A Message to Everyone out there!!!!
- Thread starter Maz:)
- Start date
This is such an encouraging thread!
I have had to give up lessons for the time being since I can't afford to pay for them, but reading this thread is helping me remember that just being able to get up on the horse and ride him is absolutely wonderful. Just being able to walk around, and trot a little--I don't need to be working on dressage just now--I can't post without pain, and I'm not fit enough to trot all the way around the arena.
Just to be able to get up on the horse and ride ... wonderful.
I have had to give up lessons for the time being since I can't afford to pay for them, but reading this thread is helping me remember that just being able to get up on the horse and ride him is absolutely wonderful. Just being able to walk around, and trot a little--I don't need to be working on dressage just now--I can't post without pain, and I'm not fit enough to trot all the way around the arena.
Just to be able to get up on the horse and ride ... wonderful.
hey
I love my riding too. i am visually inppaired. I use to ride dirt bikes for a long time. then my friend got me into horse riding. my eye sight got worse last year. i had to give up the bikes all together. so i am so so so so glad i have my riding now. i can't wait for the next lesson as i get off my rs horse lol. i say do what makes you happy and don't worry about what other people think. u can do anything if you put your mind to it!
I love my riding too. i am visually inppaired. I use to ride dirt bikes for a long time. then my friend got me into horse riding. my eye sight got worse last year. i had to give up the bikes all together. so i am so so so so glad i have my riding now. i can't wait for the next lesson as i get off my rs horse lol.
i say do what makes you happy and don't worry about what other people think. u can do anything if you put your mind to it!
J
Julz
Guest
I too am registered disabled after a freak riding accident. I was told I'd never ride again, but here I am, 14years on, riding these wonderful creatures!! I had my hip replaced last year, and was back on in 3months after.... there's more to it than that, but I don't want to ramble!
I wish you would "ramble" (as you call it). I for one would like to hear more about your experience riding and coming back to riding. I don't think I'm the only one who'd like to hear more. I wouldn't think of it as "rambling" but as sharing your experience with the rest of us. You sound encouraging to me, and we all need that!
J
Julz
Guest
I wish you would "ramble" (as you call it). I for one would like to hear more about your experience riding and coming back to riding. I don't think I'm the only one who'd like to hear more. I wouldn't think of it as "rambling" but as sharing your experience with the rest of us. You sound encouraging to me, and we all need that!
OK.... I will write more later...is there anything you want to know or have any questions? For now though, Im off to the Royal Highland Show...to spectate, not to compete!!!
I was just intrigued by what you posted about returning to riding and you said "there's more to it than that." It just sounded like there was an interesting story there. I think sometimes to hear how people have returned to riding can be really encouraging to other people.
I'm dealing with a lot of fear and also with memories of when I could actually ride, when I was younger, and I know that a lot of other riders have overcome a lot more than I've had to. I'm learning that a lot of us are working on more than just schooling ourselves and our horses, we're working on our confidence and courage and wanting to keep doing this thing we all love--riding horses and being with them. I think it's good to hear each other's experiences.
How was the show?
If there can ever be an 'advantage' to being disabled, where riding is in the question, I would say (certainly in my case) it's this:
When things don't go quite right, and you're working hard to correct it, (what ever 'it' is!) I always first blame myself, because the horse can't possibly understand what I'm asking of him, because I don't do it properly/normally. It's very much a last resort for me to actually blame a horse when I can't do something particular, like say...I don't know...leg yield...rein back...all sorts. And I think that's a very much healthier attitude to take if you want your horse to 'perform' for you, if that's the right word. I will push myself to the limit before I concede defeat and say that a certain horse and I are not going to be good partners.
To me, when I'm on horseback......it's all my fault until every avenue has been explored. I know that recently I've had a lot of problems, which have prevented me even getting on board, so that has been harder, but I'm largely talking about under saddle. Not making much sense here am I?? I know what I mean anyway!!
When things don't go quite right, and you're working hard to correct it, (what ever 'it' is!) I always first blame myself, because the horse can't possibly understand what I'm asking of him, because I don't do it properly/normally. It's very much a last resort for me to actually blame a horse when I can't do something particular, like say...I don't know...leg yield...rein back...all sorts. And I think that's a very much healthier attitude to take if you want your horse to 'perform' for you, if that's the right word. I will push myself to the limit before I concede defeat and say that a certain horse and I are not going to be good partners.
To me, when I'm on horseback......it's all my fault until every avenue has been explored. I know that recently I've had a lot of problems, which have prevented me even getting on board, so that has been harder, but I'm largely talking about under saddle. Not making much sense here am I??
I know what I mean anyway!!
After my riding accident I had a lot of anxieties about mounting as it was when I was at my most vulnerable. If horse moved my leg could dislocate and anticipation ofthe pain was crippling me. I had some EMDR therapy from my counsellor and talked thru the issues I had and it helped enormously. The biggest epiphany was that I was no longer enjoying my riding as I was putting so much pressure on myself to be better than I was able bodied so as not to appear disabled. I would force myself to ride on days when the pain was too much and pay for it afterwards. Once I acknowledged all the issues I had wrapped round my riding and examined them I realised I had two choices, find the joy again or give up. The only person that was putting such huge expectations on me was myself. I had to give myself permission to relax, not ride when I felt lousy and even if I'd entered a competition not to go if I wasn't on form and compound a day of pain with disappointment. It was liberating. I am back competing and took up judging to keep me involved when pain precludes riding. Hope my psyco babble helps someone else.
I know what you mean, Monty and I agree. But sometimes I do get fed up with never knowing if it is me or the horse when things don't work. A more able bodied rider who could not get his horse into trot would not start to worry about everything from saddle fit to back issues from rider's one sidedness. They would put their legs on firmly and trot away. Sometimes I think I just worry too much
But sometimes I do get fed up with never knowing if it is me or the horse when things don't work. A more able bodied rider who could not get his horse into trot would not start to worry about everything from saddle fit to back issues from rider's one sidedness. They would put their legs on firmly and trot away. Sometimes I think I just worry too much It certainly has helped me.
I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself to be better than I'm able right now because I really don't "understand" why I can't ride as well as I did when I was young. I mean, my head knows I'm older and have a lot of issues to deal with now, but my heart/soul wants to just get on and canter away. So I keep putting pressure on myself to at least try to ride as well as my riding friends ride, rather than just enjoy what I can do each time I ride.
This is the sort of stuff I work on now while I'm not able to just get on and canter away, jump, etc. I can't even give the horse "normal" cues because it hurts. So I've been working on asking him to work off the cues I can give him, and I'm actually very proud of both of us when he understands and tries to figure out my "language." And the fact that he's trying makes me feel so great that he cares enough to want to do what he thinks I'm asking for!
I know I do. I wish I could just put my leg on firmly and trot away. But trotting can be painful; and if I get ahead of or behind my guy these days, sorting myself out again can hurt too, and even though I can still react quickly, I seem to notice it more.
I want to press on and try more basic versions of the way I used to ride, but what I feel relaxed doing is just staying in the little school, working on my new cues with my guy--if only I had enough confidence when we're out of the school so that he would have the confidence out there that he has in the school.
J
Julz
Guest
I will start a new thread, as my story is pretty long..... and please...if you have any questions, feel free to ask...it might help some one who can't (maybe lurking) or who is too shy to ask....
J
Julz
Guest
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