J
Julz
Guest
This is long, so get yourself a cup of tea/coffe and a biscuit/sandwich....
Up until 23/2/1993 I was as able-bodied as the next person. enjoying my job, working with horses in a riding school.
I was meant to be doing the horses for the night classes, but at the end of the wroking day, before the start of the Evening, I was riding an ex-polo pony... we were in canter, and being a bit lazy, I asked him to lengthen his stride, but had forgotten about him being ex-polo...he shot off up the long side of the indoor school, and on going round the corner, he fell....somersaulted, and landed on top of me, upside down.... i think we were both knocked out...don't really remember.... Anyway got carted off to hospital in a car (owner was too mean to call an ambulance, and failed to believe i was in any pain....)
When in hospital it was revealed that I had broken my Acetabulum (lining of the hip cup/pelvis) blah blah blah...was in hospital for a month, had surgery to fix metal work inside to hold it together, and was told that I'd never ride again.
For a year, I couldnt.. I was on crutches for about 4 months, I had infections, for two months i was infection free, then I started having a really weird pain...it would be really intense for a couple days (real go-to-bed-with-painkillers pain) then after a couple days it would subside... Iconsulted my GP/consultant and A/E about, and they all said everything was fine.... This went on for 3 weeks, until it was so bad, that my physio arranged for a home visit from my GP, for the next morning... she phoned for an ambulance, and b/c I'd been there before, they got intouch with my consultant, who basically ignored me and left me in A/E for hours, until one of his registrars appeared and said I needed an intense course of physio, and that I was being transfered to another hospital....
the other hospital couldnt take me that day, so was admitted to a ward... (this is where the fun begins..) I was given a blood test, which results said i had a really aggressive infection, the plan for tranferring was abandoned while they carried out test/xrays/scans..even made me radioactive for one particular scan - even that was inconclusive.... in the end, 10 days after admittance, they operated and found the biggest abcess ever, ready to burst and cause Peritonitis.... unfortunetly, yes they'd found it, but the damage was done, by the time i left hospital my leg had already shortend by half an inch... It had caused a condition called AVASUCALR NECROSIS - which is a bone disease, and causes the bone to die and crumble away. For the next few years I was 2and a half - 3inches shorter on my right leg....
I got on a horse again the following December after the accident, but only in walk for 30mins... Just because I had to.....
A year after the accident, in the March I started going to a "rival" school to ride again...couldnt face going to the yard where I worked, to have people asking questions...
At first I could only ride narrow horses, as my hips were so tight... getting on was a problem in itself, as i couldnt stretch, and I also had to re-learn how to ride, and figure out what my hip in it's current state would be like..... I literally joined an adults beginner class.... Later that year I developed another abcess, which was dealt with more effeciantly.. and I was back on a horse within two months of surgery!
I rode at the riding school for about 3years, I helped out on occassions, and had private lessons, even rode a horse the instructor didnt think I should, as she hadhistory of throwing her riders into the gallery...and yes, I admit i was a bit concerned, but she was a total babe, and behaved herself... I rode her 3 times and then she was sold.... I dont know why she behaved with me, but she made me ride properly and have her focused on what she was meant to be doing.... perhaps she made me believe in myself....
After then, I started riding a friends horse at the yard I'm at now, I think it was time for me to move on, from Riding school horses to privately owned... Mick was a 16hh IDX and I had known him from when he came onto the yard I'd previously worked at, my freind had bought him as a second horse for her son, but with him being at school, there were days he couldnt ride, and Mick needed the work... we had some fun.... he was a great lad...
By this time, my hip had stabled and I walked with a stick...
I rode Mick for 3years and then the old pony died, so my friend said she wanted to start riding Mick, that was fine, as I had too moved on to another horse in the yard... Mick had given me lots of confidence, but I felt I needed something with bit more oomph, and so started riding a horse who shall be known on here as The Oldie... He was 20 when I first started riding him... 15.2hh and fat!!! The first few times I rode him, I wondered what I'd taken on...imagine... you're in a stubble feild, and you cant get the bloody horse out of a walk, or barely into a poor trot.... didnt want to use a stick, as didnt know what he was like..... (it's always in the back of my mind that if i should fall off agian, my hip would shatter....) anyway over the next few weeks we got to know each other and now, 10 years on, I would trust him with my life... He turns 30 this year, and is in great health.
I realise I have probably left a lot of information out, but 14years is a lot to remember.......
I had the metal work removed after 8 years.....and had a total hip replacement last Nov.... couldnt ride for 3 months...when i did the difference was fantastic...unfortunelty 2months ago I fell and shattered the femur bone in which the implant is in, so am once again out of the saddle.... and it's boring as hell!!!!
Any questions, please ask......
Dont tell me you feel sorry for me, nor pity me... Im alive, and can still (and I will again) ride my beloved horses!
