Concussion and getting back onboard...

[Thesnowbones]

Hi

Sorry if this subject has already been addressed. I fell off my horse whilst mounting last week, and knocked myself out on the fence. I was out for a few seconds, and still have a very limited knowledge of what actually happened, although I was told that my mare spooked quite impressively and threw me backwards. I was admitted to hospital and had a CT scan, which came back clear, although I feel absolutely rotten in myself - headache, whiplash, bruises, fatigue and general brain fog. The doctor has signed me off for a month due to the severity of my 'head bang,' but I'm really worried about leaving it too long before I get on again. I am prone to anxiety anyway, and this accident has really frightened me. I am eager to get back onboard so that I am not unable to get on again. How long did you guys wait till getting back on again? I am worried that if I wait four weeks, then I'll be terrified to get on again, although I know I should be worried about my health too.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Whatever your doctor has advised, I would go with that. Confidence can be built back up; I know it's a pain that confidence can be so quick to lose and slow to get back again but your brain is so, so important! Hope you are feeling better soon

 

[Tiddlypom]

Please don’t rush a concussion, you will delay your recovery if you do.

You may continue to feel pretty tired and rough for a fair few weeks or months, but do rest up. No riding for now.

ETA I have been that concussed person wanting to get back on, too...

 

[MereChristmas]

I have had concussion too. I wasn’t allowed to ride for over a month. The reality was that I couldn’t have ridden if I had wanted too.
This might be useful information.
https://www.thepja.co.uk/service/concussion-management/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/concussion/

 

[MarvelVillis]

So sorry to hear that. I’ve had a similar thing happen, horse spooked in the school during canter and I remember falling off but I don’t remember the next 15-20 mins after that. I went to A&E to be checked over, vaguely remember the drive there, but was ok thankfully. I think I waited about 3-4 months to go riding again. I was really nervous to get back on, especially to do canter work again, but it’s one of those things you just have to get on and do. I think because I put it off for so long I became really apprehensive and worried about riding again. Just take it slow, aim for a short session for your first ride. Agree with the other posters to take it slow and don’t rush things. It does take a while to recover. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Thesnowbones]

I have had concussion too. I wasn’t allowed to ride for over a month. The reality was that I couldn’t have ridden if I had wanted too.
This might be useful information.
https://www.thepja.co.uk/service/concussion-management/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/concussion/

Thank you. This is really very helpful. I don’t feel able to ride at all at the moment. I can barely keep my eyes open for an entire day, which worries me. I did have some acupuncture yesterday which seems to have helped with my neck mobility, but I’m worried about getting to a point where I never want to ride again, if that makes sense?

 

[emilylou]

Nope. Please don’t get on until your concussion has gone. Very dangerous and you will feel worse.
Nana Dalton had a severe concussion and took a year off eventing and Edie Campbell had several months in bed after a bad fall last year. It’s not worth it, won’t help your riding confidence or help you heal.
This article is really good: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....nana-dalton-head-injury-stood-down-666359/amp

I would also seek further medical advice and get to a concussion clinic if possible.

 

[MereChristmas]

Thank you. This is really very helpful. I don’t feel able to ride at all at the moment. I can barely keep my eyes open for an entire day, which worries me. I did have some acupuncture yesterday which seems to have helped with my neck mobility, but I’m worried about getting to a point where I never want to ride again, if that makes sense?

Don’t think about riding, think about getting better first.
I think I spent the first few weeks looking past things. I couldn’t concentrate at all. I was banned from watching tv and using a computer. It gets better but you must take care.
Hoping you feel better soon.

 

[Spotherisk]

I had a concussion from a leading accident a few years ago, I pushed it too much straight away despite feeling muzzy for a couple of months. Unfortunately I had an absolute purler of a fall whilst still in the concussion period, I didn’t hit my head but did some pretty hefty damage to joints and soft tissue. In hindsight I really shouldn’t have been riding.

 

[Winters100]

I'm sorry to hear about your accident and I hope that you are soon feeling better.

I am afraid that it might take a while to get over. A couple of years ago I had a concussion that took more than 6 months to get over, and during this time I felt dizzy and disorientated every time I got up or sat down, riding was out of the question. Granted I was out for a lot longer than you, but I don't think it is something to rush.

I also totally lost my confidence, but I bought a lovely angel of a schoolmistress to get me going again, and now it is better than ever.

