What's the worst injury you've had from horses and when were you able to ride again?

[Cinnamontoast]

How did it end up looking CT? I know it gives you big problems with circulation

Massive dent, really untidy behind where they just yanked what they could together. It’s obvious even under clothes. The compression wraps have somewhat flattened it, as has weightloss, but it ain’t pretty, very textured where they put the graft skin through the machine to stretch it to fit. I’d do a pic, but I just put my wraps on and somebody is on my knee. Off to my leg appointment in 30.

 

[Time for Tea]

Massive dent, really untidy behind where they just yanked what they could together. It’s obvious even under clothes. The compression wraps have somewhat flattened it, as has weightloss, but it ain’t pretty, very textured where they put the graft skin through the machine to stretch it to fit. I’d do a pic, but I just put my wraps on and somebody is on my knee. Off to my leg appointment in 30.

I have done nothing that gruesomely impressive, which I am grateful for. It looks like a shark attack. Remarkable what horsey folk cope with, really. I do hope it continues to improve.

 

[spotty_pony2]

I’ve been kicked in the head twice - both times I was back riding probably within four-five days although I probably shouldn’t have been.

I also had an accident where I fell off and my hat came off and I got knocked out… I was riding 5 days after this too.

 

[Surbie]

2019 current horse bucked me off while jumping. Knocked out, blue lighted to hospital. Nasty concussion, memory loss and short term memory issues. Still don't remember that day at all, just coming around in hospital. I was back on 2 months later. I rely a lot on lists...

2021 current horse spooked at a cyclist, I fell under him onto concrete and he trod on my ankle. I've been left with permanent damage to hip and ankle. Got back on too soon. 2 years on and I can manage a maximum of an hour's ride if it's at mostly walk, twenty minutes if there is anything consistently faster than that.

However in 1992 I put my back out by sneezing as I was getting out of the bath and have had consistent back issues since, so horses aren't the only things to break you - bathing is dangerous!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I have done nothing that gruesomely impressive, which I am grateful for. It looks like a shark attack. Remarkable what horsey folk cope with, really. I do hope it continues to improve.

That’s what my brother thought-he owns a dive shop in Oz!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Ct- that’s an impressive one!
What does it look like now if you don’t mind me asking?

Spoiler

The leg is very misshapen where the stitching was pulled hard round the back.

 

[Lamehorses]

Had a minor fall, which resulted in dissecting my carotid artery & a subsequent stroke.
Would have preferred a couple of broken bones
Oh & yes I am still riding, just more sensible horses

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My injuries over the years are not too bad. I've had both feet crushed quite badly, couldn't walk for a while. It's happened a few times. "Why don't you wear steel toe cap boots I hear you say. Well I was on every occasion but somehow the horses know what I'm wearing & they land on the foot with the arch under it. Must say it bloody hurts. My hands are not any good, I've got enlarged knuckles on various fingers that have been dislocated. I cannot hold my fingers out straight because most are permanently bent dur to injuries. Oh yes, dislocation of my shoulder put back in place & looking ok. I'm in my senior years now & I must tell you all that you get over the injuries & the pain mainly goes away but when you get older some of the pain returns. You have to be aware that if you get hurt now you get hurt permanent so really watch what you're doing, OK.

 

[Annagain]

I'm touching every piece of wood I can find now as I've been pretty lucky so far. My worst was almost severing the tendon in my upper arm (2mm more and I'd have had to have surgery) when my old boy and I both fell over, he stood on my arm as he got up. It was 2 days after my last GCSE. I was supposed to not ride for 6 weeks but I was back on after 2 with my arm still in a sling. I had the best part of 3 months off school, there was no way I was wasting it being injured. I'd wait for mum and dad to go to work then walk the 2 miles to the yard. I had a friend who had also just done her exams so she'd tack up for me and help me get on and we'd hack for hours. I wouldn't have done it on any other horse though, I trusted Eb implicitly, even the fall was just a freak accident.

I still have a big lump of scar tissue in my arm (which I love to gross people out with) and can't straighten it fully (the tendon is too short now) 30 years later.

