Would you just give up?

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Pebbles

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Help - your opinions needed! I am an older rider who has owned horses and ridden all my life but due to divorce had to stop for 10 years. Recently became in the lucky position to buy again and to cut a long story short had two nasty falls in last 8 months. First from a new horse who exploded whilst mounting and dumped me onto concrete yard, black eye, stitches in arm and on crutches for 6 weeks. Horse returned to dealer as within first week, refund paid no questions asked. This followed by trying a few more and some refresher lessons, hacks at school to keep my hand in whilst looking. Then 3 weeks ago another fall in the school at speed into a fence, broke 3 ribs, punctured lung, knocked out and airlifted to hospital. Slowly recovering now at home again but wondering what next? My family understandably concerned for me, no one likes to see their Mum in a heap on floor or in hospital bed but of course the passion lives on and I still want to live the dream but is fate trying to tell me something? Bored and pensive whilst still looking at horses for sale ads - your thoughts please? Just a run of bad luck or a sign to hang up my boots?
 
Just bad luck - maybe have a few more lessons but take it slowly.

I'm recovering from a broken back and thought the same about giving up but I enjoy it too much :) I'm allowed to ride again in about 6 weeks time so I'm counting down the days! The way I see it, I couldv'e had the same injury from falling down the stairs but it doesn't stop me using them everyday ;)

Fingers crossed for a smooth recovery! :)
 
Run of bad luck! How is your confidence after having soo long off?? Perhaps a few flatwork lessons before starting to jump to regain the best seat possible? Also perhaps do some work without stirrups, on lunge perhaps? I think its best for you to have a few lessons until you have had a string of good rides and feel more confident then start looking again for another horse! I had 4 years off and could not believe how weak my muscles i needed to ride were! Good luck x
 
Sorry to hear about the bad luck. I too am an older rider but I think you need to persevere. Get yourself your horse of a lifetime. It may take a longtime to find but when you do you will know. Good luck and don't give up.
 
Ah thank you all!! Yes agree more lessons to help with seat and confidence. Both horses good active competition types so perhaps something a little less 'active' would help whilst establishing seat again. Confidence not the best hence the lessons and hacks out but was making good progress so I will have to have faith in myself to carry on again I guess. Lauren good luck following your broken back hope you make a safe and happy return to the saddle! As you rightly say accidents happen all the time, I have also had 2 bad car accidents over the years through no fault of my own and had to keep using cars so fair point! Keep you posted - thank you xx
 
No there isn't a parrot in the house but....it's just a run of bad luck.

I can understand why your family are concered however, can't be nice seeing you injured but sometimes you can go years without a fall, other times you get thrown god knows how many times in one month, sometime it hurts, other times you get up with a big grin on your face and laugh it off, part and parcel of having horses.

Don't give up, the pleasure out weights the pain...honest! :D

Good Luck in finding the right horse....and don't break a leg ;)
 
in the end, the choice is yours. Do you want to ride again? Or do you have the feeling that you want to give up?
I decided after my accident that I didnt Want to ride again, so havent. But I do now have a gorgeous welsh sec B that I can play with to my hearts contnet!
 
Benson I remember your story well and am so glad you and Donovan are so happy together now. I think I want to ride again but you are right if I don't it certainly doesn't mean giving up horses - thank you x
 
rossiroo said:
Dont give up, just take some time to find the right horse! I am an oldie to so I know how you feel !
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Thank you hun - think I am now realising that is the answer - liked OPs previous comment find your horse of a lifetime - that will now be my quest - feel much happier and more positive now xx
 
No!!!
You have had terrible, terrible luck :( :( :(
Despite the fact that you are more then capable of handling an active comp type I think it may be best to really under horse yourself untill you have confidence because crikey even a rider with balls of steel would be shaken after being airlifted to hospital!
You need to find yourself something really ploddy to get yourself smiling on board again. Problem is you are a good rider so riding schools, dealers ect put you on something with a bit more life about it because ability and knowledge wise that's what's suitable.
Confidence wise that sort of horse isn't though, not yet anyway. Try and find something to ride that's so under your ability that you feel really safe. Something old (and dare I say it... Hairy!!) that will just plod around, something you have to gee up a bit. I think you should get started again that way :) :).
No shame in it, there's a hairy at my yard and I'm dying to have a go, it looks so safe and fun lol.
 
Thank you for your kind and wise words Firewell, you are right I need to reconsider my wish list and find my dream horse to enjoy some fun riding to rebuild the confidence. Keep your ears open for me and soon as I'm fit again I'll look you up :-) xx
 
Ah S, if our arena was up and running I'd say come and have a some lessons with me to get your confidence back. I've got some friends with fab confidence givers that they wouldn't mind you borrowing at all.

If you're still in the same boat in a couple of months and the arena is finished maybe we'll try and work something out?
 
rossiroo said:
Dont give up, just take some time to find the right horse! I am an oldie to so I know how you feel !
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galaxy23 said:
Ah S, if our arena was up and running I'd say come and have a some lessons with me to get your confidence back. I've got some friends with fab confidence givers that they wouldn't mind you borrowing at all.

If you're still in the same boat in a couple of months and the arena is finished maybe we'll try and work something out?
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What a kind and lovely offer K, YES PLEASE!!!! x
 
While you're searching for that horse of a lifetime, I'd get some reccomendations of local approved riding schools and phone up/pop in to have a chat. You'll find somebody somewhere who listens to you, understands what has happened and will give you the right tuition on the right horses to rebuild your confidence so you can go and confidently test drive the ones you're looking to buy.

