Riding horses is self destructive behavior

[Denali]

I’m curious about other riders after a conversation at medical today.

How long have you been riding and how many concussions have you suffered?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

E

 

[planete]

I am 76. I have been concussed twice and have broken a couple of ribs and my nose. That is the sum total of the damage from working with and owning horses in 60 years. Not much to worry about, especially if weighed against the enormous enhancement the horses have brought and are still bringing to to my quality of life.

 

[Mrs G]

I’ve been riding about 20 years, 2 diagnosed concussions with some memory loss (including trips to A&E with scans etc that I have absolutely no recollection of)! Multiple other more minor knocks to the head where I’ve been dazed, seen stars and been left with a headache! My husband videoed me after one of the more serious blows - I’d ask “what happened”? He'd explain, and as he finished going through the events I’d ask, “so what happened then?” Over and over again (hence why he recorded it - so he wouldn’t spend all day telling me repeatedly and could just play the video)!

 

[Denali]

So I’ll expand some. I’ve been riding for 30 years and then some. My niche professionally has been the hard to ride. I can stick a horse! My six concussions are the six times I remember blacking out. I’m my defense awareness wasn’t a thing until what? 2010?

It was mind blowing to me to hear today that my riding career was a form of self destruction. I’m finally getting an MRI but I’m frustrated by the opinions leading up to it.


I also got told today anxiety isn’t a thing unless it’s 100% of the time.


Please focus on the riding accidents, but im
really struggling with military people taking me seriously.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Who told you that horse riding is a form of self destruction? Was that tongue in cheek? Like I joke that while I have never done any illegal substances, horses are my form of addiction and cost me as much or more than many a ‘habit’?

I have to say that getting multiple concussions from anything isn’t great, and I’m sorry if those are now affecting you. I’ve had some minor concussions and one more serious concussion from coming off on the road at speed, leaving me with hours of memory loss and an overnight stay in hospital. I seem to have escaped permanent effects.

Are the forces trying to shift responsibility and suggesting that you did this to yourself in your time off duty? Or is riding part of your day job?

I’m sorry that you are going through a rough patch.

 

[Birker2020]

I’m curious about other riders after a conversation at medical today.

How long have you been riding and how many concussions have you suffered?

I agree with you OP. After discovering I have a 22% greater risk of developing dementia due to a TBI I had in my late 20's (off a horse with an overnight stay in ICU) I am keen to look at the possibility of buying a MIPS riding hat to try and mitigate further damage to my brain. I have an air jacket with the idea that if I fall off my head won't follow through with my body as I hit the ground because the inflated neck 'cuff' will stop that from happening. I've not ridden competitively since 2016 and not ridden at all really since Dec 2021 so yet to find if my thinking about the neck cuff realistically has any basis but that's how everyone of my concussions have happened.

When I was in A&E having a CT scan after suffering another concussion the consultant said something about the fact it's considered very bad to suffer three or more concussions - I think at this point I'd had at least three - I used to compete every weekend for 15 plus years, Bailey was a very spooky horse and I'd had a fall around every 2.5 years some of which would result in a loss of consciousness for a few seconds, never any longer.

Apparently it's well documented that three or more concussions can cause long term cognitive problems so I'm really keen to mitigate the risk of further concussions if at all possible.

I've also had a couple medical professionals tell my parents just how serious falling off a horse at speed is, not just to the brain, its the velocity that does the damage. I know of someone who died seconds after a fall so its a very dangerous sport.

Traumatic Brain Injury | Symptoms & Treatments | alz.org

Traumatic brain injury – learn about symptoms, causes and increased risk of developing Alzheimer's or another type of dementia after the head injury.

www.alz.org

 

[little_critter]

It’s the wording that’s bugging me.
Yes, riding is a dangerous sport. But do professionals tell rugby players etc that participating in their chosen sport is ‘self destructive’
Im aware that rules etc are being brought in to make various sports safer, but the focus is on safety, not on chastising the players.

 

[Petalpoos]

Riding for 50 years and no concussions, mostly on my own horses and only in club level competitions. I had quite a few “interesting” falls, but no big injuries. I no longer ride, but not because of any worries about my wellbeing.

I guess I have been lucky.

 

[Peglo]

I’ve owned horses for 20 years (really?) although never ridden competitively, mostly just hacking and had a break from riding when my horses retired but I’ve never had concussion. I’ve been very lucky with the lack of any serious injuries due to horses. Fingers crossed that continues.

 

[ycbm]

I’m curious about other riders after a conversation at medical today.

