Different Disabilities

[RPM]

OK, I am just going to post this and see if I get any positive feedback.

I don’t know if I have a disability or not. I have no health insurance, so I can’t go to a doctor to be evaluated.

I used to ride a wonderful horse, for about 5 years, but he is now in a lesson program and I no longer get to ride him. I have some friends who offer me rides on their horses, but their horses are very spirited and I don’t feel brave or bold enough to ride any of them.

I don’t make enough money to buy a horse, lease a horse, or take lessons on a lesson horse. I can barely afford gas in the car to drive out to friends’ barns once a week to hang out with them and groom their horses (the only horse activity I get to do these days). Once summer comes I won’t be able to do that anymore, because I don’t make enough money to replace the AC compressor in my car and driving in 90+ degree temps with high humidity is not only uncomfortable, it is dangerous.

So–I am not able to see pay for a doctor. I am not able to get Medicaid, because (thank God) I’m too healthy.
I am not able to pay for a horse or lessons.

Being not able to do certain things is being disabled in that context.

I am not complaining. I have good health and friends with horses I can visit.

But I am not able to do things that I not only love but that I need in order to feel well and enjoy life.

I sometimes wonder if there is anyone else out there as disabled financially as I am, and what they do about it.

[Wellspotted]

I have been in a similar situation financially. Friends with horses but the horses are not suitable for my level of riding. I like to ride these days for pleasure, not to get into discussions with the horse! Conversation, yes; discussion, no.

I wish I were able to offer some helpful feedback. Hopefully this reply will bump up your thread and others will see it and offer more.

[Bluey]

Life is all about choices for those of us lucky enough to have choices to make.
When there is some things I can’t do, I change what I want and choose to want to do other I can do.

If you can’t manage to be around horses, find some other to do.
What works well is to volunteer somewhere you can get to.

That puts life in general in perspective, when you see those you still can help, that don’t have real choices.:yes:

[draftdriver]

Horse shows are often looking for volunteers. So are therapeutic riding facilities. Perhaps by volunteering at something like that, you will be able to tap into the network and find a niche which would suit your talents and limitations. For example, some therapeutic riding facilities need exercise riders to ride the horses at a pace faster than a slow walk, to maintain their physique and mental stability.