# Worst Injury Ridden Through?



## Corazon Lock (Dec 26, 2011)

Well, this isn't nearly as significant, but I broke my fingers last summer while riding an uncooperative horse...we were in a ditch, and he suddenly lurched up the ditch side. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but I think I thrust my hands into his neck so hard that I broke my fingers.

Anyway, it hurt like a son of a gun, but I didn't cry, kept riding, and watched my fingers swell. I worked a week and a half probably without going to the doctor. Went to the doctor, found out I broke not only my middle finger but my ring finger. A bone doctor said I shouldn't ride or lift. 

I rode of course, with my left hand (of course I broke the fingers in my writing hand lol), and lifted with the wrist, which has resulted in some tendinitis. Broken fingers don't stop me. 

My middle finger is now forever crooked.


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## clumsychelsea (Jul 9, 2014)

Had a bad skiing accident when I was 13 which caused severe permanent nerve damage and also damaged the cartilage. (Which I never had fixed and am now paying for harshly... So always get your injuries checked out and fixed, lol!) I was in an unbearable amount of pain and anything that so much as brushed over the skin made me want to cry. But... I was only riding once a week at that point in time and heck if I was going to miss my lesson. My instructor probably should have sent me home but instead we just worked on stuff without stirrups on the most dead broke horse she had. Mounting/dismounting wasn't fun. 

I haven't really learned my lesson! I rubbed all the skin off the side of my calf this summer by riding for several hours in an ill fitting boot and then went riding again the next day. I've got a nasty scar there now.


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## ToManyHorsesAndOnePony (Oct 16, 2013)

I hade to mount, and right home with a bleeding spleen and two compressed bulging disks in my lower back. I forget what the medical term was for the spleen injury, it stastarted out not quite ruptured but it had pooled blood, clotted and was severely bruised and they kept me in the hospital a week from worry the bleeds would start up if I moved wrong or fell. I've barrel raced with my foot broken a whole summer. The had it in one of those black plastic heavy huge boot things. One corner of the toe could fit in the stirrup at a time. I only rode boo in that though. I even did trails and jumping though. And way back I tore all the tendons from the bones around my ankle and tore the actual big tendon in the back. I was riding a week after, again on boo only. I have to say that injury was worse than any broken bone. Could be off crutches for about 6 months and it was a year before I could take the brace off and walk. It still gives me issues.


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## bkylem (Sep 21, 2013)

Well my injury doesn't compare to most here, but I'll say that the amount of pain that a simple fall caused me was almost unbearable. During a lesson my horse got spooked and did did a quick right which tossed me off. I've had worst falls so I didn't really think anything of it until about an hour later when the pain set in. Quick story......I broke my tail bone. I never knew that little bone could cause so much discomfort. Hard to walk and sleep. Went to my lesson and the posting and cantering nearly killed me at first, but i finally worked through it .the next few weeks weren't good ones though I never missed my riding. I should have gone to a doctor, but read that there is not much to do other than give you pain pills and grin. A tailbone ? Who would have thought it.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

Well I technically didn't know I was injured? Does it count? lol 

I took a nasty fall off of my gelding and apparently cracked about ten vertebra, collapsed about 60% of my spine and broke my collar bone. At the time I got up, walked over to my horse, got back on and continued working with him and the other six I had to work. I only went and got checked out about three years later as I noticed I had lumps on my back. 

Other than that I've ridden when I had a broken knee, broken toes and fingers, and most recently a cracked hip. I have an extreme pain tolerance though so to me all of these injuries were just bruises (or so I thought haha).


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

I broke my leg 2-3yrs ago, when a 2yo I was riding zigged and I zagged. I didn't think about it much, other than that it hurt (non weight bearing bone in lower leg). Once I fought the horse I climbed back up and continued to finish our work out. I managed to work, and ride for another week, before I stepped off another horse in our sand round pen, and the bone broke through. I would say thats the worst thing I have ever ridden through. Probably the second worst thing is 3 broke ribs.

Jim


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Having a hysterectomy and going back to riding...AT a walk....5 weeks later...doctor almost came off his chair when I went in for my 6 week check up and told him I was , at a walk, bareback and in the field. Asked me if I was aware that I had stitches inside as well and the consequences should I come off my gelding or fall. *sigh* so I stayed grounded for a few more weeks...


