# Dry Creek ride along with a fall! Long boring story!



## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

Saturday we woke up and decided to ride Dry Creek, it is between Calhoun, GA and Lafayette GA. It is a very nice place to ride and only 40 minutes from home.

We parked in the great parking lot and unloaded, saddled up. I use a Cheating rock/log/bank/trailer bumper when I get on... I use to be fatter and needed it because I couldn't get on, now I probably could but I have gotten use to cheatin so I still do!

Anyway, I pulled Maci up to my trailer bumper and she got really, really close to the bumper, I also had tied my big winter coat onto the back of my saddle along with the saddle bags with lunch. All I can figure is my usual uncoordinated klutzy self I over compensated with the very close to the bumper and large coat, when I swung my leg over, my Maci stepped aside and I found myself with my head up near her head and my body holding on to her neck,... I lost the battle with gravity... I ended up on the ground. It was a slow motion fall because I was holding on to her neck. I ended up on my back, laid there a second thinking... "is anything hurt?? no!!" so I got up. Hank (hubby) had caught Maci a bout 10 feet away. He didn't see what happened. When I got up my knee gave a slight twinge but that was all. I got on and away we went. 

About 2 hours into our ride we stopped for a coffee break, we got off the trail and tied up in the woods. When I stepped off my right leg/knee gave way and I basically ended up on the ground again. I hobbled down to the trail by holding onto the trees. I walked up and down the trail trying to walk it off. If my foot was perfectly flat and the knee was perfectly pointing straight it would hold my weight, but any bit of twist on the foot or knee made it totally give way. Hubby helped me up a bank with small trees to hold on to, he then brought my Maci up to me to get on. Maci was an angle standing so good while I crawled on. 

We rode about 2 more hours and found a pretty stream to build a fire and eat our lunch. When it was time to get off, I tied up in the trail instead of off trail. Hank came and stood behind me as I got off to help hold me up. Thank goodness for that!!! I practically crawled to a slight bank beside where he was building a fire to eat. I could NOT put any weight at all on my leg, in fact while I was sitting I tried to move it and I couldn't move it unless I physically grabbed my pants leg and moved it that way. it was swollen above the kneecap, (the kneecap was barely sore). 

While we ate lunch I worried about how in the world I was going to get on, and ride because it was really starting to hurt! Thankfully I had some Advil and took some. After a good lunch of chicken and dumplings in our thermos, sandwich (for Hank) and applesauce. Hank toasted me a marshmallow over the fire.. Yummy! 

Hank packed everything up, put saddle bags on the horses. Helped me hobble to the bank of a creek. I crawled up the bank, it has small trees to hold on to and positioned myself.. he brought Maci over and led her into the creek and I once again crawled on. By this time riding was starting to hurt, but I couldn't tell my worry wart husband how bad it hurt. 

We got back to the trailer about 2 hours later. He helped me down and untacked everyone, loaded them up and drove us home. AT the barn I hobbled around, as long as I took it slow and kept my foot/knee perfectly straight and flat I could go SLOW. but several times I almost fell thankfully I could grab on to something.

That evening I took drugs and was sound asleep by 7:30. The next morning I got up to go to church and could hardly walk, but if I used a cane I could go although very slow and carefully!!! 

After church I did the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for the whole afternoon/evening and today Monday it is MUCH better. I had planned to go to the doctor but now I am not. The swelling has gone down and my knee doesn't give out from under me. The knee is not hurting much at all, what hurts is the muscle running from my knee up my thigh. As long as I walk SLOW and easy I am fine..

I have got to make this leg all better because we are having snow/ice starting this evening thru Thursday. Then it is suppose to warm up and be pretty next Saturday and I just gotta ride!!!!

Just love this crazy North Georgia Weather!!!

Everyone keep your fingers crossed that my knee/leg is ok and just a muscle pull!!

Rhonda


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Wow! Sounds like you really banged yourself up :O Glad to hear you're ultimately ok!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

I learned it helps you to heal up faster by putting on a knee brace so something to think about. I just use one that is bought in the store, nothing fancy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Herosbud (Dec 14, 2013)

Rhonda, You could say that you had quite an eventful day. Back in my younger days I used to be more of a loner and would be out for a week at a time. Not anymore. Age has caught up with me and I have done the knee thing like you have so my wife is always with me now. I just stopped wearing a knee brace after I twisted it in the barn climbing out of a stall for gosh sakes! I am with you on using aids to get on. What else are stumps, logs, and rocks good far. My favorite method is to step my boy Hero's front feet over a log and then getting on the log to mount. He will stand there while I walk down the log if needed. Then after I'm seated I'll give him a nudge and he will step his hind legs over and down the trail we go. I hope that your knee gets better. It takes a lot of the fun out of a ride when there is pain involved.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

first of all, reading all this about having your spouses ride with you makes me green with envy. Mine will not even come out to see the horses.

but anyway, please don't call mounting from a log/bank/trailer "cheating". If you do , it makes me a long time cheater. I like to think of it as being nice to the horse. my excuse and I'm stickin' with it!

Do keep the knee wrapped with an ace bandage and get a brace. wear it as for the shortest time needed (the next week or so?), then start excersizing the muscles. (seated excersizes that are not weight bearing at first) if you still have a lot of pain, go see the Doc.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> first of all, reading all this about having your spouses ride with you makes me green with envy. Mine will not even come out to see the horses.


