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I’ve hummed and harred about posting this, but I’ve decided to share it here.
I’ll try not to write too much of a novel, haha.
Some of you know I fell off my mare earlier this year in March, in a freak accident. I shattered my right leg, and ended up with a metal rod in my tibua, and the fibula was simply braced to heal on its own. Unfortunately I have a bad ongoing knee problem in the same leg, so the healing process has been incredibly slow, more importantly, exercise has been almost forbidden until recently, as every time I tried I’d end up with my leg giving way and me on the floor. It’s been an incredibly LONG eight months, and it hasn’t done any favours to my opinion on riding again. I’m naturally a nervous rider, but there was one point where I thought I’d never ride horses again.
Recently, with the sudden mobility I’m gaining, I’ve had the need to prove to myself I’m still a rider. I became determined to sit up on my mare again, namely because she was the one I fell off, but also because my gelding is 16.1hh and a mammoth to attempt to hop on atm! :lol: Unfortunately, Honey’s been a paddock puff and with my extra weight gain from lack of moving much, the girth won’t get to it’s usual tightness and the saddle is slipping in my attempts. I’ve continued to try, but decided I’d wait a little longer.
An opportunity came about a couple of weeks ago to go see my old mare April. She was my “can do anything on” mount when I owned her, so I trust her completely. It’s not that I don’t trust Honey, but I guess April seems “safer” I guess. Anyway in the spur of the moment, and with a taller mounting block, I sat up on a horse for the first time in eight months! I couldn’t stop grinning. Every paranoid thought of me not wanting to ride again disappeared. Sure I’m still nervous as about falling off again (it wasn’t my first fall, but my most disastrous), but I know it’s something I wish to continue. Last Thursday I went out again and had my first walkies. It was only for about 5-8mins as the saddle wasn’t mine and it was a killer on the leg… but it was totally worth it.
So without too much more hassle, here are the photos and things to not take into account haha.
- Saddle doesn’t fit me at all, I’m aware of it. I ride in a larger, dressage saddle normally, so riding in the small GP was odd. Plus the stirrups were ridiculously uneven (the owner of the saddle needs to swap her leathers over cos she’s stretched the mounting side a bunch). It was for such a brief time that there was no point fixing it, and I’ll know next time to take my own saddle along haha.
- Please don’t kill me for riding in sneakers. My boot had to be cut off me in the accident and so I don’t have any riding boots atm. They’re on my Christmas wish list though haha!
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Me and April on the first time I saw her.
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My fav <3
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The gorgeous Miss April.
Thank you to the people who made it to the end of this novel, and I hope those who have gone through similar moments can share my excitement on how amazing it is to be back up in the saddle! I’m determined to try getting up on Honey this Friday, so watch this space!!!!
Chelle x
I’ll try not to write too much of a novel, haha.
Some of you know I fell off my mare earlier this year in March, in a freak accident. I shattered my right leg, and ended up with a metal rod in my tibua, and the fibula was simply braced to heal on its own. Unfortunately I have a bad ongoing knee problem in the same leg, so the healing process has been incredibly slow, more importantly, exercise has been almost forbidden until recently, as every time I tried I’d end up with my leg giving way and me on the floor. It’s been an incredibly LONG eight months, and it hasn’t done any favours to my opinion on riding again. I’m naturally a nervous rider, but there was one point where I thought I’d never ride horses again.
Recently, with the sudden mobility I’m gaining, I’ve had the need to prove to myself I’m still a rider. I became determined to sit up on my mare again, namely because she was the one I fell off, but also because my gelding is 16.1hh and a mammoth to attempt to hop on atm! :lol: Unfortunately, Honey’s been a paddock puff and with my extra weight gain from lack of moving much, the girth won’t get to it’s usual tightness and the saddle is slipping in my attempts. I’ve continued to try, but decided I’d wait a little longer.
An opportunity came about a couple of weeks ago to go see my old mare April. She was my “can do anything on” mount when I owned her, so I trust her completely. It’s not that I don’t trust Honey, but I guess April seems “safer” I guess. Anyway in the spur of the moment, and with a taller mounting block, I sat up on a horse for the first time in eight months! I couldn’t stop grinning. Every paranoid thought of me not wanting to ride again disappeared. Sure I’m still nervous as about falling off again (it wasn’t my first fall, but my most disastrous), but I know it’s something I wish to continue. Last Thursday I went out again and had my first walkies. It was only for about 5-8mins as the saddle wasn’t mine and it was a killer on the leg… but it was totally worth it.
So without too much more hassle, here are the photos and things to not take into account haha.
- Saddle doesn’t fit me at all, I’m aware of it. I ride in a larger, dressage saddle normally, so riding in the small GP was odd. Plus the stirrups were ridiculously uneven (the owner of the saddle needs to swap her leathers over cos she’s stretched the mounting side a bunch). It was for such a brief time that there was no point fixing it, and I’ll know next time to take my own saddle along haha.
- Please don’t kill me for riding in sneakers. My boot had to be cut off me in the accident and so I don’t have any riding boots atm. They’re on my Christmas wish list though haha!
Me and April on the first time I saw her.
My fav <3
The gorgeous Miss April.
Thank you to the people who made it to the end of this novel, and I hope those who have gone through similar moments can share my excitement on how amazing it is to be back up in the saddle! I’m determined to try getting up on Honey this Friday, so watch this space!!!!
Chelle x
I am/was in the same position as you. It felt amazing being back on a horse for the first time (I was out of riding for over a year). Keep us updated 