As someone else mentioned confidence can be built up again, but I think that for now you need to take care of yourself and rest. Really sorry, but you need to put your health first for now. I hope that you are soon free of symptoms and able to get the all clear from the doctor to get on board, and when that day comes perhaps you can find a nice calm horse to ride to get your confidence back. With the right horse it is easier than you think. Good luck and take it easy for now.

 

[Flicker]

Concussion is a brain injury. Your brain will have been bruised and there will be inflammation, making it far more vulnerable to further injury. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is the result of secondary concussion and is irreparable. You need to be extremely careful at the moment, give yourself lots of rest and don’t even think about getting back on board until you’re totally healed up.

 

[Skib]

Concussion is a brain injury. Your brain will have been bruised and there will be inflammation, making it far more vulnerable to further injury. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is the result of secondary concussion and is irreparable. You need to be extremely careful at the moment, give yourself lots of rest and don’t even think about getting back on board until you’re totally healed up.

This is exactly what my doctor daughter warns. Very very important. One must not hit one's head again.
The hospital told me, not within 6 months.
Non-riders dont understand that one cant resume riding and at the same time guarantee one wont get hit again. So I left it 6 months. A bit more actually but the 6 months was the real margin. And 6 months for me meant I had forgotten and wasnt frightened.

In any case even after knocking one's head in a simple fall, one needs a new hat and one cant try on hats until the external bruising has gone and ones head no longer hurts at all.

 

[Trouper]

Many years ago, after a minor op, I was expected to be back at work within 10 days. Over a month later my brain was still a complete fog from the drugs used. I had little concept of time or space and driving was out of the question. The moral of this story is that the brain just takes time - there is not much else you can do for it to speed the process up - well apart from lots of sleep. You may think you are OK but I can promise you you won't be for a while and trying to rationalise - now - how nervous you might be when you start again is a fruitless past time. Give yourself permission to rest and don't add mental stress to your poor brain at this time. I hope you are soon feeling a little better.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Don't give yourself a hard time worrying constantly about losing confidence. You already HAVE lost some confidence, a few more weeks honestly won't make any difference. Getting back on while you still feel unwell and vulnerable will only exacerbate the problem. Confidence can be rebuilt surprisingly easily with just a bit of kind help (I had 10 years off, thought I could hop straight back on- nope! First time on I started shaking uncontrollably and had to get straight off. But just 3 rides on bombproof trekking horses with a lovely instructor, and I was back to enjoying a good old blast through the stubble field)

 

[Sprat]

Please wait until you are better before getting back on. Confidence is a terrible thing to lose, but you will get it back, you just need to take things very slowly.

I was thrown badly about 8 years ago, knocked out cold in a field miles away from home. Woke up, caught horse, jumped back on and hacked home with my eyes rolling in the back of my head. When I returned to the yard I fainted getting off the horse and was quite seriously poorly for a long time afterwards.

The fall cracked my hat, and impacted my spine badly, I still have to have chiropractor work 8 years down the line. The trauma from the fall triggered fibromyalgia which will affect me for the rest of my life. I carried on riding afterwards and my various therapists & doctors are confident that I have made my various health issues worse because I didn't allow myself to heal properly.

 

[Thesnowbones]

Thank you so much for all the advice, ladies. Confidence is such a fragile thing, isn't it? One of my horses (and the horse that I fell from) is very, very spooky and explosive at times, and she gets worse when she isn't worked regularly, so that is frustrating. The thought of even sitting on a horse again makes me feel sick, and I'm so worried that it's going to get worse. I adore my horses, and cannot stand the thought of losing the confidence to ride completely I do feel less brain fog today, and my headache has become less intense. I have some whopping bruises on my face and head, but I'm just feeling so restless.

 

[southerncomfort]

When I had concussion a few years ago, it was exacerbated by a pony smacking her big bony head in to mine a week later.

Genuinely saw stars, ears were ringing etc. Was actually quite frightening and I was worried I'd done myself serious damage.

Thankfully I was ok but decided to let others take care of the ponies for a couple of weeks so I could properly recover.

Do take it easy and look after yourself. Hope you are feeling better very soon.

