Riding again after a nasty accident = your experiences please

Firstly I hope you heal quickly!
I just wanted to share my experience, I had a nasty fall in July (we had a rotational fall where I was exceptianally lucky that she did not land on me), fortunately it didn't result in anything too seriously damaged I just broke my collarbone. Which was painful enough I can tell you, people aren't kidding when they say they hurt :eek:.
Anyway I thought I might be a bit iffy about getting back on, not because I hurt myself but because of the nature of the fall, (I've never had a horse fall with me before and I cannot rule out that it was something I did on the approach to the fence that caused it, not balancing her enough, bad stride etc etc). I picked a quiet day and didn't make a big deal about it and was absolutely fine, no problems or nerves and we are now back jumping :).
The hospital still haven't actually given me the all clear to ride as they don't want me falling on it yet, but then they wouldn't give me a yes or no until my last x-rays 14 weeks post injury, so wasn't going to wait that long, I mean I could trip in the street and fall on it! I was back on my horse at 6 weeks as we had a show we had already qualified for, but then she is as safe as houses and I know her inside out.
It was more like 8 weeks before I rode Topaz again, and nothing had changed and she certainly doesn't live in the past and remember the accident :o.
So try not to worry and over-think it too much, just do what you feel comfortable with and if that means carrying on like it didn't happen then so much the better. Everyone's different and I'm very lucky that I've not been as affected as I thought I'd be, roll on the 31st and that I get the all clear!
x x
 
One of the worst things is that accidents happen so quickly - on that fateful day, I was feeling relaxed and confident and in tune with my (somewhat slow going that day) horse. I've always tried not to think about "what ifs" when I ride. I guess I am just going to take it really slowly and see what happens...
 
:( Hope you make a speedy full recovery. If it helps, my lad and I had a fall in August, he slipped on wet ground doing jumpcross and fell on me, I was luckily knocked unconscious so cant remember it but I got on a week later and went for a quiet hack with a friend, we brought the horses in, groomed tacked up etc together nattering away about everything and anything to take my mind off riding and went round the block (my lads a bit of a muppet sometimes hacking but he was a star) I think the distraction technique helps! :)
 
Hello Waffles, and ouch, I feel your pain. I'm back in rehab after an accident has left me a paraplegic but boy am I itching to get back on board. My consultant has said no as my back is still healing and although a spinal cord injury is a spinal cord injury he wants me to wait. So I did some research and decided to buy myself an I Joy ride, its an exercise machine that i supposed to simultate the gaits of the horse and help to build your upper body strength and improve your balance. I'm having it brought into rehab first so my physio team can test it to see if it will be safe for me to use before I get on it!! I am desperate to ride but know the accident will be at the back of my mind because I remember every second of it. After visiting my local RDA , they said slow and steady, being led round in walk, maybe for months!! You will get there, just take it at your own pace and enjoy it, if you start to get a bit anxious, call it a day, thats my plan, then I know next time I ride I'll push myself that little bit further and eventually fears will be allayed. We riders are a tough ( determined/ stubborn) bunch!!! Good luck.
 
My accident wasn't on a horse but I'm still unsure if and when I'll be able to ride again.
I fell off a mountain bike on 9th august, ended up dissecting an artery in the right side of my neck resulting in no blood going to my brain- resulting in a stroke! I'm only 33 and in hospital with 70+year olds!!
I can't walk unaided and certainly can't Tack up. I have lost all feeling in left arm and only got a bit back in leg. May never ride again?!but I am determined!
I have an an amazing horse at home who is just in a field poor girl, she loves being ridden but she will wait for me.

Riding is what I do, it's part of me and who I am!!
I'm off to a rehab centre next week I'll explain to them that not only do I want to walk unassisted but that I need to be able to ride!!

Where there's a will there's a way!!
I couldn't physically go home and ride as I wouldn't manage to lead my horse and with no left arm certainly coukdn't tack up and there's no way I could get on.. I'm not strong enugh to stay on either. I would just wobble off!!
We'll all get there though and in a years time can all look back and be proud of our achievements!
It's doable but will be hard work both physically and emotionally!!