How long have you been riding and how many concussions have you suffered?

Two fairly serious. One I saw stars but was able to stagger home with the horse to go and get get stitches in my chin where my chin strap had cut it. The other I was out of it for the best part of an hour before I staggered into a friend's house to tell her the horse she had sold me had dropped dead on her hillside.
.

 

[Spotherisk]

Three concussions, one from riding (came off at the gallop, properly knocked out, I don’t remember any lasting effects), one from leading when the horse crashed his head onto the top of my hat, writing it off. I momentarily lost my sight but didn’t black out, was concussed for two months, and one with no horses this September when I fell over my own trouser leg and my head bounced off tarmac, concussed for two weeks.

My mother has Alzheimer’s, I am aware these injuries could be bad news for me.

 

[sunnyone]

Agreed, but at least it's whilst doing something enjoyable.

Also enjoyable is yacht racing, almost everybody comes home from a lengthy sail covered in bruises, and injuries happen in rough seas. Me, I knocked my front crowns out with a winch handle when pulling it out of a socket at racing speed.

Went out for a short electric bike ride and went over a tree root on a tarmacked surface too fast. I was wearing a cycling helmet but still managed to get concussion and broke my skull above the eye socket. Now my OH makes me wear a motor cycle helmet whenever we ride.

I can self destruct just slipping on a wet step going out to the dustbin but where's the fun in that? Carry on.

 

[SEL]

Medical anxiety possibly has a higher threshold than more general anxiety about an issue. I know someone who is medicated for anxiety and without the medication it is all consuming and led her to being suicidal. Are they trying to say the concussions have led to anxiety?

I've had a few mild concussions - most recent earlier this year when I got bucked off and landed on my head. There's enough evidence coming out of rugby & football now that repeated head trauma (football is just heading the ball) can cause long term issues. I'm not going to stop riding because of it but I do now keep my hat up to date.

 

[SEL]

Medical anxiety possibly has a higher threshold than more general anxiety about an issue. I know someone who is medicated for anxiety and without the medication it is all consuming and led her to being suicidal. Are they trying to say the concussions have led to anxiety?

I've had a few mild concussions - most recent earlier this year when I got bucked off and landed on my head. There's enough evidence coming out of rugby & football now that repeated head trauma (football is just heading the ball) can cause long term issues. I'm not going to stop riding because of it but I do now keep my hat up to date.

 

[equinerebel]

I also got told today anxiety isn’t a thing unless it’s 100% of the time.

Well, that's not true, so if it came from the same person I wouldn't put too much stock in whatever they said.

Repetitive concussions and other mild TBI's can become a long term health problem, and a lot more research is needed into that. I'm not sure it's accurate to say by default that riding a horse is always self destructive behaviour. I've only ever had the one concussion, and I know plenty of people who have also had concussions but have never ridden a horse

 

[Birker2020]

Three concussions, one from riding (came off at the gallop, properly knocked out, I don’t remember any lasting effects), one from leading when the horse crashed his head onto the top of my hat, writing it off. I momentarily lost my sight but didn’t black out, was concussed for two months, and one with no horses this September when I fell over my own trouser leg and my head bounced off tarmac, concussed for two weeks.

My mother has Alzheimer’s, I am aware these injuries could be bad news for me.

I'm sorry. My mum has dementia although not blood related. It's hard not to dwell on it isn't it?

 

[southerncomfort]

Two concussions. One when a shelf fell on my head and knocked me out, the other one falling off a youngster.

The riding incident was classed as a mild concussion and I wasn't knocked out. I've been riding 40 plus years so not bad going really.

Never broken a bone either (that I know about....I'm not one for hospitals if it can be avoided)

 

[DabDab]

From riding horses I have had neither concussions nor broken bones to date.

From handling horses I have had some broken fingers and on one occassion a broken toe.

From yard work I have 3 slipped discs in my spine and probably slightly more worn out joints than the average.

I've been riding almost 30 years, owned horses for 20 years, have worked on numerous yards and ridden a lot of young and/or difficult horses. I started as a Saturday girl in riding schools aged 8 and was the unofficial crash test dummy for new ponies, which taught me a)the knack of staying on, and b)the knack of avoiding triggering explosive behaviour in a lot of cases.

 

[cauda equina]

Well, that's not true, so if it came from the same person I wouldn't put too much stock in whatever they said.