The right place might not neccessarily be the biggest or 'best' near you - though it might be - but one where you will get the same instructor, and that instructor knows what they're doing, and has at least learnt golden rule number 1 - that in this kind of confidence related situation the best lesson might well include half an hour talking to work out the way forward, and that value for money isn't neccessarily provided by spending the whole time in canter ;)
 
Whilst hopefully that will be your last experience of a nasty fall, minimise the risk with a body protector?
 
As Benson says if you feel the time is right to give up riding then don't feel you have anything to prove by keeping on riding and not enjoying it. There are plenty of other ways to still be involved with horses without actually getting on them!

I am currently between horses - but due to degenerative discs in my spine and a fractured vertebrae caused by coming off my youngster my family are not overkeen on me getting another. But I don't feel ready to stop yet so am quietly waiting for the right horse to come along. In the mean time I am having great fun doing horse agility with my Grandson's shetland. The rest of the yard think I have lost the plot completely but little pony and I are having great fun!

If you feel you are not ready to give up yet then keep looking and hopefully the right horse for you will come along. Go with your gut instinct and if you don't feel a horse is right for whatever reason then say no and walk away and something better will turn up.

Good luck and hope you make a full and speedy recovery!
 
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Body protector a def now thank you :-) and all your points gratefully received and noted, although I do feel the school I was at fits the bill as it is run by an old, very dear and very conscientious friend who has brought me on a long way again in a short time- it was truly purely an accident which could have happened to anyone!! However the kind offer from Galaxy would be a nice change of scene, a new start with someone I also trust and who I know appreciates what she would be dealing with! (poor her!!) so I think a plan for future recovery. It will be some weeks before i'm fit to ride so all these positive responses are doing the trick for a safe and positive return to what I love - again thanks to all x
 
If you need a BP fitted, take a trip to Hampshire Saddlery in Botley and see Emma (tell her I sent you!) and she'll sort you out (her days off are Thurs and Sun). You could pop in and see Vik while you're in the area (went there today. She's very happy and has nice set up) and if you wanna come and meet the Jaff give me a bell!
 
galaxy23 said:
If you need a BP fitted, take a trip to Hampshire Saddlery in Botley and see Emma (tell her I sent you!) and she'll sort you out (her days off are Thurs and Sun). You could pop in and see Vik while you're in the area (went there today. She's very happy and has nice set up) and if you wanna come and meet the Jaff give me a bell!
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Thanks K, sounds like a day out coming up soon - will be in touch - sounds like fun, get Vik on the case too!!! See you soon x
 
Definitely just a run of bad luck! A few lessons on a kind confidence giver will help no end! Hope all works out for you, there's something so special about being around horses that once hooked it just keeps nagging at you till you give in!!! Good luck! :)
 
No I wouldn't give up but I may change my expectations about what i am going to do.

I had a nasty fall whne jumping a few years ago and injured my shoulder. Took 3 years to get it reasonably sorted. Still gives me a bit of grief at times. I stopped jumping (other than the odd log on a hack) as I decided the risk was too great and I didn't fancy doing it so badly next time that it didn't fix.

I have a cob, bought him when he was 13 and he is not a novice ride, but he is pretty good most of the time. He is also very gentle to handle. Think it's just a good time to re-evaluate what you really want to achieve with your riding.

I now enjoy hacking and pleasure rides, leave the jumping to the kids!
 
I'm an older horsey person and I don't ride anymore because of Arthritis which was probably caused by all the falls I had when I was young with no fear lol, but I still mess around up at our yard and I have 2 little ponies to play with and hope to drive one of them eventually, how about getting a little pony and showing it or driving it?
 
Pebbles said:
Body protector a def now thank you :-) and all your points gratefully received and noted, although I do feel the school I was at fits the bill as it is run by an old, very dear and very conscientious friend who has brought me on a long way again in a short time- it was truly purely an accident which could have happened to anyone!! However the kind offer from Galaxy would be a nice change of scene, a new start with someone I also trust and who I know appreciates what she would be dealing with! (poor her!!) so I think a plan for future recovery. It will be some weeks before i'm fit to ride so all these positive responses are doing the trick for a safe and positive return to what I love - again thanks to all x
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Don't give up!!!

Find a weekend (or evening) when you can drive over to Chessington, and book a ride on Patchwork. Then once you've had your assessment lesson on him, book some hacks. He got me back into the saddle, and is an absolute star (I wanted to buy him but they won't sell :()

Once you've built confidence on him, you can ride Jack :D
 
JenJ said:
Don't give up!!!

Find a weekend (or evening) when you can drive over to Chessington, and book a ride on Patchwork. Then once you've had your assessment lesson on him, book some hacks. He got me back into the saddle, and is an absolute star (I wanted to buy him but they won't sell :()

Once you've built confidence on him, you can ride Jack :D
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OOh thank you Jen what a lovely offer. Everyone has been so positive, you have turned any negative thoughts I had into positive and I WILL NOT BE GIVING UP!!!!
 
you dont need me to tell you what my feelings are on this matter.... giving up isnt how we roll dahhrling ;) Can we go plodder shopping now instead of TB shopping? :D xxx
 
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