How do you do it?

[summerguest]

I am a fully abled person...getting on a bit..with a back problem...and quite often moan about finding things harder these days ..stiff joints...weaker muscles....and on days when my back really hurts it does knock my confidence.....How do you all cope with your individual disabilities?

I am completely in awe of the para olympics ( not just riding ). I just can't imagine how difficult it must be for some of you....knowing how difficult a lot of fully abled people find learning to ride. I do a bit of freelance teaching and would like to work for the RDA when I am free of the school runs!

[Siogfinsceal]

Solpadeine and Nurofen! :D
I tend mainly to just get on with it. I don't hurt as much when I ride or clip as I do afterwards. sometimes teh only time my backs not sore is when im on a horse!
I also go to a spineologist once every 2 weeks if not more. I tolerate my back up to a point but when it gets to teh stage where walking hurts (happens if I really put it out), I head down straight away and get some work done on it.
Ive got scoliosis and some damaged vertabrae in my neck but compared to many people its nothing so Im grateful that I can ride and jump and clip.

What scares the life out of me is that I may end up very hunched or unable to ride or do any excercise in later life

a friend of mine has friedrichs ataxia and shes an inspiration you should see that girl do dressage. Compared to what she goes through my sore backs nothing. Shes hoping to do the paralympics in the next few years on her horse

[Abserd]

Yeh painkillers afterwards work for me too! I'm usually alright during the riding, grooming, leading, running around etc, but my back and especially my arms ache like mad later on and the next day. I take Mefenamic Acid which is an NSAID on prescription which is great. I know riding will cause my arms to ache, but i'll not stop as that's giving in!

[summerguest]

Yes..I guess painkillers help a lot of people!!!

The thing that really intrigues me is watching people with amputated limbs or born with limb deformaties doing dressage. They make it look so easy, and appear completely balanced and in tune with the horse. But it must be difficult!

I tried to teach a friend with mild ceribral palsy, she had no control over her left leg...and she gave up because it made her feel unbalanced and nervous.
Not having any experience with this I didn't really know how to help her.

Does anybody here..teach at an RDA centre? what sort of training / exams do you need?

[8-legged-pony]

Does anybody here..teach at an RDA centre? what sort of training / exams do you need?

I do! First of all you need to find an RDA centre with an instructor who's happy to train you. Then you apply for a log book, and can start teaching with the help of the instructor. When I started I was given a 30 minute slot to teach each Saturday, my instructor was in the school with me the whole time, but pretty much left me to it unless she saw something I was doing wrong. You then have to teach 20 hours of lessons, then an RDAI will come and watch you teach and assess you. If you pass the assessment you get your RDAGI (group instructor) certificate and badge and are insured to teach on your own, but only with your group. I.e. you couldn't then go to another group and be able to teach with them, until you were assessed with them. If you want to become an RDAI you have to take further exams.

[Silvia]

Its mostly "get on with it" for me too. My disability is part of my life and I have had it from quite a young age, so I can hardly remember what "able bodied" feels like. I find the tiredness the most annoying - because there is not much I can do about it. I'm just constantly knackered - from pefectly ordinary things like doing the shopping . If I have to walk down to bring my horse in from the field it means that I mostly can't ride on these days because I'm too tired. That probably limits me more than the fact that my right leg does not work as well or that my balance is rubbish.
Things that make riding possible are my very special pony, mounting block, painkillers, hot showers and electric blankets... :D

[Tots N Dots]

I am a fully abled person...getting on a bit..with a back problem...
with you there lol
my back problem was caused by a riding accident, so my confidence is terrible compared to what it used to be, I have had a horse, 2 for a while, for over 4 years now, I have a great physio, (wasnt so great when he found out I have a youngster rather than the plod he thought I had ;)), I constantly have a stock of Diclofenac Sodium and muscle relaxant tablets in the cupboard, and I have my physios mobile number :rolleyes:
I also have a back up of friends at the yard, I often help out with their horses, put hay out, bring in etc, on the understanding they will rally round should my back "go" :D
I have to admit to thermals in winter to keep the cold out, and padded coats and trousers, I dont do cold and wet very well :D

[summerguest]

yes I will be investing in thermals this year!!! and ear muffs ( have noticed my balance goes when my ears get cold!!!)

[Roheryn]

I am a fully abled person...getting on a bit..with a back problem...and quite often moan about finding things harder these days ..stiff joints...weaker muscles....and on days when my back really hurts it does knock my confidence.....

Me too, Summerguest.
Not only does it knock my confidence, it knocks my whole sense of self-worth. Some days I feel I can hardly ride at all; other days (like this weekend!) I find I can trot, and actually feel in tune with my horse. Like Siogfinsceal, sometime the only time I don't hurt is when I'm on the horse! Other times, like Silvia, I just feel constantly knackered, and by the time I get to the barn, groom and tack up, I'm almost too tired to ride, especially if my friends want to ride in the schools a quarter of a mile from the barn!

I don't even know if I'm really fully abled anymore--it's so hard to keep a desk job and do well at it when I'm in pain all day long and can't escape the pain.

How in the world do you all manage to afford the physio, etc.? On my good weeks I can afford OTC pain relievers, but not anyone to work on my back (massage or other therapy). Sometimes I feel I just want to give up, but that would mean no more riding, and riding is good for me.

I guess my answer to your question, Summerguest, is that I just do it. I just keep on, when I have the energy. I know the barn activities will help the pain, and help my confidence, and I'm trying to love myself enough to keep on doing it for myself. :o