Invasive operations like C sections need time to heal properly, you may feel a little pain if you push yourself too quickly but what you can't see or feel are the adhesions you are causing internally. I learned the hard way, doing too much too quickly after a C section resulting in my bladder being attached to my uterus with adhesions, I coped with the issues this gave me but when I had a hysterectomy many years later a normally straightforward operation became very tricky and frankly I'm lucky to have made a complete recovery. It is not brave, cool or clever to ignore the advice you are given following operations, it is just plain stupid! Please learn from my stupidity, I wish I'd been more careful.
MagicMelon said:
Yep I think we are tougher just because of the nature of being around horses. They stand on your toes, headbutt you in the face by accident, slap you in the face with their tails, you trip over while mucking out, slip on ice, fix fencing whilst getting stabbed by wire etc. all before you even get on and then get chucked off ;)

Something is always sore for me, my OH must think Im such a drama queen but actually he does the slightest thing like pull a muscle and its the end of the world whereas I just get on with it. My latest daily pain is from my hip which I smashed into a plastic jump block whilst I was backing a horse 4 weeks after having a full knock-out job emergency c-section with platelet transfusion 4 years ago, I ended up with it permanently numb on the skin round it and now the hip aches when I try to do anything terribly energetic like going for a run. I imagine most horse people are sore / damaged somewhere. But hey ho its all worth it ;)
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oldie48 said:
Well perhaps if you had allowed your body to heal after your C section you would have made a much better recovery! Invasive operations like C sections need time to heal properly, you may feel a little pain if you push yourself too quickly but what you can't see or feel are the adhesions you are causing internally. I learned the hard way, doing too much too quickly after a C section resulting in my bladder being attached to my uterus with adhesions, I coped with the issues this gave me but when I had a hysterectomy many years later a normally straightforward operation became very tricky and frankly I'm lucky to have made a complete recovery. It is not brave, cool or clever to ignore the advice you are given following operations, it is just plain stupid! Please learn from my stupidity, I wish I'd been more careful.
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Quite. I am just baffled by those who seem to think they are big because they neglect their bodies or ignore medical advice. It's quite sad really.
 
Yes we are odd.
I saw my physio at a do last weekend .
She said " you're really sore aren't you I had to think before I answered because I just ignore it and keep going and yes I was really sore ".
 
oldie48 said:
Well perhaps if you had allowed your body to heal after your C section you would have made a much better recovery! Invasive operations like C sections need time to heal properly, you may feel a little pain if you push yourself too quickly but what you can't see or feel are the adhesions you are causing internally. I learned the hard way, doing too much too quickly after a C section resulting in my bladder being attached to my uterus with adhesions, I coped with the issues this gave me but when I had a hysterectomy many years later a normally straightforward operation became very tricky and frankly I'm lucky to have made a complete recovery. It is not brave, cool or clever to ignore the advice you are given following operations, it is just plain stupid! Please learn from my stupidity, I wish I'd been more careful.
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Aren't adhesions caused by lack of movement? They are in horse's leg injuries, anyway.
 
Moomin1 said:
Quite. I am just baffled by those who seem to think they are big because they neglect their bodies or ignore medical advice. It's quite sad really.
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I agree with this ^^.

when I've been injured I rest, get better and crack on. My family will take over the horses for me until I'm ok. you have one body, look after it.
 
Moomin1 said:
Quite. I am just baffled by those who seem to think they are big because they neglect their bodies or ignore medical advice. It's quite sad really.
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I don't think I'm big, and I don't think anyone else who's posted sharing stories on here does either, but I don't think doctors always have the right answers.

I think mental happiness is part of healing and for riders that's often being with their horses. When I fractured my wrist four weeks ago, the doctor told me to stay away from the horses completely. Well if I'd done that she'd have had to give me meds for depression!

Not all doctors agree, either. The first orthopedic registrar who saw me said that I should have a new cast at two weeks.The one I saw for that appointment refused to authorise it until I threw my toys out of my pram. The first doctor said that the most movement would be regained if I could get some physio at four weeks.The second said the plaster had to stay on for six weeks and that I was not to use the hand at all in the meantime.

And even if the doctor does know best, sometimes the NHS environment means that they will err on the side of caution, and stick to a laid down protocol which means they can't be sued. For many typical horse injuries and horse people, that isn't necessarily the protocol that will give the best end result.

I would say to people to listen to their bodies, but take as few painkillers as possible if you are going to ignore doctor's advice. Pain is for a reason, to stop you causing more damage. You're not feeling pain because you've damaged something. Pain is cooked up by your brain to stop you damaging it more.
 
Asha said:
I agree with this ^^.

when I've been injured I rest, get better and crack on. My family will take over the horses for me until I'm ok. you have one body, look after it.
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Send your family round to do mine, will you :D ?
 