 

[Flicker]

Thank you so much for all the advice, ladies. Confidence is such a fragile thing, isn't it? One of my horses (and the horse that I fell from) is very, very spooky and explosive at times, and she gets worse when she isn't worked regularly, so that is frustrating. The thought of even sitting on a horse again makes me feel sick, and I'm so worried that it's going to get worse. I adore my horses, and cannot stand the thought of losing the confidence to ride completely I do feel less brain fog today, and my headache has become less intense. I have some whopping bruises on my face and head, but I'm just feeling so restless.

Concussion also causes low mood, so it’s likely that your outlook is more ‘doom and gloom’ than it would normally be. So likely that issues seem worse and problems harder to solve.

I had a crunching fall off a horse I nicknamed ‘Mr Perfect-Boy’ because he was such a gent. I was out of action for weeks and I was petrified that I would never have the confidence to get back on (and if I wasn’t getting back on him, I wasn’t getting back on anything). But I did. Initially just for a potter in the indoor on a lead rein (seriously). Then with a friend walking and later riding next to me. And so we gradually built it up from there.

When you are ready, just take it super slow and super calm.

In the meantime is there anyone who can help with lunging or riding, OR can you turn the horse away for a period?

 

[Thesnowbones]

I tried to do some work today, and now I feel awful, so I'll definitely be holding off on the riding. I do have a fantastic trainer who can take over, and I have discovered the wonders of arnica too. Thank you for all your advice. It has really helped me realise that I'm not on my own with this. x

 

[Tiddlypom]

No work!! You must rest.

 

[Suechoccy]

Rest, rest, rest.
I had a very bad concussion around 2001, was off horses (and cycling and most other activities too) for about 3 months. Slept a lot, was very quiet, headaches and whiplash (tip: a good osteopath or physic may help with the whiplash), very low levels of concentration, very slow reactions, became quite insular for a while too. No way would I have been safe to have been around a horse during those 3 months. I wouldn't have been able to react quickly and I would have given totally the wrong vibes. Take your time and then you will be able to get back on board safely and comfortably and enjoy riding/horses again. Best wishes.

 

[pansymouse]

The last time I had concussion from a fall, I had to get back on, I was miles from home on my own and couldn't stand up properly let alone walk. I have no idea how I got on or rode back, I had to rely on my horse's homing instinct. I felt spacey for days after. Had to bin a virtually new hat too.

 

[Thesnowbones]

Thank you for the advice, ladies. My headache is finally starting to seem less intense, but I get tired so quickly. It's crazy. I'm usually so sharp and 'with it,' but I just feel exhausted after doing very few things. I was out the house for three hours today, and I felt like I'd spent an entire day out. I came home and slept for four hours, and could have slept longer too.

 

[MereChristmas]

I think you have described concussion perfectly. If you need sleep, sleep.
Take care

 

[little_critter]

Maybe not yet because you probably shouldn’t be spending too much time looking at a screen, but in time maybe research a confidence coach to get you off to the best start possible when you are ready to get back on.
In the meantime rest and allow yourself to heal. I can understand you are frustrated but you are injured...it’s just you can’t see the injury.

 

[Pedantic]

I wouldnt worry confidence wise, when you get back on it will feel fine and the most natural place to be.

 

[Equi]

Don't get on when you don't feel right it will only make things worse!! I had a bit of a tipsy tumble down the stairs a while back and gave myself a decent whack on the head and was very dizzy but as i was so embarrassed i tried to hide it so got on and rode and i felt so sick i had to lie down on my horse and when i dismounted i almost fell to the floor and had to use him as a support for a while. He is a saint so he just rolls his eyes at me but if he had been a sensitive sort or if he had been the reason i had the dizzy in the first place i think that would have made me feel even worse. I needed a good two weeks until the room stopped spinning when i moved my head but i had never blacked out or needed hospital so an even worse one will be much longer. For a few weeks i still got a "im on a boat" movement now and then.

 

[Thesnowbones]

Yeh, I understand. I went to the yard for an hour today, just to drop off some supplements and things, but now I'm exhausted and want to sleep. My headache feels really intense again too. It's so stressful. I just want to feel better...

 

[Tiddlypom]

You need to stay at home and rest, no matter how boring that is. You seem to be going out too much.

You may end up making things a lot worse if you don’t just rest. You have been warned.

 

[Thesnowbones]

You need to stay at home and rest, no matter how boring that is. You seem to be going out too much.

You may end up making things a lot worse if you don’t just rest. You have been warned.

I understand that, but sadly I don't have many people who can run around for me. I am on my own, without a partner, and my brother works very long hours. I am doing the best I can x