Showjumping Bruised and battered.

conniegirl

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Unfortunately today did NOT go to plan.

Some here may know that I don’t normally do jumping in any shape or for after a horrific rotational fall from a bolting eventer over 10 years ago where I was lucky to be alive after and I spent a week in hospital after the horse stood on my head (hat definitely saved my life that day).

Little cob has been so awesome that a couple of weeks ago I got the stupid idea in my head to conquer some demons and give jumping a go again. My instructor had a go first and LC was amazing for her and sorted himself out, so I’ve had several jumping lessons (only tiny, not even 30cms) and was feeling reasonably confident that I’d be able to manage a clear round at the yards show today.

It was a simple 8 jump course of less than 30cms, I made it to jump 7 with no issue and was feeling amazing, but then he got a bit strong and according to my yard owner who was watching he took an absolute flyer at jump 7, it had me half out of the saddle and unfortunately jump 8 was only 1 stride after it, LC jumped it but also jumped me straight out of the saddle and head first at speed into the ground.

Unfortunately I was knocked out for about 30s, then when I came round I made no sense at all, I don’t actually remember jumping 7 at all just him getting strong round the corner before it, my next memory is a cup of tea in the caravan! Before being shipped off to A&E via nee-naw because I was repeating myself, seemed to have no short term memory, was getting dizzy and feeling sick.

At A&E my hand was xrayed as it looked like I’d broken my thumb (thankfully not) and then I they CT scanned my head. I’ve got a concussion but nothing worse thankfully, so I’m currently sat at home feeling vaguely sick, with a pounding head ache and very sorry for myself.

So that’s me done with jumping we will stick to shiney and dancing ponies, not only has my confidence been knocked but my husband, who is usually so tolerant of the general horsey craziness and has previously picked me up and shoved me back on when I’ve fallen off crazy youngsters, has put his foot down and said no jumping. I think I scared him as well as myself with this one.
 

Pearlsasinger

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Good heavens woman! You don't do things by halves do you? You've only just got over the leg surgery, haven't you? I hope you feel better soon - and yes, keep all four feet on the ground from now on!:)
 

conniegirl

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Good heavens woman! You don't do things by halves do you? You've only just got over the leg surgery, haven't you? I hope you feel better soon - and yes, keep all four feet on the ground from now on!:)
Yep, ankle surgery in March, started riding again in July, this is the first fall since then actually first fall in about 4 years
 

conniegirl

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Jumping isn't the end of the world! Your in one piece and that's the main thing!

TBH, we are quite good at the Shiny pony competitions and not too bad with the dancing pony lark so that’s good, I’m not normally into the jumping lark, just wanted to get over the terror my last jumping fall induced enough to be able to pop over a few logs on a hack or on rides like sommerford Park.
 

Meredith

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So sorry this has happened.
I have had concussion too and was off games for a month with dizziness and lack of concentration. My friends said they didn’t notice any difference! Seriously though please make sure you are completely recovered before you ride again.
 

Tiddlypom

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Hope you feel better this morning. Please do take it very steady as you recover, you may well need to be off work for a bit. If you do the traditional horsey thing of struggling on regardless after a prang, you could mess up your recovery. Rest is essential in the interim.
 

Rowreach

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Ouch that really didn't go according to plan! Hope you feel better soon but concussion and after effects can last for more this, so please be careful.

Also, tea? :oops::eek: nobody should have given you tea after you were knocked out, should have been straight to A&E.

I'm going to try and find an article I read recently and I'll post it.
 

Asha

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you Have certainly had a rough time of it . Take things easy for a bit and get yourself better. when you are feeling better have a word with your instructor and come up with a plan to get you going in dressage . Hope you feel better soon.
 

JFTDWS

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That's really unfortunate - poor you. I think the post above illustrates really well why it's important to take things really easy after a concussion - don't rush yourself. (But also don't panic - that level of outcome is really rare - most people do feel better within a couple of weeks at most.)
 

conniegirl

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you Have certainly had a rough time of it . Take things easy for a bit and get yourself better. when you are feeling better have a word with your instructor and come up with a plan to get you going in dressage . Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks, we are already quite good at the dressage lark, the jumping was a departure from the norm.
 
