Riding whilst on blood thinners, a cautionary tale

[Annagain]

I'm so glad you're here to tell the tale, Oldie and I'm sorry it took a fright like this to help you make the decision. There's a lovely lady at our yard who is in her 80s. She, her daughter and her granddaughter all share their 2 horses. She recently stopped riding as she was really struggling to get on and off due to her hips tightening up and causing pain while she was riding and for days afterwards. For a few years we had noticed her reactions getting slower which caused a few issues. She took a tumble on a ride with me once when her horse spooked slightly at a dog - not that big a spook and once she'd have sat easily a year or so before. She was fine, luckily and made me promise not to tell her daughter. I did on the condition she only rode the older, quieter horse from then on - ironically the one she came off but the younger one was a much more challenging ride with a mean buck when he wanted to use it.

We were all very relieved when she said she was stopping, not just her family. We all felt responsible for her if we rode out wth her but equally wanted her to have company when she rode.

She always said we would have to shoot her if she couldn't get on a horse any more but she has adapted remarkably well to just being on the ground. She found she wasn't enjoying it as she was in so much pain when she rode so the decision was an easy one for her, as I suspect it has been for you.

 

[EventingMum]

So sorry to hear this but glad you are ok. One thing about getting older is I think, certainly for me, you stop being quite so gung-ho about things. In my younger days I rode lots of horses, some of whom weren't the best behaved, I team chased and show jumped to a high level and wouldn't listen if I'd been told to step back despite a few nasty injuries. As I've got older I have realised the effects any injuries would have on my family and due to ill health which would affect any falls, I've stopped riding. You've made a brave decision and I hope you can still enjoy some non ridden horsey interaction.

 

[Ratface]

In August 2022, after a diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalitis, I carried on riding my sharp, opinionated Arabian. I reduced the long fast rural hacks and pottered around on the local tracks. By 2023 I decided to just stay in the school. At the end of 2023 I decided to stop riding. I'd done75 years of it, had had some crashing falls and broken various bones, but never thought of giving up. The thing that ended it was getting up on the mounting block (Arabian is 16hh) putting my foot in the stirrup, getting into the saddle and feeling very dizzy and unsafe. Horse took a step forward and I fell straight off. That did it. Horse is now retired (rising 29) and lives a life of luxury and ease at the yard he's been at for very many years. I see him two or three times a week, groom him, do carrot stretches and generally make a big fuss of him.
Last horse. Best horse.

 

[Gloi]

Hope you continue to make a good recovery Oldie.
I've been on clopidogrel and aspirin since a couple of mini strokes about 3 years ago. I do bruise quite spectacularly, especially when pony managed to fall on my leg, and , ahem, when I got stuck in the coffee table when I sat on it and the top came loose .
I am a bit more wary riding than I used to be and pony is normally quite sensible despite getting wound up by shooters the other day. I'd be lost without him so I basically think if I die, I die.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I am so sorry you have had such an horrendous time @oldie48. Deciding to give up riding is a very personal decision, especially for us older riders who have been at it for many years but for what its worth I think you really have made the right call.

After my (on the ground) accident 3 years ago I had fully intended that once both my hips were replaced I would most definitely be riding again. Unfortunately it has not worked out that way and I now accept I will never ride again even if I wanted to. My health is very precarious with other issues now, so unfortunately I can't even walk down to them and perhaps groom one of them to keep me amused. I clutch at straws that it may improve although I have been clearly told things won't get better, more likely to get worse. And like you on blood thinners the risk would be too great anyway. Your injuries sound awful, I am so glad you pulled through and are now well on the road to full recovery.

The no interaction with them has hurt me far more than the no riding. I hope you are still able to maintain some sort of horsey lifestyle, even if it is from the ground. Stay well and stay safe!

 

[Orangehorse]

I am glad you have made a full recovery, but it is a good cautionary tale about the blood thinners.

I am not quite ready to retire, but I am seriously thinking about getting a body protector (maybe someone who needs a new one for competition will sell me an older style one), which I have never even thought about before, even though the last fall I had about 6 years ago resulted in a broken rib and it could have been back if I had landed differently.

I am currently riding a friend's horse who is very good, but he is quite tall and will spook and shy at things sometimes, also I find I am not quite so nimble getting on and off as I was.

I can see a time when age will catch up with me.

 

[ycbm]

I'm pleased to hear you are still with us Oldie, but sorry about the fall and how serious it was. I banned the OH from climbing ladders without a helmet on when he went onto warfarin, and no climbing on roofs!

