Gutted......and lots of broken bones

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YummyHorses

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On Saturday I went to my third BS show for 2012 having given the horses winter off. It had been wet in the week and I guess to try and reduce the ground becoming chewed up the show organisers decided to place strips of sand leading to each practice jump.

I warmed up and when ready to jump my trainer put up a x-pole. I cantered to it only to find that the sand was really, really deep and my horse just didn't like it. Turned to come again and felt him back off, so gently put my leg on. However rather than go forward he just leapt in the air like a cat, all four legs at the same time. Unfortunately, I didn't stay with him and fell. Unusual for me, normally quite sticky.

Anyway, I landed on my feet, good I thought, until I saw my foot go underneath my leg and heard the sound of cracking bones. The lady riding past about 15ft away also heard the cracking noise! Understandably I fell to the floor screaming (although I managed to hold onto my horse, good old pony club training).

First aid managed to remove my boot, cut my socks to find my ankle very obviously in the wrong place. It took the ambulance 40 minutes to get to the show ground - a long time to be lying on the floor with no pain relief! Eventually got to hospital where they repositioned the ankle and took x-rays. X-rays confirmed I had broken my leg and completely shattered the ankle. Underwent emergency surgery Saturday evening to put a metal plate in my leg and screws and pins to hold the ankle together. Am in plaster and will be so for many months.

Am really upset, had only just started the season and had many shows planned including Hickstead again. All off and now on hold. My trainer will compete my horse for me which is great but am just gutted that I will be off.

So has anyone done anything similar? Any suggestions? Good exercises? How long were you off for?

I did hear that they stopped using the sand strips after my accident as many people came up and complained about the depth of the sand and how their horses were struggling to travel through it. I think the show organisers were only doing their best but a bit bloody irritating. Heh ho.....at least my horse wasn't hurt!!!
 
Oh my gosh, poor you! How horrific...
Thankfully your horse was ok. Hope you have a speedy recovery, do you know how many weeks/months until you can ride again? Such bad timing, right at the beginning of the season but at last you have already found someone to take your horse out :)
Sending you lots of hugs (and pain relief!!)
 
Crikey, poor you, bet the pain was excruciating :( sorry don't know the rules on sand/surface, but I would maybe write a letter to the organiser's.
 
Ouch thats awful :(

No tips sorry, but I know the curse of the horrid soggy warm up. At one comp (I was only doing the 90cm - start of the season) the warm up was that bad, I warmed up by trotting up and down the lane at the centre, and having a canter on the verge. I didn't jump a fence until I went in! :o

If it makes you feel any better, I haven't jumped in a year since horse being off with PSD - now hoping that he's on the mend. :)
 
Thank you Princess Jess - yep I am also pleased my horse was okay. After I was carted off in the ambulance my trainer schooled him and popped him round the next class. She didn't want him to end on a horrible note. Apparently he was backing off all round the course so was lacking a bit of confidence I guess. She said he got better as the course went on. Bless him. I looked across to him a few times (whilst screaming) and he did look a bit shocked with it all. He is not a nasty horse and certainly would not have done it to get me off - he just didn't like the depth of sand. Didn't know what to do so leaped!

Been told 15 weeks before I start physio so no idea when I will be riding again. Seems a long time. A friend took 6 weeks but not sure how badly her ankle was broken. Surgeon told my husband that part of my ankle bone had actually come completely away and my foot was basically swinging in the breeze!

Thanks for the hugs, need them at the moment.
 
I did almost exactly the same but eventing on a xc course :s

I had 2 metal plates put in and 10 screws and one was removed about 2 1/2 months later so i could weight bear again...

I got told to move my ankle as much as i could in the cast and i pointed my toes as much as i could then pulled them to the ceiling. By the time i had my second operation i got told i didn't need physio as i had more movement back than they expected because of this.

I broke it in june and i think i got back on in october so it was a relatively long break but once i was back on board i progressed really quickly again and was jumping etc relatively fast. The only problems i have now really are when its cold as the metal doesn't appreciate it so all my boots are thermal and insulated now.

If you want to ask anything let me know and i hope the time flies for you!
 
Thanks everyone.....lovely to get your kind comments. Need them all at the moment!!!