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conniegirl

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Thanks all, am feeling much better this morning, still slightly nauseous but paracetamol took care of the head ache.
Have been to the stables (husband drove me), cuddled my pony, arranged for him to go on full livery for this week and possibly next week. Yard owners daughter is going to ride pony and keep him fit etc.
I probably will go to work tomorrow, will let my boss know but im probably safer there then at home. All of my team are sports men or women in sports where head injuries are common so i’ll have them looking out for me and work is quite literally next door to the hospital should anything go wrong. Work at the moment is so relaxed.

Im not having problems with tv or reading thankfully. I even managed to multitask earlier (hold a conversation with my mother on the phone and make myself some breakfast).
Going to take each day as it comes, take it easy and wont ride untill i feel completely fine.

My Yard Owner has binned my helmet, she kept it yesterday in case a&e wanted to see it but now they dont need it she has binned it and after payday (next week) ill go get myself a new one.
 

honetpot

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I have come to the conclusion that some of us do not fall well, for what ever reason. I have two daughters, one has had falls and accidents that should have ended her up in hospital but walked away with hardly a bruise and the other who has broken the same arm twice, the last one she fell off at a standstill. She slipped to the floor.
Take your time getting over concussion, complete rest is the best healer.
https://www.englandrugby.com/mm/Doc...49/57/returntoplayafterconcussion_Neutral.pdf

I hope you are feeling better soon
 

Alibear

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Oh no, such bad luck, I'm glad to hear you are on the mend and everyone is taking good care of you.
I'm another who no longer jumps due to one too many concussions, I've been told to break both arms and legs rather than hit my head again.
Enjoy the showing and prancing, dancing there's a whole world of fun to be had with horses without jumping.
 

conniegirl

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I have come to the conclusion that some of us do not fall well, for what ever reason. I have two daughters, one has had falls and accidents that should have ended her up in hospital but walked away with hardly a bruise and the other who has broken the same arm twice, the last one she fell off at a standstill. She slipped to the floor.
Take your time getting over concussion, complete rest is the best healer.
https://www.englandrugby.com/mm/Doc...49/57/returntoplayafterconcussion_Neutral.pdf

I hope you are feeling better soon

I think it also changes as we get older. Ive walked away from many many falls that should have killed me or at best seriously injured me. However ive noticed that since about age 28 ive stopped bouncing and started breaking instead!

Half way through day at work, am going steady, i no longer feel nauseous just slightly light headed, though coughing and sneezing hurts my head ive discovered!
Only 5 hours left and then im headed home for more sleep
 

conniegirl

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Just an update on this for anyone interested.

A few weeks after the fall one of the ladies on the yard approached me and said her daughter (very young and pony mad so had recorded pretty much every round) had recorded the fall and she felt I should see it as she was concerned.

Video showed I was actually unconscious before the fall, and that it was me passing out that had caused everything in the first place.

Given that a few weeks before I'd had a bit of a funny turn (very dizzy, bit short of breath, decided to get off before I fell off) during a riding lesson that I had put down to not eating properly before hand, I decided that it was best to take the video and myself to my GP.

I'm now being investigated for all sorts of things, I've had a few dizzy spells just standing in my kitchen/lounge and this weekend just gone I went to a gallery in london and had to have the gallery staff help me as I was so dizzy and my vision was going a bit dark.

Latest blood tests have shown my liver and kidneys are not working as well as they should do and that my blood pressure had got lower. For anyone else a lower blood pressure would be great, however my blood pressure normally runs to the high end of the normal range even when I'm skinny and super fit, I'm currently fat and unfit so it should NOT be at the very low end of normal if anything it should be higher.
These results triggered another round of tests results of which should be back this friday.

So conclusion is that the fall highlighted an ongoing medical problem that I was unaware of and I'm not a very well lady.
 
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Tiddlypom

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Oh heck. I hope that you soon get a diagnosis and that your medical issues are easily fixable.

The fall may have been a blessing in disguise as the video would have been useful for your GP to see. Well done that mum and daughter for bringing it to your attention.

All the best.
 

scats

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Hope they can get to the bottom of it. Just aswell that young lady had filmed the round, or you would be none the wiser!
My blood pressure is on the floor and it has lead to seizures in the past, but I’m mostly able to manage it now. Good luck for the test results x
 

EventingMum

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Gosh, you've had a really rough time. I hope you get some answers re what's going on, in a way it's nice to know it wasn't your riding or the pony's mistake that caused the fall but it's disconcerting not knowing why you lost consciousness.
 
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