I'm not missing riding myself and I'm particularly not missing the part where your brain says "what happens if I hit the floor at my age? ".
.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I am glad you have made a full recovery, but it is a good cautionary tale about the blood thinners.

I am not quite ready to retire, but I am seriously thinking about getting a body protector (maybe someone who needs a new one for competition will sell me an older style one), which I have never even thought about before, even though the last fall I had about 6 years ago resulted in a broken rib and it could have been back if I had landed differently.

I am currently riding a friend's horse who is very good, but he is quite tall and will spook and shy at things sometimes, also I find I am not quite so nimble getting on and off as I was.

I can see a time when age will catch up with me.

If you have the means, you can find the air jacket type ones on ebay or facebook marketplace for £200 give or take a few quid - even less if you could fit into a large childs size one. A lot of money I know, but my god do they make a difference when you come off! I was sceptical until the first time I came off in one, waited for the pain to kick in as it usually would, and it just didn't.. And they're not huge/bulky/restrictive to wear. You can also buy one on a payment plan from the original manufacturer I believe.

 

[tristars]

so sorry its time to hang up the boots, but glad you are on the road to recovery, thank god

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’d go air jacket over a body protector for when riding your own horse. Or possibly both - though for me it’s either/or.

For various reasons (not least the time element in setting them up) air jackets are often not allowed when trail riding or at a riding school, so then it’s a body protector.

 

[j1ffy]

I'm so sorry to read about your injuries @oldie48 and the subsequent tough (but I'm sure the right) decision to stop riding. It was a pleasure meeting you at AMD, you're a lovely rider and have been through a lot with the horses in recent years! I'm sure they'll feel very lucky to still have you on the ground, as will your family.

 

[Fjord]

Wow, how scary, I hope you continue to recover well. I'm not surprised you made the decision to hang up your boots, a sad choice but probably the sensible one. Gentle hugs.

 

[Esyllt]

Wishing you speedy healing. Even though it's a decision for the best, it doesn't mean it's not a sad one. I'm only mid 30's and have had to make the same choice for different reasons, and I am struggling with it. Glad you're still alive to tell the tale. Take care of yourself

 

[Winters100]

Very sorry to hear this, and wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[eahotson]

I am so sorry you have had such an horrendous time @oldie48. Deciding to give up riding is a very personal decision, especially for us older riders who have been at it for many years but for what its worth I think you really have made the right call.

After my (on the ground) accident 3 years ago I had fully intended that once both my hips were replaced I would most definitely be riding again. Unfortunately it has not worked out that way and I now accept I will never ride again even if I wanted to. My health is very precarious with other issues now, so unfortunately I can't even walk down to them and perhaps groom one of them to keep me amused. I clutch at straws that it may improve although I have been clearly told things won't get better, more likely to get worse. And like you on blood thinners the risk would be too great anyway. Your injuries sound awful, I am so glad you pulled through and are now well on the road to full recovery.

The no interaction with them has hurt me far more than the no riding. I hope you are still able to maintain some sort of horsey lifestyle, even if it is from the ground. Stay well and stay safe!

I am so sorry to hear all of that.

 

[oldie48]

|No I wasn't wearing a body protector. Stupidly really as I have an air jacket but tbh I stopped wearing it because I felt so safe on this horse. It's for sale if anyone is interested, it's the gilet type and is actually very smart but I think I just felt so confident on Mr D. thank you for all your good wishes. I'm lucky that I have lots of friends who train and compete their horses and I know I'd be welcome company. I will get my horsey fix and I am lucky to live near to Hartpury so can go to some decent comps as a spectator, I might do some fence judging in the season. With hindsight, I should have always worn my air jacket but it's easy to be wise after the event!

 

[LeneHorse]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Oldie48 and kind thoughts to everyone else who has had to give up riding due to injuries or medical conditions. I'm not there yet but can see it coming. Getting older is a b*tch!

 

[Asha]

so sorry to to hear about your accident oldie, and wish you a speedy recovery. I hope you find a way to get your horsey fix without the need for riding. Take care

 

[Ditchjumper2]

I am sorry to hear of your accident and wish you a speedy recovery. I too am on blood thinners. I just carried on with my hunting. Then I lost my husband but carried on. I had a fall out hunting and landed on my head. Hacked back to the lorries and fortunately wasn't driving that day. Adrenaline got me through seeing to my boy but I ended up in A&E with them being conerned about a bleed to my brain. Within months I was back again having been trampled on by both horses whilst trying to bring them in. This time a trip to hospital in an ambulance with suspected bleed plus suspected broken pelvis. Trying to get home when on own, the realisation that had I been seriously injured I had no one to look after dogs and horses and the reminder issued that I need to be careful due to bloodthinners made me make hard decisions. One horse went on loan to local college the other I kept and hacked. At 23 his life was hunting and he became an unhappy hacker so was PTS. I miss it desperately but having got away with it twice I feared next time I'd be less lucky. I now do more dog agility and do enjoy more time and more money. Had I not been on own I may well have carried on, but I think I made the right choice although not any easy one.

