# Need to give up riding for a while



## yadlim (Feb 2, 2012)

The problem is that need to and will are two different things. 

Seven years and two weeks ago I took a bronc ride on a rescue mare I was breaking to saddle. Needless to say, I am not a good bronc rider. Only two out of 30+ horses I have started under saddle have ever bucked. I am told I only lasted about four seconds. 

I landed on my head (no helmet) hard enough to crush one of my throasic vertebra and break eight ribs. After six months in a full torso brace I was back on MY horse. I have not ridden any other horse since then as one fall and I am dead - the T6 vertibra is the one that controls the diaphram. It goes entirely and I suffocate before the ambulance can get there. My horse takes very careful care of me - but beats up anyone else who tries to ride him. :lol:

To make a long story short, I have gone from in pain, but mostly functional on OTC painkillers, to unable to do anything. I currently take 8 vicaden a day, plus what have been described as a horse dose of muscle relaxant and can only be out of bed for a few hours a day. Next Dr apt they are taking me off the vicaden and putting me back on oxycotten. 

I am in the current system run around to have reconstructive surgery done, but that could be months away at this point. 

I have only had the energy to go out to the stable once a week for about the last three months. In the last two months I have only ridden three times, for less than 20 minutes. I have to have my daughter saddle and unsaddle my horse as well as first take him out for an hour gallop so I can just walk. He is 1/2 Arab, 1/2 Saddlebred and probably the hottest horse at the stable. 

I am hoping that in the next couple of weeks I can get my family help me to fix up my cart. I think I could still ride in a cart, but riding kills me. I honestly have to take a full dose of pain killers before and after my 20 minute ride. 

How do you stop riding for a while? I can't even fathom not riding. In 40+ years I have only gone two years without owning a horse and I would go out and rent one every couple months.

My husband thinks that going out and hugging my horse and loving on him, ,maybe grooming if I feel well enough shoudl be enough... but how do I do that? Leaving the stable without riding usually leaves me depressed as heck - worse then not going at all.


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## corgi (Nov 3, 2009)

I feel your pain..literally. I fractured T6 and T8 back in 2009 at a dude ranch and am recovering from a broken rib that I received this New Year's Eve when I got bucked off.

The pain from the one rib was so bad that I can't imagine having 8.

I couldn't ride for 5 months after the back injury. Mine was not as serious as yours because my ortho doc just said I couldnt ride until I was pain free.

I was a brand new rider and didnt have my own horse yet so I just spent my time volunteering at a local horse rescue. It helped until I was able to get back in the saddle.

But then again, my doctor didnt tell me that I would die if I fell off again. 

I can't imagine not ever riding again...i think your plan of riding in a cart is a good idea. Please be careful. It would be horrible if you were hurt again and actually lost your life.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Yadlim,
Such a hard thing to deal with. I do hope that you can get the reconstructive surgery done as soon as possible.

If you could give riding lessons to someone else, would that help you get the horsey "itch" out of your system?


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## yadlim (Feb 2, 2012)

I don't think anything will stop the horsie itch... I rode yesterday. I just got a new saddle (traded one that didn't fit my horse for one that does). I pulled my horse and my daughter's filly out of pasture, unblanketed them, gave each of them a quick brush off, after a quick chase about the arena to get all the bucks out, I saddled up - with help of hubby, and got on. I was planning on a short down the road ride, but hubby said he woudl keep me company and talk to me if I rode in the arena. 

So I ponied the filly and we did about a dozen laps about the arena, one at a trot, but the rest at a walk. I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time. I spent the rest of the day in bed on so many pain killers that I was too dizzy to sit up - and it was worth every second. 

I definatly have to get my cart fixed. 

The good news is that I have the fist of the paperwork from the VA about my surgery. It looks like they are sending me to UW for the surgery sometime in the next couple months. 

Oh, but I got the best horsie hugs last yesterday!!!


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