# Career ending fall? Help please :(



## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

About a year ago I took a bad tumble off a horse I was working with. He refused a jump, really dirty stop on the last stride and there was no way of telling it was coming. I came off straight forwards over his shoulder, breaking one of the poles with my hip and made the mistake of not fully letting go of the reins. 

At first all we thought it was was a bad bruise and some pulled muscles but as I continued to ride, I realized my hip and back were getting worse to the point that I could hardly walk after a ride (like I wouldn't be able to climb a step if my life depended on it). Now, I haven't ridden consistently in 7 months.... ((

We finally realized that the true injury is two herniated discs in my spine, one in my lower back from my hip hitting the jump and one between my shoulder blades from holding on. The day to day pain is minimal but any time I ride I'm crippled again for minimum 2 days. I can't lift anything particularly heavy or do a high impact activity such as long runs (another thing I miss). 

I have tried acupuncture, chiropractors, physical therapy, everything. Does anyone have any suggestions for something that could help me? My boy Colby keeps asking me to ride him but I just can't with my injury so I have a student on him but it still breaks both our hearts. 

Please help me out <3


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

You could give rosehip vital a try? They market it for horses, humans, and dogs. It saved my dog's life 2 or 3 years ago, she went from crippled to the point I was considering euthanasia to running and jumping like a puppy again. She's now 11 and sounder & healthier than she ever was as a young dog. If it works for you, you might have similarly amazing results.

That sounds like a really nasty fall and I'm impressed you even want to ride after it!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I wish I knew what to tell you that would help, but I really don't know. 

The reason I am responding is that I also hung onto the reins when I fell about a year ago and I've had shoulder problems ever since. I've always been the type to try to hang on like a monkey and I guess that isn't always the best thing to do. But who knows, maybe it would have been worse if I hadn't. I didn't have time to think about it anyway, what happened, happened. But I think I tore something in my shoulder because I can't sleep on that arm like I used to. It doesn't keep me from riding, but it keeps me from sleeping the way I would like to. And it hurts to lift anything above shoulder level. 

I sympathize and hope you get well enough to ride soon!


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

First of all, sorry about your accident and injury. I was thrown 5 years ago, landing flat on my back and breaking 5 vertebrae (3 lumbar, 2 between shoulder blades).




> any time I ride I'm crippled again for minimum 2 days


This was me.

You might not want to hear this, but what has been my savior was changing disciplines, from hunt seat to dressage. Even if you don't want to consider such a drastic move yet, why don't you just try a ride in a dressage saddle? I find that the longer leg and placement of the stirrup leathers a bit further back have done me a world of good. Plus, the higher cantle provides a touch more lumbar support. I don't know if your intention is to jump again, but you can do basic flatwork in a dressage saddle without actually doing Dressage. 

I have also found Pilates to be a godsend (I especially love the foam roller), and I now take collagen supplements. (If you need more info, let me know.)

Above all, you have to be very patient with your body, which is probably the toughest hurdle to overcome. It took me 4 years to ride pain-free.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Herniated disks should be cleared up by now. I've had them before and my chiropractor was able to fix them in a couple of months, even when it was two at once next to each other. 

You might want to try a different chiropractor, and also joint supplement, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/ MSM 

Hope you feel better soon


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## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

blue eyed pony said:


> You could give rosehip vital a try? They market it for horses, humans, and dogs. It saved my dog's life 2 or 3 years ago, she went from crippled to the point I was considering euthanasia to running and jumping like a puppy again. She's now 11 and sounder & healthier than she ever was as a young dog. If it works for you, you might have similarly amazing results.
> 
> That sounds like a really nasty fall and I'm impressed you even want to ride after it!


Thank you so much! I'll look into it for sure. 

I probably wouldn't have wanted to ride again had I not gotten right back on and gotten over the jump, I really love riding and the horse community so it would be impossible for me to leave it <3


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## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

trailhorserider said:


> The reason I am responding is that I also hung onto the reins when I fell about a year ago and I've had shoulder problems ever since.



Thank you for the sympathy, I hope I find something that works! 

My sister had a similar experience with her shoulder a few years ago and found that the King Brand products really helped her, they have a blood flow wrap she really liked.. Maybe take a look at that?


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## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

I'm glad to hear your back in the saddle Spanish Rider! I have tried a few different types of tack and disciplines but it really is the impact and the use of lower back muscles/upper back muscles that sets me off :/ I will keep trying though! 

