First Proper Horsey Injury, AKA Mrs C Breaks a Rib (Probably)

[MrsCentaur]

I'm calling this a freak accident even though it was probably my fault, and hoping that nobody from my yard frequents this forum because I haven't told anyone yet.

I had my first fall as an adult on Sunday. Silly really - we were out hacking and as we came through a narrow gate it swung back in the wind, somehow catching on my stirrup leather. Pony realised that he was caught and panicked, shooting forward... and I was suddenly writhing breathlessly on the ground, the stirrup leather in question having ripped free from the saddle as I fell and laying about 2m back at the gate. Pony was an absolute star, grazing next to me whilst I recovered, letting me remount (sloppily) from the same terrifying gate and then ambling home with his passenger slumped and one-handed in the saddle (we were MILES from home and riding seemed easier than sorting out the logistics at the time - I'm not going to try to argue that it was a sensible decision).

Fast-forward by two days and the upshot is that he is fine and I am not - the NHS suspects it's probably a broken rib, which explains the crack that I heard/felt when I fell, although apparently they don't x-ray to confirm unless one starts choking up blood?! Additionally I've mostly lost the use of an arm, which I think is related to the rib and the intercostal muscle bruising - the arm itself seems fine, I just can't lift it more than about 30 degrees. It is AMAZING what one uses their ribs for - like sleeping (impossible; I am so tired!) and moving generally - I got stuck in the bath for about three hours last night! I do rather wish that I had worked on developing some core strength before this.

People who have experienced similar injuries, what sort of timeframe am I looking at for basic recovery (comfortable basic movement and sleep) and to ride? Any tricks I might not be aware of that might make this a bit less dull?

If anyone fancies venting their riding horror stories, feel free to do so here.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

The only really bad fall I have had involved getting catapulted out the side door at the end of a gymkhana race when turning because I hadn't got room to pull up in. I landed on the back of my neck and shoulders and was knocked out. Around the same time a jockey in France did the same thing on the run in and was killed
I spent a couple of nights in hospital while they took x-rays and made sure I hadn't broken my neck. Until you have bruising like that you don't realise how much you use your neck muscles to lift yourself up. When you are flat on your back with a neck collar on and no pillow allowed it was agony to attempt to move. Not something I ever want to repeat. I was lucky in that I hadn't done anything terrible although an x-ray a couple of years later did show previous damage to my neck but no idea what exactly.
I do hope your rib heals quickly and you get the use of your arm back soon.

 

[southerncomfort]

Oh heck! Never broken a rib but understand it can be hellishly painful.

Hope it heals quickly and your arm starts doing as its told soon!

 

[MrsCentaur]

@Errin Paddywack that sounds UTTERLY horrendous. I'm so glad that you recovered ok - I hope that it didn't leave too much psychological trauma.

 

[Nicnac]

Ribs are the worst. Sorry but it will be around 4 weeks before you are feeling comfortable. Can you wear a rib support? It does help. Painkillers and not exacerbating the injury - unfortunately laughing and coughing are out.

Oh to be a bouncing child again!

 

[MrsCentaur]

Four WEEKS?! Ugh. I was cantering and jumping two weeks after a major abdominal surgery (caesarean section) - four weeks for a silly dinged rib is miserable. I'm taking my sons to London on Thursday; will invest in a rib support before then as we're planning rather a lot of moving about, thank you for the great suggestion!

 

[BBP]

I want to say it was around 4 weeks to achieve some level of comfort from my ‘maybe’ cracked ribs.

I made the genius decision to try riding my pony, the notorious BBP, in the pitch dark, bareback, without a bridle or neck rope, in the middle of winter. Riding a jet black horse on a pitch dark night is pretty disorienting, then add in his super shiny pelt and tendency to do ridiculous things and predictably I ended up splatted, unable to breathe.

Like you, hospital told me that as long as it doesn’t seem like you have punctured anything, they don’t bother x-raying ribs as it doesn’t change anything treatment wise. So I had a quick ultrasound to make sure I had no internal bleeding (had a lot of lower abdominal pain) and then sent on my way. I was ok as long as I didn’t want to breathe using my right lung ? or cough, or sneeze or laugh. I still managed to enjoy a nice birthday weekend in London afterwards and was back riding pretty quickly as my horse didn’t pull or get strong snd I could neckrein without using my body too much, so was pretty easy in that respect.