Good luck every one xx
 
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LC2013 said:
My accident wasn't on a horse but I'm still unsure if and when I'll be able to ride again.
I fell off a mountain bike on 9th august, ended up dissecting an artery in the right side of my neck resulting in no blood going to my brain- resulting in a stroke! I'm only 33 and in hospital with 70+year olds!!
I can't walk unaided and certainly can't Tack up. I have lost all feeling in left arm and only got a bit back in leg. May never ride again?!but I am determined!
I have an an amazing horse at home who is just in a field poor girl, she loves being ridden but she will wait for me.

Riding is what I do, it's part of me and who I am!!
I'm off to a rehab centre next week I'll explain to them that not only do I want to walk unassisted but that I need to be able to ride!!

Where there's a will there's a way!!
I couldn't physically go home and ride as I wouldn't manage to lead my horse and with no left arm certainly coukdn't tack up and there's no way I could get on.. I'm not strong enugh to stay on either. I would just wobble off!!
We'll all get there though and in a years time can all look back and be proud of our achievements!
It's doable but will be hard work both physically and emotionally!!

Good luck every one xx
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No matter what you'll be able to ride again - start out with the RDA to get an idea of how to adapt but you'll be amazed what you can do
 
henmother said:
No life changing event is pathetic Waffles, whether its short term or long term. Pain is pain and you sound like you have been right through the mill and back again. You'll get there, we all will.
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I know we all have our crosses to bear, so to speak, but I am walking now (albeit with a limp for the time being) and am well on the way to recovery and it seems very likely that I will make a full recovery. I hope you can too :)
 
Thank you, henmother. I think it's going to be at least January till I can ride. I teach at home and showed one of the kids' mums my x ray photo (she's a GP) - she said "Oh my goodness, that really is a bad break!" - it's got to be totally healed before I ride - there's no way I'm risking messing it up - I'd rather wait a year than do that! I dream about riding nearly every night, which is probably a good thing as I'm trying not to think too much about it consciously, if you see what I mean...
 
Is an intermediar..... nail the same thing as a tibial nail. If so, I have one too :)

Ramp of the trailer came down on me 5 years ago and crushed my leg. I had to have 8 operations and a heck of a lot of plastic surgery to rebuild it. I have a lot of pain and still take industrial doses of painkillers (under medical supervision of course). Riding is one of the easiest things I do as it is non-weight bearing.

I have been abroad a few times and never set any alarms off.

At the time of my accident I had a young WB who needed a lot of work. I knew that physically I would be unable to do much with him so I made the very difficult decision to sell him. Instead I got a cob who has been my saviour and helped me back into the saddle. Of course I was nervous but lots of rescue remedy helped.

This is the worst time of year coming up for me. The cold has a big impact on my leg and when the pressure changes I get really sore. Thermals and heat holder socks help.
 
also, I think, on the scale of things, I have been lucky - I was lucky there have been no complications and I had no other injuries apart from superficial shredding of my forearms from brambles etc. :)
 
LC2013 said:
Well done waffles that's great news- onwards and upwards. I hope to hear that you are on a horse again soon xx
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It's not going to be till the new year - I lost a bit of bone and have to wait for the femur to ossify together properly - it has started doing it, but I think it will be some months before it's ok. Never mind, I have mucking out to look forward to first
 
Im so very soory to hear about everyone's accidents etc.

The waiting is the hardest part, I had an emergency discectomy 2 years ago now and I had to have my horse turned away unrugged, freshly clipped in November, I was told I was very lucky to have caught the problem when I did. I was not signed off to ride until April. The wait was terrible but I knew that I needed to heal fully first. However I was told once I was allowed to ride that It was the best form of exercise that I could do (as long as I didn't fall) However as we all know there are no guarentees in this sport.

And although I still get the odd bad especially if I have over done it the day before I am soo glad I waited! And I enjoy my riding so much more now not in constant pain!

