Can we have an adult re-rider support group?

[dreaminOTTB]

Hi, any chance I could join in?

I’m fairly new to COTH, but I’ve been reading a lot of this thread and it seems pretty familiar to me. I’m an adult who rode a little as a child and returned to riding after about a 12 year absence. I started back into lessons for awhile and eventually leased and now own my own (very sweet and lazy) OTTB. I’ve recently had to take another unplanned absence from riding while I rehabbed from two separate accidents, each resulting in a broken leg. I’m back in the saddle now though, but I can feel a lot has changed.

I’m hoping to take my gelding to some laid-back shows this year, but it’s a struggle getting back in shape. Reading your stories is giving me some inspiration!

[Koniucha]

My trainer doesn’t want me to grab the mane, he tells me that only beginners do that. I do feel like that will help me.

[pony4me]

One of the best trainers I ever had said that no one was too good to grab mane. If it saves you from getting left behind, or from hitting your horse in the mouth, or from falling off, grab mane now; apologize later.

I got the baby in the King Cake at the office Mardi Gras party yesterday, so I’m supposed to have good luck all year. It started yesterday evening when I got to ride my favorite sale horse in my lesson.

See ya!

[spacytracy]

Hinderella, I know about short-circuits. My entire body is a short circuit over a jump. Whatever position I’m in at the start better be the right one because that’s how I’m ending up, too!

Opus, Glad you tried the beer, it helps me relax for sure. And one beer is not enough to impair me. (Now ask me about the time I climbed bareback on my pony on NYE using a bucket, I was pretty impaired.)

I believe in grabbing mane no matter what the level. Its foolish, IMO, to say it should not be done. Its done to help save the horse and save the rider from a big OOPS. I think whatever can be done to preserve the horse from getting hit in the mouth, and can preserve the rider from falling off, falling behind, jumping ahead, etc.

Welcome dreamin! Hope this thread will be a place to vent, share, etc! I can understand you feeling uneasy now coming back to riding after injury. Last week was the second surgery I’ve had in 3 months. I’m getting a little frustrated.

So, hope this doesn’t gross people out (if you are squeamish about wounds, do not read further), but one of my incisions is a little weepy, and one is right on the bending part of my stomach, so its the most painful. I called the surgeon and he said the weepiness is ok, looks like a little blister might have formed on it. Still freaks me out.

He also cut off my drugs. lol. I asked him to up the script becuase the dose he prescribed wasn’t cutting it yesterday. He was hesitant and said to try something else. He said I could have the script if I really needed it but wasn’t really willing to just give it up. I guess I’m happy he just doesn’t dispense pills like a candy store but…wahhh! lol. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

[wntrwhte]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;6156775]
Hinderella, I know about short-circuits. My entire body is a short circuit over a jump. Whatever position I’m in at the start better be the right one because that’s how I’m ending up, too!

Opus, Glad you tried the beer, it helps me relax for sure. And one beer is not enough to impair me. (Now ask me about the time I climbed bareback on my pony on NYE using a bucket, I was pretty impaired.)

I believe in grabbing mane no matter what the level. Its foolish, IMO, to say it should not be done. Its done to help save the horse and save the rider from a big OOPS. I think whatever can be done to preserve the horse from getting hit in the mouth, and can preserve the rider from falling off, falling behind, jumping ahead, etc.

Welcome dreamin! Hope this thread will be a place to vent, share, etc! I can understand you feeling uneasy now coming back to riding after injury. Last week was the second surgery I’ve had in 3 months. I’m getting a little frustrated.

So, hope this doesn’t gross people out (if you are squeamish about wounds, do not read further), but one of my incisions is a little weepy, and one is right on the bending part of my stomach, so its the most painful. I called the surgeon and he said the weepiness is ok, looks like a little blister might have formed on it. Still freaks me out.

He also cut off my drugs. lol. I asked him to up the script becuase the dose he prescribed wasn’t cutting it yesterday. He was hesitant and said to try something else. He said I could have the script if I really needed it but wasn’t really willing to just give it up. I guess I’m happy he just doesn’t dispense pills like a candy store but…wahhh! lol. I’m sure it’ll be fine.[/QUOTE]

spacy: my incision was very weepy. It was gross. But some people heal better with a little more fluid than others, and unless the fluid is opaque, smells bad, or is greenish, you’re probably just fine. But yes, it’s gross, and I spent the first week grossing out my fiance with my dressings.