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

About 20 years age, I sprained my ankle but I had a two day horse show beginning the next day. I iced it and wrapped it that night. It still hurt like crazy in the morning but I forced my boot on, it was not too, too bad. End of that first day, as I was forcing the boot off (too expensive to cut them, but I was close), some girls walked by me, commenting how my bruised ankle matched my show outfit. The day after that, I stuff that same bruised, swollen ankle in my tall english boots, surprisingly, by the end of the day, my ankle was actually better, not so painful removing the boot, but man oh man was it colorful!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Hmmmmm....which ones to pick....

I took a CRACKING fall on XC back in the day when you were allowed to remount, if you could do it quickly. I hit head first into a huge log jump. I did remount and finish the course, though I do not remember one jump of it.

As soon as I went through the finish line, I passed out and came right off. I was scratched and I projectile vomited for three days.


Another was when I was riding with one of my students. She was riding my horse and I was on a three year old we had just bought off of the track. The filly was not into walking and was jigging the whole way.

About a mile from the barn, my horse tried to kick the horse I was on and managed to kick my lower leg fracturing the bones. I got feint and got off of the horse and put my head between my legs. When the faintness passed, I realized I was in trouble. I had to put my weight on the broken leg to put the other foot in the stirrup to get back up. 

I rode the horse back to the barn. The filly knew something was wrong, as I had my arm hooked over her neck so that I could lean over and keep my head down to keep from passing out. That lovely filly flat foot walked all the way to the barn.

I got back to the parking lot, slid off, and laid in the dirt. Luckily, the horse I was on belonged to an orthopedic surgeon, so I had free treatment.

I ended up riding in a couple of events with my leg still in casts and splints. Here I was sightseeing while riding at an event in South Dakota...with my cane.....


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

^^^^Now that can't be healthy!


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## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Mine aren't near as bad but...First, I was riding in our pasture on Ebony with loose horses(I know, stupid) We were galloping(I know, even more stupid) and the colt we had in there decided he wanted to play. He kicked out and his hoof went inside my leg! It is hard to explain. It kind of slid up my pants and shoved them a inch into my skin...Anyway, my trusty steed immediately knew something was wrong and gently, calmly, and purposefully headed back.  I got off and stumbled inside. I felt kind of numb..Got inside and changed my clothes to see if I had a bruise. That's when I realized that from about a inch below my knee and down, even my shoes, were drenched in blood. :shock: So, I headed back down the stairs still feeling numb and my sis(parents were gone, of course...:O) cleaned it out. My grandparents just conveniently happened to show up to drop off some veggies and helped out. Parents were called and I went to the doctor. The way he kicked and the location he hit, whenever I walked or bent it or anything it would put a lot(and I mean a lot) of pressure on it so doing anything hurt sooo bad. I had to take 3 pills a day for pain. Within a couple days, I was riding again.  To this day, I can't feel anything on that part of my leg.

The other one I am glad my doctor didn't do a checkup on.. I was riding my problem mare, the one I sold a bit back. She decided she didn't want to gallop and bucked. I stayed on for a bit and then felt myself slipping, I fell off her neck. I don't remember hitting the ground or coming inside, but I should count myself lucky. Supposedly, I got up, walked inside, and laid down on the couch. But, I remember waking up on the couch and not knowing where I was, who people were, what happened, or anything else. I actually thought my dad was George of the Jungle because that is what he told me when I asked for the fiftieth time It is the weirdest feeling because I was seeing double, blurry, and in the back of my mind there was this feeling that I knew everything but my mind just wouldn't process it so I didn't know everything. Hard to explain. Anyway, I remember everything now but I remember it in that demented form of thinking which is kind of fascinating to think back on because I have all these twisted memories. My parents decided I needed to go to the hospital and my brother lifted me into the car. Which, of course, I didn't remember when I woke up (went unconscious again) and had no idea where I was or why this strange man was driving me somewhere...(my dad) Long story short, I had a concussion and was not supposed to do anything for a while. The doctor said specifically, NO tv, NO reading, No writing, NO thinking games, NO school, NO riding, etc. for 2 weeks. I snuck back onto Midnight by the end of that week...I know, I'm a bad girl, haha


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## MinervaELS (Mar 4, 2014)

Over the summer I fell and broke my back, then got back on and rode again. The pain from the breaks actually wasn't bad at all and if it hadn't been for the horrific muscle spasms the next two days that made it impossible to walk or sit I wouldn't ever have bothered going to the hospital.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Broken ribs from a combatives accident. Haha NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Then a torn trap/rotated shoulder blade/ separated shoulder last year (well 2013 haha). Went home and rode a 20mile trail for new years lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## aussiemum (Apr 11, 2013)

bkylem said:


> Well my injury doesn't compare to most here, but I'll say that the amount of pain that a simple fall caused me was almost unbearable. During a lesson my horse got spooked and did did a quick right which tossed me off. I've had worst falls so I didn't really think anything of it until about an hour later when the pain set in. Quick story......I broke my tail bone. I never knew that little bone could cause so much discomfort. Hard to walk and sleep. Went to my lesson and the posting and cantering nearly killed me at first, but i finally worked through it .the next few weeks weren't good ones though I never missed my riding. I should have gone to a doctor, but read that there is not much to do other than give you pain pills and grin. A tailbone ? Who would have thought it.