This is me on the Oldie last Feb...first time back on a horse after surgery
and on a friends horse a few weeks later
Up until 23/2/1993 I was as able-bodied as the next person. enjoying my job, working with horses in a riding school.
I was meant to be doing the horses for the night classes, but at the end of the wroking day, before the start of the Evening, I was riding an ex-polo pony... we were in canter, and being a bit lazy, I asked him to lengthen his stride, but had forgotten about him being ex-polo...he shot off up the long side of the indoor school, and on going round the corner, he fell....somersaulted, and landed on top of me, upside down.... i think we were both knocked out...don't really remember.... Anyway got carted off to hospital in a car (owner was too mean to call an ambulance, and failed to believe i was in any pain....)
When in hospital it was revealed that I had broken my Acetabulum (lining of the hip cup/pelvis) blah blah blah...was in hospital for a month, had surgery to fix metal work inside to hold it together, and was told that I'd never ride again.
For a year, I couldnt.. I was on crutches for about 4 months, I had infections, for two months i was infection free, then I started having a really weird pain...it would be really intense for a couple days (real go-to-bed-with-painkillers pain) then after a couple days it would subside... Iconsulted my GP/consultant and A/E about, and they all said everything was fine.... This went on for 3 weeks, until it was so bad, that my physio arranged for a home visit from my GP, for the next morning... she phoned for an ambulance, and b/c I'd been there before, they got intouch with my consultant, who basically ignored me and left me in A/E for hours, until one of his registrars appeared and said I needed an intense course of physio, and that I was being transfered to another hospital....
the other hospital couldnt take me that day, so was admitted to a ward... (this is where the fun begins..) I was given a blood test, which results said i had a really aggressive infection, the plan for tranferring was abandoned while they carried out test/xrays/scans..even made me radioactive for one particular scan - even that was inconclusive.... in the end, 10 days after admittance, they operated and found the biggest abcess ever, ready to burst and cause Peritonitis.... unfortunetly, yes they'd found it, but the damage was done, by the time i left hospital my leg had already shortend by half an inch... It had caused a condition called AVASUCALR NECROSIS - which is a bone disease, and causes the bone to die and crumble away. For the next few years I was 2and a half - 3inches shorter on my right leg.... I got on a horse again the following December after the accident, but only in walk for 30mins... Just because I had to.....
A year after the accident, in the March I started going to a "rival" school to ride again...couldnt face going to the yard where I worked, to have people asking questions...
At first I could only ride narrow horses, as my hips were so tight... getting on was a problem in itself, as i couldnt stretch, and I also had to re-learn how to ride, and figure out what my hip in it's current state would be like..... I literally joined an adults beginner class.... Later that year I developed another abcess, which was dealt with more effeciantly.. and I was back on a horse within two months of surgery!
I rode at the riding school for about 3years, I helped out on occassions, and had private lessons, even rode a horse the instructor didnt think I should, as she hadhistory of throwing her riders into the gallery...and yes, I admit i was a bit concerned, but she was a total babe, and behaved herself... I rode her 3 times and then she was sold.... I dont know why she behaved with me, but she made me ride properly and have her focused on what she was meant to be doing.... perhaps she made me believe in myself....
After then, I started riding a friends horse at the yard I'm at now, I think it was time for me to move on, from Riding school horses to privately owned... Mick was a 16hh IDX and I had known him from when he came onto the yard I'd previously worked at, my freind had bought him as a second horse for her son, but with him being at school, there were days he couldnt ride, and Mick needed the work... we had some fun.... he was a great lad...
By this time, my hip had stabled and I walked with a stick...
I rode Mick for 3years and then the old pony died, so my friend said she wanted to start riding Mick, that was fine, as I had too moved on to another horse in the yard... Mick had given me lots of confidence, but I felt I needed something with bit more oomph, and so started riding a horse who shall be known on here as The Oldie... He was 20 when I first started riding him... 15.2hh and fat!!! The first few times I rode him, I wondered what I'd taken on...imagine... you're in a stubble feild, and you cant get the bloody horse out of a walk, or barely into a poor trot.... didnt want to use a stick, as didnt know what he was like..... (it's always in the back of my mind that if i should fall off agian, my hip would shatter....) anyway over the next few weeks we got to know each other and now, 10 years on, I would trust him with my life... He turns 30 this year, and is in great health.
I realise I have probably left a lot of information out, but 14years is a lot to remember.......
I had the metal work removed after 8 years.....and had a total hip replacement last Nov.... couldnt ride for 3 months...when i did the difference was fantastic...unfortunelty 2months ago I fell and shattered the femur bone in which the implant is in, so am once again out of the saddle.... and it's boring as hell!!!!
Any questions, please ask......
Dont tell me you feel sorry for me, nor pity me... Im alive, and can still (and I will again) ride my beloved horses!
This is me on the Oldie last Feb...first time back on a horse after surgery
and on a friends horse a few weeks later
