I'm ba-a-a-c-k!!!!

This is a follow-up to my "rode today" thread.

I got bucked off in August and got fairly badly hurt - broken collar bone, concussion, soft tissue damage in the shoulder and pain that just wouldn't go away. Wednesday was the first time I was able to ride since the accident. I've never been afraid to climb on a horse. In my younger days I was known for climbing on the ones no one else would ride.

I was nervous Wednesday when I got on the horse. It turned out to be a good ride. He behaved. I had fun. Got to ride again yesterday. Was a litle nervous again, but again had a good ride. Got to ride again today. It was great. The horse got stupid and either spooked or bucked, not sure which. Instead of getting scared I go PO'd. I made him behave and go back to work. IT FELT GREAT! I'm me again!

My, no wonder you were so happy about getting back on the horse! Congratulations!

That's awesome!!

Thanks folks!

I've always wanted to just be able to ride a horse whenever I felt like it. It's so relaxing. You're lucky to be able to do that! Congratulations on riding again

well done LL~!! i know about falling off of horses, and how hard it can be to get your confidence back, so Congratulations~!! Gus

Great stuff - and you definitely seem to have your confidence right back. Now just ensure this riding becomes a regular habit

Riding has to be limited to weekends right now. It's pitch dark by the time I get home from work at night and I don't have a lighted ring. Plan on riding every weekend though!

It's been raining here every day for about a month now... Crazy. I haven't ridden in 2 weeks or more. And now is summer, so the days are long enough to ride after work, but it's raining. We do have some floodlights, so you can do some riding in the 'dark'.

But managing to ride every weekend is probably more than I'm getting in, so congrats to you!
My poor boy - he's hardly seen his mom over the festive period - now I feel all guilty...

I love reading stuff like this. Thanks for sharing your experiences, lizardlady.

I've been able to ride on and off through my life, and the exhilaration can't be beat. I was thrown once as a kid, pretty shaken up, but not badly hurt. Surprised everyone by wanting to get right back on...too bad I can't apply that brand of resilience to my life today.

Congrats on getting back in the saddle, lizardlady--well done.

I have been very lucky in all my falls off the horses I have ridden & off my own horse......I have never been seriously injured anything that has really taken over a couple of weeks to get over.

The first time I was bucked off however, I went right over his ears & splat on the ground where he was looking down at me with that silly horse smile......that was in our group equitation class in college after I was told to smack him on the rear with my crop for fussing around while we were standing there listening to instructions. Ah, no wonder I have been so leary of smacking horses on the rear since then...lol. That was around 1971......no hurt that I ever realized.......so around 1999, then find this serious neck problem that must have come from a previous whiplash.....never was in a car accident...only accident was the one when I flew over the horses head.......it ended up needing to have neck fusion. When my horse stumbled & fell on a trail ride in the California desert, I ended up going over his neck & had a mild concussion & hurt shoulder that went away after a few weeks....no serious damage. I have come off quite a few times while doing my trail riding here in KY.....but thank heavens.....no serious injuries that I can't just pick myself up & get back on & ride.....

Your fall was really serious last Aug. Sorry you were hurt so bad......but very glad you are back in the saddle & making your horse behave.....

I had no idea when I move to KY that they put up their horses in November & don't ride again until end of March/April because it's too cold to ride here. I thought that only happened in the North. In California, we were able to ride all year....it was just miserable when the wind was bad.....but weather was not a problem most of the time.

Riding is the most wonderful thing in the world....nothing like it. I am still waiting to bring my horses to where I am living now......haven't seen them for 3 years.....**sniffle**.....trying not to focus on that or I would end up being a total wreck......everyone here has horses that need to be ridden so I am not lacking in horses to ride....but it's just not like having your own horse that you are bonded to & who is bonded to you.

Glad you have your confidence back.....that is the hardest thing to accomplish.

congratulations

Falls are part of the game, but we are always aware of how vulnerable we really are. I can just thank my lucky stars that my falls havent been serious - and I've had a good few, with breaking in horses, working with racehorses... - I can only imagine how hard it must be to get your confidence back. I choose my horses for their temperaments now, and my last 2 have been awesome. Really laid back.
I just need the time to really bond with my horse. I feel guilty for not spending much time with him, yet when I do, I know I am grounded and happy.

I live in Florida where it rains almost every day in the summer. I once had a TB who HATED the rain. She would pitch an absolute fit if she had to work in the rain. So what did I do? During the afternoon monsoons I'd tack up and we'd go work in the rain. Eventually she got tired of fighting and gave in. Can't say she ever liked working in the rain after that, but she did at least behave herself.

Sugahorse, you're right. Coming off goes along with getting on. I've had plenty of bad falls in the past. Had a horse fall on me once. Had a horse trip, fall and roll over the top of me. Had one who used to flip herself over backwards and pin me to the ground like a bug. I've got a permanent back injury thanks to that one, but never lost confidence like I did this time. I think it's partly that it caused me to be out of work for six weeks. I think the delay in getting back on contributed. There's a reason we tell people to get right back on. I think the biggest part was I'm significantly older than I was compared to the other falls. It left me all too aware of how vulnerable I am now.

Eskielover, they put their horses up for the winter in Kentucky? W-A-Y back in my dim and distant youth I rode in Illinois. We'd ride in the snow in the winter. I have a friend who grew up in New Hampshire. He talks about riding in the snow too.

I'd live to ride in the snow! I've been to the beach twice, but it was a bit over-rated... lol
Yes, I've had times where a bad fall has really made me weary of a certain horse. I'd probably avoid that horse where possible.

Proud of you for getting back on!