Repetitive concussions and other mild TBI's can become a long term health problem, and a lot more research is needed into that. I'm not sure it's accurate to say by default that riding a horse is always self destructive behaviour. I've only ever had the one concussion, and I know plenty of people who have also had concussions but have never ridden a horse

Exactly
I've had several goes of concussion from falling off horses (and once, a donkey) but two of my worst episodes weren't due to horses at all
Once was being hit by a car, the other was a piggy back that went wrong

 

[Ruftys mum]

I’m curious about other riders after a conversation at medical today.

How long have you been riding and how many concussions have you suffered?

I have been riding for 65 years and have had concussion once, broken ribs twice, broken big toe, dislocated shoulder and a broken wrist

 

[scats]

One pretty bad one where i hit my head on the horses neck and then the floor. My vision went sort of sepia toned and my eyeballs were moving like I had nystagmus. It lasted only a few minutes then I got the headache from hell that lasted 3 months. It took 6 months for my vision to fully return to normal, I found there would be a delay when I moved my line of vision- a bit like a freeze frame.

I probably shouldn’t have driven the wagon home that day with the horse in it, but I was on my own and didn’t think much of it, just that I wanted to get home to some painkillers!
I remember putting the window down, and drinking orange juice and a chocolate biscuit and just concentrating on the road infront of me. I only had 2 junctions to go on the motorway but thinking back, it was a daft move.

 

[Goldie's mum]

Continuing to do something that could harm you doesn't necessarily = self-destructive behaviour!

Ask the consultant whether he drives a car, despite first hand knowledge of RTA injuries.

I've been riding 60 years next year. I've had many injuries over a long and interesting life but touch wood none from riding yet. Life causes wear and tear. Attaching guilt to that is unprofessional in a medic.

 

[maya2008]

Worst concussion was a car accident. Lasted for weeks. Is driving a car self destructive behaviour??

 

[Winters100]

Only one concussion, but it was serious, and the effects lasted for over 6 months, during which time I felt dizzy every time I sat down or stood up.

I think a lot of medical professionals are somewhat bemused by riders. One doctor told me recently that he just could not understand the "crazy horse ladies", because even when they come with quite serious injuries, the first question is always "when can I ride again". I could only tell him that truthfully that this would also be my question!

 

[humblepie]

Two that I know of that needed hospital visits. First one I drove myself home (doh) and second one I kept working for a week before going to the doctor who immediately sent me to hospital. I was rather stupid there I must admit. There is a huge amount of work going on with concussion in sport in general and in horse riding at present with a major symposium on it through British Eventing and the Injured Jockeys Fund last month at Cheltenham. I hurt my back years ago in a fall and I can remember the saying to the doctor (GP a few days later) that he must get fed up with horse riders and him saying there was a lot of far worse things they regularly see patients for, so drinking, smoking, etc. At least horse people are getting exercise and fresh air.

 

[Goldie's mum]

Two that I know of that needed hospital visits. First one I drove myself home (doh) and second one I kept working for a week before going to the doctor who immediately sent me to hospital. I was rather stupid there I must admit. There is a huge amount of work going on with concussion in sport in general and in horse riding at present with a major symposium on it through British Eventing and the Injured Jockeys Fund last month at Cheltenham. I hurt my back years ago in a fall and I can remember the saying to the doctor (GP a few days later) that he must get fed up with horse riders and him saying there was a lot of far worse things they regularly see patients for, so drinking, smoking, etc. At least horse people are getting exercise and fresh air.

Exactly!
I'm not saying you should be cavalier about the risks, but where we're starting from is the undisputed, well documented HUGE risks attached to spending your leisure hours sat on the sofa getting obese.

 

[Lamehorses]

Not all medical professionals are anti horse riding. After a stroke, caused by falling off a horse, my physio told me to start riding as soon as I felt ready as it would be good for my balance & co-ordination.
My consultant agreed at my 6 month check up I could start riding & never once suggested I should give up.

 

[maya2008]

. One doctor told me recently that he just could not understand the "crazy horse ladies", because even when they come with quite serious injuries, the first question is always "when can I ride again". I could only tell him that truthfully that this would also be my question!

My son, in the ambulance on the way to the hospital (accident on a friend’s pony not one of ours), cried not because he was hurt, but because he wouldn’t be able to ride his own pony the next day and would she still love him and when could he jump again?!

 

[Birker2020]

You have to understand that consultants see horse related accidents all the time, depending on hospital locations, on a weekend most triage is made up of horse riding and rugby. They see it all the time, the George Elliot Hospital being around the corner from Weston Lawns got their fare share!

They probably think we are mad sitting on such unpredictable animals where the force of landing equates to a car crash!

I don't really blame them!