 

[Landcruiser]

I've broken ribs several times. Once crushed in a doorway by rapidly exiting horse, twice on my western saddle horn doing "low branches" obstacle in TREC (new body protector solved that issue!) and once crushing a sleeping bag in one of those compacting bags against my chest.... I know. Utterly ridiculous, but I heard and felt it go. Each time it's been 5-6 weeks until it's been comfortable to cough again, and not sore.
Gates are the worst OP. I had a similar accident to yours when the cinch (girth) caught on a gate catch when the gate (on a spring) closed on my horse and sent him sideways into it. It tore the cinch out of the saddle so I had a long walk home balancing the saddle on his back but escaped injury, thankfully.

 

[tda]

Yep minimum 4weeks for a rib, just don't catch a cold in the meantime, sneezing and coughing can floor you!

 

[Dave's Mam]

I actually broke a rib coughing. They are very tedious. I wish you speedy mending.

 

[canteron]

I had similar accident - the force of pulling the stirrup leather off had caused the horse some ‘unseen’ damage.

Maybe best to get a physio or similar to see the horse and iron out any tweaks before riding again ?

 

[Ratface]

I've had broken ribs x3. Very dreary, due to continual pain. All mine have been sailing-related, in Dragons. Think sharp TB's.
I didn't rest, too many animal/human responsibilities. One is painful to this day. I just take aspirin and get on with it.
Please note: I don't recommend this irresponsible attitude to broken ribs. I'm a product of my upbringing in the 1940's. We did things differently then.

 

[SEL]

Got decked in an impressive rodeo display many years ago and winded myself. Convinced myself I was ok and carried on but when breathing hurt I was persuaded to go to A&E. That was 1 broken and some fractured and I'm afraid it was dire for 3 weeks! Plus it was summer and I get hay fever and sneeze a lot. I was very, very grumpy.

Took a kick to the ribs 3 years ago and knew it had cracked but thought I'd better go to A&E because the kick had sent me flying. Dr said not to X ray. Nurse said "she's a horse rider. If she's even bothered to come to hospital then we should X ray". Cracked 2 and another 4 weeks of misery.

They are really uncomfortable and you do need to make sure you are breathing deeply even if it hurts. Painkillers before bed and I'll send very gentle virtual hugs

 

[nagblagger]

The thing with rib injuries unfortunately, the pain gets worse before it gets better so don't worry if it gets more painful after a couple of days its normal! Regular painkillers, simple paracetamol and brufen together (as long as your not allergic) and try taking them 1/2 hr before you go to bed so they 'kick in' while you sleep to help when you move in bed. Support the area when coughing/sneezing helps and I agree with SEl keep deep breathing exercises prevents secondary chest infection due to shallow breathing...

 

[JackFrost]

Not meaning to be too personal, but as well as no coughing or laughing, maybe a helping of prunes every day (IYKWIM).

 

[Iznurgle]

Ribs certainly suck! I used polo bandages to wrap my chest when I broke mine so I could ride, and the support really helped (but the liveries who had to bandage me didn't quite appreciate my genius!). It was a nightmare trying to sleep, but I ended up on my back with every pillow and cushion in the house under me so I was almost sitting upright - side sleeping was out of the question for a few weeks, I couldn't even turn myself over in the night.

Make sure you keep up with the painkillers, and go easy on turning your body from the waist up. I'm still working on regaining my thoracic strength (though I broke 4 which may have had a wider impact), and the soft tissue injuries were really what took the longest. Honestly though, compared to when I landed awkwardly on my hip and pinched a nerve, ribs were easy, at least I could bring myself to the bathroom!

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I had a suspected broken rib from a fall a few years back and it took a long time to heal. I probably got back on sooner than I should of, as all riders do and as I recall it was getting on and off that was the most painful. Seem to remember the whole healing process took a long while to feel comfortable, especially at night. In the end I had some physio which really helped speed things up.

Currently lying in bed writing this as I came off my horse this morning out hacking. We were on the edge of a field where they had been ditch clearing and the ground just completely subsided underneath us. My horse and I ended up sliding into the ditch backwards as he tried to get his balance but fell over. Then as he got up, I was pretty much underneath him and he stood on my leg. We were both soaked and covered in mud and he galloped home. Thankfully he's safe and sound but I'm very sore.
Hope you heal soon

 

[Maryann]

I got kicked in the ribs and ended up in hospital for a week on a drip (before it became clear that my blood pressure is naturally low) and was in a lot of pain when I was discharged. I don't think it all went on for as long as four weeks though but I was in my twenties then.

 

[bonnysmum]

People who have experienced similar injuries, what sort of timeframe am I looking at for basic recovery (comfortable basic movement and sleep) and to ride? Any tricks I might not be aware of that might make this a bit less dull?

