Riding with 2 fingers bandaged

[Stenners]

Last weekend I got rope burn (my own fault I should have let go instead of hanging on) and now have middle finger and wedding ring fingers in a nice big dressing! It was pretty nasty and was a little deep.

I have 3 horses to exercise so haven't ridden since I did it but desperate to get back on and get them ridden. Anyone else done this? I just wont be able to hold the reins properly and as soon as something touches where the burn was it hurts! My dressing isn't waterproof and its white so not ideal on a yard!! I'm thinking of cling filming it up.

Any tips from anyone else this has happened too? The nurse told me not to nice in case I make it worse but I have 3 horses sat in the field!

 

[numptynoelle]

No. Get someone else in to ride them if you have to, but taking a look at the pros and cons, I wouldn't do it if it were me. Burns hurt, and need to be looked after, especially if it's been bad enough to warrant medical attention.

Pros:
1. Horses get exercised

Cons:

1. Medical advice was not to ride.
2. You can't hold the reins properly - what if one of them spooks, takes off, something unexpected happens? (I'm guessing that's how you got the burn in the first place?)
3. It hurts when anything touches your burn.
4. Your dressing isn't waterproof.
5. What if you make it worse and can't ride for even longer?

 

[Illusion100]

Once a horse and I had a disagreement over which skinny to jump during an XC combination. As a result when trying to turn one direction (and the horse the other) off a bank I dislocated 2 fingers on my right hand. Then I went and did the SJ a couple of hours later after medical attention, riding with the right rein between my first and middle finger.

Those fingers still aren't right and never will be so my advice is for the sake of the short time it will take for your injury to recover, keep the reins out of your hand!

 

[Annagain]

While numtynoelle is of course 100% right, I rode for two weeks with my arm in a sling when I was a lot younger and sillier so am probably not the best person to comment . I was only 16 and had just finished my GCSEs so had loads of time to fill. That was my excuse, anyway. I'd wait for mum to go to work, walk up to the yard and make sure I was back by the time my older sister was home from her part time job at lunchtime as she would have grassed me up!

A couple of weeks off won't do them any harm, if you have to miss a couple of competitions while they're regaining fitness then so be it, there'll be plenty of others. However, if they're trustworthy (I knew plodding around the lanes with mine would be fine) it's not too painful and you don't do too much, I'd probably be tempted myself. I know you can get those plastic covers for single finger dressings, it might be worth popping to your local pharmacy and asking if they do wider ones for fingers that are bandaged together? Don't tell them why, just say you want to try to keep it clean and dry!

 

[Identityincrisis]

I feel your pain, literally! My horse and I were in discussions last Monday, I pulled on his rope, which I held like a rein, just as he pulled his head up.....Ouch! Further discussions continued, 30 mins later I looked at my finger to see it was at a jaunty angle, turning very black and rapidly swelling!

A&E confirmed it was broken and said to attend the next day to have it strapped, I did and it rapidly escalated to a 3 1/2 hour surgery to repair my mashed up ring finger and 2 nights in hospital!!

I'm now off pony riding for minimum 6 weeks and probably longer as they said if I damage it again they won't be able to repair it and as my boy is only 5 and can have a decent tug on him, I've decided to rough him off for the time being and as much as it pains me, be sensible

 

[Stenners]

Thanks all!

Luckily they aren't bandaged together they are done in singles so they are just more bulky and frustrating than painful!

I'm going back to nurse on Monday so might hold out until then even thought I'm tempted to sit on my mare who I know I can easily ride one handed.

 

[Cortez]

Firstly, your horses won't give a stuff if you don't ride them, so unless you're preparing for some enormous, important competition then they will be just as well left out in the field. But as far as riding goes, you'd be amazed at the things you can do whilst strapped up/in a cast/cobbled together that would make a doctor or nurse's hair curl What the average, city-dwelling office denizen is capable of whilst nursing a minor injury does not compare to what a proper farmer/horsey person can manage with enough detrmination and ingenuity. I've competed with a lower leg cast, spray painted black (including protruding bare toes) to match my boot on the oposite leg; broken finger strapped up with two lollypop sticks, one hand only on the reins; broken sternum (fine to ride with, but VEEERY difficult to get off horse). Anything really serious and I wouldn't ride of course, but I am pretty good at assesing just how much I can do.

 

[turnbuckle]

Worth phoning local burns unit and asking if they have any ideas for snappy dressings? They may come over all H&S or they may be really helpful....

 

[SusieT]

I'd suggest a week off will do the horses no harm and will get the finger on track to healing, so I'd do that

 

[huskydamage]

I would give it some time. I rode with two busted fingers (my horse trod on my hand) not only was it extremely painful when they knocked into the saddle /horse neck but they didn't really heal well. I had little finger and ring finger in a splint so I held reins with pointy finger and thumb. Basically I have a clicky bent finger that hurts in bad weather. Hindsight not riding for a bit probably wouldn't have gone a miss

 

[atropa]

I'm another who feels your pain Fractured fingertip on my right hand from a disagreement with my over enthusiastic horse and a lunge line..

 

[Starzaan]

I would advise against it, but cannot possibly tell you what to do as I have ridden with my leg in plaster, arm in plaster, broken collarbone, all sorts.

I am the worst sort of patient. Tie a bin bag round it and kick on is my motto!