Welcome!
Hi Dukethe Dane,
Congratulations! You not only are one of us, you also join the broken back club with me! Whaa Hoo Waa! Isn’t it just gangs of fun!:eek:
Please feel free to p.m. me, as I’m 5 years out from my fall, and I’ve developed LOTS of strategies. (I got hit by a deer while I was galloping a big DWB) multiple compression fractured vertabrae, squished discs, vertabrae in novel positions.
And, the doctors didn’t figure out that I had broken my back until 6 months later. That’s 3 different Dr.s who didn’t see the need to even x-ray. I went to a highly trained P.T. 2 months and some out from the accident, because I was in so much pain and was losing the feeling in my legs below the knees. Sure made foxhunting on a bucking greenie difficult. The P.T. is the one who arranged for me to get an appt. with a top sports oriented spinal neuro surgeon. I had enough damage that surgery would have made things worse, so the neuro opted for lots of P.T. once I had healed the fractures.
I am now not only able to foxhunt, but I am currently taking eventing jumping lessons with the legendary Jimmy Wofford. On a green mare who is learning to jump. (She is known as the Dresage Diva)
To answer your question about the thin line. No it doesn’t do what you need. What you want is the medical orthopedic foam, poron. It is frequently found in orthotics as a cushioning highly moldable layer against the body. Wonderful, wonderful stuff! It is very thin, so it doesn’t interfer with the “feel” of the saddle. You just don’t hurt.
I put it under a real wool sheepskin seat saver which holds it in place. The poron has a slick surface, and won’t work if it isn’t allowed to respond to your movement. Please p.m. me for all the nitty gritty info on how to get it and it’s many uses. The sample pieces in different weights are grand for carrying with you for chairs and cars.
If you contact the owner of F.I.T.S. breeches, she has designed breeches with pockets for shimming under the seat. These were developed for the para riders. The dressage rules state that one can’t have a seat saver on the saddle. Soo, what we do is put the shims on us, which IS legal. This is how I’m going to compete in regular open eventing.:winkgrin: heh, heh, heh! ( By the way, I’ve improved so much that I’m no longer eligible for para)
If at all possible, get a very high mounting block, so you are standing close to the height of the stirrup. You will need to practice breaking down the different components of mounting and the swing up into the saddle will be different to protect your back. Getting off takes the same care.
Since you don’t have displacement, you should be able to return to most things fairly quickly, except sitting trot and canter. I avoid both of those like the plague. I do 2 point or 3 point to save my back. Leg strength is going to be key. Posting trot without stirrups to build your legs up is miserable to do but will save you.
Please feel free to talk with me! I am one of the 3 original founders of this forum because we needed a place to help each other. I care.