Mine was broken coccyx too! Totally my fault. Lost my stirrup coming from canter back to trot, while turning a corner, and just popped off the side. Came up laughing and complaining that my butt hurt, but mounted up again and finished lesson. Over the rest of the day and next couple days just hurt more and more and more. I didn't go to the doctor either, but from the fact it took 12 months to feel almost normal, pretty sure it was broken. Still sometime hurts now some 16+ months later if I'm sitting on a hard surface for too long.

I did take a break from lesson for a while, but only a few weeks after I did it went to look at a horse to lease, and just about screamed from the pain of mounting and couldn't do more than a few steps of trot.


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## thoroughbreddd (Jul 11, 2013)

One time I fell of my horse the day before a show. I broke my ankle but convinced my doctor to give me a brace instead of a cast so I could take it off to compete the next day. I ended up winning my division so I would say the pain was worth it!

About a year ago I was riding when I felt a stabbing pain in my lower abdomen but refused to get off because my ottb was being naughty and I didn't want her to get away with it. When I got off I collapsed and couldn't move so I had to have another boarder drive me to the ER. Turned out I had 3 very large ovarian cysts that had ruptured while trying to stay on during my mares temper tantrum AND appendicitis at the same time!

A few months ago I fell of my mare while cross country schooling and landed on my head. I had a pretty bad concussion but didn't let that stop me from getting her over that jump!


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

I was at a week long residential riding camp. I was 16, riding a little 14 hand tank of a mare. Her hooves were wider than they were long and looked like pancakes. Monday morning, day one, morning ride was always just fun stuff not really structured. Barrels out, clover pattern. 

I come around barrel one, perfect, barrel two, perfect, barrel three...not so perfect. She slipped. Dusty footing apparently doesnt mix with having snoweshoes for feet. She fell right down and my left leg got jammed into the saddle. As soon as the dust settled and I knew she was okay, I was back on. I remember being furious at the other campers for saying I fell off. 

I was terrified my leg was going to be black and blue. It wasn't. my relief was overwhelming. But even though it wasnt black and blue it was monstrously swollen just above the knee. Walking felt horrible, moving it felt horrible, it wasnt very painful but it just felt disgusting, like jello. 

The only time I got relief was riding because my leg wss pressed solid against the saddle and wasnt "jiggling". I lied about how worried I was about it because I didnt want to go home. At this camp we rode 4-6 hours a day for six days, I learned more there in that week and got more saddle time then I would from 6 months of standard lessons. 

By the time the week was over my leg was the size of a small cantaloupe and every move made me feel like I was going to puke. My mom as absolutely irate at the camp for not informing her about my injury. I told her I had insisted I was fine.

I was rushed to the hospital as soon as the final show was over. I had broken an artery in my leg, that jello swelling was a litre of blood. No broken bones. I also had a small amount of water under my kneecap. I was told to do no more than walk for the next three months and keep it tightly tensored at all times to force the blood to be reabsorbed. I still have nerve damage and always will.


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## Nickers2002 (Nov 25, 2009)

Bartholin's Gland Abcess...google it >< I lasted about 15 minutes at the walk and had to get off - but I did it! Afterwards I went to the hospital and found out it was large enough that it had to be lanced. I think that was worse than riding!


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I had a polo pony roll over me (too fast into a turn in bad footing, total rider error) in practice. I am double jointed in a few joints, so I assumed my ankle, knee, hip and shoulder just needed popped, did a few moves to get them in place, got back on and finished practice. I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been hit by a freight train. My roommate convinced my to go to the University Clinic. Turns out I hyperextended my knee, sprained my ankle, partially dislocated my hip and shoulder and suffered a mild concussion. The doctor told me no riding for 6-8 weeks. But we had a competition in SoCal the next week and I was a JV/Varsity swing player, so I bandaged up and rode anyway.


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