 

[scats]

Sorry to hear of your fall, take care of yourself x

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sorry to hear about your accident and horrible injuries, OP. I'm glad you are making good recovery, sending best wishes that continues. I think you might have just helped me to make my final decision, having not ridden since before Covid and then being prescribed blood thinners after breaking my leg badly.

 

[Fire sign]

Following a completely uncharacteristic series of bucks from Mr D, I've have had a fall resulting in several broken ribs, pneumothorax and the most enormous haematoma down my left side. Ambulanced in to local hospital, 4 days in HDU followed by 9 days on a ward. Thankfully I am home now and very grateful to be alive. I knew being on blood thinners meant I should avoid falls but tbh I didn't realise how potentially dangerous it was which is why I am sharing my experience. I lost over 3 pints of blood very quickly into this massive haematoma and my blood pressure went through the floor despite being pumped with various fluids. I feel rather lucky still to be here as I was very poorly. I'm OK now but it's been quite a rocky road to recovery and I benefitted from being relatively fit for a 75 year old. I'm hanging up my riding boots, not because I'm afraid to get back on but because if I had hit my head or the ambulance had been delayed the outcome would have probably been dire. We all make decisions about the risks we take but I know there are older riders on here who might be on blood thinners or who might need them in the future so I wanted to share my experience. Interestingly, when I told my family I'd decided to stop riding they heaved a collective sigh of relief but said they would never have asked me to stop, that they knew it had to be my decision. They have all been wonderful and friends have been too, certainly makes me appreciate what I have in life. From now on I shall continue to enjoy everything "horsey" but from the floor.

Oh no, am so so sorry to hear this ! What a horrible shock …. Will email you xx

 

[humblepie]

Wishing you a speedy recovery and look forward to your posts about spectating, fence judging etc. always lol forward to your posts.

 

[Flame_]

Glad you're on the road to recovery now oldie. Sensible decision with the riding if a fall is so dangerous for you, if you don't get on you can't fall off. Wishing you every happiness doing loads of other stuff.

 

[TGM]

I'm sorry you have had to make this hard decision, but thank you for highlighting this issue to alert other riders of the risks. Your quote "if I had hit my head or the ambulance had been delayed the outcome would have probably been dire" is very pertinent. My mother-in-law (who was in her 80s and had other health problems) tripped and fell on a shopping trip sustaining a head injury. The bleed was much worse because she was on blood thinners and unfortunately despite the best efforts of everyone involved she couldn't recover from it and passed away a week after the accident.

Obviously I'm not suggesting people on blood thinners avoid going shopping, but it is important for people on similar medications to be very aware of the risks and decide for themselves what activities are worth the risks and which are not.

 

[tda]

Sorry to hear of your fall, but glad you're getting better. None of us want the decision to step back/give up altogether pushed on us but your heath is still important.

 

[Nicnac]

So sorry @oldie48 but glad you're ok. It's just not older people who are on thinners. I've been on them for a number of years following pulmonary emboli. It hasn't stopped me riding (or falling off) or skiing etc. I think we need to risk assess personal to our own situation. There is finally now an antidote to Apixaban which has given me some peace of mind.

 

[oldie48]

So sorry @oldie48 but glad you're ok. It's just not older people who are on thinners. I've been on them for a number of years following pulmonary emboli. It hasn't stopped me riding (or falling off) or skiing etc. I think we need to risk assess personal to our own situation. There is finally now an antidote to Apixaban which has given me some peace of mind.

I was given that Nicnac but I still lost over 3 pints of blood.

 

[teapot]

So sorry to hear this @oldie48 - hope recovery goes smoothly

 

[Borderreiver]

So glad you came through okay. What a fright.
I gave up riding when I decided I would no longer bounce if I fell off and let’s face it if you ride horses you fall off them sometimes! I took up carriage driving though and just love it. I’m sure it can have its moments but thankfully all has been okay so far. I love ponies and it means you can enjoy a smaller equine. Get well soon.