Competing in a cast?

[BronsonNutter]

Can you?

Can't see anything in the rules about it (apart from the gloves rule throws a bit of a problem, not sure if I can pull off the one glove look )

 

[mrogers]

wont so much be the whole thing of can you,cant you. I would be more worried that if you had a fall you would do massive damage to an already injured arm

 

[Llanali]

^ this.

Is it a regional final? It is GB selection? Is it worth it?

 

[BronsonNutter]

It's just a bad dislocation rather than a fracture! So don't think if I did fall off it would make it any worse?

Cast only goes from thumb to part way down my forearm, so not particularly bulky/heavy.

 

[ellie_e]

Im not sure if you would be covered for H&S reasons and insurance

 

[Apercrumbie]

If it's a bad dislocation you could make it a lot worse! Please please please do not ride until it is healed. 6-12 weeks of your life won't make a huge difference in the long run, lasting pain/stiffness from a poorly healed arm will.

 

[Auslander]

If it's a bad dislocation you could make it a lot worse! Please please please do not ride until it is healed. 6-12 weeks of your life won't make a huge difference in the long run, lasting pain/stiffness from a poorly healed arm will.

Agree! I'd rather ride with a fracture than a dislocation! All the tendons and ligaments will have take a hell of a bashing, and need to rest and mend themselves.

 

[BronsonNutter]

The doctor didn't tell me not to ride (They knew I rode, because when they asked why I didn't come in straight away I said it was because I was competing at Lincolnshire show and didn't want a cast on for that! )
Maybe I'd best just lunge until I go back to the orthopaedic clinic when I can double check...

Im not sure if you would be covered for H&S reasons and insurance

That's a good point actually - guess I would have to check if we were to enter anything...

 

[Countrychic]

I rode with a wrist cast on, went showjumping and did actually end up falling off. Would I do it again? Probably but I don't think I'm particularly sensible as I'm riding 4 months earlier than I should be at the moment

 

[cptrayes]

I competed in a BE90 cross country with a splint a few weeks after having my broken arm plated and my dislocated elbow put back in place. No probs! Got a pic if you want proof

I don't recommend it but I wouldn't personally let a tiny cast on my wrist stop me doing a dressage test, I'd just buy a big glove

 

[wench]

Not a very sensible idea I'm afraid!!!

 

[Eventer96]

I competed in a PC 1m hunter trial in a cast. Had to wear long sleeves so put on a baggy top to use as my shirt, nobody was any the wiser. Had to then keep it hidden when I went to collect my 1st place ribbon and prize I did fall off in it cross country schooling, no harm was done. To be honest it wasn't a bad break but it was mending slowly due to me not realizing/ignoring the fact it was broken for 3 weeks! I would say a dislocation is a little different as there is far more mending to do with surrounding tendons and ligaments. I found in a way riding helped me dealing with the fact I had a sodding heavy cast on my arm, it meant I had to use the arm slightly and also mentally interested me- would have been so bored sat at home doing nothing!

 

[BronsonNutter]

Interesting - would those who wouldn't compete in one also not ride at home? Just wondering
I think I'll just lunge and see what they say at the orthapaedic clinic before getting back on board - never know, they might take it off then or they might pin everything together if it's moved again

Eventer96 - I'm going mad too, and I only got it put on today

 

[wench]

Nope I wouldn't ride at home. Trust me a few weeks is nothing. I have barely been aboard the past year. Trying to get in RAF, and one fall could wreck the lot.

 

[luckyoldme]

I would usually ask someone who was qualified to make an educated response..ie a doctor.
then i would follow his advice to the letter.. as someone else said you might not know the damage you do now.. but it could well come back to haunt you later in life.

 

[luckyoldme]

Nope I wouldn't ride at home. Trust me a few weeks is nothing. I have barely been aboard the past year. Trying to get in RAF, and one fall could wreck the lot.

good luck with the raf.. i was in many many moons ago

 

[Blackwijet]

I think you should ask the show organisers if they are happy for you to ride in a cast at their show. Depends what their insurance cover is but they would be quite within their rights to say no - there is also the H&S side of things as well. If they have to fill in an accident report form (if you did have an unofficial dismount) questions could be raised about why they let someone compete who had a cast on.

 

[SugarBeet]

My advice is don't ride at all. After damaging my wrist in a show jumping fall I ended up riding too soon (doctors told me it was ok) and I ended up damaging it even worse by starting again too soon. Ended up having to have it put in a cast at a later date which still didn't help and then was told I needed to take 6months off riding and all sports because the soft tissue damage was so bad. Really wish I'd taken it easier originally and let it heal properly.

 

[MagicMelon]

You're likely riding at home anyway as others have said so I dont really see why competing is an issue - its the venue that might not like it though. I probably would! But then this is coming from someone who competed in dressage through most of my pregnancy and is back riding after a c-section 3 weeks ago (believe meant to wait at least 6 weeks)...

 

[Twiglet]

Personally I would be concerned about my insurance being invalid, if anything happened to the horse I was competing on. Pretty sure they'd have something to say about it if you tried to claim (similarly, driving in a cast can invalidate your car insurance if it's not declared/signed off by a doctor). I would imagine the competition centre would have concerns too, to that affect.

 

[charleysummer]

personally id be concerened about coming off, doing more damage and then not being able to ride for a lot longer! in a cast you are going to less balanced and wont land as well.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Interesting replies - will go and ask the doctor next week when I have it x-rayed again Fingers crossed (no pun intended ) with the bone that it its it might not cause a problem! As it is, he's lame at the moment () as he got kicked coming out of the ring on wednesday - nothing major, just short when going in/out of trot... So he'll have to have a bit of time off anyway.

Twiglet, hadn't thought of his insurance being invalid Guess I will have to ask about getting things signed off for the insurers (need to be able to drive to get to all of my uni placements - bad timing!)

 

[MHSporthorses]

I have competed in a cast (bright pink one at that) several years ago when I had broken my wrist....falling down the stairs not riding!!!! I just used a large magic glove and didn't advertise the fact at all, however I had been wearing the cast for several weeks and been riding ordinarily at home feeling quite normal beforehand.
This year however I managed to fall off in January resulting in a 3 part fracture and dislocation of the proximal humerous which was plated, screwed and generally put back together early feb, I started riding at home after a few days on the more sensible ones and was competing in march however this was not something that could be put in a cast so I didn't have that concern.
In an ideal world everyone would be able to take the time required to heal and recoup, but for me as the only person who can exercise a yard full in winter when turnout is restricted here, I could not afford to take time off work and nor could I afford to pay someone to come and keep things ticking over. I was incredibly lucky that those horses in work were so good for me.