 

[AandK]

Came off my late mare at Windsor sponsored ride in 1999, sustained a wedge fracture of T6 vertebrae. Probably affected my muscles more than anything! No long term issues from it thankfully.

 

[Ddraig_wen]

2014, fractured my skull when next door pulled their mare into our yard in front of the 4yr old stallion and I got kicked in the head

 

[Birker2020]

Had a bad fall in 1996, came off my Grade B who fell at the same time. Ended up being assessed by an off duty policewoman who was another livery.

She took me to A&E in her car and on the way I started acting weird, talking double dutch and then being unresponsive to her questions.

When she got to hospital they assessed me by which time my eyes were rolling into the back of my head, I was combative towards the consultant punching/kicking and telling him to F off.

They thought I'd got a pretty serious head injury so I was blue lit to Smethwick Neuro with a anaesthetist in the back of the ambulance along with the consultant and a doctor. I was repeating a phrase over and over and over on loop. If I day it now, to this day, it takes me back in time, most bizarre. Repetition of words is a classic sign of a brain bleed apparently.

I had a CT scan and was whipped blue light back to the original hospital and was kept in intensive care overnight and an orthopedic ward for a further three or four days because I had completely lost the use of my right arm and hand having bruised the nerve in my shoulder.

This was in the November and was told I couldn't ride until the Spring. I ride once without my parents knowing probably six weeks later.

I was a temp and was off work for about two months. When I returned I could barely function.

Head injuries take a long time to get over and it took me about 8 months before I felt even slightly normal again. I've never been the same again. I get easily tired and I suffered from petit mals/absence seizures although I no longer have these.

 

[Boughtabay]

Dear me reading through these I feel very lucky and don’t want to tempt fate!! But…

The only injuries I’ve had that required time off were a broken elbow and a dislocated shoulder as a child in separate incidents 6-8 weeks and I was back on board

The most memorable ones I got away with though were:
- being flung over a ditch getting stood on when pony followed - nice shoe print on my shoulder but no real damage!
- riding a school horse for BHS training who stumbled and did a partial roly-poly on my face. I had braces at the time and they proper mangled the inside of my mouth & I probably had a concussion in hindsight but I washed the surface out of my mouth checked the teeth were all there and continued with the lesson because I’m an idiot

 

[splashgirl45]

I fell off and had a brain bleed which took some time to heal and I couldn’t drive for 6 months. I am on blood thinners and the hospital and my friends and family said I should not ride again as after a brain bleed with someone using blood thinners there is a greater likehood of a repeat.. it’s been the hardest decision of my life but I feel I can’t put my life at risk because I have 3 dogs to look after. If I had no dogs relying on me I would still be riding..

 

[Sprout]

When I was about 10 (60+ now) I came off and was kicked/trampled. A kidney was sliced with massive internal bleeding, so surgery, blood transfusions etc and several weeks in Intensive care, off school for months and no riding for over a year!

 

[3OldPonies]

Nothing as bad as most of you, just a few concussions, broken ribs, nose and bad back (general wear and tear); but it does make you wonder why on earth humans ever started riding horses

 

[Follysmum]

Worst was a silly trip walking. Lost feeling all over temporarily which was really scary . Could only feel my head.
Various discs problems and a spinal cord injury. Told too risky to ride by 3 surgeons.

 

[AprilBlossom]

Well apparently my centre of gravity is in my arms, because I’ve shattered my elbow (I still blame that on the fence post I whacked into whilst I was still hanging on to the bolter I’d just got on and not done my girth up, so was wall of death-ing the arena sat on sideways), two ops to pin and plate it and almost a year off, but never caused me any issues.

I then also had a rotational fall galloping on the flat at the end of a fantastic hunting day (I no longer remember), after which I found myself face down in the mud and my horse was being led back to me after getting up and continuing a couple more fields with his pals, would have got back on till I saw the state of him… led him halfway home, then gave up and called for a friend to get us in the lorry, quick call to the vets and sorted the horse (who was fine save a small cut), popped to the pub, then drove myself to S&P for a quick xray where I was promptly put on a spinal board and had my clothes cut off in the least sexy encounter of my life.