[Hinderella]

Opus1, I love the beer idea. I will admit to having used a small half dose of a prescription anti-anxiety pill when I was rebuilding my confidence after a tough fall a couple of years ago. My husband suggested it, said I needed to break the cycle of anxiety…you know, get nervous, tense up , ride badly, horse reacts, so you tense up more…

It worked for me, and I’m thinking a quick bit of Guiness, shared with the pony, might be the way to go before the next lesson.

Our last lesson was grid work. The pony LOVES things that make her think. But she figures them out pretty quickly, and then she thinks it’s a contest to see how fast she can get through the grid (NOT the object of the exercise).

You’re never to good to grab mane, or to use a “jesus” strap. There are lots of really good riders in the hunt field who will put on a grab strap for those frisky days. And what could possibly be wrong with using a tool that improves your position?

The only problem I had with the grab strap was last week, when we were jumping without reins. Came over the jump, needed to retake my reins to steer and slow the pony. But I grabbed the neck strap instead! So for two or three strides, I’m pulling and she’s going along thinking “lady, leggo my neck!”

[Opus1]

@wntrwhte;6156386

Here I thought I was the only one who was balancing their checking account while riding.[/QUOTE]

Nope. I think and do any number of things while riding. Especially when I’m warming up or walking a long stretch of a dressage test. If you ever get to the point where you start thinking about Laplace’s demon or quantum suicide, let me know.

[QUOTE=dreaminOTTB;6156448]Hi, any chance I could join in?

Welcome to the thread! It’s always good to know you’re not the only adult re-rider out there. Especially when barns and shows are full of overly brave kids who have their parents checkbooks in their back pockets. (No, not all of them, but still …)

[QUOTE=spacytracy;6156775]Opus, Glad you tried the beer, it helps me relax for sure.

So, hope this doesn’t gross people out (if you are squeamish about wounds, do not read further), but one of my incisions is a little weepy, and one is right on the bending part of my stomach, so its the most painful.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, when I had my facial surgery, it weeped for a couple days afterwards. Very odd, but the plastic surgeon said it was fine and it was typical.

@Hinderella;6157201

Opus1, I love the beer idea. I will admit to having used a small half dose of a prescription anti-anxiety pill when I was rebuilding my confidence after a tough fall a couple of years ago.

Thanks! I was hoping someone else would find the beer thing useful, or at least intriguing.

Actually, I’ve been debating whether or not to ask my doctor for a low dose valium, or at least a similar sort of drug for when I do get overly anxious. (Not for riding – I meant for life in general.) But I don’t want to come across as a druggie or someone who doesn’t need it and just wants it for other uses. Do people actually ask their doc for specific drugs?

:sigh: Even thinking about asking my Dr. for an anxiety drug makes me a little anxious.

[Koniucha]

I guess the onlu thing that I can think of that I don’t like about the grab strap with jumping is that it is so low on the neck. In my case, I have to move my hands more forward, so grabbing the mane sounds good.

So I wanted to share a picture that my boss drew for me this morning at work. It is cute!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150560779347274&set=a.10150160940902274.296019.516697273&type=1&theater

[QUOTE=Hinderella;6157201]
Opus1, I love the beer idea. I will admit to having used a small half dose of a prescription anti-anxiety pill when I was rebuilding my confidence after a tough fall a couple of years ago. My husband suggested it, said I needed to break the cycle of anxiety…you know, get nervous, tense up , ride badly, horse reacts, so you tense up more…

It worked for me, and I’m thinking a quick bit of Guiness, shared with the pony, might be the way to go before the next lesson.

Our last lesson was grid work. The pony LOVES things that make her think. But she figures them out pretty quickly, and then she thinks it’s a contest to see how fast she can get through the grid (NOT the object of the exercise).

You’re never to good to grab mane, or to use a “jesus” strap. There are lots of really good riders in the hunt field who will put on a grab strap for those frisky days. And what could possibly be wrong with using a tool that improves your position?