Not sure whether to complain to the show organisers or not. They didn't use the sand strips after my accident so they must have recognised that they were too deep. I was also a bit disappointed that no-one from the show actually came over to see if I was okay. Considering the whole show stopped for about an hour I would have thought someone could have come over to offer help, words of support etc.

Anyhow, all over now gotta look forward I guess.
 
YummyHorses said:
Thank you Princess Jess - yep I am also pleased my horse was okay. After I was carted off in the ambulance my trainer schooled him and popped him round the next class. She didn't want him to end on a horrible note. Apparently he was backing off all round the course so was lacking a bit of confidence I guess. She said he got better as the course went on. Bless him. I looked across to him a few times (whilst screaming) and he did look a bit shocked with it all. He is not a nasty horse and certainly would not have done it to get me off - he just didn't like the depth of sand. Didn't know what to do so leaped!

Been told 15 weeks before I start physio so no idea when I will be riding again. Seems a long time. A friend took 6 weeks but not sure how badly her ankle was broken. Surgeon told my husband that part of my ankle bone had actually come completely away and my foot was basically swinging in the breeze!

Thanks for the hugs, need them at the moment.
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I'm not surprised he was upset, the horse I ride always looks guilty if he puts in a cheeky stop and I go flying over his head! It wasn't his fault of course and hopefully it wont have dented his confidence for next time out :)
Hmm...guess it'll be at least 3/4 months then, but it sounds like you broke it pretty badly (understatment I think?!) so no point rushing it. Better to wait a little bit longer than risk damaging it permanently. Let us all know how you get on :)
 
I will keep you all posted. I will be able to report on his performance with my trainer over the summer as I will follow him round. I am also the teams new mascot!!

I am pleased to report that I am on awesome painkillers.....8 Tramadol a day (morphine), Co-Codamol, Diclofenac....am away with the fairies for most of the day.

kt_p - Bless you - sorry to hear you did the same. I haven't been given anything to do other than not place any weight on it. I am back with the consultant on Friday so I might be given things to do then. I have also been told that I will need to have some pins removed in 6 months and also I might need an operation for ligament damage. I have to keep it up to reduce swelling.
 
Poor you - I was with my mum when she did a very similar thing to her ankle (not at all horsey, tripped down a step)...remember it well, and it wasn't even me! Hope you have really good care love and support around you x
 
Boy do I have sympathy for you!! Into my 15th week of recovery and I am walking well with moon boots on(did both my ankles). Your fall sounds identical to mine so I know just how you feel. Recommend lots of friends and put Diagnosis Murder on series link!! Good luck and for me the weeks have flown.
 
Really sorry to hear about your injury. I think though this raises an issue, as in my experience, very few riders are trained how to fall in a manor that better protects them. In my opinion, a rider should never deliberately try and land on their feet - the ground is just too unpredictable and the chances of ankle injury increase exponentially. Much better to dissipate the momentum in a controlled way, though doing this is often counter-intuitive. Therefore, training (and practise) is required. My daughter has had hundreds of lessons from many instructors but not one has done a session on falling as safely as possible.

Get well soon,

FP
 
YummyHorses said:
So has anyone done anything similar? Any suggestions? Good exercises? How long were you off for?
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Oh gosh, poor you! I broke my tib and fib at the end of October whilst running through a dressage test with my instructor - went out of the side door when the pony bucked and like you landed on my feet, instructor said it wasn't even a heavy landing it was the turning motion as I held onto the reins which did for me. To this day I still hear the noise of the bones breaking and the pain was indescribable when my leg (displaced, almost open) was straightened enough to put into a splint :eek:.

I have an IM rod through the tibia and 4 screws and I can predict wet weather better than the met office! I still can't kneel on my knee but I managed to get back in the saddle just short of 4 months after my fall, instructor was amazed and said the norm was around 12 months.

Get as much physio as you can and push yourself to do it, it's also quite shocking how quickly you can loose muscle and I've found my time on crutches and non weight bearing had a huge effect on my hip when I clambered back on board for the first time (but then, I am 50 so starting to seize up is possibly to be expected).

<hugs>, I wouldn't wish such an experience on anybody.
 