Thank you for your suggestion


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I wanna add that I met someone amazing who, as a result of an accident, can only ride in two-point due to a spinal injury. Lesson after lesson she turned up. She only sat down properly at a halt. Determined not to give up her passion. She cannot sit any gait as it apparently messed with her badly so she keeps her butt out the saddle majority of the time. She was even in the jumping classes when I last saw her. There is a way I'm sure of it. But really look after yourself. If you need to take a year off riding and PROPERLY have it taken care of then so be it. Maybe just light riding, walks at maximum. A year is nothing in the scale of things. Not fun though so chin up! x


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Have you had a CT scan or MRI done of the injured areas by a specialist, lately? If not, I'd ask for a referral and see what's actually going on. You could have bone chips, compression fractures, scar tissue, pinched nerves and other issues still causing pain. I'd want to know what everything looks like and what they find before doing anything else. If all is clear, it might be time to try a different chiropractor, or look into other causes for your pain. Nerve pain, in particular, can be aggravating and last forever at the site of a long-healed previous injury. Physical therapy can help strengthen muscles and work on posture to support your spine. Don't give up, but find out what's going on so you're not addressing symptoms, but the cause as well.


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## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

@kalarii Thank you for that  I appreciate any positive stories I can get, even if they don't include a full recovery yet. 

and @SilverMaple my last MRI was about 7 months ago, right before I had to stop. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get another one. I worked with a few different types of doctors including a spinal specialist who practices in therapeutic pilates… I was skeptical but it did have me walking better. 

The issue is the herniations are not o the side but rather the press directly back against my spinal chord in both spots. at any given time I can feel at least 'off', even on my best days.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I think you need to see a good doctor to locate the problems. My aunt went through a windshield in a car accident as a teenager. She was having progressive problems decades later - foot drop and falling episodes. Standing caused extreme pain, she was getting migraines. Finally got an MRI even though insurance wouldn't cover it. She had to go in for surgery to fix her spine. Huge improvement.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

It also sounds like maybe a torn rotator cuff in the shoulder? That needs injections and physical therapy.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

It sounds like multiple people here have torn their rotator cuff. I've held reins before and it resulted in me getting hit in the face with hoof as the horse ran by. But then I've held reins before and the horse stops with me. No problems lifting my arms here yet. 

I did hurt my hip flexor pretty bad in a fall. I had to wheel around in a computer chair and crawl up and down stairs for a couple of days. 

I've been able to ride. I think it's a testament. If we can do that, horses can ding themselves and keep going too. Sometimes the grit, pain, determination, is a good thing for us and them. I also see how sometimes we just can't keep doing certain things anymore because our bodies won't let us. 

You could try some mobility or strengthening or both and see if anything works.


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

SilverMaple said:


> Have you had a CT scan or MRI done of the injured areas by a specialist, lately? If not, I'd ask for a referral and see what's actually going on. You could have bone chips, compression fractures, scar tissue, pinched nerves and other issues still causing pain. I'd want to know what everything looks like and what they find before doing anything else. If all is clear, it might be time to try a different chiropractor, or look into other causes for your pain. Nerve pain, in particular, can be aggravating and last forever at the site of a long-healed previous injury. Physical therapy can help strengthen muscles and work on posture to support your spine. Don't give up, but find out what's going on so you're not addressing symptoms, but the cause as well.


Second this. If your horse had these troubles you would go to the vet and do a thorough medical investigation, wouldn’t you? In any case, herniated discs can be fixed with laparoscopic surgery these days, which is minimally invasive. (I understand that some countries have incredibly inaccessible medical care and I feel for you if this is your situation). Best of luck.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Get thee to someone that can pinpoint what you are dealing with. MRI is a good place to start though there are other tests that could. Once you haved done that then focus on the healing aspect. There are all sorts of ways to keep horses in your life until you ard ready physically. Even though one of my worst accidents was driving it is a discipline I highly recommend. Switching to dressage or simply trail riding could also keep you in the saddle when you are cleared for.


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## buckskinbaby (Aug 16, 2017)

@4horses I had an MRI after it happened and it only turned up as two herniated discs, no rotator cuff injury. I get burning in my forearms, tingling between my shoulder blades, and back and hip pain on a near-daily basis. When I ride or do too much strenuous/high impact activity, the pain in my lower back and hips eclipses to the point of where I can't lift my leg higher than about 6 inches, bend at the hip or rotate my upper body separately from my hips. 
@SilverMaple , ill definitely look into it again and get a second MRI but it seems like that pain has not changed much (besides getting a bit better) since the original diagnosis which stated it is caused by the discs pressing on my spinal chord/ nerves. I have tried a few chiropractors but you're right, I probably just haven't found the right one yet. 

I'll keep trying and I really appreciate all the input from everyone ! <3 I'm glad I found such a supportive community


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