Me too!


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## Herosbud (Dec 14, 2013)

My wife and are really blessed. We enjoy each others company and we are miserable when we are not together. Folks can't get over that we can live in a horse trailer for six weeks at a time - and this is a dressing room sized trailer that I have converted with a sink and heater, so there is plenty of "togetherness". And then there is the cat and dog too. We enjoy the same movies, music etc. too. It's kinda unreal!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

my husband and I would kill each other in such a small space for 6 months.

you ARE blessed.


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

All it takes is one good health scare and all the important stuff become evident!!!

Several years ago I almost died 3x... health related but not cancer. Anyway, what was a good marriage became a GREAT marriage. Hubby had always ridden but was not really interested at that point in his life. He realized how important getting out into the woods with my horse was to me, it became very important to him to join me!!!! 

His one request... get his OWN gaited horse instead of him riding my QH. I readily agreed!!! we have ridden many miles together.. God does work in wonderful ways!!

Rhonda


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I love your attitude!


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I'm ready for a ride. How are the roads in the Cohutta's?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

Hey Gunslinger, I am ready to ride Cohutta, but with this snow/ice we just had I bet trees are down all over. I am sure the trails are MUSH and ROTTEN. with my knee I am not going to ride this Saturday. It still hurts! In a couple of weeks I will be READY for Cohutta!!!

Rhonda


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Rhonda, I am SO glad you got through that OK!! Hope a little time off will let it heal completely. I need you to show me some trails later in the spring!!

Nancy

Forgot I was going to add: When we went to try the TWH mare, I took her out to the trailer and pulled her up by the fender to get on her the first time. Her PO was amazed I would do that with a horse I did not know. I had to test her...she is DH's horse!!


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Yea, I'd say you're right Rhonda Lynn.....I've got a mess here at the house.....I've been dragging huge pine tree limbs out of the yard and into the pasture where I can burn them.....I'm darn sure glad I've got a small tractor....even though we've had a couple of days above freezing, we still have patches of snow, but the worse thing is the ground is soupy.....I dislike the mud more than the snow...

I suspect the trails in the mountains are suffering from blowdowns as well....and this is a time where I suspect a small chain saw would sure be handy to have on a ride....

Miss Lacy is so....bored....it's been a nasty cold winter, Pam's health has been poor and we haven't rode much sense November....


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> but anyway, please don't call mounting from a log/bank/trailer "cheating". If you do , it makes me a long time cheater. I like to think of it as being nice to the horse. my excuse and I'm stickin' with it!


 The greatest injustice in the riding world is that taller people's stirrups are closer to the ground.


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## palogal (May 30, 2008)

6gun Kid said:


> The greatest injustice in the riding world is that taller people's stirrups are closer to the ground.


Sorry honey, my legs are longer


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## Slave2Ponies (May 25, 2013)

Rhonda Lynn, way to Cowboy Up! I twisted my knee like that and it stayed sore for almost a year, but then got totally better. I hope yours gets well sooner.


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

My knee is MUCH better, I didn't ride the Saturday after the incident. I went to the chiropractor, she adjusted and I felt much better. She also suggested a good therapeutic massage. 
I got one this past Monday, it was heaven!! The knee and my headache were so much better after the massage. I rode this past Saturday for a short 3 hour ride. My knee was slightly sore afterward but I can now walk NORMAL. I am still taking advil for the soreness but I would say I am ALMOST well!!
THANKS for the good thoughts coming my way.

Rhonda


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## Le007 (Jan 7, 2013)

Hi Rhonda, as someone that injured a knee many years ago. (not on a horse but in a car accident) It was a long time before I realized it is cumulative damage. 
Please get the knee checked out anyway by an Ortho. I say this because, even small changes in your knee can make you unaware of 'compensations' you make walking sometime. You can damage tendons, ligaments and soft tissue that may need to be addressed. Leaving them unattended can lead to major problems down the road. 
Many years later, I had a total knee replacement. makes me wonder if I would have needed it, if only I had cared for myself properly along the way. Best wishes to you.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

palogal said:


> Sorry honey, my legs are longer


Yes, darlin' I am quite familiar with your legs. :wink:


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

Le007 said:


> Hi Rhonda, as someone that injured a knee many years ago. (not on a horse but in a car accident) It was a long time before I realized it is cumulative damage.
> Please get the knee checked out anyway by an Ortho. I say this because, even small changes in your knee can make you unaware of 'compensations' you make walking sometime. You can damage tendons, ligaments and soft tissue that may need to be addressed. Leaving them unattended can lead to major problems down the road.
> Many years later, I had a total knee replacement. makes me wonder if I would have needed it, if only I had cared for myself properly along the way. Best wishes to you.


I had a long and storied life as a crash test dummy. Gymnastics, football, baseball, bronc rider, and oh so much more._ How does that song go? If I had known I would have lived this long I'd have taken better care of myself. _I wouldn't trade a minute of it, but the slide into middle age reminds me of every step along the way!


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

6gun. I totally understand about sliding into middle age slightly worse for wear!! I am on the downhill slide into OLD age and have had several close calls with life and limb. I figure if hubby loves me as I am then I am going to keep on enjoying life and don't worry about wear and tear on the old body... as long as the wear and tear doesn't kill me or put me down!!


Rhonda


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