It’s not the falling that hurts somuch as the LANDING

Falling off a Horse

(picture found here…wish I had at least been jumping…)

So I fell off a horse last Saturday morning.  (Stupid horse…)  It wasn’t anything dramatic or crazy, like being bucked off or doing dangerous jumps, or riding a crazy horse or anything.  Just him zigging and me zagging and me not holding on like I should have, so I lost my balance and fell.  Damn, that really hurt.  REALLY. HURT.

For the record, I didn’t feel like anything was broken, so I got back on the horse, and showed him who was boss.  Made him walk backwards and in the direction he didn’t like.  Not sure it helped.  Helped my pride a tiny bit, at least.

Saturday afternoon, I could barely walk.  Sunday was better, Monday better yet, and by Tuesday, really better but still, sharp pain in two specific places (sharp pain)…my hip, and my lower ribcage in the back.  So I went to the doctor to see if I broke a rib or something, and what to do about it.  Results?  Inconclusive.  I didn’t break anything to a dangerous level.  I didn’t hurt any internal organs.  But my rib may or may not be cracked.  Dang.

So, until the pain is 100% gone, no riding for me.  Dr. said, if there’s a crack, and I ride, if I should happen to fall right there again, it could break, and puncture my lung or spleen or something.  You know what?  That doesn’t sound fun at all.  Not likely to happen, but it could, and the consequences are serious enough that I don’t want to risk it.  So, I’m taking a break from riding.

Yesterday was my first day back doing any exercise at all, just a long walk, which felt GREAT.  My goal between now and going back to riding (whenever that is, from 2 – 6 weeks, depending on what the injury really is and how it will heal) is to work on strengthening my legs and my posture, because those will help me be a better rider, less likely to lose my balance.  And stretch those Achilles tendons, because that matters too.  Fun?  No.  But something good to focus on, I think.

But I’ll miss the horses during that time.  Even the idiot who zigged when I zagged.  Or did he zag when I zigged?

10 Comments

  • Jimmy

    You’ve got my vote for Ted or Maya to follow you around with a video camera on your next equestrian expedition. Glad it was mainly your pride that was hurt and nothing more serious.

  • JMc

    I rode dressage for years…falling off now the way I did occasionally then… I don’t think my aging bod could take it!

  • Rain

    I’ve gone off horses twice for assorted different reasons but fortunately always on dirt trails. It’s definitely no fun.

  • Dad Who Writes

    Ow! Owowowow! I’ve never actually cracked a rob but I’m told it’s pretty excruciating. Hope you’re back on soon -closest I’ve come is giving myself a black eye during yoga by whacking my eyesocket with a knee coming out of one pose into another. A cracked rib is a lot more painful but a whole lot easier to explain…

  • Jenny (your cuz)

    Dang, ouch. That sounds horribly painful. Good for you gettnig back on. You showed him who was boss for sure.

  • OmbudsBen

    Yikes, that’s probably quite a tumble, off horse top. (Maybe wear a small pillow over that back rib spot?) I hope you heal soon. And remember, calcium requirements are a great excuse to eat cheese.

  • Starshine

    Oh, dear! I hope you’re back to 100% very soon! I think you’re wise to take it easy until then. It’s so neat to read about you being involved with horses. The very fact that you’re looking forward to getting back to the horse who zigged shows your passion for this!

  • amuirin

    I didn’t even know you were a horse-woman. (Not sure that’s the technical term) I’m glad you weren’t seriously injured. The pastor of the church I went to, growing up, lost his wife because of an accident with a horse.

    I don’t have any advice for bone-mending, except eat your broccoli. I’m not sure that helps bones, but that stuff is good for everything else.