Spent three hours being wheeled around and bemoaned by all the staff for not taking it seriously, declined all the drugs, and then left with a ‘you have no other injuries, here is a sling’ because I already knew I’d broken my collarbone but if they said it officially my insurance would be invalid to drive - drs did me an absolute solid, after I explained I had an automatic car and as it was my left shoulder I’d be fine to safely drive it, so long as they didn’t formally inform me I had a fracture

The collarbone was by far the most painful injury I’ve ever suffered, and it isn’t even a ‘bad’ one!

 

[marmalade76]

I've done very well really. This is probably the worst, 6 years ago and it's still slightly discoloured and puffy.



The only thing that stopped me getting back on that day was getting knocked out cold having bailed out.

 

[Bob notacob]

Had a bad fall in 1996, came off my Grade B who fell at the same time. Ended up being assessed by an off duty policewoman who was another livery.

She took me to A&E in her car and on the way I started acting weird, talking double dutch and then being unresponsive to her questions.

When she got to hospital they assessed me by which time my eyes were rolling into the back of my head, I was combative towards the consultant punching/kicking and telling him to F off.

They thought I'd got a pretty serious head injury so I was blue lit to Smethwick Neuro with a anaesthetist in the back of the ambulance along with the consultant and a doctor. I was repeating a phrase over and over and over on loop. If I day it now, to this day, it takes me back in time, most bizarre. Repetition of words is a classic sign of a brain bleed apparently.

I had a CT scan and was whipped blue light back to the original hospital and was kept in intensive care overnight and an orthopedic ward for a further three or four days because I had completely lost the use of my right arm and hand having bruised the nerve in my shoulder.

This was in the November and was told I couldn't ride until the Spring. I ride once without my parents knowing probably six weeks later.

I was a temp and was off work for about two months. When I returned I could barely function.

Head injuries take a long time to get over and it took me about 8 months before I felt even slightly normal again. I've never been the same again. I get easily tired and I suffered from petit mals/absence seizures although I no longer have these.

Your post is important for a number of reasons. Inside our heads we cannot see out clearly if the processor (our brain ) has malfunctioned. Back in my youth I had an episode when I felt the deepest depression ,suicidal even. An old |Jockey ,confidant and mentor , asked me a simple question. Had a Bad fall recently ???? Yes I got trampled at the first fence and kicked to feck, went blind for 10 minutes ,does that count? But that was 6 months ago ! He told me in no uncertain terms that what I was feeling was not me and was not real. As you have said ,head injuries take a long time to heal .A lot longer than we ,the kicked about victims realise. Jack's comments were a turning point for me . This is not me and not real. If someone out there is now in the same boat ,take on board what Birker 2022 has said and what "Jack" told me it might just save your life.

 

[colourville 17]

2019 current horse bucked me off while jumping. Knocked out, blue lighted to hospital. Nasty concussion, memory loss and short term memory issues. Still don't remember that day at all, just coming around in hospital. I was back on 2 months later. I rely a lot on lists...

2021 current horse spooked at a cyclist, I fell under him onto concrete and he trod on my ankle. I've been left with permanent damage to hip and ankle. Got back on too soon. 2 years on and I can manage a maximum of an hour's ride if it's at mostly walk, twenty minutes if there is anything consistently faster than that.

However in 1992 I put my back out by sneezing as I was getting out of the bath and have had consistent back issues since, so horses aren't the only things to break you - bathing is dangerous!

I did my back in putting my socks on

 

[Steerpike]

The worst was probably being kicked in the face which obliterated my nose, needed it rebuilt, most painful thing was having the stitches removed, the junior Doctor was going to send me home with some paracetamol until my Mum turned up and told him my nose was on the wrong side of my face and she wanted to see a senior Doctor who in turn said I needed an x-ray and surgery, others have been fractured ribs, broke the knuckle on my little finger before which was stuck out at an odd angle!

