Disabled/But still work and ride

[Scribbler]

@animallover223

Thank you all for your advice, I will definitely check into legal advice, sounds like my best option. I am not on CPP. My disability is mental but it affects me physically. But riding therapy definitely helps keep me strong and mobile, and I will be competing in para dressage with my therapy program. My condition is not a well studied one, and a lot of doctors don’t know a thing about my condition. I only have two specialists that understand it. But I just recently started easing back into working again, With disability I claim all my work pay every month, and they deduct any money from my disability pay if I earn over the allowed limit of earnings from work. I apologize I might be trailing off the topic a little bit, I really appreciate the help from you all

Well if the disability is primarily mental with some physical expression, and you are already in a riding therapy program, and you are actively transitioning back to the workforce, I can’t see riding being an issue with your benefit provider.

That’s a bit different than if someone was claiming a purely physical issue like a bad back kept them from ever working again, but they were spending all day doing barn work.

As far as owning your own horse again, as I’m sure you know horse ownership can entail a wide range of cost and physical effort, from pasture board to self board to full training board which is very expensive but good if you lack time or energy.

On the other hand paradressage horses are very special animals and my guess is they are expensive and require the full time help of a trainer to keep tuned up. If you want to compete it might be more economical and achievable to lease a horse in your trainer’s program.

Indeed most able bodied ammies who want to compete also do much better in a training program!

[animallover223]

@Scribbler

Well if the disability is primarily mental with some physical expression, and you are already in a riding therapy program, and you are actively transitioning back to the workforce, I can’t see riding being an issue with your benefit provider.

That’s a bit different than if someone was claiming a purely physical issue like a bad back kept them from ever working again, but they were spending all day doing barn work.

As far as owning your own horse again, as I’m sure you know horse ownership can entail a wide range of cost and physical effort, from pasture board to self board to full training board which is very expensive but good if you lack time or energy.

On the other hand paradressage horses are very special animals and my guess is they are expensive and require the full time help of a trainer to keep tuned up. If you want to compete it might be more economical and achievable to lease a horse in your trainer’s program.

Indeed most able bodied ammies who want to compete also do much better in a training program!

I agree with you, I don’t own the horse I am doing para dressage with it is the Therapy programs horse. I would just like to have my own horse to be free to do other riding as well

[Scribbler]

@animallover223

I agree with you, I don’t own the horse I am doing para dressage with it is the Therapy programs horse. I would just like to have my own horse to be free to do other riding as well

Well, if you can afford the horse and have the time and energy to ride, and you aren’t claiming benefits on a primarily physical issue that ought to prevent you from riding, I doubt there is a problem.

But be realistic. If you are returning slowly to full time work will you always have time to ride in future? If you are not in full health, will you be able to sustain the day in day out attention and effort a horse needs?

Even for basic riding, I’d suggest looking for a half lease on a horse that is in a good situation with facilities and trails. Usually those cost about half the horses monthly expense, so maybe $300 a month to ride 3 days a week, no long term commitment.

I did that when I returned to riding and eased back into owning a horse. It’s a great way to get more saddle time but not over commit too early.

[RMJacobs]

@2DogsFarm, are you talking about Social Security or disability? There is a big difference. Mentioning the Widows Benefit is what made me wonder. I didn’t think that applied to disability (but I could easily be wrong).

Rebecca

[animallover223]

@Scribbler

Well, if you can afford the horse and have the time and energy to ride, and you aren’t claiming benefits on a primarily physical issue that ought to prevent you from riding, I doubt there is a problem.

But be realistic. If you are returning slowly to full time work will you always have time to ride in future? If you are not in full health, will you be able to sustain the day in day out attention and effort a horse needs?

Even for basic riding, I’d suggest looking for a half lease on a horse that is in a good situation with facilities and trails. Usually those cost about half the horses monthly expense, so maybe $300 a month to ride 3 days a week, no long term commitment.

I did that when I returned to riding and eased back into owning a horse. It’s a great way to get more saddle time but not over commit too early.

I agree leasing is probably the better option. I will have time my work place is very flexible and the hours of being open leave me enough time to care for them. I was getting help when I was in a wheelchair at one point but I still did most everything for my horse even when I was.

[Rackonteur]

@animallover223

Thank you I know it’s a tough subject. I will ask the disability agency as well

The official thinking seems to be that if a person can get dressed, get out, and go to the barn and work with a horse, then that person can get dressed, get out, and go to a job of paid work and therefore does not need the government to pay them disability. That’s not necessarily the way it is for the disabled person, but the idea seems to be that anyone fit enough to handle a horse is fit enough to earn their own money and not be awarded it for being unable (i.e., disabled).

IME the response was that maybe I could not do a standing or sitting job but that didn’t mean I couldn’t do some job to earn money.

I think what 2dogsfarm is talking about is Social Security pension, not Social Security disability. I collect Social Security pension and would love to have access to a horse, but there is no way I can afford the horsey life on Social Security. It keeps a roof over my head and food in my stomach but does nothing to put me back in the saddle.

[walkers60]

it is complicated before age 65 its SSI which is social security disability and you can lose it if “caught” working, after 65 SSI becomes regular social security and you can work up to a certain income and then benefits will decline. There is no SSI after 65.