Arthritis in humans

[GlamGran]

Does anyone ride with arthritic fingers or hands? If so do you have any tips, found anything that actually helps. I have arthritis in my right hand and my middle two fingers lock up sometimes, just wondered how other people deal with it.

 

[Trouper]

Having lived with osteo arthritis for years I have found the secret is to keep the joints warm at all times. If it is in a joint which really moves a lot I find that some support is also helpful - currently wearing a knee support as that is the latest joint it has decided to invade.

So - keep things warm, supported and, for hands, I would find gloves and reins which give you the maximum help with grip.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I prefer fingerless gloves for mine, still warm and still allow good movement

 

[blitznbobs]

You can get reins with loops to help with grip as well

 

[SEL]

Mine are awful - hereditary sadly.

Gloves because cold hands hurt a lot. I can't have the gloves fitting too tightly though so actually outside winter those kids gloves with the pimples on have been the most comfy. During winter I struggle

 

[Landcruiser]

Same here, I have arthritis in all my fingers and mine lock up and get very painful if they get too cold. I make sure I use winter work gloves, the waterproof padded sort - I ride in them too sometimes. Another option is thin "magic gloves" under your riding gloves as long as that doesn't make them too tight. Or silk glove liners if you can afford them!
Keep your core warm with lots of layers and warm your hands one at a time in your arm pit or on your belly when riding if horse is sensible for one handed riding.
I flipping hate winter...

 

[terrierliz]

I find wrist warmers make a huge difference, I use the Stormchase ones

 

[Widgeon]

Our YO swears by wrist warmers and hand warmers inside the gloves. Before she figured out her current setup she'd duck taped some martingale stops onto her reins at the "right" length for her and her horse, so that if she lost her grip she wouldn't completely lose the reins. Now that she's got the hand and wrist warmers she doesn't need the stops any more, but I thought it was quite an ingenious solution.

 

[JoA]

Hand warmers inside gloves and pockets. Brother buys me a load for Christmas. Coldness kills my hands

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I’ve got stage 4 basal thumb arthritis (I’m only 33!) and they want to give me a new thumb joint but have told me to wait as long as possible…. I’ve found the secret keeping it warm. I never ride without gloves and I have a coat that has thumb holes to keep that part of my hand warm. Volterol gel (diclofenac) is your best friend too and eases the pain.

 

[Jambarissa]

I bought some cheap usb heated gloves. The heating element is only about 5cm square and Velcro into the glove so I moved them to my yard gloves. They are wired to a powerbank so not exactly convenient but they do unfasten at the wrists so you can run the wire under your sleeves and do the gloves just before you go out.

Before this I'd often need to put my hands in my pockets on a hack if it got too cold - dead safe!

I can't link to them but they were £5ish from amazon and still working after 2 years.

 

[ozpoz]

Layer up, always gloves. CBD oil works for me. I can’t take diclofenac unfortunately.

 

[Cowpony]

I've got Rheumatoid arthritis and I've found cutting out sugar helps a lot. Doesn't solve the osteo arthritis unfortunately

 

[Kaylum]

Boswellia has really helped me. The pain happens only now and again when I am really cold in my foot.

Good walking boots that are supportive. Can't wear wellies or unsupportive footwear.

 

[Annagain]

A friend with arthritic hands uses these. She says they're a game changer - they're not cheap though.
\https://www.redpostequestrian.co.uk...MIuqPYgtL4gwMV85NQBh04QwDaEAQYASABEgIhDvD_BwE

I bought Wiggy from an older lady who had to give up due to arthritic hands. He was hogged when he arrived as she couldn't plait any more for competitions or pull it for every day neatness for that matter. It did suit him luckily, although I've let it grow again now. He also had a 'humane' girth as his owner found it easier to tighten than a normal one. Just a couple of thins she did to make life easier.

 

[Landcruiser]

Resurrecting this thread to recommend a bit of helpful equipment. I trim my own horses feet and when the hooves are dry the horn is like mahogany - a normal rasp blunts in no time and my painful digits make the whole thing a bit of a nightmare. I just invested in a couple of Cody James Diamondback rasps and what a game changer they are. Just trimmed both horses with barely any effort, using the "normal" rasp just for finishing/rolling. Super bit of kit.