Goldenstar said:
Yes we are odd.
I saw my physio at a do last weekend .
She said " you're really sore aren't you I had to think before I answered because I just ignore it and keep going and yes I was really sore ".
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I have a vision of you all dressed up for a do (possibly even exposing some legs for one day in the year) and your physio getting you on the buffet table between the cocktail sausages and the profiteroles for a bit of manipulation :D
 
ycbm said:
Send your family round to do mine, will you :D ?
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I failed to mention their various rates of pay ! A case of Stella for hubby , son expects no less than £10 for everything. Daughter is your best bet, she will do anything just to be with horses will send her over ...
 
Moomin1 said:
Quite. I am just baffled by those who seem to think they are big because they neglect their bodies or ignore medical advice. It's quite sad really.
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I don't think I'm "big" at all for it. I know it wasn't the best idea but unfortunately my horses needed riding and work requires me to drive. I couldn't exactly afford 6 weeks off unpaid while my cast stayed on.
 
We're all different, and I think it's all relative to what we are used to and each individual's pain threshold. Also the severity of the injury!!

I fell off three months ago, landed on my feet and couldn't weight bear on one foot. As I am usually a complete blanket about these things I assumed it was nothing and refused A&E until my friend insisted on taking me when I finally admitted I couldn't drive home. Turns out I had done the ligaments in my right ankle, once my boot came off the swelling was unreal. The doc in A&E couldn't believe I'd walked in on it.

I tried to ride again a few weeks ago because I felt ready. Got on and soon became apparent I couldn't even put my leg on let alone do rising trot without aggravating it. Got straight back off again. Whilst other people who ride with recovering injuries are very admirable, I do not need to ride and I have no desire to risk upsetting something that could be a problem for life if I don't give it time to heal.

However I am in a fortunate position that means if I was really stuck and couldn't get about I can put my horse on full livery and could probably find people to ride him to keep him ticking over whilst I recover.
 
Nope they are caused by scar tissue and the bodies inability to differentiate between different organs in the body. Post abdominal/pelvic adhesions can cause really serious problems and that's one of the reasons we need to give our bodies time to heal after an invasive operation.
ycbm said:
Aren't adhesions caused by lack of movement? They are in horse's leg injuries, anyway.
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Generally speaking, I guess horsey folk are a tough bunch - if your horse is relying on you for care and feed then what choice do we have?
When I was on DIY, my horse knocked me off balance in the stable and I banged my head on the corner of the metal salt lick holder. Bled like a slaughtered pig but, I didn't go to A&E until I had turned out and mucked out! Was stitched up and went straight back to work.

Four weeks off work for a broken toe? Well I guess if you're getting paid, why not?...
 
Moomin1 said:
Quite. I am just baffled by those who seem to think they are big because they neglect their bodies or ignore medical advice. It's quite sad really.
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I don't think I'm big or anything else. Sometimes you just have to do things and work through the pain. I can't be doing with people who claim they have the flu when all they have is a cold and take 10 days off work leaving everyone else to pick up the slack. When I had the real flu I was still unable to walk a mile 6 weeks after the symptoms had gone. I spent the whole of last Christmas and New Year flat on the sofa because my knees were giving me hell. I had to go up and down the stairs on my bum and having eaten my way through all the fresh food in the house, was left with just tins and dried food. I couldn't even walk from the car park to the dairy section for some fresh milk in my local Lidl so it was black tea and coffee for a week. Eventually I had to go out for some cat food and my knees made sure I was very sorry afterwards. Pain has been a constant in my life since I was 17. Now at 51 I just have more bits that hurt rather than just my back. I have learned to just live with it and remain hopeful that I haven't inherited the family gene of longevity on my mother's side.
 
I find horse people, and country people in general, quite tough in comparison to wimpy urbanites :-) Most horsey people limp, don't they (well, eventually anyway)? I almost had to fight nurses proffering pain meds off when they were insisting that my broken leg must hurt (it didn't, at all).
 
In relation to OP... I've found that doctors do not hand out sick notes like sweets.

We don't know how badly the lady has broken her toe.

If she tried driving, and had an accident, you can bet she wouldn't be insured...
 
oldie48 said:
Nope they are caused by scar tissue and the bodies inability to differentiate between different organs in the body. Post abdominal/pelvic adhesions can cause really serious problems and that's one of the reasons we need to give our bodies time to heal after an invasive operation.
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Combination of both surely?!

The body rapidly and haphazardly lays down collagen at the injury site and the lack of movement from the connective tissue allows for the collagen to form adhesions as individual tissue structures are not differientiated in the damaged area.

I once had an adhesion that formed during immobilisation of an avulsion # in my ankle physically 'broken down' by manipulation. I'd rather dislocate a shoulder than have that done again!

As for equestrian folk ignoring medical advice regarding injuries, we don't have very good role models do we?! *cough, cough, Michael Jung* :D
 
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