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Permalink Reply by Gail Morse on June 9, 2009 at 1:02pm

I had a lot of falls many years ago and found that the type of horse had a lot to do with riding. I now stick to one that was trained with the mutual respect and trust method and he looks to me for decisions. Touch wood but he has not had me off in the 9 years I have owned him. Make sure you ride with people you trust and also make sure your core of your body is strong. I have a strap on front of my dressage saddle that I hold onto all the time. The name of it is not too polite but if he bolts forward or spins and your core is strong it is hard to be unsat. You will find the strength if you really want to do it. Start small, inside with an instructor if you have to. I have done that more than once.

Permalink Reply by Carey Sages Mackin on June 10, 2009 at 11:04am

Hi Gail, I have a bucking strap on my dressage saddle, never had to use it. Got a nice size rear to stick to the saddle. My core is fine, my horse is great. He's never thrown me in the 16 years we have been together. Any of the falls we have had have been caused by his tripping. He only went down that last time, only once, with me on him, except for the time he rolled in the water...now that was another story. :) Nevertheless, you all have given me so much great advice that I am feeling alot more confident on how to manage the pain and just go do it. Trust factors are there, horse is great, we're both old so we're not running anywhere and at a walk first, we should be ok. probably go bareback so I don't have to lift saddle. I mean, they use horses for spinal therapy so why not me? Strengthen back and neck using Cliffie and work up strength. One ride should get me in a great mood, release those endorphins and keep me going!!

Permalink Reply by Jan Jollymour on June 9, 2009 at 2:08pm

I had a rider a number of years ago who felt as you do, Carey. She had managed to overcome her fears and rode very productively on a small (14.3 hh) Arab, but when he was retired she needed to find something else. We found a well-started and very kind 3 y.o. Welsh Cob cross (17.2, as she was 6'). She fell in love with him, but he terrified her, even on the ground. He came to live at my place, and she would come every day while I groomed him, tacked him up, rode him, cooled him out, untacked etc. It wasn't long before she got going on the grooming, and then the tacking up. From there we moved to her sitting on him after I rode - even that so was frightening at the beginning that she would sit on him and sob as I held him for her. Eventually she was ready to try walking as I led him, and that progressed to cooling him out. From that she slowly took over the ride, and by the end of her life she had trained him through to Prix St. Georges.

I think the moral of the story is to approach your return to riding as slowly as you need to, and allow no one to push you faster than you are ready to go. Of course the reality of increased difficulty should you fall again is in your mind - perhaps you should consider getting classified as a Para rider, and look at working on perfecting walk and/or trot work only? I think the idea about re-programming your thought processes and that internal video loop is a good one. Perhaps you should start with a goal of grooming Cliff and tacking him up for a week, until you're back in that groove and it doesn't seem like such a huge job, and then try sitting on him again. It's clear that you miss riding enormously, and it's likely that riding fulfills the same internal need for you as for the rest of us, but try breaking your goals down into bite-sized pieces and trying for smaller victories to start.

I have had many serious injuries through a lifetime of working with horses (all of them bizarre) and have fortunately not felt fear afterwards, but most riders do feel fear, and I think it's normal to feel it (I think I'm kind of weird). There have been several psychological modalities/approaches mentioned in the comments on this subject, and I suggest that in addition to the above you explore those possibilities.

Permalink Reply by Carey Sages Mackin on June 10, 2009 at 11:13am

I groom Cliff and his pony buddy, Sadie on a regular basis. We are one little happy respectful family.
Sadie can be a bit of a pushy little food monger. Cliff has manners and is a one finger move over or verbal command kind of horse. We've been through alot together so I know he misses the time together riding. I know he is as bored as I am. I think the fear is this new area I live in and the unknown outside the gates. It's not as manicured off my property and there is a serious threat of wild animals just popping out. Spooking was never an issue for me as I actually enjoyed the ride of it..crazy me. The bigger the horse, the slower the spook. And at 18H...it wasn't bad. It made things interesting. Wouldn't want to ride a dull horse who just did what I asked. Cliff thinks on his own, but always takes my safety into consideration. The accident was just that, an accident. He's as much of a clutz as I am it seems. Together riding dressage we were great and looked great too! Trails were for goofing off and just having casual relaxed times. good for both of us. Now up here trails are a threat! Since my horses are here with me my contact is daily and often so that is never an issue, they are trained well and on a structured schedule to enhance security and stability. No one is loopy or demanding. Plus, we are all old now!! After trying that MSM on myself and Cliff I think I will then tack him up and lunge him just a bit to see how sound he is at the different gates before I get on. I won't ride him if he looks like he's hurting. That I beileve would be a good way to start. If he's ok, then hop on after the lunge and go for a walk, he'll be winded somewhat and I'll be dizzy, a great pair!! Thanks again for all your thoughts and ideas...I great appreciate them.

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