The only problem I had with the grab strap was last week, when we were jumping without reins. Came over the jump, needed to retake my reins to steer and slow the pony. But I grabbed the neck strap instead! So for two or three strides, I’m pulling and she’s going along thinking “lady, leggo my neck!”[/QUOTE]

[wntrwhte]

[QUOTE=Opus1;6157754]

Actually, I’ve been debating whether or not to ask my doctor for a low dose valium, or at least a similar sort of drug for when I do get overly anxious. (Not for riding – I meant for life in general.) But I don’t want to come across as a druggie or someone who doesn’t need it and just wants it for other uses. Do people actually ask their doc for specific drugs?

:sigh: Even thinking about asking my Dr. for an anxiety drug makes me a little anxious.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn’t worry about it. I have a high stress job and I travel a lot. The dr had no problem giving me something to take the edge off and let me relax when I explained after 15 hours of clients hounding me, I was unable to unwind and sleep so I could get up and do it the next day. I wouldn’t necessarily ask for a specific drug by name, but simply explain that you have some intermittent anxiety and are wondering if trying an anti-anxiety drug while you work on managing it would be helpful.

[HazelG]

Welcome Dreamin. Glad you decided to join us!

Opus I love the beer idea. Here are some others that work for me that you can drive or show with! Try an herb (comes in a tablet form) called Rhodiola. You can get it at the health food store. I used to take it only on horse show days, but I like it so much now I take it every day. Also there is a spray called Rescue Remedy that you spray on your tongue that also helps with nerves. You can even give it to your horse. I keep a bottle in the pocket of my show jacket and use it between rounds. Yoga is also very helpful for calmness and focus. I just finished a book called “Riding Out of Your Mind” which addresses some of the nerve and comfort zone issues we are all facing. And there’s always beer too!

Spacytracy, try this for your weepy wound (please don’t ask me how I know this). Put some epsom salts in a basin of warm water until you can’t dissolve any more (like if you were going to soak a hoof abscess). Soak a facecloth in the water, wring it out, and then put it on the weepy wound. When it cools off resoak it and put it on again. Do this for about 10 or 15 minutes. Then blowdry the wound with your hairdryer. Do this 3 or 4 times a day and it will
dry it right up.

Had a great lesson today. Nobody else showed up so I had a private lesson. And I can still walk! Well…sort of…

[dreaminOTTB]

Opus1 - I love the beer idea! I may not go with beer specifically, but a drink of some sort seems like just the right idea! That might be just the thing I need to get rid of that little bit of tension! Now I’m trying to figure out when would be the best time to try that …

Oh, and I also try to grab mane whenever I jump. I’m not always successful, but that’s the “goal” I put in my head when it comes to my releases. If not, my hands get stuck in my lap!

[jaslyn1701]

Opus, have no anxiety about asking your doc for some help. I not only balanced my check book, made my grocery list etc. while riding, but managed to focus on any and every bad thing that COULD happen. Half a Xanax really helps me focus. I don’t need it every ride, but when I do, it’s a life saver - for me and my horse. Poor horse, I can only imagine what its like for him to have his rider’s brain going 800 mph in 800 different directions.

Welcome Dreamin!

ST - glad you are continuing to improve. Hang in there without the drugs!

[Hinderella]

Yes, Xanax, the drug of choice:)

I too, never would have dreamed of using an anti-anxiety med. I’m deathly afraid of anything addictive. But I will admit to using a half of my husband’s Xanax once for riding and once or twice for other stressful events.

If you try it, do a test run without riding to see how it affects you.

Last summer we had an all adult riding lesson on Wednesday nights, and i would bring wine and cheese for after the lesson. Maybe we should switch & have the wine before the lesson!

Koniucha, the grab strap that I’ve been using is an old nylon backpack strap. Not very pretty, but it was easily adjustable to pony size, and I could make it small anough that it sits in a position about halfway up her neck, right where I want my hands when jumping. Previously I had tried using my breastplate to steady my hands, but it was in the wrong spot for me. you can use an old stirrup leather, too.