Good Luck to you all and If you want it bad enough your day will come when you hear those magic words.
 
I'm able to walk unaided now, though am limping. Horses are coming in tonight for the first time for the winter. Back to mucking out tomorrow. Am looking forward to spending time with my boy, even though I can't ride for sometime.
 
Good going Waffles. The mucking out will help you get strong again and I bet its good to be able to get out and about. I'm still lame on my right front although it has improved courtesy of lots of acupuncture, heat and stretching ( when I remember) I've still not hacked out as I've decided that the last thing my shoulder needs is another fall so I'm sticking to lessons until I get it functioning a bit better. I know , no guarantee I won't fall off in a lesson but at least it'll be a softer landing eh. :D ?
 
I was dragged when leading and scalped 7 years ago - I lost a large chunk of my scalp and had to have 7 surgeries to repair the damage. Couldnt ride for 5 months initially - then 3/4 months here or there while I was getting my surgeries - I had tissue expanders in my head for 12 weeks - made me look like a lopsided alien lol

The only piece of advise I can give you is take your time, dont push yourself too far too fast and accept that you cant go straight back to riding the way you did before after a long break. You have nothing to prove to anyone except yourself and all the time in the world to do it right. First time I sat on my boy I think the people around me were freaking out, I was as calm as a cucumber :D
 
thanks everyone. A friend of mine at the yard is worried I'll do too much and is volunteering to help etc which is really kind of her. The only thing that's going to be difficult for the next week, till I get more improvement, is wheeling the barrow to the muck heap - it's a steep hill down there! Also, had a lovely cuddle with my horse - he let me scratch him over the stable door for quite a while (he's not a horse who likes cuddles generally, but maybe he's missed me - I haven't seen him for over two weeks). I'm just going to take it as it comes. I think the emotional thing will heal about the same rate as the physical, so another 3 months before I can ride I think.
 
Make sure you don't struggle on and take help, wheeling barrows, building banks, fluffing beds ,whatever. That is lovely that you had some happy horse time, they so know when everything isn't as it should be. He knows mammy isn't at her best at the moment. 3 months will soon pass, get Christmas out of the way with then tentative new year planning begins :D bring on 2014, i cannot wait to see the back of this horrendous year, sure you and many other contributors to your thread feel the same.
 
Hi I broke my pelvis in 2 places, and cracked my hip, after a horse bolted and bucked with me. Was gutted as I had just got back into riding after losing my horse in a riding accident, kids were both at school so I had abit more time and was something I had done forever! This was 7 years ago and I have been back on at a riding school, I did walk trot and canter but hated every minute of it, I am now a nervous wreck, even being around them which is awful, I was never like this. My daughter has her own pony, she is 11 does pony club, showing etc. I find it so hard watching her ride and worry like hell which is ruining it for me when it should be enjoying it with her. The accident has really mentally scarred me as I now panic about everything and always think the worse. :(
 
minwood said:
Hi I broke my pelvis in 2 places, and cracked my hip, after a horse bolted and bucked with me. Was gutted as I had just got back into riding after losing my horse in a riding accident, kids were both at school so I had abit more time and was something I had done forever! This was 7 years ago and I have been back on at a riding school, I did walk trot and canter but hated every minute of it, I am now a nervous wreck, even being around them which is awful, I was never like this. My daughter has her own pony, she is 11 does pony club, showing etc. I find it so hard watching her ride and worry like hell which is ruining it for me when it should be enjoying it with her. The accident has really mentally scarred me as I now panic about everything and always think the worse. :(
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So sorry, minwood! How dreadful. I've been working through the mental scarring stuff - it's not easy, and I don't know how I will feel when my bone is completely healed, but I have that time to think it all through. I think I have to remember that it was a freak accident on my normally very unspooky horse.
 
I'm sure you will be fine, yes think positively, wish I had! My mum broke her back riding about 10 years ago. When she was able to she got back on, and even rode across Mongolia for leukemia. She always looks on the bright side. :)
 
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