Riders with Epilepsy

[Crazy4horses2]

Hey there I just was wondering how many other epilepsy warriors out in the world overcame their disability or curse as I call it and still pursued their love for owning, training, and riding horses.

I’d love to hear your story what type of epilepsy you have if you were able to show rodeo please share anything you feel I’ll share my story for ya’ll.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 10 but I had been riding horses since 7 I’m 28 now. My mother objected to me riding after I was diagnosed but I still rode because I loved it. I have seizure activity throughout my entire brain I have what they call tonic clonic (grand mal in other states/countries) and partial onset (petty mal in other states/countries) I’ve been on at least 20 different medications to stop my seizures at this current time I have to take 3 different medications to keep my seizures at bay before I was having a tonic clonic at least twice a week and a partial onset every 30 seconds now I can go around 3 months without having a TC and the PO are gone.
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Getting back to riding I was never able to get to showing or rodeo I did do a small amount of training for barrels but other then that I have just stuck to riding in the pasture, trails, or along ditch banks.

I’ve enjoyed riding and training for many many years any have had many people warn me about it not being a good idea to be doing what I love to do but to be honest I have never had a seizure around a horse the door latch and table corner were more dangerous I had to get 5 stiches over my eyebrow because I went into a seizure and hit the corner of a table. I had to get 3 staples in my head because I was folding laundry in my bedroom went into a seizure and hit the door latch of all things. Now my husband is paranoid and he took the door latches off all the doors haha!

Anyway ya’ll know my story I’d love to hear yours! I hope you enjoy!

[Bluey]

I don’t think there are many people prone to frequent seizures, grand or petit mal ones, that work with horses.

As long as there is someone else there with you, I guess it is safe, in case there is need of help.

Interesting that you never had a seizure around horses.

Glad that you found a way to have horses in your life.

Maybe someone else with similar problems will see your post and chime in with their story.

[betsyk]

We see lots of people with seizures in the therapeutic riding world. Based on your post, I’d say you need to live your life. If you’re the only one who would suffer for your actions - then it’s your choice. If others would suffer - example: you decide to take the farm truck to pick up hay even though you don’t have a license, and you get in an accident because you have a seizure - that’s bad. Take your meds, wear your medical alert bracelet, choose appropriate horses and be smart about having people around. Consider your loved ones, and live your life.

[Bluey]

@betsyk

We see lots of people with seizures in the therapeutic riding world. Based on your post, I’d say you need to live your life. If you’re the only one who would suffer for your actions - then it’s your choice. If others would suffer - example: you decide to take the farm truck to pick up hay even though you don’t have a license, and you get in an accident because you have a seizure - that’s bad. Take your meds, wear your medical alert bracelet, choose appropriate horses and be smart about having people around. Consider your loved ones, and live your life.

Oh, yes, our therapy with horses group has several clients that had seizure disorders, but when I was there, just didn’t happen to have someone seizing, but it has happened.
We rotated donated horses from local horse owners and we had three in their rotation, that spent two to three months there giving lessons, one at the time, then we took another one and picked the previous one up.

I was talking about riding in general, sorry I was not clear.
Sounds like you cope very well, know how to manage.
Maybe some other posters will tell us of their experiences also.

[Crazy4horses2]

Thank you both for your opinions. As I have had epilepsy for so long I don’t go out and get stupid with it. I know when to not be around horses heck I know when it’s not ok to even leave my bed or couch, When I’m having multiple small seizures in a day I wont go near a horse. I get nervous at times when having to walk down the street to get my daughter from the bus on days like that.

I don’t deny that there are some people with epilepsy doing things that they shouldn’t be doing like driving for instance but I have never driven any kind of vehicle in my life and I do not plan to change this unless my epilepsy is magically cured. I have been around horses before I was diagnosed with epilepsy so if I were to quit something I love to do it would’ve dramatically increased the amount of seizures. People may not belive this but in all honesty the less stress in an epileptics life the better they will be.

The epilepsy specialist that I see every 3 months knows that I work with horses and the only thing that she asked of me is to make sure to wear a helmet while I ride and to make sure someone knows that I am working with my horse. Epilespsy is one of the most misunderstood neurological disorders and it irritates me more then anything to hear someone tell me what I can and can not do. Would I drive a car no I would never put anyones life in danger including my own just to get somewhere quicker. I fear taking showers and going to sleep more then being around or riding a horse and having a seizure. Many people may not understand why I fear going to sleep all you need to do is look up SUDEP or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy it will tell you everything you need to know about that, Fearing taking a shower well that’s pretty obvious… I hope you can all understand where I’m coming from

[Second_Star_To_The_R]

I have a seizure disorder and I pretty much confine my riding to the arena and only get under a horse or mess around with young horses if I have someone with me.

I had already had my children by the time I was diagnosed and had to prioritize them over riding. If I was seriously injured, who took care of them.

I was also very conscious of the fact that just because my horse was not disturbed by a seizure, it didn’t mean no one’s would be and if a seizure spooked a horse when people were around on other horses someone could get injured. That’s why I confined myself to an arena with no other riders for the most part but will ride with my daughter on occasion. I have complex partials and the occasional drop seizures. I do sympathize with you.

[Wonders12]

I don’t have any experience with this, but in addition to a helmet, you may want to consider a vest like this: https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/point-two-hybrid-jacket-10070

I’m sure they haven’t made it to the western world, but they are definitely getting more popular in the english discipline. I even see lessons students and hunter/jumper riders in them now. You may want to head over the eventing forum and get their opinions. Especially since you have a child, mitigating risk is always good.