 

[Jojo2go]

Damn! Reading your posts about past injuries makes me feel really blessed that my worst injuries were a fractured tailbone that happened when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old and my first pony dropped me on my backside a couple weeks after I got him. Didn't realise that was the extent of that fall until I was in my mid 30s and pregnant and my doctor asked me when I'd done that. Other than a couple of mashed feet the next worse was whiplash off a colt I was trying to start. Some QHs can scoot out from under you quicker than you can blink. . Rode another horse the next day, such a lovely filly. I should have bought her instead of selling her. She was amazing.

 

[Kunoichi73]

Fractured my collar bone in November last year. Got bucked off and landed on the shoulder. It was a bad fracture. It's not healing properly. They think it might be forming cartilage not bone on the gap. There is still the possibility they might want to go in and plate it. If it becomes asymptomatic and I can do all my normal activities then they'll leave it alone. I'm not sure how it will cope with power lifting, armed combat and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

I haven't sat on a live horse since. Only because I don't have my own and didn't want to cause problems for my RS if I came off. I have had a few mechanical horse lessons though. I'm hoping to get back on the real thing in the next couple of weeks - I'm just waiting on a new hat to arrive.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Most painful was getting kicked in the hand and dislocating the metacarpal below my thumb. Rode the next day as I was competing (with a bandage on under the glove), then went to hospital the day after that. That was a 10/10 pain though when it happened, so many nerves in the area.

‘Worst’ was an open fractured radius and ulna, dislocated elbow, XC schooling fall. Back on board at 7 weeks (the day I went back to work and was allowed to drive again) - I reckon I could have ridden my old guy when the pot was off at 2 weeks but the anti-riding police enforced it well… it doesn’t bother me much unless I’ve overdone it or banged the plates; surgeon did a great job.

I also got my incisor broken off getting kicked in the face medicating a coffin joint. Said horse went straight back to standing like a rock (finished medicating the joint whilst my nurse hunted for the tooth!) scary to think what could have been if they’d hit me slightly higher, thankfully it was only a tooth

 

[SamOS]

I have had quite a few injuries...broken wrist, broken fingers, broken toes. My mare tossed me in the yard which left me with staples in my head! In Dec 2023...the same mare broncoed me off and i had 8 fractures in 6 ribs, a bruised lung & ruptured disc in my neck, I spent Christmas in hospital that year. I am currently recovering from a fractured femur after a fall from my young horse when he spooked....hoping this is the last injury

 

[sunnyone]

My absolute horse related accident worst was maybe 25 years ago. Thought I'd go out for a ride one August Bank Holiday weekend on a fairly young mare. Tied her up to the gate as per usual but as I reached down to unclip her once mounted the gate swung open. I went out the back door and broke my pelvis, 3 ribs and cracked at least 1 vertebra. Nobody was around so I lay there intermittently losing consciousness. After about 3 hours somebody arrived at the farm to put the chickens away, thankfully they heard my cries and called an ambulance.
I was in hospital for maybe 24 hours as nothing could be plastered and back at work around 3 weeks later as once seated I was OK. My boss thought I was skiving after about 2 weeks as I normally went off site fairly frequently, until I pointed out that walking much further than the distance to my desk caused me to collapse in a heap.
It was about 15 months before my pelvis was fully healed and riding didn't cause me pain.
Other sports have brought their own injuries.

 

[marmalade76]

I've done very well really. This is probably the worst, 6 years ago and it's still slightly discoloured and puffy.

View attachment 158333

The only thing that stopped me getting back on that day was getting knocked out cold having bailed out.

This is my foot 6 years later, no idea why it hasn't gone back to a normal colour. It's even more obvious when my feet are cold.

 

[Pippity]

Shattered my L1 vertebrae in November 2023. A month of lying immobile in hospital waiting for it to heal, because operating would have been too risky. There were shards so close to my spinal cord that it's a miracle I'm able to walk. I'm still in constant pain, and have barely dared to ride since.

 

[colourville 17]

Read this thread 2 wks ago n the worse I've had is a fractured wrist. Currently lying in hospital with the same wrist fractured again,5 fractured ribs and a punctured lung