[CVPeg]

Well, all - thought I’d just be writing to you about progress with B and his bucking and trainer’s visit today. But I’m very much enjoying reading the “solution” to tough times, as I had another whallop upside the head today. Don’t wish to sound like a broken record, but after a nice platonic visit w/ the ex sig other this past weekend, first thing this morning he wrote me a scummy e-mail, waking me from my reverie. I’m to blame for everything going wrong once again in his life. So glad we’re in separate states! :uhoh:

So your Xanax discussion? Hmmmm. Haven’t tried it, but maybe I’ll get me some!

Anyway, to the really important issues! ;)…

B and I had our visit with the out-of-town trainer today regarding his bucking, and there is hope! He just feels the turnouts have been too few, and suggests we basically just start over as if he is recently off the track - which for all intents and purposes he is - even though it’s been almost 2 years. Trainer was impressed with B’s good behavior on the ground, saw a short demonstration of his misbehavior on the longe - didn’t even have to bother to ride. I had actually been thinking this way recently - about going back to the beginning - so we will be doing a schedule of longing, work, and turnouts, and yes, keeping the riding to a walk for now, and moving along only until he understands what is expected of him. And it isn’t “Ok, can we run as fast as possible today?!?” (or buck because you won’t let me…) :eek: Or misbehave on the longe - “what you’re talking to me?” I’ve already seen improvement keeping things (including gaits) to a minimum, & being very specific with commands and my expectations of his listening. This is new to him! :lol:

Plus, I’m hearing lots and lots of bucking tales throughout the threads - weird winter this year I suspect. B has bucked in the past, but there were other factors, perhaps also related to too much too soon. Perhaps not making certain all of our signals are understood, plus his pretty durn smart brain may have made us move ahead with him too quickly. And as so many have said - it may seem as if nothing is working, then all of a sudden they “get it”. Can’t wait for that day!

In the meantime, I’ll also enable…

I really am pretty much a goody goody, but I did used to freeze at shows - way back in the olden days… Didn’t really lack for confidence riding, but kind of like a deer in headlights at shows - especially if it was an easy course, requiring perfect position. (Figure that one out…) Give me a problem, and I loved solving it, but absent that and having to turn my thoughts inward…?!? Anyway, I did learn that a flask was also a handy piece of equipment at times. Never did do it regularly, but for nerves - not a bad idea at all. Was just tough early in the morning! :lol: And also once at an IHSA show when best friend brought a flask, and we drew too much attention laughing in the bleachers. Hey, that was one day I won BOTH classes!

As for the present, I am walking about 90% now, foot is still purty if I wanted to get some sympathy, backside ugly (no one seeing that!) …but I am hoping all of you also hurting quick recoveries and good spirits. Spacytracy - spring’s around the corner! (Can you do tic tac toe on your tummy?)

Welcome, Koniucha & dreaminOTTB. The bigger the party the better!
HazelG - what a nice thing to hear!!
Opus - hope the lease horse is a go! OK, shhhhh.

[Dewey]

Hi, everybody…after a lot of inner turmoil, I have asked my mare’s owner to take the weird provision he wants out of the sales contract. I figured I had better have a clear understanding with him before I write the check for the PPE, which is going to include x-rays on her front feet. :eek:

Just sent him the very carefully-crafted email. Will let you know what he says. Keep your fingers crossed!!

[spacytracy]

Good luck!!!

[Dewey]

Sale is agreed on pending PPE!!! He says he values “selling her to someone who knows and loves her,” so all systems are go! PPE will be Saturday morning!

[HazelG]

CVPeg sounds like the trainer knew what he was talking about. So glad it’s not hopeless. Keep us posted on the progress, keeping my fingers crossed for you. If you believe in the horse (which it sounds like you do) it wil be worth the time and patience.

Dewey I think that was really wise. Good luck on Saturday, I will be checking in to see how the PPE went so don’t forget to post as soon as you can!

Spacytracy how are you feeling?

[stolen_virtue]

I rode twice this weekend ! My baby is doing well,he had a mental breakdown Monday and pulled back and broke his lovely halter due to a guilty conscience of biting the brush in my hand, but he was good undersaddle nontheless. Babies, he may be my last.

CVPeg-hope I responded to your bucking post, my older guy is a bucker and he has done some damage to me. I learned how important my inside leg to ourside rein is.

I hope to show my baby this fall and I am trying to focus on that goal.

[pony4me]

Day 70 of stall rest. 20 more to go and then we start 5 - 8 months of rehab.