Oh dear, sorry to hear this! I hurt myself badly a few weeks ago, not with a riding accident but with a kick from someone else's horse that left me on the floor and not knowing what the hell had happened. I could barely move but I somehow managed to get my daughter and I out of there and drive home (we were alone on the yard). As you say, they don't X-ray so I'll never know if it was a break or soft tissue damage, but I can tell you that it was extremely painful for at least two weeks, and sneezing was excrutiatingly painful for at least three more weeks after that. I would say it was six weeks before I could sleep relatively comfortably on either side, and it's still a little sore now from time to time. :-(

ETA - tips. After a couple of weeks I found that if I curled myself up on the more comfortable side before attempting to move or turn over, it made it a little easier. My OH and I also ended up swapping sides for a while so I didn't need to turn or reach behind me to get my water or my book (cos that really hurt!)

 

[JGC]

I did mine, but I did get an X ray. I think the rib wasn't too bad healing, but I had serious problems with having pain and no strength on that side for months. Eventually got diagnosed with a torn shoulder muscle, which explained it. So I needed physio in the end. Worth bearing in mind.

OH had to come home from work at lunchtime to take me to the loo for the first week as I literally couldn't get out of a chair once I'd sat down. Not even from the pain, but just the torn muscle meant I just didn't have the working mechanics to move myself!

 

[Gloi]

I remember my dad breaking ribs in a fall when I was a kid and he really suffered as he still needed to work. He was tough but even then I could see how much he was hurting.

I managed to crack one when I slipped running a pony out in an in hand class and landing flat on my back. That gave me trouble for ages.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

Well I was not actually riding, but wheeling the wheels bin over yard ready for emptying, was walking towards gate, looking at phone, pulling bin with right arm, when bin hit a kerb, stopped dead, I keept forward motion, fell back, right arm at weird angle, and did my shoulder and ligaments in, now 7 months later, just had xRay to see if unsealed shoulder has now caused arthritis in neck. Who ever thought a wheeled bin could cause so much pain and discomfort

 

[Midlifecrisis]

I’m a bit concerned regarding your arm to be honest and what has been damaged to limit it’s use. Its a horrible shock hitting the deck as we get older…take care of yourself and get well soon.

 

[HorseMaid]

I fell off when I was about 15 into an arena fence. Never xrayed or even taken to hospital (thanks Mum) but had serious pain for about 6 weeks and couldn't raise my left arm at all. More than 20 years on and I still have issues with aching in my shoulder and rib cage, when I'm in bed I have a pillow propping up my ribs otherwise they ache!!

 

[Durhamchance]

I'm currently four weeks into a cracked/broken rib recovery. My loan pony blew a brain cell in a busy warm up arena at a new venue. I've not been able to ride, cant lift anything heavy, pain trying to sleep etc. My lovely dad has been coming to the yard to help me.
I'm taking paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine on prescription to keep me going. I never broke anything as a child, but in the last five years as an adult I've broken three times.

 

[Melody Grey]

Too many broken ribs here to count. Top tip- have a good cough every so often (even though it will hurt like hell). I didn’t do this on one occasion and ended up with a chest infection and then pleurisy- not funny! Breathing shallowly and trying to remain too still for too long means the bottom of our lungs can build up ‘stuff’ (old school doctor told me this- I have no idea what the ‘stuff’ is!)...so cough away!

 

[MrsCentaur]

Thank you all for your replies and your stories - they kept me going!

It's been almost a month and I feel reasonably well-recovered, although I still can't lift my children, lie down on one side or sneeze! Had to be peeled semi-conscious off of the horse the first time I tried to ride again (because it was six days after my injury WHAT WAS I THINKING) but I've been able to ride for the past week or so quite easily if I take painkillers first. Horse has been an angel and it feels great to get back on.

Think I will be hacking in a body protector going forward!

 

[JGC]

Thank you all for your replies and your stories - they kept me going!

It's been almost a month and I feel reasonably well-recovered, although I still can't lift my children, lie down on one side or sneeze! Had to be peeled semi-conscious off of the horse the first time I tried to ride again (because it was six days after my injury WHAT WAS I THINKING) but I've been able to ride for the past week or so quite easily if I take painkillers first. Horse has been an angel and it feels great to get back on.

Think I will be hacking in a body protector going forward!

Glad you're feeling a lot better and riding. As I said, follow up with your doctor if it drags on too long, as if you've torn muscles at the same time you may need physio!

 

[The.Dr]

I got decked on concrete and went flying super man style into a closed stable door, breaking 3 ribs