Ouch you poor thing! Sounds like a bad break : ( I broke my leg a couple of years ago (also landing on my feet) but thankfully for me not as bad as yours sounds. I was non weight bearing for 7 weeks and it took a while longer to get going again properly. Tips for surviving when u start to feel a bit better mainly involve making sure you have lots if visitors to cheer you up. I found the website mybrokenleg.com quite entertaining/ useful!

Wishing you a very speedy recovery!
 
Just like to say, 'ouch' for you. You must be a seriously brave person. 40 mins for ambulance to arrive is a shocker, but hey ho. Wishing you all the very best speedy healing vibes, and hope horse and trainer can do you proud over the season.
 
Ouch sounds rubbish :( Just as an aside Tramadol is not morphine it is an opioid analgesic but not actual morphine, co-codamol is closer to morphine in chemical structure ;)!
Q
 
Thanks everyone, have taken on your suggestions and thoughts. Very touched by all the responses.

I am confident that my trainer and horse will do well over the summer, guess I will feel just a tad jealous but there you go. I will get over it!

The comment about how to fall - I didn't plan on landing on my feet to be honest. It was the way he leapt and the way I landed. Not sure one could have landed any different. I do think I also twisted on landing - I was not wanting to let go of the reins and kinda turned with the horse.

Oh well, it happens. Gotta brush myself down, get over it and get healing....super quick!!!
 
Fidgety I did the same as you - spiral fracture with IM Nail through tib. Sounds like I was lucky tho as did it in same manner as OP, horse stopped, I didn't, landed on feet.
I probably shouldn't admit it but I got back on after 4 weeks :/ as with the IM nail they don't put you in plaster. I played it safe and only hacked for about 3 months then didn't jump again for a year (until they removed the nail).
Obv OP you have a lot more to contend with with ligament damage etc. I really feel for you, ESP at this time of year. HHO will be your lifeline I'm sure, hope you have a good Sky TV package too! Best of luck.
 
eugh - that sounds horrid! I've been carted off in an ambulance from a SJ show before - not much fun!

Do PC really teach people to hang on to their horses when they fall off though? Some of the worst accidents I've seen have been from people trying to hang on. I'm all for saving myself and unless out on a hack when he might run onto a road, he's free to go and do what he likes if I'm gonna hit the deck!
 
I dont know Star about PC - am sure I was taught to hold on as a kid but that was many, many, many years ago so memory probably not serving me well. I kinda wish I hadnt as I think the turning action partly caused the accident.

The hospital told me Tramadol was morphine....not sure then. It is helping whatever it is!!!

Ha ha plenty of sky channels and hope to be back to work next week so will be kept busy.

Am wondering whether to take up dressage though and stop jumping!!!
 
I done exactly the same, shattered ankle, 3 breaks to tib, 3 breaks to fib, have had 2 surgerys and also landed on my feet whilst jumping! Really, really feel for you I know what you are going through. If you ever want to talk pm me- try to rest as much as poss xxx
 
YummyHorses said:
I dont know Star about PC - am sure I was taught to hold on as a kid but that was many, many, many years ago so memory probably not serving me well. I kinda wish I hadnt as I think the turning action partly caused the accident.

The hospital told me Tramadol was morphine....not sure then. It is helping whatever it is!!!

Ha ha plenty of sky channels and hope to be back to work next week so will be kept busy.

Am wondering whether to take up dressage though and stop jumping!!!
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What put me off hanging on was the story from my horse's old owner that she tried to do the same, got swung under his neck by the momentum and he trod on the back of her neck breaking it - she's lucky to be alive. Me, I just seem to always end up landing on my arse! It's my excuse for keeping it on the padded side :D When I got carted off with the blue lights going it was because horse ran out so last minute he smashed my arm into the jump wing - had to have surgery to put all the bits back in the right place. Fortunately only meant 6wks out of action though. Sounds like yours is a bit worse than that - hope you've got lots of magazines!

They prob told you tramadol was like morphine as most people have heard of morphine. It's in the same family (opiods). What I would watch out for is that opioids slow down gut motility, as will a lack of exercise - tramadol and codeine are both opioids - together they can have some quite interesting effects on your erm toilet habits!
 
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