With MS, even if I am not having an "attack", my body can rapidly worsen. In the past three weeks I had a gradual decline in physical ability, one that I did not notice at first. Last week was the worst, three times when I walked without my canes I'd loose my balance unexpectedly, start staggering, and almost fall. I did not fall because riding has helped me recognize when I lose my balance, and because my thigh muscles are strong enough to keep me on my feet long enough so I could catch myself with my hands (its called furniture walking.) I only got to ride Mia while this was happening, and she knew before I did that my body was not working right.

Our weather down here in the Piedmont of North Carolina has not been conducive to regular riding lessons. On clear days the mornings are in the 20's F, and when the temperature is above freezing it is usually raining. At least the drought is over! Last Wednesday I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to a THUNDERSTORM and LOTS of rain. When I got up the rain had passed, so I decided that I was going to take my riding lesson, after all the stable has an all-weather surface in their arena. Luckily I left home before Debbie could call to cancel my lesson.

When I got to the stable Debbie was busy calling up people to reschedule lessons. I sort of staggered up to her and told her that I would not be going faster than a walk and that I NEEDED to get up on a horse. The ring was too flooded to ride in, but wonderful Debbie went out in the mud, got Mia, groomed her and tacked her up for me, explaining that we would walk around the grassy areas of the paddock surrounding the arena and on the graveled driveway from the barn to the arena. So at first we walked around the arena, to check that the drainage ditches were clear. I had never ridden Mia there before, outside the arena's fence, and she was a little uncertain at first. Mia does NOT like puddles, she does NOT trust flowing water, and we had several discussions where I had to be persistent and insist (gently) that it was safe to splash through the water.

My hands were so bad Wednesday morning that I decided to use my old jumping cavesson bridle rather than a bit or any of the other bitless bridles that I own. I was glad that I did, the jumping cavesson is gentle enough that I could use contact when I needed to without irritating or hurting her. This just gave her one thing to protest about (going through water), instead of protesting about going through water AND having to put up with my trembling hands irritating her mouth. It made my life a lot easier.

I felt like a beginner, my seat was soooo weak. I tried once to get into a forward position and my thighs just would not cooperate. Lolling back in the saddle, my heels crept upwards. I did not feel secure. Debbie got my heels down, reminding me whenever they started to creep upwards, and told me just to follow the movement of Mia's back with my seat. So we walked up and down the driveway, having several discussions of going through the same puddle again and again, with Mia getting less upset with the idea each time, until finally she grudgingly admitted that she would not drown and cooperated fully with my orders.

And after 30 minutes of riding, when I got off Mia, I found that I could keep track of my legs again. Though I was TIRED I did not stagger, and I have not staggered since.

I use riding a lot to remind my body where it is. When Debbie corrects my position then my body eventually remembers--oh, that's my leg, and my leg is THERE, and all of a sudden my proprioceptive sense starts working again. When I start losing my balance I do not fall because the horse is under me, and my legs rest on the horse's sides, and I have a chance to FIND my balance again, and I can repeatedly practice losing and finding my balance until my body "remembers" how to do this again. I can practice coordinating the movements of my hands, legs, and torso until everything starts moving smoothly and accurately. This is very important to me because my sensations from my body change so much, its like I have to learn how to move all over again several times a year. Is there any other form of physical therapy that can deliver these multiple improvements in so little time?

Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I will be able to ride this week. Though my body is working better I need more help in reorienting myself in space. Riding horses is the only thing that helps me do this. So, on Wednesday, Mia and Debbie will again patiently remind me where my body is, show me where I need more work, and gradually strengthen my muscles, all while I am having fun riding a horse.

Have a great ride.

MY ride was wonderful!